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Back after a month off!

Posted , 8 users are following.

FlipDover_Aust
FlipDover_Aust

Hi everyone,

My GP put me on a month's sick leave from work and I took the 'opportunity' to go offline almost completely. I started back at work yesterday.

Thrilled to report that three days after I started leave I felt AMAZING!

Now the question is - it because I wasn't at work or because I was doing stuff that I enjoyed and therefore not focussing on how poorly I was feeling?

I've been able to work like a trojan painting and renovating (a house we have been renting out and are now selling). I did pace myself a little, but still managed full day/s of physical activity followed by a rest day.

I wonder if it's because I have an office job and sitting on my butt all day isn't good for the pain/fatigue. Who knows.

Whatever, I'm just grateful I feel so well at the moment. Started reducing my pred again - down to 14mg and feeling pretty smug again. lol

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • tina-uk_cwall
    tina-uk_cwall FlipDover_Aust

    Posted

    Hi flipdover, pleased to hear to are feeling so well. I can't answer your question other than to say I really don't think I could have coped with PMR and a full time job and all the pressures that come with that.

    i have had a relatively pain free, stress free recovery journey all bar 1 flare. Obviously I have a way to go yet and anything could happen but I do believe that not working has helped me tremendously.

    i am self employed, I run 2 holiday cottages in Cornwall and currently things are just mad and will continue this way until the end of October. Although change over days are a struggle I now do all the washing and ironing on the Sunday, where as before I would steam straight ahead getting all the work completed on the Sunday. I have learned to pace myself and very often that's the one thing you cannot do if you have a regular job.

    i hope this new you moves on one direction, forward. All the best, christina 

    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      Oops! I meant I'd try and get all the work done on the Saturday, now I spread it over 2 days. Sorry about that, only just got up. Christina 
  • EileenH
    EileenH FlipDover_Aust

    Posted

    Good to hear! At 15mg I was able to do loads - you might find it falls off a bit as you go lower (not being miserable, just realistic). You are also 4 weeks on at 15mg - it will have allowed a major improvement. 

    Can you discuss with your employer about being allowed to get up and have a stretch at intervals? Even a walk to the water cooler/toilet/around your desk contributes to less stiffness. 

    As for the psychological effect - it can be massive. And PMR loves stress...

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey FlipDover_Aust

    Posted

    Wonderful to hear what a tonic a month off work has been - in spite of all the renovation work on the house!  The secret, I'm sure, lies in ensuring a rest day after a busy day, rather than the continuing day-to-day stress of having to work from one day to the next. Now that you're back at work, do find any excuse to get up from that desk and walk a few paces frequently during the day to prevent those steroid weakened muscles from stiffening. 
  • paula63201
    paula63201 FlipDover_Aust

    Posted

    This is great! Did you rest the first 3 days?

    Makes me think that retiring from my job and not sitting in front of a computer all day (even though I take breaks and get up and walk around, but still) will help my well being. A little nervous about letting go of my job, despite turning 69 next month. Part time is not an option.

    I am now alternating 5 and 5.5 after 20 months and feeling a little tired. No pain, though, thankfully. I wonder if 1/2 a mg every other day make a difference in how one feels?

    • EileenH
      EileenH paula63201

      Posted

      I can recommend retirement - you find a load of other things to do and most people wonder how they found time to work! But you CAN always say no...
    • paula63201
      paula63201 EileenH

      Posted

      Hi Eileen,

      I appreciate your recommendation. It seems few people regret retirment.

      Have been talking to other friends, who have retired and am so looking forward to doing fun things with them that I have no time to do now, or have to do in the evening.

  • suesing
    suesing FlipDover_Aust

    Posted

    Hi flipdover,

    I often find that sitting for too long makes me feel stiff and groggy and more fatigued.  I have learned to pace myself (most of the time) but generally feel that keeping moving is better for me than long periods of inactivity.  On the days when I feel really fatigued, I'm best pottering about and trying to have small naps if possible.  I am self employed, but still work a lot of hours and although two of my children have left home, our large home is always full of young people coming and going and it's a lot to balance and keep on top of.  

    I think I would find it hard having to work within the contraints of a full time job as an employe. Although I am always busy, I do have moments when I can decide to shut down for a bit.  It seems that we are all learning how to cope and function with this condition, with varing ages, fittness other illnesses and family/work committments etc but the common word for all of us is 'pacing'. It's great that you are feeling so well and I think it's important to somehow carry some of what made you feel good during your time off, with you into your work place.

