Being 40-something is a pain

[Lil Honey]

Hi everyone!

 

I understand that I can't possibly get a diagnosis on this forum, but I'd really like some input.

 

I am 44 years old. I have aches and pains that have yet to be explained and I'd like to know if anyone else has similar problems. It seems that all my major/biggest joints hurt.

 

My shoulders hurt (at the joint) when I have to raise my arms to get something from the cupboards, when I have to lift a gallon of milk, or when I sleep at night and want to roll over. My lower back gets stiff if I try to sleep in beyond 6 or 7 in the morning. Once, my left hip "popped" and I now have a hard time tying my shoe on that foot, cuz my leg doesn't want to bend right there. My knees hurt (sometimes).

 

I have told the doctor, who has done a blood test for arthritis, which came back negative. I have gone to a chiropractor who told me to use hand weights to strengthen my shoulders. (My shoulders might be stronger, but they still hurt, btw.)

 

Is there something else that I should be looking into? Am I just wearing out . . . already?

 

I haven't been getting a lot of exercise, because I have a full-time desk job and go to school full-time as well, however these problems started before I started school.

 

Thanks for any suggestions,

Lil Honey

[debs]

Yes being in the 40's does suck but I have found exercise does help!

 

I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue with immune dysfunction. Oh that year 1995 I do wish to forget! Pains, aches? Nothing worked!Depressed? Oh it was horrible! I was on 18 meds! I threw it all away in 99 and said no more!

 

I was told I would never do floor nursing ever again. 5 years later I moved from my home town to a Central states location and now work 8 to 16 hours on a busy med floor!

 

I went back to the Y in October and yes the aches do hit me still but I just pop a few Tylenol because I refuse to give into it!

 

I wish you luck if your looking for a "miracle" cure there is none!

 

But I do think exercising consistently does make a difference!

[HokeyReligions]

Exercise is best! What tests did you have for arthritis? I have rhumatoid arthritis and I underwent a lot of different tests to determine if it was arthritis or some other form of calcium build-up on my bone joints.

 

I have had laproscopic {sp} surgery on my knees to remove the calcium, but the calcium comes back right away and takes a very short period of time to be back where I was before! My husband has had knee-replacement surgery which they want to do for me, but that is very painful, very expensive, and has about a six- to 10-month recovery period! Impossible to hold down a job during the first few months of recovery.

 

Try to find a different doctor - maybe one specializing in *gulp - don't take this the wrong way* geriatric medicine.

 

Talk to doctor about changing your diet and adding the right supplements for your health. There are some foods and combinations of foods that are helpful to stiff and aching joints and promote new cartilage growth.

 

Oh yeah, Wear flat shoes and don't carry your purse (or anything else) over your shoulder. Use a backpack on wheels or something to tote your stuff around if you have to.

 

On painful joints use 15 minutes of a hot compress and 15 minutes of an ice compress. Ice reduces inflammation while heat helps the pain.

 

If you use the computer a lot, or are involved in any repetitive movement and/or are sitting at a desk all day, make sure you are ergonomically balanced. I didn't believe in that at first, but wow! what a difference a keyboard at the proper height and angle can make, and an ergonomic keyboard really helped me, and a wrist & mouse rest (gel). As did a foot rest under my desk and a lumbar pillow in the chair.

 

 

First, get a good diagnosis - change doctors if you have to

Then follow prescribed treatment plans

Exercise

Eat healthy

Drink lots of water

and look into following the other recommendations people give you (check with your doc on all of this -- I'm not a doctor and can only tell you what helps me) and hopefully you will find some relief.

[Lil Honey]

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

I am a firm believer in getting enough exercise, it is nearly impossible with my schedule. I know, I know. That sounds like an excuse. My very last semester ends in March, so I plan on walking 4 miles a day again soon after that. So, I'm not looking for a miracle, just some answers to point me in the right direction. I've never been afraid of work.

 

I don't have a clue what the exact test was that tested for arthitis. I'm "new" at this getting old business and was actually surprised that there is a blood test for it. I just assumed (okay, assuming is MY mistake) that it only showed up in X-rays. And speaking of X-rays, since I don't know what's going on and I'm not in the medical field, I thought X-rays would be one of the first things that would be done, but no one has even suggested it (even after I asked about it), so I've been feeling like folks think that it's all in my "pretty little head."

 

I generally wear flat shoes, but I have to admit that I WAS overloading my school bag with ALL my books and papers ALL the time. I unloaded the bag a few weeks before the end of last semester. And, yes, it DOES help.

 

I also have hypothyroidism. That doesn't help, but I try to live like I don't have it. (Yep, I take my meds, but I try not to use it for an excuse and/or slow me down.)

 

Now, the interesting thing about what Hokie mentions is the ergonomics of my desk. I am pretty short (4'11") and I've often wondered if the furniture in my office "fit" me. Can anyone tell me where to look for information about the distances that are correct according to a person's size? How do you get the right fit?

 

the lil "geriatirc" honey *wink*

[brashgal]

Regular exercise is what helped me the most - even though you may not have 'time' for the 4 mile walk, you can park your call at the far end of the lot (during the day), take the stairs when you can. Also, stretching, even while at work - stand up and touch your toes (or as close as you can get), roll your head from side to side, do arm circles (these help my shoulders). I swear by Denise Austin, she's on early in the morning on Lifetime -

she does a lot of stretching, yoga, pilates, light weights - works all muscle groups - I feel so much better when I join her regularly.

 

Yup - 46 here, started noticing more aches in the last 5 years - still have a kid in grade school, I can't afford to rust out, gotta keep up.

[goodnbad]

Are you overweight? I read this thread pretty fast, but I don't think you mentioned that.

 

I used to be overweight and suffered from a ton of stuff: bad knees, achy shoulders, extreme fatigue.....I just attributed it to bad lifting, arthritis, stress, anything else 'achy' that I figured was just a slowing down, from aging....when all it mostly was was something much more simple (and easier to deny)...I was overweight.

 

I did a lot of the usual remedies first, though (aside from losing weight): eating or not eating certain foods (allergies?), using herbal remedies, vitamins, relaxation exercises, chiropractic, changing sleep patterns/positions, all the other gimmicks that supposedly would 'cure' me. None of it worked.

 

But once I lost the weight, a good portion of my health probs went away. Not that I don't have a few aches and pains, but nothing I can't live with and don't dwell on. I think that at almost 40, that's pretty good.

 

Not that I wouldn't pursue stuff like CFS and whatnot, but I think that a lot of people too easily discount the simple things. Not that I am referring to anyone here! I mean people in general, who are overweight and will do almost anything before considering it could be **gulp** their weight!!!!

 

goodnbad

[HokeyReligions]

http://www.ergonomics.com.au/howtosit.htm

 

Ergonomics 101

[Lil Honey]

As a matter of fact, the entire class that I'm taking this program with has complained about gaining a solid average of 20 pounds each, simply because we all sit at work,sit at school and then sit in the library. That's one of the main reasons that I can't wait to finish. There is no doubt that once I can get into a new walking routine, it will be beneficial.

 

Hokey: Thanks for the link. I think learning more about making my environment "fit" me (instead of the the other way around) will help a great deal as well.

 

Thanks for all the input.

 

Lil Honey