Women v. men

Interesting, for me, female, fairly active, good food...exercise was too difficult during PMR, it never helped or change my pain/stiffness. I was, however, able to exercise the areas not affected by PMR which helped me better utilize the PMR spots. That is until I gardened too much and have had Trocanteric hip bursitis again for several months now and haven't been able to walk far, darn it. But I'm doing rehab on it now.

i think women in general don't like exercise. Though my husband doesn't like it, I'm the one with the equipment and used to do triathlons.

For me now... I'm finding it's the change in my attitude, meditating, no longer wanting to feel stress in my body that is making me feel better. I wonder if men do not worry as much as women??? Or their adrenal functions are stronger than women due to their needing more ability to fight vs flight, and women are generally the more compassionate, feeling type of characteristic????  Hope I don't offend anyone, just thinking of other thoughts to this as well. 

Ha, also, we women love our sugar! Which I think is big contributor to our health. I know too many women who love their baked goods, desserts.

Anyway, interesting question.

I had trocanteric hip bursitis last year a few months before I came down with PMR.  The PA sent me for PT but that did not help me.  I finally decided that I should have an injection of cortisone into my hip area.  My MD cooperated and gave me 100mg. depra medrol which completely took the pain away.  I had another 80mg. 3 months later with good relief.  I really feel that would help you, so suggest you request it.

I think you missed my point - which was that men (generally) post about exercise as a 'treatment' for PMR as opposed to women who usually talk about coping/medication/diet/etc

It is generally understood that men have an easier time of PMR than women - supposidly it's to do with hormone levels or something. Eileen knows more about this than I do!

Personally I was doing triathlons prior to getting PMR - and I have been rendered completely inactive for nearly 18 months - I can't walk more than 200 metres before pain stops me. So for people to tell me to 'just do more exercise' or 'I can do a five km walk before breakfast' is really not helpful or constructive.  

 

I found and still do find even walking a problem so I know what you mean about the exercise. I went swimming yesterday and did 30 minutes of non stop gentle swimming. Prior to PMR I could swim for 1200mtrs nonstop in that time x3 a week. I would have gone every day but I was unable to fit it in due to other commitments. I am hoping I can manage another swim this week and wish to build on that if I am able. I am feeling none the worse today so fingers crossed. When exercise is mentioned I look to see if it is a male who has posted. Is it also worth considering that women normally end up doing the majority of childcare and housework and men in general (not all) manage to exercise? They fit it in no matter what! 

When you think about it, housework, childcare, shopping, making the dinner, washing, ironing (just to name a few!) SHOULD give us enough exercise, but, evidently, they don't count!!!

Venus and mars comes to mind....my husband goes out like a light to sleep when there`s stress....not me....I lie awake worrying, he says why worry when you can`t do anything about it.....that`s why I do worry!! This is what my friends tell me too.....definitely think we are wired up differently!  I envy him sometimes....

My husbands answer to illness (he`s extremely fit, never ill) is to not think about it, and it will go away!!.........maybe there`s something in that.....us ladies go into things too deeply?....but we do like answers don`t we.....perhaps we ladies should try blootting PMR out.....I wish!!

I realized it is not an easy subject to talk about and I mean no disrespect in any way.  I can only talk about my own experience and what helps me. We all have different pains, different tolerance and motivation. When I came down with PMR, and could not even do the simplest task myself, then I made a decision that I will not stay that way no matter what. After about a week on pred, when the pain became bearable, I started with walks, pushing thru pains, but also being patient and persistent. Perhaps I was lucky not to be inactive for a long time. Before PMR attack I was in training 3-4 times a week. I was inactive at the most about a month, while waiting for diagnose.  My first goal was to regain strength in my legs. I started with leg exercise and short walks (100-200 meters) and made them gradually longer at very slow speed. When I reached 1Km, then I started to work on speed slowly, etc.  What I am trying to say, it was slow, but deliberate progress, anything but easy. 

If you were inactive for such a long time ( 18 months) it is very hard, if not impossible to get back to a same level as before PMR. Sorry to say, but you must have lost a lot of your muscle mass.

Lastly, I am sorry that you took my comments as "not helpful or constructive".  It was meant to encourage, not offend you.

Layne I do the opposite. I focus on the area that is impacted with PMR.  At first it was hips/legs area. What I did is use combination of massage and training to relax, stretch and strengthen muscles that were impacted with PMR. At first muscles were very tense and not flexible ( and in pain). but gradually over time tension and stiffness subsided and I could use them again.  Just one small example... in a fist week of pred treatment, I noticed that I could not walk because my legs were so tight that I could only make small steps. To counter that I stretched the instep are to enable me to make longer stride. I did every morning until I could make normal steps.

After I got to the point that I could walk 1-2 Km without stopping, my focus shifted to shoulders... Similar process, massage therapy, stretching and swimming gradually relaxed that area. 

