Jenny in Florida Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 If someone else already started a new thread for this month, please ignore me. I'll hop over there. As usual, all are welcome here! Check in as often as you wish . . . or not. Share specific goals . . . or not. We're just here to cheer each other on. 2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 1, 2023 Author Share Posted February 1, 2023 Yoga last night was good. The teacher worked parts of me that needed it, apparently. And it was a nice brain break after the gross week I've been having. I took the time to walk my remaining steps before forcing myself back into the office chair to finish my school assignment. Had to wake up early and take my adult kiddo to the airport this morning. They are flying back to NYC for a job interview. 🤞 I walked with the dog a teeny bit before and after, then went out by myself for as long as I could, but I still logged only a little over 3.5K total for the morning. Followed that with about 25 minutes of strength and stretching. I'll look for some breaks in the day to squeeze in more walking. Winter Warmup 2022 Challenge: 242.2 of 500KWalking Streak: 36 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Glad to hear that you got in a good yoga session Jenny. My year has went nothing like I planned so far. I'm still nursing the (what I think is) sciatica. I think it is getting better but really I'm not sure. It is still so bad. I'm very frustrated with my lack of movement and the pain. I've been avoiding posting here as not to be too much of a whiner and downer but am trying to read an keep up with everyone. My current activity is-- PT exercises + lots of ambling around the house and standing I'm taking ibuprofen thrice daily with 1-2 rounds on the ice a day. I'm keeping my sitting to a minimum- mostly just at meals with a few short breaks here and there otherwise. Lots of little steps that my cheap watch doesn't catch. I'm trying to use the computer only standing and have traded in various types of kneeling for some tasks. I had hoped to get into PT this week but we've had another ice storm and everything is closed down. I'm hoping maybe by the end of the month I can add back in some regular exercise- walks, yoga, strength work. Really anything would be great. I obviously have some imbalances to work on if I can get past this injury.I think the problem was a combo of too much volume that exacerbated structural issues and the long, long plane ride sitting kicked off a cascade that I didn't properly address (as I didn't understand what was going on at the time). Sigh. 4 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 1, 2023 Author Share Posted February 1, 2023 @Soror I'm so sorry about the sciatica. I've only ever had that when I was pregnant, but it was miserable. And, following my assorted stuff over the last few years, I completely understand how demoralizing it is for someone who is accustomed to being active to be restricted or grounded by pain. I hope the PT and other accommodations help you recover soon and start being able to gently add back more of the things you want to do. (And please don't worry about whining. There are several of us doing our share of that here.) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Happy February 1st! Recently learned this is the half-way point of winter. Though it will be cold and damp here for some time, we really notice the light increasing during February and that is encouraging. 30 min on the treadmill this morning. Semester break now--3 days of teachers working with no kids. Training, grading, planning. My grading is pretty much done, so time to do some planning for second semester. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) A quick January wrap up since I didn't post the last two-ish weeks. It was hit or miss and sometimes all or nothing. For example, on Monday I did strength training and 2 yoga videos. None of the workouts were long but they were intense enough for me to know I did something. Then later in the day dh reminded me we said we'd take a walk at the nearby wetlands. That was about 2.5 miles. So that was a really good day exercise wise. Sunday I did nothing. It went like that throughout most of January. I'm having issues with Under Armor apps and Samsung Health. First of all I'm disappointed that I can't get Map My Walk and Map My Fitness apps on my Galaxy smartwatch. The two will sync but that's exactly what's causing the issues. I end up with double workouts on each app. The obvious answer would be to choose one and just stick with it but then I won't get all the info I want. On MMW and MMF Samsung Health just shows what I did and for how long. No stats. The opposite is true on Samsung Health - MMW and MMF just show the basics with no stats. So I spend time going through both deleting the Samsung synced workouts on MMW and MMF, and vice versa. And I don't always get to it. Right now MMW shows 3 walks at the above mentioned wetlands so I need to find the two without stats and delete them. If anyone has a better idea I'm all ears. It's frustrating! @Jenny in Florida I'm glad you had a good yoga session. You certainly needed something like that. @Soror I'm sorry about your sciatica. As someone who's dealt with it for years my advice is to do those PT exercises even when you don't want to. It can take a long time but you'll eventually get results. Try not to get discouraged (I know, easier said). Edited February 1, 2023 by Lady Florida. