How can I excercise if I can't stand up for more than a couple of minutes at a time?
I had a heart attack almost 2 yrs ago, been disabled for 21 yrs with possibly M.S., just recently diagnosed with Fibromyalga, and now I'm borderline diabetic.
I was always super thin growing up, then I gained some weight after having my youngest son, 23 yrs ago. It was a high risk pregnancy and I was confined to bed for the last 6 mos of my pregnancy. I was at least 45-50 lbs overweight up til I had my heart attack and had to quit smoking. Now I've totally ballooned and weigh close to 250 lbs. It just took everything in me to type that number. I can't tell my family, but I feel like I'm just waiting to die.
Does anyone else have any idea of what I'm going thru? My family tries to understand and support me, but they don't really understand.
Sandy

SANDY ~ glad you joined us. There are many people here who know exactly what you are going through. We have a DIETING WITH OBSTACLES FORUM here that has threads for everything you mentioned. There is a DIABETIC THREAD, FIBERMIALGIA THREAD, and a PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED THREAD that has ladies with MS and other mobility problems. Come on over and join us there: everyone is very friendly!!!

These ladies have found other ways to exercise; and along with a healthy eating plan, have lost weight very successfully. You could focus on upper body exercises, Pilates, Yoga, and swimming for starters. Have you decided on which plan you want to try? Over in DIET CENTRAL there is a list of almost every plan known to man ~ LOL!

Come back often, and get the support you need and deserve! ROSEBUD

I can highly recommend the swimming. Especially if you can find a warm water exercise program (some YMCAs will hold them, the arthritis foundation also usually can tell you where the local programs are in your area).

My FIL was wheelchair bound with MS, severe kidney disease and PAD. Our area luckily has a warm water therapy pool that is wheelchair accessible. He went every week until he couldn't any longer after his pacemaker was removed and the wound wouldn't heal. His health declined rapidly when he couldn't go to the pool anymore.

Myself, I use the same pool. All winter I avoided it for a lot of lame reasons, but I've been going regularly for the past three weeks, and love it. I wish we lived closer, as I'd go every day. I'd live in the water if I could, because the warm water and reduction in gravity decreases pain like none of my drugs can. That I can actually exercise intensely in the water is bonus. It doesn't feel like exercise or work, I almost feel like a superhero, because I literally have different "powers" in the water than on land, and using those powers is a lot of fun. It's like escaping the confinements of my body for a while.