# How do you stay on the 'up' side of things?



## SS8282 (May 22, 2005)

I've been away for a few weeks, and I've been having a hard time during those weeks. I've also been thinking too.

Besides having various mental illnesses (a long list), I also have medical ones too. I have asthma, glaucoma, back problems (since a bad car accident 10 yrs ago), and  various allergic reactions, as well as the usual allergies and sinus problems. I'm on celexa, seroquel, risperdal, and 2 kinds of eye drops for my eyes, and most resent - atarax for allergies. Because of the meds, I've been so tired and sleepy. I tried to skip some of them, but I get really cranky, irritable, and bad thoughts keep floating around in my head. 

Diabetes and thyrod problems run in my family too. Not sure if I have them because I haven't had a physical in a few years - just can't seem to get the energy to have one done.

From what I know, there are no cures for my medical/physical problems. How can I deall with all this? Deal with both physical and mental problems? Like I said, bad thoughts are swimming around in my head, and the urge is there too. Not sure how much longer I can keep on fighting. 

Sorry for babbling. Just had to get all this out.


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## David Baxter PhD (May 22, 2005)

> Diabetes and thyrod problems run in my family too. Not sure if I have them because I haven't had a physical in a few years - just can't seem to get the energy to have one done.


I assume you see your doctor for prescription renewals and medication monitoring. You can check for thyroid and diabetes issues with simple blood tests, maybe even while you're there. With your family history, it is vital that you check those out.



> From what I know, there are no cures for my medical/physical problems. How can I deall with all this? Deal with both physical and mental problems?


I've forgotten if you mentioned this: Are you currently seeing a counselor or therapist?


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## Daniel (May 22, 2005)

> ]How can I deall with all this? Deal with both physical and mental problems?



One of my obsessions used to be chronic pain.  I read a lot about chronic pain sufferers. In a nutshell, it seems that anxiety and other demoralizing states of mind play havoc on the ability to cope with physical pain.  So I would try as many relaxation therapies as you can. My favorite relaxation therapies are TV, reading, music, exercising, long hot showers, and occasionally meditating.  Also, as Dr. Baxter points out, I would see a therapist if you are not seeing one currently.

Regarding back pain, my mother had chronic low back pain, and she benefited from an epidural steroid injection.


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## SS8282 (May 23, 2005)

Oh my - I knew I was tired when I posted (my body is still dealing with the various time zone changes) but I didn't realize until now how many typos I made. Anyway...

I see a shrink (and get my psych meds from him) once a month, but I don't talk to him about dealing with physical problems. There's always other stuff to talk about that's current, and my sessions are only 45min. long. Actually, I'm seeing him later on this week.

I see my family doctor once in a while, when something happens. The thought of making an appointment, getting myself all 'checked out', going somewhere else for blood tests, waiting for a week or so, and then going back to the doc for the results, is a bit overwhelming. Plus, I don't want to hear it if I do happen to have either or both diabetes and thyroid problems. 

Epidural steroid injection? Ouch! My back hurts usually during and after exercising, including long walks. Isn't there something else besides needles?

Oh, not sure if it makes too much difference, but my asthma is brittle asthma, not the 'regular' type, which means it's a bit like a time bomb, I really have to watch it when it starts to act up and it's difficult to calm it down. Then again, sometimes, I just wish it'll do it's job and 'blow up'.


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## Daniel (May 23, 2005)

> Epidural steroid injection? Ouch! My back hurts usually during and after exercising, including long walks. Isn't there something else besides needles?



Other than over-the-counter pain killers like Tylenol and Advil, I know there is hot & cold therapy. One cold therapy product I liked using for mild back pain is Biofreeze, but you can find other menthol-based cold therapy creams/gels/patches in your local pharmacy, such as the Icy Hot Back Patch.  There are other muscle pain creams for backache as well.  Since walking is usually good for stretching the back muscles, I don't know if stretching or abdominal exercises would be helpful or harmful for your cause of back pain.


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## David Baxter PhD (May 24, 2005)

> I don't want to hear it if I do happen to have either or both diabetes and thyroid problems.