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 @Soror I'm sorry this is such a long haul. @Jenny in Florida thank you for starting the new month. I haven't been around much recently, but I have been exercising. Mostly brisk walks and my daily weights - often bundled into longer sessions when I run out of time. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Good day today - I did strength training: biceps and triceps with weights, wall push ups (the only kind I'm capable of at this time), and lower body resistance exercises including half squats, calf raises, and glute squeezes. I also did some hip opening stretches. Tomorrow will be a light/recovery day as I have my deep tissue massage scheduled. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdomandtreasures Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 Baby 6 is due in mid-April. I'm having a C-section on April 6 so I'm just trying to stay in shape for that, and keep from ballooning up. So far this pregnancy I have gained 22 pounds. I tend to gain 50 at LEAST (between never throwing up from morning sickness, and morning sickness that lasts 24/7 followed by weeks of off and on migraines throughout the second trimester, the pounds pile on quickly... This time I just pushed through feeling miserable and exercised anyway because I was not going to be immobilized by weight-induced knee and ankle pain again), so I'm pretty happy about that. Anywho, my daily routine that I want to keep up until baby is here... Morning: 20 minutes of stretches 8 min HIIT arm/shoulder workout 100 squeezes on a Pilates leg ring Alternate between a few minutes of weight lifting (various presses with 8# weights and some lifts with a 25# kettlebell, less than 10 minutes total) and wearing a weighted vest for several hours (so one day of weight lifting, one day with vest). Two walks 30-45 minutes each on the treadmill. One late morning, one in the evening. It works better for me to exercise throughout the day instead of one intense workout. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 Checking in for accountability. Started caroline garvin Epic end game today. Waiting on spring weather to add in some running but for now I've added in a.couple days of step aerobics or kettlebell. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 11 hours ago, lynn said: Checking in for accountability. Started caroline garvin Epic end game today. Waiting on spring weather to add in some running but for now I've added in a.couple days of step aerobics or kettlebell. Enjoy the program. I'd say however be mindful of the volume as it gets towards the end. I started having hip issues last winter after that program (I'd have just a tiny bit of issue before when I sat too much teaching but it was easily remedied by standing up every so often). I felt good and strong when I did it but afterwards not so much. I have been struggling off and on with my hips in various ways since then. 12 hours ago, wisdomandtreasures said: Baby 6 is due in mid-April. I'm having a C-section on April 6 so I'm just trying to stay in shape for that, and keep from ballooning up. So far this pregnancy I have gained 22 pounds. I tend to gain 50 at LEAST (between never throwing up from morning sickness, and morning sickness that lasts 24/7 followed by weeks of off and on migraines throughout the second trimester, the pounds pile on quickly... This time I just pushed through feeling miserable and exercised anyway because I was not going to be immobilized by weight-induced knee and ankle pain again), so I'm pretty happy about that. Anywho, my daily routine that I want to keep up until baby is here... Morning: 20 minutes of stretches 8 min HIIT arm/shoulder workout 100 squeezes on a Pilates leg ring Alternate between a few minutes of weight lifting (various presses with 8# weights and some lifts with a 25# kettlebell, less than 10 minutes total) and wearing a weighted vest for several hours (so one day of weight lifting, one day with vest). Two walks 30-45 minutes each on the treadmill. One late morning, one in the evening. It works better for me to exercise throughout the day instead of one intense workout. Welcome and best wishes with your pregnancy. It's so good to stay active during pregnancy. 15 hours ago, Lady Florida. said: Good day today - I did strength training: biceps and triceps with weights, wall push ups (the only kind I'm capable of at this time), and lower body resistance exercises including half squats, calf raises, and glute squeezes. I also did some hip opening stretches. Tomorrow will be a light/recovery day as I have my deep tissue massage scheduled. Enjoy the massage. Great job getting in the strength. Always best to do what you can and not try to advance too quickly 18 hours ago, Laura Corin said: @Soror I'm sorry this is such a long haul. @Jenny in Florida thank you for starting the new month. I haven't been around much recently, but I have been exercising. Mostly brisk walks and my daily weights - often bundled into longer sessions when I run out of time. Glad to 'see' you Laura. Happy to hear you are getting some exercise time. I know you've had a lot going on and a lot of stress. 