Aa
A couple of questions, Hot stuff, and weakness
OK, we're all learning how hot showers or baths can be a bad thing. I've noticed something strange, and wondered if anyone else had similare experience.
My roommate got this water filter that dispenses great tasting water at cold, room temp., or hot. I've decided to try some herbal teas, since they can be so comforting. Last night I had a cup of this really good coconut chai stuff, and felt like I had hit the wall. My eyes didn't want to stay open, my speech kind of slurred, and I dropped stuff, was off balance, etc. I wrote it off as being really tired.
Then I had another cup this morning with breakfast, after a nice refreshing shower, and experienced the same lethargy, shaky right hand, and etc. So, is hot tea a no-no?
Oh,if it makes any difference, I'm showing signs that my sinus infection might be coming back, which I believe is what set off my last flare.
My other question is one that I'm not sure belongs here, but I'll bet someone might have an answer or some thoughts for me. It has to do with weakness in the quads on my left leg. I'm right handed, but my disk bulge and radiculopathy are on my right side, so if I was going to get weak from pain, I would assume it would be on the right side.
I was sitting on my bed in my nightshirt night before last, and noticed that my left thigh was clearly smaller than my right. I remembered that I had developed significant atrophy after my last surgery (in "06), despite working hard before and after the revision reconstruction of my ACL.
So, last night, I decide to do a few quad sets to see if they contracted well. It seemed kind of weak and wobbley, and when I felt it, it seemed, well, lumpier than my right thigh, right above the knee. I then sat on the edge of the bed and tried raising my knee against pressure from my hands, like they test your strength.
Big mistake; now with the weakness, there was burning. Yesterday my left quad felt loose, if that makes sense. My knee started hurting badly (no surprise, there's a meniscus tear and large chondral defect). I had been managing my knee pain well, had Euflexxa shots not long ago. I checked to see if there was swelling in my knee, maybe a little, but my right above my left knee is at least an inch smaller around than above my right knee.
Today I've felt less knee pain, more quad weakness, and pain and weakness in the calf, too. Climbing stairs is a real challenge, and lifting my knee up in a sitting position is tough.
I'm curious if this weakness could be an MS thing (even without a diagnosis), or just part of my knee history that hadn't been showing up until now. It may be that no one here has an answer about this, but at least it's not just bouncing around inside my head any more!
Thanks for listening!
Kathy
My roommate got this water filter that dispenses great tasting water at cold, room temp., or hot. I've decided to try some herbal teas, since they can be so comforting. Last night I had a cup of this really good coconut chai stuff, and felt like I had hit the wall. My eyes didn't want to stay open, my speech kind of slurred, and I dropped stuff, was off balance, etc. I wrote it off as being really tired.
Then I had another cup this morning with breakfast, after a nice refreshing shower, and experienced the same lethargy, shaky right hand, and etc. So, is hot tea a no-no?
Oh,if it makes any difference, I'm showing signs that my sinus infection might be coming back, which I believe is what set off my last flare.
My other question is one that I'm not sure belongs here, but I'll bet someone might have an answer or some thoughts for me. It has to do with weakness in the quads on my left leg. I'm right handed, but my disk bulge and radiculopathy are on my right side, so if I was going to get weak from pain, I would assume it would be on the right side.
I was sitting on my bed in my nightshirt night before last, and noticed that my left thigh was clearly smaller than my right. I remembered that I had developed significant atrophy after my last surgery (in "06), despite working hard before and after the revision reconstruction of my ACL.
So, last night, I decide to do a few quad sets to see if they contracted well. It seemed kind of weak and wobbley, and when I felt it, it seemed, well, lumpier than my right thigh, right above the knee. I then sat on the edge of the bed and tried raising my knee against pressure from my hands, like they test your strength.
Big mistake; now with the weakness, there was burning. Yesterday my left quad felt loose, if that makes sense. My knee started hurting badly (no surprise, there's a meniscus tear and large chondral defect). I had been managing my knee pain well, had Euflexxa shots not long ago. I checked to see if there was swelling in my knee, maybe a little, but my right above my left knee is at least an inch smaller around than above my right knee.
Today I've felt less knee pain, more quad weakness, and pain and weakness in the calf, too. Climbing stairs is a real challenge, and lifting my knee up in a sitting position is tough.
I'm curious if this weakness could be an MS thing (even without a diagnosis), or just part of my knee history that hadn't been showing up until now. It may be that no one here has an answer about this, but at least it's not just bouncing around inside my head any more!
Thanks for listening!
Kathy
Well, I went to see a Sports Medicine doc today, new guy in my Dr. H.'s office. He was really nice, took X-Rays, then told me I was way too young to have X-rays like that.
He did an exam, and said it was really hard to know what is normal for strength and stability with all that has happened to my knee. The x-ray showed some bones spurs, arthritis, and an oddity that hopefully the MRI that we scheduled for Monday will clear up.
He suspects that I tore the lateral meniscus that already had a small tear in it, and that a cortisone shot might help settle things down so I can have a fun trip to Disneyland for Thanksgiving. I haven't had much luck with cortisone, but I guess I could give it a try.
