PT sent me into a nasty flare

Well, I started PT this week and as I suspected it has sent me into a terrible flare.  I knew this was coming, this is my third round with it.  I have been absolutely exhausted and if I'm not careful I'm gonna have a fall, I keep stumbling.  So tired that I haven't been up to visiting with my fibro family.  I have logged on a few times but I just can't get past reading a few postings, I end up going to bed.  Last night is the first time since I started on medication that I have not been able to sleep because of the pain, the family went to church without me.  I don't know if I can keep going to the therapy.  They keep telling me if I relax my muscles it will ease the pain; well easier said than done when they want you to move beyond whats comfortable  .  I have been hurting to long to just relax all of a sudden. 

The therapist did give me some good advice for my work station but it has become obvious to everyone that I have a problem and there have been a lot of questions.  Most of them have just been nosey and have had no reaction but my main supervisor had a semi negative response (maybe it's my imagination because I'm a bit embarrased).  He is very critical of others and I'm worried he will see this as weekness and I hate that.  I had to ask him for a rather expensive head set for my phone and he was more worried about what his supervisor response to it would be than how much it would help me.  This whole thing stinks.  Suffer in silence, that's my usual.  I don't like bringing attention to myself.

Ok, enough venting.  Thank everyone for listening!!!  I hope everyone has a very nice Sunday.

Meggie

 

Did they give you any stretching exercises to do at home. When I went to pt I found that to be helpful. I didn't last very long though. Not much into the pt aspect of it. Do better on my own.

Good luck with this, and I am sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time.

Best wishes,

Hugs, Karen

The PT did give me stretches to do but they are in positions that make me uncomfortable.  At my last session I did get the impression that I would be done soon because there wasn't much they could do to help.  I wish I hadn't asked the doctor about my shoulder.  He was sure that my problem wasn't the from Fibro but he was wrong, an MRI didn't show much, maybe impingement.

I think that may even be wrong, I'm not responding to any of the things that should help impingement.

Sherrine, I have done the stretches on the link you suggested.  I am big into stretching, it helps a lot.  I just wish I could convince my therapist that the ones she is giving me are to much for my shoulder.  My next session is on Tuesday and I think I am going to tell her I want to be done.  I need to recover from this flare, so I can live with my normal pain and fatigue.

My husband has been very helpful to me. He has been giving me massages to help with the pain and picking up extra work so that I can rest.  He has been wonderful and I appreciate everything he has been doing for me. 

I hope everyone has a good week and hopefully I can find the energy to check in with everyone.

Thanks!

Meggie

Hi Maggie: I too had the same type of results with PT....including warm pool therapy! After my first flare up I decided to try and "get ahead" of the flare up for the next PT! Before I went to PT, I took some tylenol, a very hot bath to relax my muscles beforehand, and I insisted that when I went to PT the therapist was to use the heating pacs on me before I even attempted anything. Well, it did work for the next few sessions, but once the cold weather started kicking in, going to PT was no longer an option. I had a very difficut time keeping my appointments! For me, I did not find PT to be any more relieving than all the things I do at home when the time is right. Hope you have better sucess. Good luck to you!

Meggie, I am soooo sorry that pt hasn't worked out for you so far. One thing I have learned in my more recent trips to pt is that to stretch a muscle that is way too tight just makes things worse as does strengthening exercises. The muscle has to release first or you get into the reaction where your muscle tightens even more to protect itself(there is a technical term for that which escapes me at the moment). Things like trigger point release, massage, muscle relaxers, active release technique, myofascial release, etc. could be helpful to you. They do hurt but unfortunately that is the weird thing about health-it often times hurts more before we get better. I know for myself the rehab specialist I go to now didn't want me to stretch or do specific exercise until my muscles released to a certain point. He didn't want to make matters worse and I had to be patient. Now I do only about 5 stretches and 2 exercise ball exercises. For my problems he wants me to walk which I try to do. I walked 1 1/4 miles this am in about 20minutes without much pain. Not blazing fast but that's better than before I got hurt. It took me 4 months of pretty intense therapy to get to that point. Plese don't give up. This pt may not be the one to help you but I am convinced that there is a therapy out there that can help. Keep looking and I will pray that you find the right one. Lisa

I think I need to do some research on my own.  My therapist is very nice, I just don't think she understands fibro very well.  Lisa I think you are right about the trigger point release, I think that might be something that will help.  My muscles are so tight right now, I need to relax them before I attempt any exercises.  I've decided to just be upfront with the therapist and just tell her that I cannot do what she is asking, at least not until I can relax the muscles.  Maybe she has other options for me.  I guess I will find out tomorrow at my session.  I think I will hold off on the massages from my husband to, I would hate to make things worse.

Thanks for all of the support and suggestions.

Meggie

Meggie, yes that has happened to me before, too. But this new pt made me feel better when I saw her last week. I am doing the exercises and those are helping, too. Maybe it is the pt?
Sue