Physical therapy-Yoga

[MakinIT]

Well...tomorrow I start a new PT program. I have been through the whole pelvic floor experience, which I highly recommend for all of you who have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction...I have abs of...well maybe not steel but at least a soft metal. Vaginal muscles are relaxing....so my PT is having me continuing the exercises but also doing Yoga 1:1 with a specially trained Physical therapist. I'm kinda nervous. Geez..what if she makes me put my legs over head or something? I'll be permanantly stuck.

take care all. Wish ya the best!

[October]

Hi MakinIT,

I was doing pelvic floor therapy before Christmas and found that it made me feel so much better that I stopped! Anyway, I'm back at it today and plan to make it a major priority - I'm tired of always thinking about my bladder!

Take care,
Joy

[MakinIT]

I've been doing the exercises she recommended everyday since I saw her. She wants to see me twice a week and is adding in cardio. I almost died when she wanted to see what I'd do on a stat. bike, but I was surprised at how awesome it felt...I wound up peddalling for 12 mins and my pulse only went up to 85 (normal for me is 58) and BP was 130 over 80....(again it's normally very low....around 105 over 60....no drugs either) The one thing I am proud of is my blood work and heart/bp is working...for now....

anyway, back to yoga...I;ve only done one day, and the few exercises (three ) has me started with are very nice and relaxing, especially combined with the exercises given by the PFD physical therapist. I do these exercises constantly to retrain how I sit, stand, move, ect...I am still in pain, and this is not the answer to my "prayers" but it certainly helps and refocuses me. I'm also seeing a counselor who is supposed to start taking me through relaxation exercises...so I should just be a floppy mess....I'm not so angry and feel like there is "something" I can do!

Anyway...good luck to you all....give it try...as the PT told me, our pelvis is the first place that tenses under stress so learning to relax it when we have PFD and IC is critical.

Tracey

[scootermom]

Tracey-

Thanks for posting that. I found that very interesting what you said about the pelvis being the first place that tenses up under stress. My 2 (so far) experiences with PFD have been during very stressful circumstances. PT has helped me immensely with PFD. I also take a very warm/hot bath every night to help relax the muscles.

I hope it works for you and it sounds like it is helping you.

Sara

[tigger_gal]

PFD sucks !!! I went in for pt and they did biofeed back and my pelvic floor muscels are flat lined :( thats really bad, I started pt last friday and it put me in tears... I will go 2 times a week for the next 4 months to be able to begin to make an improvment she said with my fibro/myofascial I am in horrible shape and don't know how my legs hold up my body..
Thank you for your post.. my therapist wants me to get a lite stretsch yoga program too.. I also try to do my exercises every day... I don't mean not having time its just very hard to do those simple things for me.. all in time I hope I will inprove..
sorry I vented ..
Brat

[Iris]

Hey Cindy, reading your post, I really feel for you right now. I can totally understand you venting, you are having to deal with a lot of health issues, and it cannot be easy. Hang in there, and keep us posted. I miss the gremlins as well take care and soft hugs, Iris.

[MakinIT]

The exercises are a pain but I guess I look at this way. during the 4-5 hours I'm not sleeping or whining, or hurting, I gotta do something so I do my exercises. I feel so much better after wards. If only psychological because I DID THEM...YAY. They actually feel good but maybe to me it's because at one time in my life I was athletic. Now I'm just pathetic...HA, Ha,,,I rhymed.....I guess, my docs office nurse called me today but was at another docs late today (chiropracter actually) she wanted me to call. Some thing tells me they are finally going to help out with some change in pain meds. Maybe? who knows........Of course, today's the first day I haven't called them to nag and she calls like really late in the day.

good night all, I'm sleepy.

[ICNJess]

Tracey,

I LOVE yoga! I read your post on hypnosis, and I am also doing that. Modern medicine is great, but sometimes, as my psych put it, you got to take your care into your own hands, and I find that the hypnosis and yoga do that.