     

    • EileenH
      EileenH suesing

      Posted

      I must say that the 3 weeks in China I did feel remarkably well - once I got used to starting at 9am or earlier and keeping going until late afternoon. I felt less well this last week - possibly partly jet lag as it was the bad way round coming back - it was also very hot AND sunny if we went for a walk here. 

      So was that the far higher activity level than normal?

    • suesing
      suesing EileenH

      Posted

      Hi Eileen, 

      I don't know if you were working or holidaying in China, but the fact that you felt well is good news.  I also don't know what a normal day is like for you. I would imagine thought that jet lag would feel twice as bad with PMR!  I have noticed that the general stress of day to day living can take its toll on me.  When I have been away on holiday it helps that I don't have to do the usual balancing act, which in itself is fatiquing.  I have also found it hard going in the recent hot and humid weather, especially as I tend to over-heat and sweat so much more at the moment.

      Having said all this, I still find that keeping moving but pacing myself is a better way for me to deal with PMR, than being inactive for too long.  Also, I try to hard not to get too stressed about anything.  I do hope that you feel really well again soon.

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH suesing

      Posted

      It was both - we went to an international meeting and it seemed daft not to do "The Tour" while were there - we're freelancers so don't have to answer to a fundholder like many of our colleagues! What I was wondering in that post was whether it was the extra enforced activity - far more than most people woould do in a normal day at home/at work unless they were tour guides! We really were on the go all day, albeit with time spend on the bus or at lunch, and of course back home I'm spending time sitting at the computer again. We do go for a walk almost every day but not for hours at a time.

      The most surprising thing though was the heat and humidity didn't knock me out! Here at home everyone else has been complaining about the 32C it gets to in the afternoon - together with sunshine to add a felt 10C to that. It hasn't bothered us as much as usual. But we are back to normal temperatures today - a mere 24C and rising at 2pm and cloudy. 

    • suesing
      suesing EileenH

      Posted

      I do find this interesting Eileen.  The enforced activity certainly seemed to be good for you and I do find that sitting down for too long doesn't seem to be good for me.  

      This Friday, I'm off to do 'The South West Challenge' in Devon and Cornwall.  I'm a field archer and this involves 8 days of shooting over rough terrain, for about 9 hours a day.  I have done this before, but over the last two years I have only attempted 4 days and even that really knocked me back last year. However this year I feel I can attempt the whole 8 days again.  Although it's tough, I will be on holiday and it's all I have to do; I can totally flop for the rest of the time and my dear husband will help me all he can.

      Interestingly, there will be two other archers there that I personally know, who have PMR and out of about 200 that I regularly come into contact with 6 have it.  

    • EileenH
      EileenH suesing

      Posted

      There is logic to it - the activity will lead to vasodilation and increased blood flow so that the muscles are getting a better oxygen supply. And it was warm - to put it mildly! It was over 30C most of the time and it has been similar temperatures here at home too as I said.

      Maybe I'll find out next week - we are being forced into a whistle stop tour of the UK for our annual trip. Would have waited a bit longer but commitments here suddenly appeared (due to a "lost" email). I gather the UK weather forecast for the next few weeks leaves a lot to be desired - and we cover it all from Portsmouth to Edinburgh! Winter draws on...

    • suesing
      suesing EileenH

      Posted

      It's terrible here at the moment, but apparantly we are due for a heatwave, starting from the beginning of August!.....in the South anyway, so hopefully it will behave for you.

      What you say about vasodilation makes sense.  I can feel this to some extent.

    • EileenH
      EileenH suesing

      Posted

      I find a glass of wine also helps the stiffness - same principle.

      A report we saw on the paper review on Sky News yesterday claimed it is to be storms and rain and wind for the next 2 to 3 weeks! All over. I do hope they are very very wrong!

      I have dug out the jeans just in case - won't need them here until October at the earliest cool  But it does make packing for 2 weeks such a gamble...

    • suesing
      suesing EileenH

      Posted

      We are expecting 30c in the South this weekend, followed by average temperatures in the week.  There is a real North/South divide though, with much colder weather up North.  It could change any time here.....there's always wine razz

       

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