20 hours ago, Lady Florida. said: @Soror I'm sorry about your sciatica. As someone who's dealt with it for years my advice is to do those PT exercises even when you don't want to. It can take a long time but you'll eventually get results. Try not to get discouraged (I know, easier said). Thank you! How long does it usually take you to get functioning after an episode? I'd read 4-6 weeks but didn't expect to be in such bad shape for that long and so limited. 22 hours ago, Ali in OR said: Happy February 1st! Recently learned this is the half-way point of winter. Though it will be cold and damp here for some time, we really notice the light increasing during February and that is encouraging. 30 min on the treadmill this morning. Semester break now--3 days of teachers working with no kids. Training, grading, planning. My grading is pretty much done, so time to do some planning for second semester. We've been noticing the longer days too. It's wonderful. I hope you get some rest time over break. 22 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said: @Soror I'm so sorry about the sciatica. I've only ever had that when I was pregnant, but it was miserable. And, following my assorted stuff over the last few years, I completely understand how demoralizing it is for someone who is accustomed to being active to be restricted or grounded by pain. I hope the PT and other accommodations help you recover soon and start being able to gently add back more of the things you want to do. (And please don't worry about whining. There are several of us doing our share of that here.) Thank you! I know so many have gone or are going through injuries, illnesses and setbacks. I should check in more I just find it depressing to be so restricted so I try not to think on it and focus on the getting better part. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 Thursday dumbbell workout done. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Soror said: Enjoy the program. I'd say however be mindful of the volume as it gets towards the end. I started having hip issues last winter after that program (I'd have just a tiny bit of issue before when I sat too much teaching but it was easily remedied by standing up every so often). I felt good and strong when I did it but afterwards not so much. I have been struggling off and on with my hips in various ways since then. Welcome and best wishes with your pregnancy. It's so good to stay active during pregnancy. Enjoy the massage. Great job getting in the strength. Always best to do what you can and not try to advance too quickly Glad to 'see' you Laura. Happy to hear you are getting some exercise time. I know you've had a lot going on and a lot of stress. Thank you! How long does it usually take you to get functioning after an episode? I'd read 4-6 weeks but didn't expect to be in such bad shape for that long and so limited. We've been noticing the longer days too. It's wonderful. I hope you get some rest time over break. Thank you! I know so many have gone or are going through injuries, illnesses and setbacks. I should check in more I just find it depressing to be so restricted so I try not to think on it and focus on the getting better part. Thanks for the info. I know for myself I have to use my bench vs the floor and I learned my limit on glute work there only a couple exercises I can do limited reps other wise I will.aggravate an on going back issue. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 2, 2023 Author Share Posted February 2, 2023 I got out for a good (5K) walk last night, which wasn't quite enough to meet the daily step goal. But I took a break and watched some dumb TV while putting one eye on my school assignments for the rest of the week. I then rode the stationary bike for about 10 minutes just before bedtime to finish off my steps. I really, really didn't want to get out of bed today, so I ran late getting started with the morning routine. I managed just barely over 4K of walking. I then decided to try a different seated upper body video, which I ended up hating and abandoning half-way through. By then I was cranky and running very late, so I just did a couple of Chair One Fitness songs and called it enough. More walking and/or biking later, I suppose. (Still extremely open to suggestions for other kinds of exercise I could do that won't aggravate my arthritic knees, require a lot of specialized equipment or increase my risk of falling down due to the neuropathy and general balance issues.) Winter Warmup 2022 Challenge: 254.3 of 500KWalking Streak: 37 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) Aqua fitness last night felt good after taking a break for about 2 months for Xmas and doing Zumba & dance. Home with a sick kid today and just did an hour of various Joelle yoga videos 🙂 Edited February 2, 2023 by Hilltopmom 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share Posted February 3, 2023 Another evening of trying to balance school work and time for a walk last night, complicated by the fact that I needed to get out of bed in the middle of the night to collect my adult kiddo from the airport (scheduled 1:45AM landing). I did a chunk of schoolwork -- not enough to save me from needing to spend a good deal of weekend time on it -- then walked for just short of 4K, then locked myself and the dog into my office for a nap. Picked up the kid and went back to bed for a few hours. Given the above, I think it's fair that I got a late start this morning. I decided it's easier to make up walking/steps throughout the day than it is to find time and energy to do other kinds of exercise, so