Frump to Fab 2024

thepurplepixie

@helensbiggestfan caring does take it out of us.  I've been my husband's carer for over 30 years, I had a new baby and a toddler when it started as well as two older ones, worked until I was 69.  Suddenly I'm in pain, no one to look after me and still need to care for DH.   Do I sound sorry for myself?  Well I am feeling like that.  I'm not very good with painkillers, they tend to make me sick and lightheaded so I tend to just opt for the pain. Maybe I need more help with that.

I'm chocolate free for Lent, I think that is three weeks,  yes I'm pretty sure it's 3 weeks tomorrow and to be honest for a chocoholic I haven't really found it hard although I have had some sweets twice when I really needed some sugar and to cheer myself up.  I'm saving my chocolate money and will give that to a charity, usually UNICEF or Salvation Army.

My DD has made me order some nice skin care stuff so I will try making an effort with that and today is mild with blue skies which is such a nice change from the rain  I live on the coast so wind can be bad and we seem to get lots of rain so a blue sky and mild day is good for the spirits.

helensbiggestfan

Sorry Watty - Didn't realise we had crossed posts.  Don't torture yourself.  You are doing the basics.  There have been times in my life when I couldn't even do that, so you are one up on me.  Good luck with the blood tests and follow up appt.  Hopefully you'll get some answers and a treatment plan soon.  

Pixie.  I can't cope with painkillers either because of stomach problems.  

Tbh I don't think they are the answer anyway because the body gets used to them very quickly and they are no longer effective, so then you either have to increase the dosage or switch meds.  It can become something akin to a nuclear arms race.  And of course they don't address what's causing the pain.  We feel pain for a reason, it's the body's way of telling us there is a fault somewhere, a bit like a red warning light on a car dashboard.  Popping pills to mask pain can only be a temporary stop gap.  

Physio, chiro etc can help get to the root of the problem.  If you didn't get on with physio perhaps acupuncture might help.  I have found it very helpful in the past.  

With my knee it is because I tore a meniscus back in 2016.  Apparently they can't heal because there is no blood supply.  I also have arthritis so it's a bit of a double whammy. I was advised not to have surgery to remove the meniscus unless it was absolutely necessary. Basically adopt a wait and see policy.   

Of course it would help if I lost weight.  Apparently every 1lb of extra weight we carry is equivalent to 4lbs of extra pressure on the knee joint.  So I really must shift some weight asap.  

 With my shoulder it's a bit more complicated.  I fractured it many years ago in a riding accident.  It seemed ok. But then, the caring years, the car crashes and the fall all caused further damage.  I now have a lump just above my shoulder blade so that needs looking at which is why I've booked a consultation for next week.  

Hey ho.  It's all fun and games. 

I do find heat helps with both my muscles and joints.  This afternoon I rested on the sofa with my electric heated throw and fell asleep for a good hour.  Felt tons better afterwards.    

I used to be such a go getter, a real doer and always fiercely independent. However, I find that I really need to listen to my body and rest when she tells me she's had enough.  If I push too hard and ignore the signals then I pay double for it.  So now I pace myself.  I do find it frustrating but it's the only way.  But.....I am not giving up. I will fight back and get it sorted.  I feel sure that if I can get to a state where I can exercise regularly I will get stronger and suffer less pain.  

Today I did push myself a bit further and did a proper workout, rather than just a few feeble stretches.  I think it has worked because I do feel better for it. 

 Chiro tomorrow so I will make sure I do a workout before I go because I shall be useless after she has tortured me. 😂.  

I do find it takes a day or two to fully recover after a chiro adjustment. If your treatment was yesterday perhaps you too need a couple of days to feel the full benefit.  Sometimes I too feel a bit weepy after a treatment, I think it's due to the release you get from where they have made skeletal adjustments.  The first time it happened it really took me by surprise, it was as if a dam had burst and unlocked a lot of powerful emotions which I couldn't control.  I cried and cried, I think I had just been bottling things up and soldiering on.  She explained it was quite common for that to happen. Apparently releasing pent up emotions is part of the healing process. I think it's  ok to feel sorry for oneself now and again, as long as it doesn't spiral.  

It was lovely here today.  Took the car for a spin into the countryside, so nice to see everything bursting into bud.  Popped into a chazza on the way back, bought a nice smart Per Una cardigan and a gorgeous bone China Royal Grafton tea cup and saucer. It's so pretty.  

I have decided I am fed up with minimalism and monochrome neutrals, I want more colour in my life.!!    Anyway I have broken some of my plain white crockery, so I am now collecting some bone china as a replacement.  Last year I bought an 8 piece St Michael "Pemberton" dinner service for a bargainous £9. Saw the same one on eBay for £120.  Now I am collecting tea cups and saucers for posh afternoon teas.  They don't have to match, in fact I think a riotous assortment of different colours and patterns will be fun.  My DIL recently bought me a Spode cake stand so we will be able to have very grand tea on the lawn sessions this summer.  😂🤣

Wednesday2000

I like to have a hot bath with magnesium salts when I feel ill. I just caught a cold again after going into central London at the weekend! It seems to happen now every time I go there by public transport. It is definitely not Covid as I remember that quite well. Lots of bugs around. I feel okay today.

PurplePixie - have you tried ibuprofen gel? I got prescribed that for the osteoarthritis in my hands and I forgot about it, but then I saw it in the medicine drawer and tried it when I had costochondritis and it did work. I can't take ibuprofen tablets much either as they send me to sleep! I'm a natural red head too like others on here.

thepurplepixie

Wednesday2000 said:

I like to have a hot bath with magnesium salts when I feel ill. I just caught a cold again after going into central London at the weekend! It seems to happen now every time I go there by public transport. It is definitely not Covid as I remember that quite well. Lots of bugs around. I feel okay today.

