kybearfuzz: (Sick)
kybearfuzz ([personal profile] kybearfuzz) wrote2006-01-25 07:39 am

Getting old is hell....

Over the course of the holidays I hurt my back, somewhere around my shoulder blades. I'm not sure what the cause was specifically. I wish I could attribute it to a night of wild, passionate acrobatic and contortionistic sex with a nice furry bear (imagine that post!), but I think it was sleeping in the twin's old spare bed from his bachelor days. This wasn't helped by my lifting weights at the gym and a week in hotel beds the week before last. Monday, I felt a muscle in my back spasm and I nearly couldn't make it to work.

So, after much whinning and bitching at the office, my coworkers forced me to make a doctor's appointment (a few chat buddies, yes I mean you [livejournal.com profile] cincycub and [livejournal.com profile] fritzsea encouraged me to do the same).

My doctor's office is a family practice clinic with young interning doctors, so I only have the same physician for two years or so before getting bumped to another. I don't mind that, they may be inexperienced, but they have the most current knowledge and they are not afraid to pull in a more experienced doctor too.

I really wanted the cute dark-haired cubby doctor I passed in the doctors' office hallway, but got a young female doctor instead. She was a very pretty lady in a curvy, real woman sort of way, not like a vain, rail-thin supermodel. She pushed and poked around on my back and chest, twisted and pulled my arms certain ways, felt my back muscles as they moved around. After my description and her exam, she says I have a spasming muscle. Well, not a surprise on my part.

She offered to write me a prescription for anti-spasm meds, but said that their effectiveness is only so-so. I declined and she prescribed regular Advil for the week, stating the anti-inflammatory properties will cause the muscle to relax. No weight lifting for the week and only low-impact cardio.

I like her. Now only if she had prescribed cheesecake and chocolate ice cream....

[identity profile] aries470.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry to hear about your back. Coming from someone with lower back issues, I feel your pain.

Oh, I think the cheesecake and chocolate ice cream are a given! :)

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

...and there are low carb cheesecakes and ice cream.. perhaps I shall look into this :)

[identity profile] queensheba.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I bet we go to the same doctor's office. Mine is the same way, young residents that rotate in and out. I like them because they typically don't think that they know everything under the sun yet, and they're prone to listen more and try harder.

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
If you go to the one on Loop Road, then I bet we do go to the same one. They have a nice staff there and I do think that the younger docs do ask more questions. They're developing their bedside manners :)

[identity profile] mikiedoggie.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)
THis is probably TMI. Look at the doctor's note icon you have. I used that note to get out of jury duty once. Hee hee.

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 06:53 pm (UTC)(link)
*writes down idea for future jury duty summons* :)

[identity profile] mikiedoggie.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, for the record I *did* get a doctor to sign my note. ;-) Of course, when you work in a hospital directly with 12 attending physicans, its not too hard.

[identity profile] martini-tim.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 03:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I had a similar problem just after Christmas. My young intern gave me a prescription for vicodin and also a fairly low-powered muscle relaxant. I felt good while taking those, but the pain returned when I stopped.

What really helped me was a professional back massage. I think it got the blood flow back to the muscle that was inflamed, and it relaxed the whole area so it could heal. And it feels darned good!

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I've never had a professional massage before, but have had a great one from a gifted amateur, who shall remain nameless :)

Maybe I should look into a deep muscle massage...

[identity profile] cincy-dave.livejournal.com 2006-01-26 12:27 pm (UTC)(link)
My friend who took your Wonder Woman icon is a professional massage therapist.
She is awesome. So if you would like a good recomendation, I'd recomend her.

You want cheesecake? I'LL make ya cheesecake.

[identity profile] anziulewicz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe once or twice a year I'll suffer a debilitating muscle spasm in my back, apparently something I inherited from my mom's dad. It will start when a nerve TWINGES and begins setting off a very slow wave of pain that may take up to a week to clear away. How severely it affects me will depend on where the spasm is located. I remember one occasion when the spasm occurred near my left shoulder blade, and just turning my head would make me cry.

HOWEVER ... I found out that if one of those spasms occurs, the best thing for me to do is take 600-800 milligrams of ibuprofen and simply lie down for a couple of hours in a recliner and read or watch TV. In most cases the most serious pain can be completely aborted.

Re: You want cheesecake? I'LL make ya cheesecake.

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 07:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, mine haven't been that bad yet, but I've been nearly on the floor on one occasion.

Advil works well for me too :)

...and what was that about cheesecake???

Re: You want cheesecake? I'LL make ya cheesecake.

[identity profile] anziulewicz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, it just so happens that I make a cheesecake that has been known to make strong men weep. You can file that away for future reference.

Re: You want cheesecake? I'LL make ya cheesecake.

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 09:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm impressed! Consider it filed away for future reference indeed! :)

[identity profile] cachorro34.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope you get better bud! *HUG*

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 07:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks :)

[identity profile] sweetjimmyto.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Now only if she had prescribed cheesecake and chocolate ice cream..../ you would be cast as the new character on "Golden Girls".

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh.. I could be the young gay neighbor who competes with Blanche for the hot daddy bears! :)

After all, we're both southern....

[identity profile] truebrixon.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope your back gets to feeling better. I actually thought about your post today at work when I was moving around kegs and cases of beer. I got to read it this morning before work but didn't have time to reply. Now as far as massages, cheesecake and ice cream I've been told I give great massages, make a tasty cheesecake and buy a mean pint of chocolate ice cream! ;)

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, how you tempt me with massages and cheesecake! :D

[identity profile] truebrixon.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm only a plane ticket or a twelve hour drive away! ;)

[identity profile] kybearfuzz.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
LOL.. the story of my life ;)

[identity profile] truebrixon.livejournal.com 2006-01-25 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Mine too but hey, it's practically a day trip! :)