I shorted the walk (only about 2.75K) and did about 25 minutes of strength and stretching. Fortunately, I have no work meetings or other appointments today. It's looking a little overcast, and the barometer in my head says we may be in for rain, but if the weather holds I should be able to sneak in a couple of short walks with the dog during the day. Then the usual longer walk and/or stationary bike session sometime this evening. Winter Warmup 2022 Challenge: 261.6 of 500KWalking Streak: 38 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 25 min on the treadmill. Yeah, I should have time for longer but I was told to call dd's doctor office at 7:00am to try to get an appointment. Except they're not answering the phone even though their office is supposedly open. I just hate how accomplishing any little thing takes so.much.time and multiple phone calls during business hours when I don't have time at all. Rant over. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 I took a brisk walk this morning and will do some weights after work. Maybe some yoga too - I could really do with a session. The back of my thigh is really tight, and that usually means that I need to stretch my back out. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share Posted February 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Ali in OR said: 25 min on the treadmill. Yeah, I should have time for longer but I was told to call dd's doctor office at 7:00am to try to get an appointment. Except they're not answering the phone even though their office is supposedly open. I just hate how accomplishing any little thing takes so.much.time and multiple phone calls during business hours when I don't have time at all. Rant over. Oh, man. Please don't even get me started on the "joy" of dealing with doctor's offices. The office staff at my neurologist, in particular, is a nightmare. Crossing my fingers that yours gets their act together and takes care of you today! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 10 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said: Oh, man. Please don't even get me started on the "joy" of dealing with doctor's offices. The office staff at my neurologist, in particular, is a nightmare. Crossing my fingers that yours gets their act together and takes care of you today! I did get through after 7:30--one last try before I went to work. And they did have same-day appointments available, so we got dd in at 4:40. Just a bunch of little things like getting a new rx for diapers (needed for medicaid to pay), get one med that we never even tried off her official list so the foster home doesn't have to give it, look into getting a hospital bed for the foster home, etc. It was good to get all that done. Medicaid and foster care definitely add a ton of hoops we have to jump through. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 13 hours ago, Ali in OR said: 25 min on the treadmill. Yeah, I should have time for longer but I was told to call dd's doctor office at 7:00am to try to get an appointment. Except they're not answering the phone even though their office is supposedly open. I just hate how accomplishing any little thing takes so.much.time and multiple phone calls during business hours when I don't have time at all. Rant over. My dentist's office has an actual policy of not answering the phone. Everyone leaves a message. They promise to call within the same business day, but they don't. They don't really respond to the website either. It's extremely frustrating. I expressed some frustration over this when I needed a simple referral to a TMJ specialist and it was impossible to get. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Day 18 yoga this morning. It was pretty short, so I'm going to try to get Day 19 done sometime this weekend also. And I'm typing it here to make myself do it (as I've had thoughts of Sunday yoga for the last several weeks without actually doing it). 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Stupid broken pipes sprayed everywhere in dd’s room today. Not the workout I was planning on. She has the flu and has been miserable-not the best AM. stress ate carbs and did some yoga trying to calm down. Now the home button on my phone stopped working and none of the quick fixes worked. Installed an assistive touch one but it’s a huge hassle. Should help me cut down on screen time. Tomorrow can only get better, right?! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Did Day 19 yoga on a Sunday. Woohoo! Sundays are usually no-exercise days here. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Battled some brambles that come over the wall from the field next door. Apart from that - just some yoga. