Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
Comments
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purple - Don't you hate all the 'cure' stuff? Eat this, drink this...
I do, Dawne ... that is TODAY'S cures, but as I said, I actually believe there was really something to Renne Caisse's tea. In fact, I think she got so close, 'they' put a stop to it. The cases that she treated are quite well documented.I just find her whole story fascinating.
As for the red tea, I might think tea was counterproductive in that it provides water and yet is a natural diuretic which we dont want in LE (?) I dunno'. To be honest, I dont pay much attention as I drink decaf coffee and some tea myself ...- just saying.
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purple - But red 'tea' isn't actually made from the leaf that black, oolong, green tea comes from ... it IS a herbal tea ... it's a South African herb ... there IS NO CAFFEINE in it. That's why it's good.
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All of my teas (and coffees) are decaf, but I still believe they have a diuretic effect unlike plain ole' water.
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purple - But decaf and herbal are completely different. There is a process to make something decaf. Herbal teas are just leaves that flavor the water.
http://www.pittsburghcuppa.com/devshet.html
Rooibos does not make me pee any more than drinking water but I find it easier to drink right now ... I'm tired of drinking plain water. I posted it because it has helped me and I wanted to provide a suggestion to help you all, if, like me, you're having trouble getting in your water quotient.
But to each his own ...
Edited to add: De-caffeinated tea WILL work as a diuretic because it is impossible to take away 100% of the caffeine. In herbal 'tea' ... there is no caffeine and while some herbs may work as diuretic ... rooibos does not.
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I love herbal tea, hot or cold, and for me it's a big help in getting all the water in. Unfortunately, I really really really love coffee, so after my morning cup(s) of joe, I have to do double intake of water to compensate!
Today was a good day for exercise: 5.6 miles on the pedometer, including a 3-fast-miles Sansone DVD. Followed by Lebed opening. Later in the day, 90 minutes in the gym with my trainer for weight, core and flexibility training, plus a few more miles of treadmill work, including a half mile run. I do not like running in the least, and not sure how Dawne-Hope, NatsFan and others do it! Oh, and I did several rounds of Tai Chi breathing. Now, I'm pooped and it's time to head for some sleep!
Carol
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I see Dawne! Thanks for clarifying. I did not realize herbals would not do that , and some are so delish. Makes me want to go shop! I DO need help getting in the water.
So far, just keep doing MLD followed by Lebed opening and MLD at night.Of course I weat the sleeve and glove all day ( what fun!
)I am so unsure as to whether or not to exercise. My wrist looks like it * might * be just a tad more swollen, but my husband says it is just my imagination- WTH knows anymore ?!
Keep at it, girls!0 -
Well, I've been terrible on the self-care front. Still kinda demoralized over having to fire my LET. Not doing MLD, no sleeve, lots of downward dogs in my yoga. I am tweaking my back/chest routine. Gonna get me some killer-looking lats!
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Well, I just finished some delicious herbal apple tea (thx Dawne) and returned from my WW meeting 13 pounds lighter. ( but its taken about 11 weeks- slowest I have ever lost)
Did MLD this am and just did a little over a mile with Sansone so we shall see how th wrist feels about that because I must do grocery shopping later!0 -
I am in exercise limbo since arriving home from vacation. Traffic was horrible during the last few hours of the drive, and I napped in the back seat. Back felt a little funky the following two days and I took ibuprofen. Got about 5,000 steps those days. Yesterday I was out all day running errands and wore shoes with heels. Felt okay most of the time, but by evening my back was really unhappy. When I got home, I was ready to put on pjs and stretch. Major spasms continued and I took one of my few remaining pain pills. Hardly touched the pain but helped me get to sleep. Woke up during night and husband had to get ibuprofen and I took some Valium. I slept for almost 12 hours and feel a bit better today. I think walking later will help loosen things. Not going to do anything strenuous, but I feel the need to move. I fear the inactivity will cause me to swell, and I have been doing so well with that. I know when I get 10,000 steps at least several times a week, my hand, arm and chest feel and look great. I am wedded to activity and cardio, as I have witnessed the obvious difference in my body since I began walking regularly this summer. Walking and water are key for me as much as MLD and compression. I am now somewhat off track with the weights and need to chill. That train stops regularly; I know I will get back on soon. :-) It's always something, isn't it?