There may be fairly simple "cures" if either is a factor, though... why would you not want to know what it is you're dealing with?

Ignorance isn't really bliss, usually... it just means you're unarmed.


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## SS8282 (May 24, 2005)

I'll try the cold/hot patches. Tylenol's the only thing that I can take. Advil and other inflammatory stuff give me ulcers.

I dont't want to have to deal with more health problems. I have enough as it is and sometimes it gets overwhelming. I get sick a lot with colds/flu and allergic reactions already.


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## Daniel (Jun 9, 2005)

For the back pain, you may want to also try a heating pad, stretching exercises, or a back massager with heat.  Today, I went with my mom to Walmart and helped her pick out a back massager.  The one she got was only $15 (Dr. Scholl's Half-Back Massager).  The more expensive ones I see online knead rather than simply vibrate.  However, she likes the $15 one a lot and takes it everywhere with her.  She also plans to take it to work.

Article: For the Aching Back, Psychosocial Help Called as Good as Physiotherapy


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## Daniel (Jun 9, 2005)

For the back pain, you may want to also try a heating pad, stretching exercises, or a back massager with heat.  Today, I went with my mom to Walmart and helped her pick out a back massager.  The one she got was only $15 (Dr. Scholl's Half-Back Massager).  The more expensive ones I see online knead rather than simply vibrate.  However, she likes the $15 one a lot and takes it everywhere with her.  She also plans to take it to work.

Article: For the Aching Back, Psychosocial Help Called as Good as Physiotherapy


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## SS8282 (Jun 17, 2005)

Thanks for the link - and I always thought my back problem was only physical.

I've got to get myself to Walmart here and see if they have the massager. Hopefully I have something by the time I go to Ottawa in a couple of weeks.

I find that stretching helps a lot.


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## SS8282 (Jun 17, 2005)

Thanks for the link - and I always thought my back problem was only physical.

I've got to get myself to Walmart here and see if they have the massager. Hopefully I have something by the time I go to Ottawa in a couple of weeks.

I find that stretching helps a lot.


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## Daniel (Jun 17, 2005)

So far, my favorite online articles about treating back pain are by Jolie Bookspan, Ph.D.:



> Jolie is the "St. Jude of the Joints." If there is a way for you to get better, she'll find it.
> 
> --Dr. James Mann, Surgeon Podiatrist, Joslin Clinic Harvard School of Medicine.


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## Daniel (Jun 17, 2005)

So far, my favorite online articles about treating back pain are by Jolie Bookspan, Ph.D.:



> Jolie is the "St. Jude of the Joints." If there is a way for you to get better, she'll find it.
> 
> --Dr. James Mann, Surgeon Podiatrist, Joslin Clinic Harvard School of Medicine.


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## Daniel (Jun 17, 2005)

BTW, my mom is getting bored of the $15 vibrating back massager from Walmart.  It is a good way to relax when lying down, however.  A much better unit seems to be the HoMedics SBM-200 Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion, which is the 7th most popular item sold at Amazon's Health Store.   The best diagram of how it works is here.  (I'm planning to get it for my mother as an early birthday present.)


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## Daniel (Jun 17, 2005)

BTW, my mom is getting bored of the $15 vibrating back massager from Walmart.  It is a good way to relax when lying down, however.  A much better unit seems to be the HoMedics SBM-200 Therapist Select Shiatsu Massaging Cushion, which is the 7th most popular item sold at Amazon's Health Store.   The best diagram of how it works is here.  (I'm planning to get it for my mother as an early birthday present.)


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## SS8282 (Jun 21, 2005)

Thanks for the update. Sorry I haven't beem writing. I've been w/o internet at home for a while now. I'm using the internet at work.

That's a wonderful birthday present )

My brother got me a massager (looks like what you got for your mom) that gives off heat too. It's real cool, and it works great! The only thing is that I'd feel good for only a short while after the massage, then it's back to pain. (no pun intended)

I'm a little worried, because my back's been hurting more lately.I need to rest after walking for 20 - 30 min. The pain is there even when I've been sitting for a while too - like at work. 