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 45 minute on indoor track, 15 on bike- trying to get back into biking shape a bit before I try spin class! Fixed my phone myself though 🙂 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 5, 2023 Author Share Posted February 5, 2023 I wasn't very successful about squeezing in short walks on Friday. It was a weird combination of "I should be busy doing things" and "I can't focus and will waste the next hour simply staring into space." I did get out for a long enough walk that evening to finish off my steps. Today, however, has been a total loss. I woke up this morning, turned my head to say hello to the cat and was hit with the understanding that my vertigo was back. I waited it out until early afternoon--staying in bed and trying to hold very, very still--before giving in and asking my husband to take me to urgent care. I was so wobbly and queasy that it required both my husband and our adult kiddo and the use of a rolling office chair to get me safely to the car, which was miserable for all of us. I have been back home with prescriptions for the vertigo and nausea since about 4:00 and have taken a nap that actually felt like sleep. I even remembered to post the school assignment that is due by midnight. But I don't expect to do much of anything that requires moving off the couch for the remainder of the evening. Winter Warmup 2022 Challenge: 280.5 of 500KWalking Streak: 39 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitgrl Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Well, 20% of my radiation is completed. It is challenging to get exercise in since I have usually done that in the afternoon, and my treatments are at 2pm. Also, it has either been cold and rainy this week, or it's been below 0 with 40mph winds. Not conducive to walking outside. But, I walked the treadmill Thursday evening, and since it warmed up today, I got outside and walked for half an hour. Not sure how far because I didn't have Strava set up correctly. Oh, well. I did something, and right now that is the main thing. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany1116 Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 I only got 3 days in last week. Bleh. Biking tomorrow, ballet Tuesday, weights and PT Wednesday, Zumba Thursday, and we'll see about getting something in Friday. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Just popping in to say hi! It's the last full day in Costa Rica, and the time has gone by way too fast. I'm really loving it here! Gorgeous beaches, warm ocean for swimming, beautiful sunsets on the west coast, and lovely weather. I've been walking and swimming daily, kayaking and snorkeling on a tour. I'll post some photos when I'm back home. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 About to get on the treadmill here. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toocrazy!! Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 We were traveling last week. I was pretty active, but not quite as much as I had anticipated. I did play pickleball several times and DH and I walked to breakfast and for a couple miles after. One kayak trip. No resistance training but I did keep up with my Pilates roll ups and my back feels so much better for it! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 I didn't do anything over the weekend. Saturday I was gone all day but I have no excuse for Sunday. I bought a relatively inexpensive ebike. Since dh likes long bike rides and my piriformis syndrome doesn't allow me to do the cycling motion for long, we thought this would help. It came Friday but it was rainy all day, Sat. I was gone all day and yesterday was rainy again. Other than a quick ride up my street and back Sat. morning I hadn't had a chance to try it out. This morning was my chance. Since I wanted to get used to how it works and how best to use it we took a familiar route. It's the same route we often walk and is about 2.8 miles. I think it's going to work well. I can pedal it myself, get pedal assist, or let the ebike do it all. I only used the latter a few times when my hips/piriformis needed a break. It wasn't too shabby of a workout. We went between 8-10mph. I stayed behind dh because my bike could go faster with the battery so we wanted to keep it at a speed that works for him on a regular bike. I burned about 130 calories and managed to get my heart rate up and keep it up for a decent amount of time. I think it's really going to work for me and I look forward to longer rides. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Sun salutations first thing, Kegels during a Zoom meeting and a brisk couple of miles walked between work and my evening history module. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Visiting a friend in Florida and so very, very grateful for the sun and warm temps!! I’ve taken two long walks on the beach today. Also picnicked out on the beach and read a book. On our way south, dh decided we couldn’t wait until later to get on the beach. He found us a beachside restaurant where we could eat outside. It was dark and foggy, but we had a nice walk before dinner. The food was incredible and the restaurant was wonderful about my gluten and dairy issues. Everything—absolutely everything—feels rejuvenated. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 I've been feeling off, traveling, cranky with the world, and remain away from home but finally settled into a long walk today, plus doing my usual morning routine. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitgrl Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 I did not sleep very well last night and was so tired this afternoon. But I made myself go downstairs and do my strength training after dinner. Hoping I can sleep well tonight. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 On 2/5/2023 at 10:27 PM, Brittany1116 said: I only got 3 days in last week. Bleh. Biking tomorrow, ballet Tuesday, weights and PT Wednesday, Zumba Thursday, and we'll see about getting something in Friday. 