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Tina337 - Have you tried soaking in a warm bath (I know because of the LE not TOO warm
) with epsom salt? That really helps my muscles in my back, feet and legs when I've done too much.Also ... do you have a bike ... stationary, recumbent ... when I can't walk ... the bike has the same great effect on my LE.
Hope you feel better soon! xo
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Tina, stretching works wonders for me: lower back, pierformis, and hamstring stretches. I have back issues somewhat regularly and often I can de-escalate the problems by doing these stretches when I first start to feel a dull ache. I hope you find something that works for you, because back pain is so horridly debilitating. If you don't have any back-oriented stretches in your bag of tricks, PM me and I'll do my best to describe the ones I've been given -- and that work for me.
Carol
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Today I managed 4.6 miles, mostly from doing a Leslie Sansone 'fast miles' DVD. No Lebed yet, but will do.
Nibbana, I hope you're warming up to LE care again!
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Had another visit with my personal trainer. Increased weights today and Little Martha (LE arm) has been happy all day. Don't think I stretched enough after exercise, my shins are really sore.
Good day. Long day. Tired.
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Ohio, That is great (well, not the sore shins)! I hope that after each session, you always want to go back. Soreness can make you think twice, but usually moving the muscles again, even without weights, will improve the sore feeling. Keep it up!
Carol0 -
ohio
I have had problems with shinsplints in the past from pounding pavement and other hard surfaces ( ouch !) Stretches helpa lot.
This question is about sleeves and all of you exercisers who wear them ' only' for exercising.(I was instructed to wear mine/ with gloves all day long)
Yesterday, I did the MLD, some leslie sansone and much later (around 7 PM) I decided to do another mile of leslie sansone. I had the sleeve on app 12 hrs at that point. Later, the sleeve was uncomfortable- just a little bunching at the elbow after having it on since 7 AM and eventually I took it off as I do every evening. Around the wrist ( my problem area) I had a mark that later went away. I was thinking I should not be doing exercise so late...after being in compression 12 hours.
Later, I dozed off without the MLD and when I woke this AM, my wrist looked about the same as ever - no worse, no better.I am starting to wonder about this sleeve ! How is it you were told ONLY to wear when exercising ? My LE therapist said I am in stage 1 ( though my first therapist said I do not have LE but could wear a sleeve and glove while xercising for prevention , my BS said I do have it but certainly not need a sleeve at all and this current therapist has never laid a finger on me - she said 12 hrs a day for 3 mos. ! ) Are you all who only wear for exercise in stage 0 or sub clinical ?
I am wondering if all day compression is ' bothering' this arm. I'm not trying to get out of wearing the sleeve. I just want to knopw- are there others here who are considered stage 1 and wear it only to exercise ?
Is there any chance the compression is actually bothering my arm more or ?
I really dont know what to think any more - everything is too subtle at this point. I know I have small pocket of fluid at the bottom of 2 fingers that I believe is directly related to glove use. I try to move it with MLD, but wth do I know ?Thank you dor your stories/ thoughts.
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Purple, I cannot help with your question about whether compression is bothering your arm, but I can tell you that I am stage 0 LE, and that is why I'm able to wear my sleeve/gauntlet only while exercising, flying, and doing anything stressful for the arm. When first diagnosed, I was at Stage 1, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate that my arm volume has reduced to where there's no longer any visible swelling, and even the very sensitive perometer measures only a very tiny difference between my LE arm and my unaffected arm.
