Glad you enjoyed your cake JayZeeJay-- and happy birthday! The cake sounds divine!
Dh is coming home tomorrow and I can't wait. He was home all of March, so this trip felt extra long, though it was "only" two weeks.
I'm having some stress with my girls-- they technically are having the stress, which in turn stresses me. So, it will be good to have dh home.
I'm also still having shoulder pain-- for maybe 4-6 weeks now??? Never had a shoulder issue before so not sure if/when I should see a doctor. It's not bad so I'm still powering through, and a large part of me is suspecting it's a repetitive stress injury from checking books out in the library-- as it's the same side that I always have back issues on for the same reason. If that's the case, summer break should solve it... Chiropractor? I had a massage but that didn't do anything...
If it's repetitive stress, only stopping the movement will help. Is it the same side that you use a mouse or touchpad on? That can hurt in the shoulder, oddly. Maybe find another way to move when checking out the books, etc. Good luck!
Michele - are your finger tips or inside your elbow numb at all? I have issues with my right shoulder from some repetitive stress over the years, and I can aggravate it if I sleep the wrong way sometimes. I also find that some exercises - OH press, Arnold Press, similar movements - can flare it. Some of the ones in the 80 day workout you are doing would tweak me pretty fast if not careful, like the OH press I did yesterday and can feel today. Something in there gets impinged and it causes the pain. Broomstick stretches can help - Stand with that arm in a goalpost shape with your elbow extend out - tricep parallel, bicep perpindicular, fingers pointing straight up - , take a broomstick and run it up behind the tricep and grab the handle with your hand, keeping your hand facing as forward as possible. Use your other hand and pull the bottom of the broomstick forward, pivoting the upper arm backwards towardas the back of the room. Or stand in a doorway with that same arm shape and put your bicep and hand against the door frame, lean your chest and shoulder forward, pulling the arm backwards. If those made any sense. I'll try to find pictures. Eagle arms with the arm attached to the impacted shoulder on top helps as well.
Dagmar - thinking about you and Trixie.
Last edited by Shannon in ATL; 04-20-2018 at 12:18 PM.
That broomstick exercise would pop my shoulder right out. Old injury--so I have to be careful exactly how I position my arm, stretch, and move. For example, doing an overhead barbell press with both hands, I have to make sure my right elbow is forward. If it's out to the side, big trouble.
Yeah. I have injuries in both shoulders from all the years of dogs lunging and pulling me. I have to be careful with any weight lifting as it can have an impact. I couldn't sleep on my right side for a couple of months last year as my shoulder was just too sore. Apparently shoulders are very hard to fix too.
I've had shoulder issues in the past that prevent me from doing some exercises such as a plank. Thankfully rest solved the issue each time it flared up. That and heat. Now my issue is my hips and knees. I've been averaging 4 to 5 miles of walking every day since the first of the year. I walk the dogs in the morning for about 2 miles and then in the afternoon I get on the treadmill. I know the source of pain in my left knee is from an old skiing injury and that I can tolerate. The hip pain is disconcerting and it is making sleep uncomfortable as I cannot lie on my side for too long and I prefer sleeping on my side. And yesterday, DH wanted to attend the Festival of Speed which meant a 1.5 hour drive each way. On our way home my hip pain was so intense I had to sit sideways in the car to alleviate it. And Tuesday we embark on a two-day car trip to New Mexico. I dread that because of the pain.
Meanwhile, we adopted a new cat to "replace" our Culley. I found that feeding three cats wasn't working well for two reasons: either I had to put half a can of food in the fridge (and the recipient cat didn't like the cold food on the next meal) and said cat had less to "clean up." He eats his dinner and then cleans the bowls of the other cats who eat until satiated. His need for food would have him crying hours before meal time as he was hungry (he eats about 100% canned and rarely eats the dry food that we free-feed). And no, he is not overweight. He is borderline for needing thyroid meds and weighs 11 pounds. So we get this new cat, Silas, who we were told doesn't have much desire to eat canned food and loves Temptations treats. Uh, yeah, not so much. He eats his canned food with abandon and I have yet to see him even try the dry food. And Temptations? A sniff and he walks away. I also believe he is one of those cats immune to the attraction of catnip. But he is fun and comes when called (except if he is napping and then he's hard to find). He isn't (yet) a lap cat but loves being petted and combed which is nice because he is a long haired cat so we'll need to brush him regularly (his previous owners didn't and he had to be shaved because his fur was completely matted).