Hope the massager you're getting for your mom will help her. Take care.


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## SS8282 (Jun 21, 2005)

Thanks for the update. Sorry I haven't beem writing. I've been w/o internet at home for a while now. I'm using the internet at work.

That's a wonderful birthday present )

My brother got me a massager (looks like what you got for your mom) that gives off heat too. It's real cool, and it works great! The only thing is that I'd feel good for only a short while after the massage, then it's back to pain. (no pun intended)

I'm a little worried, because my back's been hurting more lately.I need to rest after walking for 20 - 30 min. The pain is there even when I've been sitting for a while too - like at work. 

Hope the massager you're getting for your mom will help her. Take care.


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## Daniel (Jun 22, 2005)

> I'm a little worried, because my back's been hurting more lately.I need to rest after walking for 20 - 30 min. The pain is there even when I've been sitting for a while too - like at work.



You may want to ask your doctor or a physical therapist if there are exercises you can do that can help strengthen your abdominal muscles without causing injury.  

I wouldn't sit down for more than 20 minutes a time without taking a little break, and you're hopefully doing that already.  As you probably know, lying down puts the least amount of pressure on the back. Standing corrently with a "think tall" posture generally puts less pressure on the back than sitting.  However, some people seem to feel better sitting than standing, at least my mom does with her sciatica.  

If you haven't already, it is highly recommended to use a lumbar roll or some other lumbar pillow/cushion when sitting down.   I just read about this in detail last week, and my mother found it helped her sciatica.  The placement of the lumbar roll is important, and most people place it incorrectly at the bottom of the seat.  According to _The 7 Steps to a Pain-Free Life_ by Dr. McKenzie, the lumbar roll should be placed "at the small of your back at the level of your beltline." Of the six books on back pain I have paged through, _7 Steps_ is the best.   It's author, Dr. McKenzie, designed one of the car chairs for Toyota and is most known for his McKenzie exercises/stretches, which are often cited in journal articles and other books.  

Personally, I prefer to stand when at the computer at home because sitting down puts more pressure on my back, but such an arrangement is not easy for most people to set up.  I also exercise my abdominal muscles.


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## Daniel (Jun 22, 2005)

> I'm a little worried, because my back's been hurting more lately.I need to rest after walking for 20 - 30 min. The pain is there even when I've been sitting for a while too - like at work.



You may want to ask your doctor or a physical therapist if there are exercises you can do that can help strengthen your abdominal muscles without causing injury.  

I wouldn't sit down for more than 20 minutes a time without taking a little break, and you're hopefully doing that already.  As you probably know, lying down puts the least amount of pressure on the back. Standing corrently with a "think tall" posture generally puts less pressure on the back than sitting.  However, some people seem to feel better sitting than standing, at least my mom does with her sciatica.  

If you haven't already, it is highly recommended to use a lumbar roll or some other lumbar pillow/cushion when sitting down.   I just read about this in detail last week, and my mother found it helped her sciatica.  The placement of the lumbar roll is important, and most people place it incorrectly at the bottom of the seat.  According to _The 7 Steps to a Pain-Free Life_ by Dr. McKenzie, the lumbar roll should be placed "at the small of your back at the level of your beltline." Of the six books on back pain I have paged through, _7 Steps_ is the best.   It's author, Dr. McKenzie, designed one of the car chairs for Toyota and is most known for his McKenzie exercises/stretches, which are often cited in journal articles and other books.  

Personally, I prefer to stand when at the computer at home because sitting down puts more pressure on my back, but such an arrangement is not easy for most people to set up.  I also exercise my abdominal muscles.


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## SS8282 (Jun 24, 2005)

Oooh, I wish I've read your post earlier. I've already bought a couple of books and neither of them is the "7 steps".  The books I got are: "The Back Doctor" by Dr. Hamilton Hall, and "Healthy Back Bible" by Dr. Stephen Reed and Penny Kendall-Reed. Oh well.

I didn't know that strengthening abdominal muscles help with back problems. Guess I should do more situps.

Which Toyota car chair did Dr. McKenzie design? I drive a Corolla.