I don't think for a minute that my LE has been 'cured,' so I still wear my sleeve during stress activities. I do sometimes feel my LE, as that heavy, achy feeling, and sometimes I get the typical LE tingles. That's always my signal that I've overdone without compression, so I know I'm not off the hook! Sometimes I'll be engaged in an activity for a while and then realize ooops, this is pretty repetitive, I'd better put on the sleeve. So probably I should be thinking about it more than I sometimes do.
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When first diagnosed, I was at Stage 1, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate that my arm volume has reduced to where there's no longer any visible swelling, and..."
Interesting, carol!
Do you attribute that to therapist Tx , MLD or ???????0 -
I wish I knew what I did that worked! Not therapist treatment, because like you, Purple, I had no hand-on from a therapist. She has shown me MLD, using her hands to demonstrate, but no long sessions of hands-on therapy. My swelling was always quite mild even when it was visible, and it responded well to my MLD work at home, plus wearing compression when it was visible swelling. And--I'm just guessing here--I think that the slowly progressive weight lifting, following the PAL guidelines, has given me strength in arm and torso, in a way that has helped me avoid getting flares from some of life's weight-bearing activities. For example, when I travel (like...all the time for my work!), there's no way to avoid picking up luggage. I pack very lightly, but still, my clothing suitcase weighs fifteen to twenty pounds, and my briefcase with laptop is ten to fifteen. I suspect that my LE would bite me big time with some swelling flares if I were not so regularly in the gym training my arms and torso to take that kind of weight in stride.
In a funny way, having LE has been a benefit, because I no longer get the frequent debilitating back problems that once plagued me. Fear of heavy daily lifting and what it would do to my LE keeps me working out and working toward heavier and heavier weights in the gym, and the bonus has been blessed relief from serious back troubles. And I want to try to avoid a return to the swelling I once had, however minor. So to the gym I go!
Now, I should end this by saying that I cannot know for sure that weight training has been a reason my swelling is more controlled, and I know for sure that I am at risk of LE worsening, because we are all at risk, lifetime. Weight lifting does not prevent nor does it cure LE. We devotees need to be sure to clarify that, for any newbies reading our enthusiastic posts. I think it's a great tool in the toolbox for managing my own LE, and I encourage anyone with LE to try it...but intelligently, following the guidelines for adding weight in small, measured increments, wearing the sleeve/hand protection, and above all, making sure that the LE is stable before starting--no big changes for three months or so before starting.
I'm baking baguettes this morning, and it requires repetitive motion with some oomph..so I'm in my sleeve and gauntlet. Time to go shape some loaves!
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OK, gotcha Carol...disclaimer and all - no worries there.
I am a big believer in the type of exercise and activity that you have described because it was all that helped with my COPD, and I avoiided a rotator cuff surgery that I was told was inevitable, through a year long stint of my own program of yoga and pilates. I got back over 95% ROM, which was more than what was predicted with surgery.
Thanks very much for your detailed post. It sounds very promising.Enjoy the baguettes !
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Purple - I was told to wear my sleeve during the day and not at night. I found that bothersome. Through trial and error (and only during cooler weather) I find I can go without my sleeve during the day if I pace myself when doing repetitive tasks like laundry, etc. Sometimes it takes all day to fold clothes but I chose that over the sleeve. I always wear my sleeve when exercising, doing repetitive work that I want to get done (cleaning garage) or during the heat of summer, oh, and I always wear to doctor appts so they think I am compliant.
I do a lot of Lebed type stretches during the day while sitting at my desk and I drink a lot of water, usually 16 oz. daily. Water is my favorite beverage so that is easy, stretching feels good so I do it often. I do need to get better at deep breathing throughout the day.
Initally, I was Stage II LE (by my MO) with my forearm and hand showing the most swelling. It took a much time to get my hand to normal but I am fortunate I have not any severe flare ups. I see an LE trained massage therapist as needed and haven't been to PT in over a year. My sister helps measure my arm regularly to confirm everything is as good as I think.
