ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome does exercise help?

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Does anyone else believe all the recent publicity claiming that graded exercise therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy actually help? See The Guardian letter challenging it here:
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/24/truth-about-exercise-and-therapy

Says a new study has found that it makes people worse.

I wouldn't rely on the guardian for medical advice. Many rheumatologists suggest a graded exercise programme for ME/CFS.

Be sooooo careful with exercise.Have a look at Dr Myhills website she has lots of great advice and info on there.I am a cfs sufferer too,it sucks!!

I was told that mild exercise helps, yoga for example. I have MS & get very tired, I found that accupuncture helped with the fatigue so this could be worth a try??

Basically what I have learnt over the years living with this condition is that overdoing it causes relapses, but if you can improve your overall fitness levels then it also improves your stamina, your ability to recover from relapses and your mental well being, e.g. the anxiety and depression that inevitably comes with having a shitty unpredictable condition that no-one understands!

This doesn't then mean that all exercise is bad, but that exercising to the point of overdoing it is bad. I guage this by not getting out of breath. This means that I can do different amounts of exercise on different days - with many days of no exercise. This is where graded exercise doesn't work as it is about building up gradually in a straight line - wheras with my M.E it can go from one extreme to another from zero to having a bit of a dance! I did have CBT and found it helpful and supportive on an emotional level learning how to not overdo it on good days and reach more of a plateau rather than rushing about on good days and crashing afterwards. I just argued the point of setting a baseline with the nurse explaining that if I set a baseline at my lowest point it would be zero - lying in bed all day and not moving.

I've found that you have to be unbelievably aware of your body and that then you can exercise. I even joined a gymn (before having my son (!) and exercised reguarly, but WALKING on a treadmill, spending 3 minutes doing weights, cycling on the lowest gear, basically mixing it up so none of my muscles were overworked and I never got out of breath, and I did notice a massive difference. I even think it might have been the start point of my improved health!

Anyway - hope this is helpful! Good luck!

Hi, i've had ME/Fibromyalgia for the past 6 years, although only diagnosed for only the past 3 years.

I have tried many things and from speaking to many people with the same condition have realised that what works for one does not always work for another.

I am now at a good place with my condition and I have found for me walking and change in diet has helped. But the main thing that has contributed has been Remedial Massage (again this doesn't work for everyone.) I have found that when i've had a treatment it relaxes my muscles which in turn tunes in my mind. I am able to focus better and subsequently feel able to exercise.

Graded exercise is great, as long you don't expect to be able to exercise like you did when you were fully fit. I fell into this trap and you can 'burn out' when you feel well. It is hard, but if you take time to find what's right for you and only focus on one thing at a time, it may work. Again I fell into the trap of doing Yoga, Pilates etc etc, but found general walking to be great so stuck to just this.

CBT is good, but does not work for everyone.

Hope you start to feel better soon!

Be careful with excersise, do pace yourself

not just with excercise but everything...including things u enjoy, using PC, talking etc. etc.

can give info. about diary keeping and pacing if you wish..

Take Care :-)