3 days is way more than zero! 21 hours ago, wintermom said: Just popping in to say hi! It's the last full day in Costa Rica, and the time has gone by way too fast. I'm really loving it here! Gorgeous beaches, warm ocean for swimming, beautiful sunsets on the west coast, and lovely weather. I've been walking and swimming daily, kayaking and snorkeling on a tour. I'll post some photos when I'm back home. Can't wait to see the pics. I've heard it's beautiful. 19 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said: We were traveling last week. I was pretty active, but not quite as much as I had anticipated. I did play pickleball several times and DH and I walked to breakfast and for a couple miles after. One kayak trip. No resistance training but I did keep up with my Pilates roll ups and my back feels so much better for it! Great job staying active while traveling. 18 hours ago, Lady Florida. said: I didn't do anything over the weekend. Saturday I was gone all day but I have no excuse for Sunday. I bought a relatively inexpensive ebike. Since dh likes long bike rides and my piriformis syndrome doesn't allow me to do the cycling motion for long, we thought this would help. It came Friday but it was rainy all day, Sat. I was gone all day and yesterday was rainy again. Other than a quick ride up my street and back Sat. morning I hadn't had a chance to try it out. This morning was my chance. Since I wanted to get used to how it works and how best to use it we took a familiar route. It's the same route we often walk and is about 2.8 miles. I think it's going to work well. I can pedal it myself, get pedal assist, or let the ebike do it all. I only used the latter a few times when my hips/piriformis needed a break. It wasn't too shabby of a workout. We went between 8-10mph. I stayed behind dh because my bike could go faster with the battery so we wanted to keep it at a speed that works for him on a regular bike. I burned about 130 calories and managed to get my heart rate up and keep it up for a decent amount of time. I think it's really going to work for me and I look forward to longer rides. Sounds like great fun for both of you guys. 13 hours ago, Harriet Vane said: Visiting a friend in Florida and so very, very grateful for the sun and warm temps!! I’ve taken two long walks on the beach today. Also picnicked out on the beach and read a book. On our way south, dh decided we couldn’t wait until later to get on the beach. He found us a beachside restaurant where we could eat outside. It was dark and foggy, but we had a nice walk before dinner. The food was incredible and the restaurant was wonderful about my gluten and dairy issues. Everything—absolutely everything—feels rejuvenated. Jealous of those warm temps! 10 hours ago, Eos said: I've been feeling off, traveling, cranky with the world, and remain away from home but finally settled into a long walk today, plus doing my usual morning routine. I know that feeling well 😞 It does help me to make myself get out and do things but it is sure hard to do. 8 hours ago, knitgrl said: I did not sleep very well last night and was so tired this afternoon. But I made myself go downstairs and do my strength training after dinner. Hoping I can sleep well tonight. Hoping you got some good sleep @Jenny in Florida I'm sorry for the vertigo. I've not ever dealt with it but dh's grandpa did and I know he was miserable with it. @Ali in OR I hear you on medical calls. I don't know why they got to make it so complicated. I hate that so many offices you can't actually reach a person. 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Lost my response... Abbreviated version - Tried to cut back to twice daily ibuprofen at the end of the week and ended up with lots of pain and it took me until yesterday afternoon to get it manageable again. Made it to PT. She gave me some new exercises and did some manipulation and then heat with shocks. I go back Thursday. Also, have a televisit to see if I can get pills for nerve pain. They say I can't get pain pills. Despite the fact I've never asked for them before and have only ever had a scrip for extra strength ibuprofen. It's ridiculous. I should have stocked up on the Tylenol with codeine while overseas, next time. I hobbled out of bed and took my ibuprofen. Now I'm waiting for it to kick in so I can get up. Mornings are rough. Excuse the typos and horrible grammar I'm on my phone and not enough spunk to care this morning 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 My weight is up. It jumped 1.5 pounds in a day last week so I thought I might get a period but I didn't (I should be near the end of all that but not enough time has gone by to say menopause yet), then up another pound today. There has definitely been some uncontrolled eating, so back to following a plan today. Think I'll go enter stuff in on My Fitness Pal. Today will be a yoga, maybe bodyweight exercises if there's time. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 @Soror Have you tried naproxen? It's a level up from ibuprofen. You might find that alternating that with Tylenol provides more relief. Also, what about muscle relaxers? It might be simpler to get a scrip for those and they can be quite effective. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said: @Soror Have you tried naproxen? It's a level up from ibuprofen. You might find that alternating that with Tylenol provides more relief. Also, what about muscle relaxers? It might be simpler to get a scrip for those and they can be quite effective. The naproxen didn't seem to help any more than ibuprofen and gave me wicked heartburn. The muscle relaxer just made me loopy, didn't help with the pain, PT said that's probably because it's a nerve pain idk.i can't tell Tylenol does anything either, even extra strength. The ibuprofen helps it's just not strong enough to knock it all out and when it's really bad I still have lots of pain with it. Range of motion and sitting is a continuous problem on all of it. Edited February 7, 2023 by Soror 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 4 minutes ago, Soror said: The naproxen didn't seem to help any more than ibuprofen and gave me wicked heartburn. The muscle relaxer just made me loopy, didn't help with the pain, PT said that's probably because it's a nerve pain idk.i can't tell Tylenol does anything either, even extra strength. The ibuprofen helps it's just not strong enough to knock it all out and when it's really bad I still have lots of pain with it. Range of motion and sitting is a continuous problem on all of it. I'm sorry so many options are not working well for you. I get it--I tend to over-react to meds and there are quite a few that I simply cannot take because I react weirdly or lose too much other function. I feel so badly for your ongoing pain. It sounds overwhelming, and you have a lot going on with your new job and everything. The other one that comes to mind is gabapentin. I was able to get some relief with gabapentin this past semester with my pinched nerve. I have a couple friends who have taken it or are taking it long term and who are doing well on it. In my case, it did help with the pain (and I was very thankful for that), but I also was tired, lost time (staring into space, moving slow), and there were many times I literally couldn't find words easily. It made it impossible to write while I was on it, and I found the first project after weaning from gabapentin pretty challenging, to be honest. For me, it was frustrating and I hope to not have to take it again in future. But none of my friends have had those side effects, and two of my friends would actually say gabapentin gave them their life back. (This is my reality--I tend to over-react to meds. Another example--I have insomnia if I take nasal steroids for more than a few days.) My understanding is that gabapentin is much less addictive than opioid pain pills. If you choose this route, be aware that you'll be sleepy the first few days. For one of my friends, that meant she slept a lot for a weekend (3 days). For me, that meant I was a complete zombie for about a week. After that adjustment period, we were able to move into a norm that had progressively much less pain. Because it is mildly addictive, be aware that you will need to wean off it rather than stopping cold turkey. The other thing to be aware of is that some providers consider gabapentin to be THE answer, which is a terrible model in my opinion. In other words, if gabapentin kicks the pain out then some doctors say why not just continue taking it. I personally would advocate for getting an MRI first and doing everything possible to figure out WHY the pain happens before deciding to take a long-term prescription. 'It's a definite short-term solid option, and it's a possible long-term option, too, if other measures are not effective. A last idea is a fabulous supplement mix that I find really helpful. It contains a mix of magnesium, GABA, inositol, and I'm not sure what else. Those are the main components though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 Oh boy. I truly hate feeling as helpless as I do when this stupid vertigo crops up. The PA I saw at urgent care the other day basically said, yeah, once you've been diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), you can kind of expect that it will happen now and then. Sometimes, you can figure out triggers and try to address them before the vertigo actually hits, but sometimes it just . . . happens. I'm on day 3, medicated, having done basically nothing since Sunday morning except nap, cruise around on my computer and watch TV. This morning, I lost my balance and nearly toppled over a couple of times while just taking the dog outside. So, clearly, longer walks are currently out of the question. I did do a couple of seated exercise videos before work: one 15-minute seated cardio and then one of the 8-minute "deskercise" stretch ones I have done before. If I can pull it together enough to feel safe about it, I hope to get on the stationary bike for a bit later today. In theory, I have yoga class tonight, and my husband has offered to drive me. However, unless things change rapidly, I can't imagine I'll be up for that much moving my head by the end of the day. Winter Warmup 2022 Challenge: 280.5 of 500KWalking Streak: 1 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Harriet Vane said: I'm sorry so many options are not working well for you. I get it--I tend to over-react to meds and there are quite a few that I simply cannot take because I react weirdly or lose too much other function. I feel so badly for your ongoing pain. It sounds overwhelming, and you have a lot going on with your new job and everything. The other one that comes to mind is gabapentin. I was able to get some relief with gabapentin this past semester with my pinched nerve. I have a couple friends who have taken it or are taking it long term and who are doing well on it. In