I spend about 20-30 minutes on MLD each night and sometimes longer - depends on the TV show I'm watching
It took me a year to feel confident I was doing MLD correctly, to know I had the tools/knowledge to manage my LE, and feel a sense of 'freedom' to live my life without fear of an LE flare-up. Coming from a medical background, I had to do a lot of reading to understand the physiology behind LE. Once I had a better understanding of LE I felt empowered to manage it.
Just keep asking, keep trying, and you will get there.
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Ohio
Thanks very much for your post!
No problem with the ' keep asking' part as you see !Do you mind elaboating on this :
"Initally, I was Stage II LE (by my MO) with my forearm and hand showing the most swelling. It took a much time to get my hand to normal..>"
Normal ? Stage 0 or ???? AND, also , HOW did you get it back- your own MLD or therapist.Thats all- for now ! :>)
THNAK YOU all.0 -
It's so hard to know what's going to work and what won't work. This last week I've been sitting at the hospital with Mom. Trying to eat right, get some exercise, etc., but apparently I've not been doing what I ought. My breast is much more swollen than it has been at it's best, not as bad as it was at it worst, but still. My back is puffy too, as is my hand & arm. Back to the drawing board.
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Purple - to me 'normal' is no swelling or when my LE hand/arm looks the same as the non-LE side. I didn't see a big improvement in my hand until I went to the LE massage therapist. The LE massage therapist used short light movement on my hand. When I'm not wearing my glove, I find myself repeating those movements throughout the day. Riding in the car, talking, waiting, I keep 'massaging' my hand. My hand seems to be the first place swelling occurs - maybe due to the fact that I am on the computer all day?
I don't have an LE therapist in my network right now so I am on my own with visits to the massage therapist as needed. She doesn't measure, teach, or instruct - she just does the MLD.
Hope that helps.
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My hand seems to be the first place swelling occurs - maybe due to the fact that I am on the computer all day?
Yes, mine too...the hand and also the wrist.
Massage therapist ?! Do you mean a ' regular' one, ohio ?
I dunno'. I am going to ask my LE therapist for some hands on next appt.. From there , I have had the thought of contacting my former massage therapist and seeing if she will learn it. She has to be able to do it better than I !0 -
My LE physical therapist moved out of state. I found a massage therapist who went to LE courses but never certified. She is very good - she learned in order to treat her mother. It's easy to get an appointment but not covered by insurance.
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Interesting, ohio.
I had a great massage therapist who chgd only $20 for chair massages- same price as my copay . I am thinking of contacting her when I finish therapy. Of course she would have to agree to learn the MLD. Who knows, she may already have some interest or experience...we'll see. Thx.
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Ok, I am back on the wagon for self-care.
Purple, on the sleeve thing, I don't wear mine during exercise. I think my body just conditioned itself to be able to handle the weight. Because I have a home gym, there's only so many weights that I have, so I can't get crazy.
I've managed the swelling pretty good. Hand doesn't swell anymore. Can't help but think this exercise thing is the answer. Lymph seems to favor my biceps right now, but I can chase that out pretty quick with some MLD.
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Nibbana
Amazing!
Are you saying you never wear sleeves at all then? Do you even have LE ?0 -
I wear my sleeve during the day, but I'm not terribly compliant on weekends. I need a break on weekends, but then again I don't do anything rough.
I remember the early days when my hand would blow up like the Hindenburg. I'm wondering if I managed to remap out my lymph system and the fluid is finding new channels to flow through?
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A quick update, been doing my stretching and tai chi breather. That tai chi breather is making me more flexible and I have only done it for a few days! At first I thought I was extending too far back as I became sore so I eased off a bit and have been able to extend with no soreness! Bonus, I seem to be a bit less stressed, Probably the breathing is the relaxer after all if you do it 5 times a day that is every couple hours and that belly breathing relaxes the body no doubt. whoooo hooooo!
No walking as I have a cold but will be back at it tomorrow.
HEY, how about a tai chi breather everyone, just before you go to bed. Come on!0
