On 5/6/2014 8:28 AM, F*O*A*D wrote:
On 5/6/14, 9:25 AM, True North wrote:
Noticed some concern about my current condition so now that I can sit
at the computer for a bit and do more that just glance at the few
interesting posts, I'll recount my crappy winter/spring.
It all began in January when I thought I injured my shoulders on the
BowFlex exercise machine and my hips on the PaceMaster treadmill.

I let things go a bit thinking that laying off for a couple of weeks
would remedy the problem.
Then I complained to my family doctor who didn't take it very serious
at first either.
By the time early April arrived I was getting to rock bottom with very
painful and stiff shoulder, wrist and knee joints accompanied by
extreme weakness, lack of energy and appetite. In fact I lost about 38
pounds over the 2 months period.
Doctor sent in a request for me to see a Rheumathoid Specialist, but
couldn't say when I would get an appointment. It was wait until they
contact me.
A week later our next door neighbour, a cancer specialist, walked over
to my wife and offered to intervene and use her contacts to get me
into a Rheumathoid Specialist within the week.
In the meantime my doctor became alarmed seeing my condition and
decided to start me on morning doses of Prednizone. This helped for
about 17 hrs a day. When I saw the Specialist, she upped the Steriods
by another 5mg and spaced them out at breakfast and supper...what a
difference.. 24 hour relief.
She decided that I had Polymyalgia Rheumatica or PMR.

Anyway, I'm much better now and trying to regain most of my former
strength. Just yesterday I upped all my resistances on my BowFlex
exercises by another 10 pounds.
My treadmill program routine is just one intensity level down from
before my problems.

At this rate I should be ready for our boating season, which will
begin for me around mid June this year.

BTW..the specialist says I will probably be stuck with this disease
for a year or a year and a half during which time they'll be weaning
me down on the steriods a bit at a time.

To top it all off I become a senior citizen this summer... ah, the
Golden Years!



Wow...what an experience!

Getting old sucks.

I'm glad you are on the mend.

I'm afraid rec.boats is even worse than you may recall, though.


That's really funny for you to say, since you are 95% of the problem!
Didn't I call you out on making 40 out of the last 100 posts recently?
Mikek