my case, it did help with the pain (and I was very thankful for that), but I also was tired, lost time (staring into space, moving slow), and there were many times I literally couldn't find words easily. It made it impossible to write while I was on it, and I found the first project after weaning from gabapentin pretty challenging, to be honest. For me, it was frustrating and I hope to not have to take it again in future. But none of my friends have had those side effects, and two of my friends would actually say gabapentin gave them their life back. (This is my reality--I tend to over-react to meds. Another example--I have insomnia if I take nasal steroids for more than a few days.) My understanding is that gabapentin is much less addictive than opioid pain pills. If you choose this route, be aware that you'll be sleepy the first few days. For one of my friends, that meant she slept a lot for a weekend (3 days). For me, that meant I was a complete zombie for about a week. After that adjustment period, we were able to move into a norm that had progressively much less pain. Because it is mildly addictive, be aware that you will need to wean off it rather than stopping cold turkey. The other thing to be aware of is that some providers consider gabapentin to be THE answer, which is a terrible model in my opinion. In other words, if gabapentin kicks the pain out then some doctors say why not just continue taking it. I personally would advocate for getting an MRI first and doing everything possible to figure out WHY the pain happens before deciding to take a long-term prescription. 'It's a definite short-term solid option, and it's a possible long-term option, too, if other measures are not effective. A last idea is a fabulous supplement mix that I find really helpful. It contains a mix of magnesium, GABA, inositol, and I'm not sure what else. Those are the main components though. Thank you for all the info. Gabapentin is one the PT was suggesting. I'd like to get scans done but wanted to wait until I got on my new insurance because my deductible is less than half. PT said first step was an x-ray, then MRI but she'll see how I do. I'm not very hopeful she will be able to help but we'll see. It doesn't make sense how this has progressed. I don't really want a long term prescription and am still hoping that once I make it past this flare I can make some adjustments (vigilance to minimal sitting, exercising weak areas etc) to keep it coming back. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 I managed a better schedule today - sun salutations before work, a very brisk walk at lunchtime and three days worth of weights work after work. I just need to do Kegels. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Glorious bike ride on the beach today for an hour. It's warm and sunny and so gorgeous here. I really needed this. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said: Oh boy. I truly hate feeling as helpless as I do when this stupid vertigo crops up. The PA I saw at urgent care the other day basically said, yeah, once you've been diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), you can kind of expect that it will happen now and then. Sometimes, you can figure out triggers and try to address them before the vertigo actually hits, but sometimes it just . . . happens. I'm on day 3, medicated, having done basically nothing since Sunday morning except nap, cruise around on my computer and watch TV. This morning, I lost my balance and nearly toppled over a couple of times while just taking the dog outside. So, clearly, longer walks are currently out of the question. I did do a couple of seated exercise videos before work: one 15-minute seated cardio and then one of the 8-minute "deskercise" stretch ones I have done before. If I can pull it together enough to feel safe about it, I hope to get on the stationary bike for a bit later today. In theory, I have yoga class tonight, and my husband has offered to drive me. However, unless things change rapidly, I can't imagine I'll be up for that much moving my head by the end of the day. Winter Warmup 2022 Challenge: 280.5 of 500KWalking Streak: 1 Awww, Jenny. I'm so sorry you're suffering like this. Many years ago I had a student with vertigo issues and when it hit it really impacted his ability to keep up. I hope you feel better soon. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 27 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said: Awww, Jenny. I'm so sorry you're suffering like this. Many years ago I had a student with vertigo issues and when it hit it really impacted his ability to keep up. I hope you feel better soon. Thanks. I did have to email one of my professors today to beg for an extension on an assignment that is due tomorrow morning, because I can't even focus enough to read the paper I'm supposed to be summarizing. She was quite gracious, saying she had friends with similar issues and completely understood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Last week the temperature was 10°/feels like negative something every day in the morning when I would normally run. Today, however, was 50°! It was so nice! A touch windy on the part without trees or buildings to block for me, but so nice. I just wanted to share that lovely feeling with people who would get it. 😊 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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