Allison I have hip pain too but not nearly as severe as yours sounds. I found doing sciatic stretches also helped with the hip pain. I still have a bit of a flare up if I lie on one side for a really long time but sitting for several hours seems to be OK now.
Hi all! I've been aware of my clothes not fitting over these past few months. My very sweet boyfriend swears up and down I don't look any different but...hrmph. I decided to break out the scale today. 143. So it seems I need to get down a few lbs and then back on the maintain train. With a little break for my birthday next weekend, of course
Hey Iris! Good to hear from you! I hope the weight comes off reasonably easily for you.
I am at 140 lbs. I've been off the pain meds for 2 weeks now so this is probably the "real" scale number. My goal is to get back down to my "summer range" of 133-135 by May 18th long weekend. 5 weeks to lose 5 lbs..
Allison, I've been getting hip pain too in the past month or so. I've seen the physio and she pointed out that I had very tight ITBs and probably other muscles too. I've been foam rolling - painful but it's helped. I'm also doing clam shells and bridges, was until failure and now is 3 minutes. I'm also working on my abs which are not too good nowadays. Good luck with it. I'm feeling more confident now that it can be sorted out but I still hobble frighteningly when I get out of the car. (I felt slightly unnerved when the physio asked mildly 'Have you ever had this hip x-rayed, Silverbirch?')
Iris and good luck!
Last edited by silverbirch; 04-23-2018 at 08:08 AM.
Silverbirch, sounds like hip bursitis. That's an inflammation of the hip bursa, as you may know. Most people experience hip pain that is worse after inactivity, such as sleeping or sitting. Repetitive movements such as stair climbing, walking, or jogging can make it worse.
As with most bursitis, one must wait until all symptoms are gone before resuming activities. Ice packs are good, and so are anti-inflammatory medications. Physical therapy for stretching is often helpful, but it's important to not keep doing things that set it off until it's all clear. This isn't a case where "working through it" gives good results.
My MIL has been diagnosed with hip bursitis and when she has extreme pain she goes to the doctor for a cortisone shot in her hip. She says it is almost immediate pain relief that lasts for months. Her description of her pain sounds a lot like mine. Ugh.
The physiotherapist did not diagnose bursitis, JayEll. Based on her examination and long-term knowledge of me, she recommended the foam rolling and exercises - clam shell, bridge, dips. It's improving markedly.
Go and see someone, Allison. It could be something straightforward to sort out. Perhaps related to your exercise programme.
saef, if you're reading - hope things are working out for you. I miss your regular posts here.
Thanks, all for your shoulder suggestions. Sounds like we are *all* falling apart, piece by piece. I'll try the exercises you mentioned, Shannon. I'm having off and on tingling down the arm. I know that I like to sleep on that shoulder-- put that arm under my pillow and I'm struggling to find another comfortable sleeping position. I had a massage yesterday, hoping that will help too.
Feeling very physically and mentally tired today. Hope I can break through my fog.
Missing Saef as well!
Hello, Iris! Sweet boyfriends (and husbands) are like that. I know dh likes a little more meat on me and will tell me that I look better with a few extra pounds. Unfortunately, the pounds go right to my tummy where I don't want them.
I am 5-10 pounds heavier than I once was though, and look and feel much better. More lean muscle and less flab. For 51, I'm pretty happy where I am. If my body would just cooperate with what I ask it to do....
Allison-- glad your new kitty is sweet and working out. My Wilbur is aging, and I am trying to work on dh to be open to getting new kitties after Wilbur goes. He says he doesn't want anymore. I jokingly named our new future kitties and told him yesterday. He wasn't too amused.
Eagle arms with the arm attached to the impacted shoulder on top helps as well. 
Hi all! I've been aware of my clothes not fitting over these past few months. My very sweet boyfriend swears up and down I don't look any different but...hrmph. I decided to break out the scale today. 143. 
So it seems I need to get down a few lbs and then back on the maintain train. With a little break for my birthday next weekend, of course 
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