Hi Camyam,

You don't mention whether you have dizziness or not but my guess is that your headaches and problems with walking are eye related. Have you had your eyes looked at? To increase your stamina and oxygen to your brain, try non-moving exercise like stationary bike. I was able to do this but not able to walk. Start out for 5 or 10 minutes if that's all you can do and don't go fast or have the tension set high.

Since starting vestibular therapy, and starting to get my dizziness under control, I have again starting trying to walk. I'm going by time and not by distance. Right now I'm doing 5 minutes. My eyes have gotten a little better over time but I still think they are the main source of my dizziness, headaches and nausea.

I tried "gentle yoga for mature folks" on Friday. I'm only 39 but was told this was the best yoga for folks recovering from illness/injury. It was basically stretching and meditating. I still felt worse for that day and the next even with this basic exercise but I will do it again because I knew I wasn't go to immediately feel better.

ANY exercise is going to cause a little more fatigue or a bit of a headache or some fuzziness because we've been inactive for so long. Give it a day or two and then do it again. It will get easier and better.

About 15 years ago my fibromyalgia was at its worst and I was literally sleeping 20+ hours a day. Any movement (doing up a button, brushing teeth, eating) was exhausting and painful. I would fall asleep eating dinner. After about a year of this, and with no answers from doctors, I said enough is enough and started "exercising". I started with a 5 minute walk for a few weeks. Then 7 minutes, then 10, etc. Very slowly going up. I kept at it and eventually got back to working full time, going to school part time and again taking care of my young son. Last year I ran a half marathon and was training for a full marathon.

Every time there was a flare up of symptoms but I kept going knowing that I was not doing any physical harm to myself and eventually my body got used to it and the confidence that I could do it helped. It is possible to get moving again but sometimes you have to take it REALLY REALLY slowly. Better to be doing 5 minutes then nothing at all.

One other thing I learned back then was to do things you REALLY REALLY enjoy because you will pay less attention to the symptoms. If you just go out for a walk by yourself you will be thinking, oh is that a headache starting, I think I'm a bit dizzy, my stomach feels weird, etc. but if you're doing something you want to be doing you won't notice the symptoms as much. Just don't over do it.

I'm sure I got really off track here.... hope something helps!

CC