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