Hi, I have been to the physio for my good knee which has been giving out and my bad leg (affected by ms) cant prevent me from falling.
The trouble is, if I do the exercises I feel knackered and worse in myself. I work full time - should be standing, although I’ve found myself sitting down for at least hallf the day and counting down the hours till I can go home! I will be reducing my hours next month.
My question is - am I better off persevering with the exercises or preserving my strength?
You can’t fit a quart into a pint pot: given your limited resources in terms of strength and stamina, something has to give, as you clearly know already, having taken steps to reduce your hours. Well done, setting that in place. That sounds like real progress, and I hope that you feel the benefit.
Hard to say as we’re all different but similar.
Haven’t seen a physio for years, thankfully don’t need crutches now.
Energy levels have got considerable worse since then and I often look a little drunk when I walk, mornings. More tired I get the more drunk I look.
I have cut down a lot because if I push to much today it has a knock on effect tomorrow. For example at some point I was trying to build up my strength again and was upto 30 pressups follow by 25-26 for a second set and low 20’s for a third set. Relapse took that. Now I can struggle for 8 1st set and maybe 2 for a second set.
Over a year later I struggle to to hit 8. If I do 8 today I may only get 6 tomorrow and 3 the day after. Thus I try not to exert myself unless I have to otherwise I may not have the ability to use what little strength remains.
Neuro, Phsio and other users may advise differently but thats how I cope nowadays
I think I may be past the point where I can exercise myself fitter as I pay for it in fatigue, pain, spasms and stiffness afterwards. Now, I am concentrating on stretching and flexibility - yoga-style mat work, basically. Keeping the flexibility definitely improves posture and walking because the stiffness and inflexibility is mostly in the back of the legs and hips.
Having poor posture and balance will be tiring. So simply pushing through does not work if the basics are wrong. A good Neuro physio will stress getting the exercises correct for a few repetitions rather than doing more badly.
One thing is certain when we sit down and do nothing we will deteriorate.
Lockdown inactivity will have set us back.
Hi, so I started seeing a private physio last week for my back spasms as I didn’t want to wait for an nhs 1, so he manipulated me, OMG how hard was that, then he’s given me exercises to do, 3 times a day, now I’m spms and haven’t been able to exercise in years and after only 2 days I realise I can’t do the amount of exercises he wants me do to, I’m so fatigued, its makes my symptoms worse and to be honest I feel like s**t, I will still try and do some, just not 3 times a day, I’m there again on Thursday and I will tell him this. I sometimes thing they feel like we should try and do more, push ourselves, but they don’t know how it feels to try and do that. If I were you I just do want I can, don’t be pushed, your the one that has to live with the consequences not them.
Jean
Such a dilemma, where do you put your energy. I have recently been told that I am putting all my energy into just getting to work, leaving no time for anything else… yes spot on. Like you this can’t continue.
I had a frank conversation with HR last week, and now looking at major changes. I need to redirect my energy and prioritise me and not work.
We get well-being hours, HR agree to pay for 6 weeks therapy of own choice. I recently tried physiotherapy that was a disaster, now looking into hydrotherapy, hoping that the weightlessness of the water will help.
Don’t give up, doing something if you can, will be better than doing nothing.
I’m so glad someone has said what I feel and never say out loud to others, not even my partner.
I work as a care assistant and love my job. On one hand, the physical nature of my job keeps me going. If I did a non physical job I think that I would feel the fatigue more. Sitting down is dangerous for me at times because I don’t want to get back up. Having said that, after a shift at work I have very little left and my days off are spent recovering from work and leave little room for anything else.
I’m not lazy, but it makes me feel like I am. At end of the day, I have bills to pay. Sometimes it is hard to prioritise the things I want to do opposed to the things I have to do. Which then makes me feel selfish too.
A lot of the time I am actually fine and I certainly have very very little to complain about currently. Just occasionally I feel like I am living to work, not working to live.
Is maybe the answer to your question to find a middle ground? Is that possible?
Jx
@Foxy You’ve said so much more about your condition. I’m inclined to think that you might need to consider a less physical job if your off time is spent recovering so you can go through it all again.It’s not laziness, so stop feeling guilty about that! Have you considered other options?
Graeme
Firstly, I feel the need to say that my condition is by no means bad. To look at me you wouldn’t know at all. I can do as much now as ever, I just need the breaks in between and cat naps. I used to go for 10 mile bike rides everyday. I can still do the bike rides, but not everyday. So I’m lucky and I know and appreciate that. I am a great believer in finding and counting your blessings and I have many.
Care work is the hardest it has ever been for everyone right now. Staff shortages are chronic. That makes me sad because fully staffed, it wouldn’t be that bad, but the over working is not good for me.
I am starting a new job next week working as admin in a care home. I’m looking forward to it but unsure if the sitting will only encourage the fatigue. I know it does at home. However, I am willing to give it a go and see what happens. Fingers crossed!!
Jx
Oh my word. All of the comments here are chiming so much with me it’s scary. Especially the feeling guilty / lazy for not being able to go at the previous pace or volume. I’m exhausted all the time yet still feel it’s my duty to plough on through - family, work etc. Don’t really have any time for myself and certainly not to rest. I also have my physio routine which, in principle, is something really important to me but, in practice, is a mountain to climb. The hot weather hasn’t helped much lately. The guilt I carry for not being on top of it is crippling but I think that’s deeply psychological anyway. My answer to the original question would be to persevere but only where you are convinced you feel able to attempt it without causing yourself more stress (the stereotypical sit on the fence response) but as I don’t stick to that myself, I’m hardly rating my advice.