PurplePixie - have you tried ibuprofen gel? I got prescribed that for the osteoarthritis in my hands and I forgot about it, but then I saw it in the medicine drawer and tried it when I had costochondritis and it did work. I can't take ibuprofen tablets much either as they send me to sleep! I'm a natural red head too like others on here.

We do seem to have lots of red heads don't we.  I haven't tried the gel, I have tried heat patches and they are a help but I do get through a box quite quickly so the costs add up.  I will have a look for the gel when I'm out next.

I'd forgotten about magnesium, I have got a box somewhere so I might have a soak in the bath before bed.

I'm just half listening to the budget, not expecting anything exciting for me but it is still interesting.  Well  he's just announced a saving on duty for alcohol, no use to a chocoholic like me.

helensbiggestfan

Red heads unite. !!!   I was born with black hair, then it changed to dark brown, then gradually got redder, then strawberry blonde, then finally white.   All naturally. Lol.  

Just back from chiro so time to put my feet up now, maybe a nap.  Then a nice simple easy dinner.  

I listened to the budget too. No fireworks. 😂.   But then, given that our National Debt now stands at 100.75% of GDP, I don't suppose there's much room to manoeuvre.  

Actually I got very frustrated trying to listen,  the amount of shouting and heckling going on was off the chart.   And not just from the Opposition either, from both sides of the House.  No wonder the country is in such a state, if this is the quality of our beloved leaders.  Just a rabble....

All of them need to clean up their act and start doing their jobs.  Lord knows they are paid enough and are quick enough to accept the perks.  They are all as bad as each other.  I have no faith in any of them.  

"A plague on both their houses". 

 I don't wish to come over all doom and gloom but I don't think things are likely to improve for a while yet. There's a lot more pain and upheaval to come.  I warned my boys a couple of years ago what was coming and advised them to get prepared. Oddly enough they actually listened lol, .....they both fixed their mortgages when I advised them to do so, so at least their mortgage payments haven't skyrocketed. 

Thankfully recessions don't last forever. 🤞 

thepurplepixie

Would welcome some thoughts on this.  By mid evening yesterday I was in so much pain with my hip I took two pain killers.  I have cocodamol that the GP prescribed but I can't take them, paracetamol makes me feel ill and doesn't really work for me so I took two ibuprofen and got some relief and slept for over 7 hours.  This morning I took another tablet.

Now as much as I hate pain killers my thinking is maybe the anti inflamatory properties will help.  So I'm thinking of taking one tablet 3 times a day for 3 or 4 days and then see how things are without the tablets.  I haven't had bad pain today and have kept a heated wheat bag on my hip as much as possible.  I was expecting a bad day as I had booked a slot at the tip and had to carry some fairly heavy stuff and then go shopping but it wasn't too bad.

Is that a mad plan, am I deluding myself about the anti inflamatory properties?  My Chiropractor says my gluteus maximus is inflamed as well as the original tendon/nerve damage which was healing nicely.  I don't want to be reliant on painkillers for ever but I would like a big reduction in pain or ideally to be pain free.

On a positive note GS mowed the grass for me so that was a blessing.

Hope everyone is doing well, I'm definitely more frump than fab, I scared myself when I looked in the mirror last night as I looked so pale and drawn.  I have to sort this somehow.

helensbiggestfan

My understanding is that Ibruprofen is better for reducing inflammation than paracetamol.  Not sure if it's advisable for long term use, however I think 3 or 4 days should be fine.  Then review.  You might find that reducing pain will enable you to do some exercise or stretches specifically targeted for hip/glute pain.  

Have a look at you tube.  A lot of physios post some very helpful advice and demonstrations of how to exercise correctly.  

Funny you mention grass cutting. I asked my "little man" (my mechanic and occasional handyman)  if he fancied giving my lawns their first cut because it was so long and I knew it would be tough going (back lawn is on a slope). He did it today.   His prices are very reasonable so I asked if he fancied a regular gig and he said yes!!!!!   💃

I am finally learning to delegate.  My mum always used to tell me off for pushing myself too hard and overdoing things but I was too stubborn and proud to listen.  Of course she was right......

From now on I'm going to stop trying to be Wonder Woman and delegate  some of the heavier tasks.  

Re feeling more frump than fab. I am sure you will feel better once you've got the pain under control and your sleep improves.  Spring will be here soon and hopefully with it some nice warm sunshine to make us all feel better.  In the meantime....sending you some 💐

Makingabobor2

Personally I hate painkillers & cant take Ibruprofen as it upsets my IBS.  Have you considered a good, well trained massage therapist? Or Reiki? Always my "go to " cures when I get pain. 

Watty1

Another view on the painkillers.  I one broke my wrist, shoulder and elbow so major breaks and I was avoiding the painkillers as i came out of plaster.  A doctor told me that the painkillers would ease the pain so my muscles would relax and i would then move correctly and easily.  If I avoided the painkillers the muscles would 'scrunch up' and everything would hurt more.

An interesting perspective I thought, I tried his ideas and it worked.

The downside was I did eventually become addicted to strong painkillers but that was another story and not related to the muscles part.   (I just had a lot and started taking them for emotional pain when my relationship broke down and because i had so much damage to my arm my doctor carried on prescribing).   I've  been painkiller free for a year next month. I gave them up for my birthday and would be very cautious at taking them again but, in your position I would but bearing in mind my history I would ask my partner to give them to me and just enough to get me to relax the muscles and heal.

Floss

Ibuprofen is an NSAID - non steroidal anti inflammatory drug, so yes they will reduce inflammation. If you find it helps, go & talk to your GP.