Hugs and stretches!
Jess

[MakinIT]

Went to my PT/YOGA appt today. Was hurting so much we just did gentle stuff today, a little tai chi, some balance work, and postural stuff. She also did some guided imagary because I kept wincing and grabbing myside. (I hate when I do that, I feel like such a putz) . She decidided I needed to rest and I did but also needed to comtemplate the nerve block thing they are talking about.....yuck. Had a terrible time staying awake until I got home. That hasn't happend in a while. Must've been stress.....so pooped.

Anyway, I do llke this movement therapy...beats someone's finger you know where massaging you know what!!! Although that may have been helpful today. My chiropractor beat me up yesterday...(just kidding) but got my shoulder joint all set correct again. wierd, I had to have surgery on my right shoulder 4 years ago to cut off the end of my colllar bone and the joints on top of my shoulder. So I have the same pain and problem now in my left. The chiro just jammed 'em back into place...I don't think he'd appreciate that description, but it hurt like hell. Felt better though later. and have complete range of motion.

talk to you all later

[MakinIT]

I'm continuing this journey of physical therapy to help with my pain. Is it going to cure me? No...but it sure as heck helps. I've had now, 5 sessions with the Yoga PT person and she has really helped because we not only do wierd stuff with stretches....(Hey...I can now put my palms FLAT on the floor with my legs straight and my breathing very calm) but we alsodo Tai chi, and then she sticks my whiny butt on the bike (up to 15 minutes now ...started at 3) and the "arm bicycle" (You pedal with your arms) She knows when I'm tired due to IC or tired because I'm being a weenie. I came in one day and she took one look at me and just simply did massage and hot packs for me because I felt so bad. (we did some very easy stretches too) But she let me sleep for quite a while under the heat . If you guys can get PT...(I highly recommend both the Pelvic Floor therapy and the Yoga/endurance) get it. I am classified with "severe IC" yet I am finally able to manage my body. I hurt, but I can do some things about it besides drugs, sleep, and cry. (Oh yeah, she put Pilate balls into my routine last week....for MORE ab work. ) I'm going to buy one to work on balance and abs.

Consider it a personal coach. She's sympathetic, yet she doesn't give me any time to feel sorry for myself...like my counselor. :cool: I at least feel like I have people on MY side now. :)

Tracey

[Chips]

There is hope....just so you know, my physical therapist in Vestavia, AL is wonderful. She has helped me learned techniques to stretch my back which is guess what associated to your bladder. I use the ball. What a difference! Something that my PT told me was wait a minute let the pain start and keep trucking...within minutes it is like the pain diminishes. We all have a threshold that can be reset.

[rachelm]

I too have had a lot of success with my O.T. She doesnt' do anything that hurts me. Her philosophy is gentle stretching and relaxing as she does holding techniques by moving my legs into comfortable positions while I relax them completely into her arms. It isn't a cure but helps me manage. I too got a balance ball after using one with her. It's great for relaxing. Sometimes I just sit on it or drape my body over it while I do deep breathing. I can't use it though now until my trial interstim comes out.

[tcbc1989]

Hi, How do you find the right person to start with regarding yoga and IC? It seems like everyone is advertising yoga therapy these days. I have done the physical therapy thing already and it did not help but i am willing to try anything at this point and yoga was at the top of my :confused: list.

[MakinIT]

Tcbc:

Can your PT recommend someone who is both trained in chronic pain and in Yoga? I got mine through the pain clinic that works with me. If not, go through your phone book and ask Yoga providers... :) Most of the studios offer classes that are very gentle for folks with pain issues , and you could privately discuss your personal issues with the instructor.

I sure hope you find some relief, the stretching does help but is in no way eliminating the pain.

Tracey

[YankeeCandle224]

Hi everyone,

I love yoga too and was just getting really good at it after about a month doing it. I have a basic yoga tape, and it starts out very easy and slow, and when I'd do an hour of it a day, I was feeling so much better.

Then one day, I couldnt stand up straight and my back was hurting sooooooooo bad. I had just done the entire yoga tape for the first time the day before.

I want to try it again, but I'm afraid to. I can't afford a trainer or specialized classes, even if my insurance did pay for some of it, I just cant afford the copay.

I also loved physical therapy, well, I HATED it the first week, but by week 3 I was really feeling better.

