health update

[low_delta]

My back seems not to be bothering me lately. My hip problem is still there. The problem in my leg hasn't gotten any better or worse. The leg thing feels like a strain. It started in the ligament that goes upward from the back of the knee, on the outside. It was just stiff for a few days. Then I noticed this strain in the same area, but it creeps upward and downward into the thigh and calf muscles. [Edited - in the end of January, was determined to be sciatica.]

I tried some yoga last week, but can't do much because the hip problem limits motion in one direction, and the leg pain (around the knee) limits motion in the other. So I do some limited stretching in the legs and hips.

I've been going to bed earlier than usual, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I feel tired just like I always do. Not exhausted like I did for a few days the weekend before last - just the regular tiredness.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

I hope they can figure out what is causing the tiredness and the leg pain. That can't be fun.
:(

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I'll probably go back to see what the body-doc thinks of the leg thing. Not sure about the tiredness. Maybe I'll see my doctor in January about the tiredness.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

I used to have that tiredness after enough hours of sleep thing, but it turns out that I had sleep apnea, and was "waking up" without knowing it, or being blocked from REM sleep because I stopped breathing. Have you had a breathing test?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

No. I suspect something like that is in my future. I don't snore, so I don't have that sort of problem, but I feel like my breathing slows when I fall asleep, so who knows what's going on.

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a nerve is freaking out on you. Go see a doctor hon.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's a nerve thing. It feels like a muscle strain kind of thing. I'll have it checked out sometime in the near future.

[ranunculus.livejournal.com]

Get checked for sleep apnea. Changed Donald's life far to the "better" scale, and since then several friends have had the same experience.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

As I mentioned above, I suspect something like that is in my future. I don't snore, so I don't have that sort of problem, but I feel like my breathing slows too much when I fall asleep, so who knows what's going on.

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

Did you see that I found the phone number of the recommended sleep person and put it on your chair?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

Yah... I should have the apnea thing checked (more) - I don't think I want to deal with a cpap machine, though. I do have some apnea but also have GRD, I can't sleep on my sides any more (nor stomach), and I've been using a pillow wedge. I may try shifting back to a pile of pillows, though.

For me I think part of it is eating dinner late; I should shift to lunch as my major meal, and just have a light dinner, earlier than 7pm.

I've also had a lot of tiredness over the past 6 months or so, but I can point at the causes - lack of sleep - quite easily.

A few years ago, when I was traveling a lot for sales, my right hip started hurting a lot. It got to the point where I was limping. About the second time I was jammed into a small regional jet I figured out it was the horrible small seats and lack of leg room on the CRJ jets, and started going out of my way to not be scheduled on those. Work is 'cheap' though and I didn't have much choice in what I could book; it became one more reason to move out of sales related work.

I've always had arthritis in my hands, as long as I can remember. Now its in my spine and causing all kinds of pains. I've also strained my right shoulder and elbow, partly by digging and partly by sleeping on it. It's getting better slowly. I also have a degenerative nerve condition caused by a scar from a hernia repair surgery, doc put me on some meds for it and they seem to work wonders. If I miss those for more than one day, the specific "ghost pains" from the degeneration kicks in for a couple of days.

Both of my shoulders were inured some time ago. They both are very accurate at sensing weather changes.

Getting older isn't so bad, it's all the pains (etc.) that come with it that suck!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I kinda feel like the CPAP machine is the universal answer. "Oh, you stop breathing sometimes, so here's a machine - all cured!"

I know I can't get to sleep on a full stomach. They say alcohol intererferes with sleep too, but it doesn't seem to have any effect with the small quantities I usually consume.

Arthritis runs in my family. I'm not looking forward to that.