So, focused, planned activity and observation and always listen to my body is how I made progress.  Hard work. Some people may say it is luck. Maybe it is, but the harder I work, more lucky I get.

Last thing.. I like sweets.. and still eat a lots of them.

Good idea!  A blotting out PMR drug.  I'm in!

Linda, I agree.  I envy when my hubby doesn't let things bother him, and he's pretty healthy. Though I do think he holds some things in, doesn't communicate very well, and he had prostate cancer. (That and cholesterol run in his family) But in general, I envy his happiness and calmness. But I'm getting there too!  

i read of a man who visualized both a cyst in his back and leukemia going away, and they went away. My body really feels better when I try to put it in a state of letting go. And there is a man who has a meditation cd that talks of women getting thyroid issues and how it's from stress women are under. I love his other CDs too. They focus on our inner energy and opening our hearts.  It feels a heck of a lot better than me fearing my PMR, which I have done for a year, these last 6 months are so much better.  Sometimes I can't read our posts because we want the meds to fix us. I used to too. I'm hoping others will try what I'm trying...because it can't hurt and if I end up with pain  back to my 100% then yes, I'll consider going back up on Pred, but it's done such a number on my body. I'm wasting away.  

So I'm doing anything I can that's fun and positive. My Bowen gal said dance more. So I have music in my bathroom and dance while showering! 

I'm starting to sound "hippy dippy" as I'm calling it, but I don't care. If it feels good and is healthy...no I haven't tried pot yet, have considered it!  

FlipDover, I think you are right too about the hormones.  I was reading about the job of our adrenal glands and was so interesting what it said!!! I can really see how it has something obviously to do with our PMR, stress, hormones, ... So I can see how female hormones reacting differently than male.  

Interesting, I've been craving salt big time! I'm not a big salt eater, but some.  That's what lead me to adrenal gland research. Said it can make us do that. So with Pred messing around with our cortisol and adrenals, it all makes sense. 

But yes, it's cute to see mostly men talk of exercise. Yin/yang... Too much of one of the other, imbalance... I'm trying to learn about this balancing act! Hee, Hee. We need to take clues from men and they from us  

Fun post Flip! 

Tend to agree with you Layne.  Nicks point about exercise - I have always contended it's very helpful in aiding the restoration of muscle due to inactivity at the start of PMR and getting the blood pumping.  I don't 'go mad' over my exercise I use the longer and gentler method (walking and cycling, without the Lycra, targets - I do use a fitness watch to track what I've done!).   I found even a year ago (at a higher dosage) that it might well have been a struggle to start but afterwards I felt so much better.

As you say an interesting question.

Hi Layne. The mind has great power over the body.  We probably all know people who have become their illness and others who have grown stronger because of adversity.  Looks like you are one of the strong ones!

I was not offended by your post Nick, not at all! (and you can't start a post like this and not expect some different opinions!).

I think what I was really trying to say is that 'men' go into great detail about their exercise programs, and how they do this, and that.. whereas women discuss 'other' ways of 'treating' PMR.

I'm under the care of a phsyio now and I'm doing ok - my massage therapist often wonders how I was even walking such was the state of my back, legs and hips....My physio asked me what my goal is - I told her I want to run again.... 'we' have a very, very long road ahead but it's a goal nonetheless.  I am caught between being too fat (from high doses of pred and inactivity) to do things, and not being able to do things so I stay fat!

I wondered about swimming. i have a pool locally at a college that keeps the temps fairly warm, and I use a swim belt that keeps me upright, and I don't do laps, but just sort of jog in the water. I used to do 45 minutes without stopping, but I could start with 10 or 15 minutes and build up. That's how I did the fibromyalgia training when I had that diagnosis, and it helped a lot. I hate going through the whole shower before I get in the pool, swim, shower when I get out, wash my hair, etc. for just 10 or 15 min., but I guess we have to do whatever it takes. Or i can suffer.  LOL.

It would be worth a try but I know what you mean about the amount of stages before and after the time in the pool and that is why I waited until I could manage 30 minutes. I would suggest making it a time when you don't have much else planned as it may be tiring. I don't mean the time in the water but it's all that goes with it.

I went straight to the pool from bed - and showered there in my swimsuit. Afterwards I showered the chlorine off and wrapped myself in a towel until dry. 

The whole 5 years of PMR before getting pred I kept mobile by doing an aquaaerobic class at my level (not anyone else's) every morning Monday to Friday. Sometimes I was then mobile enough to manage Pilates or yoga, also both adapted for me. No competition! But walking/jogging in the water is good too.

Yeah I do try to go over in my suit, then shower, swim, and then if I can just get into sweats I'll shower and wash my hair when I get home. I try to keep everything as simple as possible, and now that it's springtime it's okay, but in the winter we can't do that. it's just too cold.