I've definately found that I feel better after some sort of physical exercise, but most of the time I'm so tired and sore that I dont feel like exercising.

Its a viscious cycle..I hurt, so I lay, but laying sometimes makes it worse, but it hurts to move too, until a certain amount of time has passed by and then I feel the results.

Cindy, I was dx'd with MPS as well a long time ago, but everyone just started calling it fibro and the two are the same, but different, ya know what I mean?

The ONE thing I DO have that is in good working order is my pelvic floor. The uro was shocked actually.......but I've been doing kegals almost every day, 5-10 times a day since I learned them after I had my 15 year old. The rest of my body and muscles are just like a rag dolls.

MakinIt, I'm glad that you are doing so well with your exercise. I envy your drive and motivation to keep it up!

Hugs, Sandy

[MakinIT]

I have to tell you...I woke up at 4:00 AM in pain and ****** off. So I did some stretching...( first time in my LIFE Ive been able to touch the floor with palm of my hands in the wee hours of the morning) then I stretched some more, and listened to my "Mr. Rogers tape"...(I sure wish I knew how the damn thing ends) I made it as far as "notice how heat is coming from your hand into your tummy....and now, the heat is going down into your groin and bladder, into those places that need extra attention" First time I 've actually heard and remembered that line and I almost started to giggle (Because that area hasn't had ANY attention except what the PT has put me through) but was suddenly out because Idon't remember anymore. Wierd....I never would have thought I'd be one to fall for that. Must be the way he keeps saying "you are comfortable and safe now". (over , and over, and over....got to be the "key words") Sorry to bore you all, I just find it all very interesting.

Tomorrow is my big day. I certainly hope I don't barf or pee on the doctor before he starts. I'll be mortified. (Frickin' needle paraspinal into the nervebundle....makes it sound like a walk
in the damn park.) I just want to be done. Maybe I'll be back on line by this time tomorrow so I can whine about it.

eek

Love ya all...wish me luck

Tracey

[Iris]

Hi and good luck Tracey, tomorrow. I am curious about your tape. What is the title, I have one from the network that is for pain relief, curious about yours, sounds like it is really helping you out. Maybe you have mentioned it, and I forgot, forgive me a senior moment, get them occasionally. Take care and good luck hug, Iris. hi grouphug

[MakinIT]

Iris...

it is one that my counselor made especially for me, based on what he knows about me. (He knows I am very kinestic...i've touched almost everything in his office, and very imaginative) so he is putting together a series of tapes for me based on my "strenghths" . He knows enough not put anything that may be construed by my imagination as bothersome or scary so he uses alot of the words "comfortable, warm, colors...etc.."

Sorry....It is a wonderful tape for me, cause it's custom made.

T

[Iris]

Hi Tracy, thanks for letting me know. I am really glad it is helping you out. Take care and hugs Iris. hi grouphug

[ICNJess]

I have one of those tapes as well, and felt ridiculous trying to do my relaxing exercises listening to his voice reallllly calm and collected. I giggled when we first began to do it, but I've become pretty accustomed to it. I know what you mean though, it makes you feel silly and he sounds silly!

lmao

[MakinIT]

HEY ALL

Havent heard how your pelvic floor stuff has been going in a while. I'm just curious. I want to know if you guys are doing ok and what success those of you who are doing Yoga are having. I'm learning to control my balance and my breathing and am able to stretch well. It is helping to stretch my bladder and other stuff well, especially as I'm doing tougher stretches and I'm doing it 3 times per day.:) It actually feels wonderful. after I stretch, I do some stuff on my therapy ball, then some Tai chi...if I'm really motivated I do my bike for about 10 -15 minutes. the only problem I have is fighting with my eight year old over the ball and having to explain to her that I'm not dancing!!!!!(when I do Tai chi) :D Geez... I'm ready for my afternoon nappy poo. Take care. OHH..I did Acupuncture today...second treatment...I slept all through it...believe before she put 5 needle in. (She always has water sound going, hot rocks on my belly, warm sheets, hooked up needles to a TENS unit etc...) ZZZZZZZZZZZZ......:baby: That's what I slept like.

Talk to you later.

Tracey