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## SS8282 (Jun 24, 2005)

Oooh, I wish I've read your post earlier. I've already bought a couple of books and neither of them is the "7 steps".  The books I got are: "The Back Doctor" by Dr. Hamilton Hall, and "Healthy Back Bible" by Dr. Stephen Reed and Penny Kendall-Reed. Oh well.

I didn't know that strengthening abdominal muscles help with back problems. Guess I should do more situps.

Which Toyota car chair did Dr. McKenzie design? I drive a Corolla.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2005)

Dr. Robin McKenzie, I later read, designed car seats for many Toyota car models....but only for cars sold in New Zealand. 



> I didn't know that strengthening abdominal muscles help with back problems. Guess I should do more situps.



If you don't like doing traditional situps (and few do), there are other great ways to exercise the abdominal muscles:

How to exercise your abs without crunches


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2005)

Dr. Robin McKenzie, I later read, designed car seats for many Toyota car models....but only for cars sold in New Zealand. 



> I didn't know that strengthening abdominal muscles help with back problems. Guess I should do more situps.



If you don't like doing traditional situps (and few do), there are other great ways to exercise the abdominal muscles:

How to exercise your abs without crunches


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## SS8282 (Jun 26, 2005)

I got the book, which I'll read when I'm done with reading the asthma book.

How's your mom doing?


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## SS8282 (Jun 26, 2005)

I got the book, which I'll read when I'm done with reading the asthma book.

How's your mom doing?


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## Daniel (Jun 26, 2005)

Though she just started doing the McKenzie exercises, my mom says she likes them a lot since they provide immediate relief, much more so than the other stretching programs she learned in physical therapy. According to McKenzie, the exercises should also help prevent future back pain.  The McKenzie book is definitely her favorite.  

Having said that, her sciatica can only improve so much using home treatments, and so she looks forward to her steroid injection tomorrow.


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## Daniel (Jun 26, 2005)

Though she just started doing the McKenzie exercises, my mom says she likes them a lot since they provide immediate relief, much more so than the other stretching programs she learned in physical therapy. According to McKenzie, the exercises should also help prevent future back pain.  The McKenzie book is definitely her favorite.  

Having said that, her sciatica can only improve so much using home treatments, and so she looks forward to her steroid injection tomorrow.


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## SS8282 (Jun 28, 2005)

Glad she finds the exercises helpful. )


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## SS8282 (Jun 28, 2005)

Glad she finds the exercises helpful. )


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## SS8282 (Jul 9, 2005)

I've read almost half the book and have started the exercises. I like doing them, but the good feelings don't last. 

Today, I went shopping. In the fitting room, my back got sore when I tried to bend to try on a pair of shorts. I almost couldnt bend at all.  Wasn't the first time it happened, but it was a bit scary.


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## SS8282 (Jul 9, 2005)

I've read almost half the book and have started the exercises. I like doing them, but the good feelings don't last. 

Today, I went shopping. In the fitting room, my back got sore when I tried to bend to try on a pair of shorts. I almost couldnt bend at all.  Wasn't the first time it happened, but it was a bit scary.


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## Daniel (Jul 9, 2005)

This may be a good tip in retrospect:



> Do not bend forward to put on trousers, socks, shoes, etc. When bending, do so with the knees bent and not from the waist.
> Instructions for Home Care for the Low Back



It's probably better to sit down when putting on shoes and clothing but that's often not an option in a fitting room.  (When I put on my shoes when sitting down, it reminds me of the old TV show for children, _Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood_, where Mr. Rogers would religiously change into sneakers at the start of each show while sitting down.)


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## Daniel (Jul 9, 2005)

This may be a good tip in retrospect:



> Do not bend forward to put on trousers, socks, shoes, etc. When bending, do so with the knees bent and not from the waist.
> Instructions for Home Care for the Low Back



It's probably better to sit down when putting on shoes and clothing but that's often not an option in a fitting room.  (When I put on my shoes when sitting down, it reminds me of the old TV show for children, _Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood_, where Mr. Rogers would religiously change into sneakers at the start of each show while sitting down.)


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