Hmmm....what's this flare about??

My guess would be that you basically have been immobilized for around 12 years. Your joints and muscles are not used to normal activity. So now that you can walk and do the things you couldn’t do for 12 years, this puts stress on the muscles and joints which causes pain. It’s kind of like the “Weekend Warrior.” My husband had a desk job and on the weekend he would start exercising and by Sunday he hurt all over.

My suggestion would be to really pace yourself. Make your walks shorter and other activities shorter until your body “catches up” with the new-found muscle and joint use. Then you can expand the length of time you do activities.

Your age is most likely playing into this also. I’m almost 77 years old and I’m moving slower. I can’t wear all my Birkenstock shoes now because I’m limping because of pain! I’ve worn them for 30 years but I also was able to take ibuprofen. I had to stop when I was put on a blood thinner. But I did find rubber sandals made like Birkenstocks and they are “squishy” so that’s what I wear now. I have joints that ache too and I think some is caused by aging. I’ve used these joints and muscles for three quarters of a century so I think I’m still doing very well! I do take arthritis strength Tylenol and methocarbamol which is a muscle relaxer and those help too.

I hope as time moves on you will feel better. I’m sure you are thankful for the things you can do now!

Sherrine

Hi Cathy: I don't have much to add to what Sherrine said--she always 'covers the bases' and offers great thoughts/ideas. Just a couple things I'll comment on.

I also had a posterior vitreous detachment a few years ago. I didn't know what was wrong at first--kind of scary. I did go into my eye doctor's office ASAP and as she said, "if that happens again, get your 'back side' here as fast as you can." (she's got a great sense of humor, but also wasn't kidding about getting that checked out fast). Oh, the joys of aging--wow, can I relate! I must admit I was somewhat of an 'eye rubber' before that; now I'm much more careful about the eye area.

I live in the upper Midwest (U.S.) and my body has been wacky all winter, despite the warmer temps. I seem to be having sort of mini flares more often. I don't have major pain, but things like neuropathy have been flaring, odd little mini cramps/stiffness, etc.. I don't think our poor bodies are used to all these odd changes. And with so many news stories coming at us from all sides, I think there are just more people a bit wary about everything going on--high prices, etc. I'm sure you know what that all entails--quite a few things in general 'out of whack' so our poor bodies also suffer. And, no doubt our bodies are also confused about the weather. Here it looks like late Fall or very early Springtime. I can't complain (much), except yes, my body is a little more out of whack than usual.

Warm showers, foot soaks, muscle rub creams, massaging, stretching, etc. all help somewhat. A good relaxing show, book or craft in the evening is also a plus and helpful to me, anyway.

I have been doing the YouTube "Yes2Next" videos and get a new one by e-mail every Tuesday. They have been helpful. You go at your own pace and do what you can. I had a few questions and April (the daughter in the videos who's also a trainer) has been so helpful and gracious about answering me. Wonderful ladies and I love that you just start where you are and do what you're comfortable doing. Prior to watching these, I tended to overdo and not get anywhere except get more pain. I'm slowly learning....It has all been very helpful!

I hope you're feeling lots better soon!

I'm not at all familiar with the drug Lexapro, unfortunately.

At Sherrine's suggestion, I started on Robaxin (a muscle relaxer) a few years ago and it's going pretty well. I take that and gabapentin and they work pretty well. I sometimes take a natural product for restless legs if that issue pops up.

Maybe you have had a bad reaction, such as I have had to both Bactrim and Baclofen (muscle related). A nurse said I should never take sulfa drugs. Both those meds caused a bizarre stiffness that's hard to even explain.

Each time I tried them, I would get up in the morning and not even be able to bend enough to sit down anywhere. It was kind of scary. Evidently, they must have been doing something to my muscles and/or neurological system. Both did the same thing. I now have them as 'no-no's on my medical chart. I think it's Bactrim that's the sulfa drug(?)

It's been a couple years since my detached vitreous humor and for the most part, it's cleared up. Once in a great while I'll see milder 'flashes' out of the corner of my eye when it's dark out, but then again, I got so used to that happening that I sometimes wonder if I'm just imagining it. I do get floaters fairly often. My eye doctor showed me on a scan an actual photo of the one 'floating' around in my eye. When I do see one, I stretch my arm out and concentrate on my index finger, then I slowly bring my index finger closer and closer to my face, all the while focusing on it. It does seem to help. I came across that tip somewhere online a while back.

Hope things continue to get better for you!

Hi Sherrine: Thanks for mentioning Robaxin. It certainly is the best of the muscle relaxers I have tried, and thanks again for mentioning it some time ago, when I switched meds. So glad that I did! I actually now cut each Robaxin pill in fourths and take either 1 or 2 (of the four pieces) of them at a time, and rarely, 3--depends on how I'm doing that day. It does work well. And it seems a little can often go a long way, although yes, there are times I need a bit more. Good med!

Hopefully, the Bactrim will work out for you in the future, if you need to take it. I took an alternative med--sorry, it's been a while and I don't recall which one, offhand. Maybe Cipro? Anyway, it did clear up the UTI I had, which had been a bad one. I also now drink much more water and herbal tea because of that incident. And, I drink 3/4 glass of water with a little fruit juice mixed in, just for something different. I find if I start early in the morning and sip as I go, I can get lots of fluids in.

I've never heard of uveitis--it sounds very unpleasant! Anything with the eyes is so concerning. It must have felt very strange having so many floaters--even one seems a little annoying sometimes.

I didn't know flashes could come with silent migraines--wow! My former doctor once told me about his son calling him, all upset, saying he couldn't see out of one of his eyes. It turned out to be a migraine. Strange things! Glad the cold washcloth worked well for you, and yes, it's sure good to know beforehand what to do, should something like that happen again. Thanks for sharing that.

I have been wondering how you are feeling since your heart attack. You are always such a trouper, and having been through so much, you take it all so well. I'm afraid I can be more of a complainer at times, especially on bad days. And yes, your tips are helpful to us---thank you and bless you!! Keep inspiring us.

Yum--the Diet 5 drinks sound delicious! I'm always looking for new flavors. Thanks for sharing that!

So glad to hear you're doing well since the heart attack--that's great news!