Do you think that the radiologist will comment on stuff like whether or not there are signs of atrophy in the muscles around the knees? The doc wrote the orders to look for meniscus tear, but don't they comment on anything out of the ordinary? Should I request specifically that they look for causes of weakness?
The doc told me to do hamstring curls to strengthen them. I asked "How?", thinking about the curl machine at the gym, and he told me I can just raise my foot up behind me, bending my knee, and if possible, put a weight around my foot. Oh, duh!
So, another MRI on Monday. I think this makes a baker's dozen in the last year. My insurance company must really hate me! :o)
Kathy
He did an exam, and said it was really hard to know what is normal for strength and stability with all that has happened to my knee. The x-ray showed some bones spurs, arthritis, and an oddity that hopefully the MRI that we scheduled for Monday will clear up.
He suspects that I tore the lateral meniscus that already had a small tear in it, and that a cortisone shot might help settle things down so I can have a fun trip to Disneyland for Thanksgiving. I haven't had much luck with cortisone, but I guess I could give it a try.
Do you think that the radiologist will comment on stuff like whether or not there are signs of atrophy in the muscles around the knees? The doc wrote the orders to look for meniscus tear, but don't they comment on anything out of the ordinary? Should I request specifically that they look for causes of weakness?
The doc told me to do hamstring curls to strengthen them. I asked "How?", thinking about the curl machine at the gym, and he told me I can just raise my foot up behind me, bending my knee, and if possible, put a weight around my foot. Oh, duh!
So, another MRI on Monday. I think this makes a baker's dozen in the last year. My insurance company must really hate me! :o)
Kathy
wobbly, I really appreciate your responding even when you're not sure how to answer my questions; you answered just right; that there are people who care even if they can't answer my questions. You understand how lonely it can feel to have no answer at all, and I appreciate your taking the time so I won't have to feel that way.
wonko, Ah Ha! I thought it might be the hot tea, and not just that I'm always going to be sleepy now! I'll put a little cold water or milk in my tea before I drink it now, see how that works.
This water dispenser is really cool. It's a counter-top thing from Cuisinart, that she ordered from Williams-Sonoma. It holds something like two gallons, and you can easily refill it from the top, then the water filters down and goes into the separate tanks.
I always wanted a water dispenser like that, but I only knew of the big ones where you have to lift a 5 gallon bottle of water on it, something I can no longer do. I was delighted when my roommate found this thing. I drink water all day long, and was going though way too much bottled water. Now I just fill a glass.
I had always heard not to use hot water for cooking or to boil for hot chocolate or whatever, because of the lead, but now I can start steaming vegetables quicker with clean hot water. Funny how small things can bring joy, if you let them! :o)
Kathy
wonko, Ah Ha! I thought it might be the hot tea, and not just that I'm always going to be sleepy now! I'll put a little cold water or milk in my tea before I drink it now, see how that works.
This water dispenser is really cool. It's a counter-top thing from Cuisinart, that she ordered from Williams-Sonoma. It holds something like two gallons, and you can easily refill it from the top, then the water filters down and goes into the separate tanks.
I always wanted a water dispenser like that, but I only knew of the big ones where you have to lift a 5 gallon bottle of water on it, something I can no longer do. I was delighted when my roommate found this thing. I drink water all day long, and was going though way too much bottled water. Now I just fill a glass.
I had always heard not to use hot water for cooking or to boil for hot chocolate or whatever, because of the lead, but now I can start steaming vegetables quicker with clean hot water. Funny how small things can bring joy, if you let them! :o)
Kathy
I can relate to the tea incident. One of the 1st signs of my condition was that about a year ago, I started to notice that my cheeks would tingle while drinking my AM coffee (which, at that time, was consumed in mass quantities, I've since cut back). Of course, I experimented to see if that same thing happened with decaf, other hot liquids, etc, and did isolate it as a temperature effect.
I thought it was a new "trick" that my body could do, I had no idea it was a very early herald of things to come. Now my heat intolerance more often causes nausea and tiredness, though I do still get some enhanced tingles.
I am very lucky, I have no weakness in my legs, just stiffness!
Also, you note that the water is filtered, correct? That's good. Though lead poisoning is very rare in adults, I would advise against unfiltered hot water dispensers. I did read one instance of a woman in whom lead poisoning was eventually determined, and it was traced back to a hot water dispenser. If the water is hot coming through the pipes, it can pick up more contaminants. I have no idea if that is as much of a concern on the West coast. But it is on the East. It is more dangerous, for example, to prepare formula from hot tap water than cold.
Random PSA mixed in with my reply!
I thought it was a new "trick" that my body could do, I had no idea it was a very early herald of things to come. Now my heat intolerance more often causes nausea and tiredness, though I do still get some enhanced tingles.
I am very lucky, I have no weakness in my legs, just stiffness!
Also, you note that the water is filtered, correct? That's good. Though lead poisoning is very rare in adults, I would advise against unfiltered hot water dispensers. I did read one instance of a woman in whom lead poisoning was eventually determined, and it was traced back to a hot water dispenser. If the water is hot coming through the pipes, it can pick up more contaminants. I have no idea if that is as much of a concern on the West coast. But it is on the East. It is more dangerous, for example, to prepare formula from hot tap water than cold.
Random PSA mixed in with my reply!
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