Does anyone else feel like cooking with fibromyalgia is nearly impossible? The other night, I was making dinner, and by the time I finished chopping vegetables, my body was in agony. The following day, we had a delivery that required me to go up and down the stairs several times, and by that evening, I couldn’t go downstairs again. I ended up spending the entire night in bed because, after two days of pushing myself beyond my limits, my body had clearly said, “enough is enough.”

That said, I know there are ways to increase my endurance, but it can be really painful. I found that exercising significantly reduced my pain to the point where I felt almost normal while I maintained the routine. I managed to work out for thirty minutes daily, about three days a week.

Has anyone else faced their pain and tried exercising to see if it helps? I personally do best with low-impact exercises, like riding a bike or water aerobics.

Today, I had to ask my partner which activity he wanted me to do because I only had the energy for one task. Going to the grocery store or swimming in the pool this afternoon felt overwhelming, and before my health declined, neither would have been too much for me. Managing energy is a regular part of living with a chronic illness, and I know some people find relief with electronic gadgets. I tried one, but it didn’t work quite as I hoped; however, it did help me better understand the difference between my pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia.