Muscle Weakness/Exercise

Sue, I think it says “thoracic lumbar spine dysfunction”. I have worked for some people with very challenging penmanship 🙂

Agree with above. Most back problems in people are in the lumbar spine in the “small of the back” in the area where the spine curves forward and back. Thoraco-lumbar indicates that this problem extends higher and goes with muscle weakness along the length of the back. the spine has four parts. The cervical is in the neck from the skull to the bottom of the neck. The thoracic is from the neck to the bottom of the ribs in the back. Ribs come off each of the thoracic spine vertebrae. The lumbar spine in below the ribs to the top of the pelvis and the sacral spine is the very bottom to the tailbone.

Hi Sue,

I have some input for you if you would like to hear. I have CIDP that was very gradual to some point in time. My muscles would get better if I did PT
daily and I would even get stronger. If I stopped or reduced my schedule, I would decline and small injuries would occur.

MY GP doctor told me physical therapy for the rest of my life. I said what, I have been working out the last 12 years on my own to build strength and now your telling me that isn’t enough!

Over my undiagnosed period of 3 years. I did over 100 PT sessions at a facility and all thoughts were that I had a bad back causing sciatica, lower lumbar pain and weak lower legs. The Neuro’s did a double lumbar microdiscectomy. They were wrong. That didn’t fix a thing. as a matter of fact if pissed of the CIDP to where a year and half later I was reduced to a cane. Anyway,

We did alot of core abdominal strength. this is good for anybody. especially if you are on a production line where you may lean forward alot and doing some lifting etc. The possibility exist that you may need ongoing PT. I do mine at home and have been so regimented it no big deal. I understand you may be tired after work so try to do it before work or when watching TV. And as the older more experience folks say. “KEEP MOVING” don’t stop. Good Luck.–tim–

Hi Sue,

As in my case and over the time I was doing PT there was light cidp activity
with back and forth remissions. By doing PT with light CIDP activity, you can increase strength and keep nerve channels open. I did it. When I took it easy a decline would occur. SO there you go. doing PT and daily exercise in my book slows down the damage. At least it did in my case.

I at one point intentionally quit any form of PT or exercise so the Doctors would see my degredation and it came on just like I thought it would. they game me steroid that accelerated my decline. now I had two IVIG’s and I am
hoppin and jumpin.

Sue be careful with any twisting while holding weight. try to rotate your whole body. with neuromuscular interference in the abs and lower back muscles, you are particularly prone to a spinal injury or herniation.

Hi Again Sue,

So, you have CIDP. Currently are not on any medication so you are in remission or stable?? Not getting better Not getting worse?? You figure steroids would help?? Why can’t you get some?

Most back injuries I hear about revolve about twisting, not to say twisting ruined your back but made it present. Thing like Vacuuming where you reach
out and rotate, or cleaning the bathtub, bent over and twisting etc. the most common are the last two Levels and the tailbone.L3L4L5 area. very curious.–tim–

Sue,
Is there any possibility of going on disability? It seems to me that your job is way too physical and is contributing to the constant inflammatory episodes. My job is what really put my CIDP into action and what ultimately led to my needing to stop. I don’t know how it works in Canada but maybe your Psychologist could help you find out. I wish you the best.
Linda

Sue I have read your posts here from the very begining of my visit to this forum and I know you are not a whinner. Don’t worry what the co workers think…it is hard enough getting family members to understand what we go thru. I am sorry we all have to go thru this illness and we all have different residuals but very common residuals. They are real and not in our heads. I do think that was alot of weight they were having you lift. I am not sure with the CIDP but I do know with the GBS that we need to keep moving and I choose to do daily stretching and yoga or tae chi exercises to keep my muscles moving and those tendons and ligaments healthy. Proper posture is something I have to concentrate on all the time. I get little pains daily from tiny little muscles that cramp. It has been over three years since my onset and I am slowly getting stronger. Just in the last year I was able to finally tighten or control muscles or muscle groups. Finally my back is getting stronger and my ads were weak and they are actually starting to just respond to the exercises I have been doing over the years. Guess they just were not getting the signals correctly and now have healed. I still have a long way to go and to try and single out the areas that are still weaker and work on them. In an other thread I seen someone was having trouble going up on tiptoes…..I still am having the problem. Getting up from the floor is very painful in my foot and ankles and now the swelling is starting to effect my knees. I just keep trying to work on these areas to get them stronger and back to where they used to be or close to it. Don’t stop moving but becareful of the twisting, that causes me rib pain and cramping and spasms. Keep working with your Doctors and rehab people. I hope that some day this discomfort leaves our bodies alone! We just have to help each other to unlock the secrets. Keep us posted on your progress….remember you are not alone in this battle!

Sue,

Have you looked into CPP disability?

I am having lots of pain and doctor signed me off.

I get long term disability from work and then I also get Canada Pension Disability.

Take care,
Rhonda

Hi Sue and Forum,

This whole situation is a Rock and Hard Place, especially if you are supporting yourself or Primary earner.

I have worked on the books for like 31 years and had a decent salary for probably the last 25 years. If I got SSD now I’d get $2100 a month. I don’t know if they tax it or not. That is not enough to pay the insurance, electric and utilities taxes and still eat, never mind paying for scripts or uncovered med exp. I live in a small town and a modest small twin home. I figured it costs like $1500 a month just to be here and keep the lights on, taxes paid and home and auto insurance up. I would not be able to handle any loans, car, equity etc.

I would go upside down fast. This is why I was firing at my doctor to hurry the heck up and do something here. I have a job and HC that I will certainly lose if I don’t improve soon. They took me down to the wire until they fixed it.

If SSD were offered to me today. I would not take it. I have a daughter going to college and I am a long way from the finish line. Planning to work until not possible.

The real crazy part is that is costs like 2-3 times my annual salary just to keep me functional. Go Figure! I guess its better to have the person functional in society than paying out of the gov’t fund for all of it.