Starting over

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mariposawisdom
mariposawisdom Posts: 6 Member
edited February 2016 in Introduce Yourself
I've been diagnosed with a rare form of disabling arthritis that took my ability to walk almost completely this past year. I just got out of 2 ankle cast boots that I wore all winter. Now I have good orthopedic shoes and soft ankle braces. I need to lose about 130 lbs. I'm starting off walking again. 2000 steps minimum a day. Not sure how long I will be capable but I'm keeping track and doing what i can.
I love healthy foods smoothies soups salads and would enjoy sharing recipes. Got my fitness band's so i can exercise even if I can't walk. There are seated cardio workouts on YouTube. Good stuff. I'm a 42 year old student in biology and agriculture education. 2 grown kids and one teen. Chronic illness can be exausting but keeping track of my sleep is helping me feel more rested. I'm calorie cycling so I can burn more effectively.

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  • Morglez
    Morglez Posts: 46 Member
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    Is the arthritis due to being overweight or is it something else? Just wondering, because I know when I was at my heaviest (314lbs) about a year ago, my knees were hurting so bad that I had a hard time walking most times. It was so painful. It has gotten better as I have lost some of that weight, but I am still 288lbs, so at this time I still can't squat down or kneel. I am really hoping that as I lose the weight I will be able to do those things again. I have always carried a lot of my weight in my legs, so I think once I lose all that nonsense that I should be able to regain strength in my knees and use them. Just hoping I haven't done too much damage to them from carrying so much weight on them for so long.
    I hope this is the case for you and that as you lose weight you might be able to walk more! It's great that you aren't letting the disability stop you. Good luck on your journey and feel free to add me as a friend!
  • mariposawisdom
    mariposawisdom Posts: 6 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Thank you. No., my arthritis, called Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans is a systemic auto immune disease that goes with a certain gene. While my feet and other weight bearing joints will benefit from weight loss, exess weight is NOT the cause, and losing the weight will not cure me. Neither will diet. There is no cure. I have to slow the disease down a certain amount to even consider doing more than just survival. Its like having the flu and broken bones/ sprains ALL Day, Every Day. My symptoms are different than ordinary arthritis from overuse or aging. They include red, hot swollen joints both large and small, constant pain and tenderness in ribs, the skin disorder psoriasis, calcification and pain/ deformity of tendons and joints, fevers, eye inflammation, bone spurs, trouble chewing or opening the mouth wide, dissolving bones in fingers and toes, flu-like fatigue, muscle weakness, fusing of spinal joints and headaches caused by neck arthritis. this kind of arthritis can also affect the heart, kidneys, digestive system from mouth to end, and lungs. This is the most debilitating of over 100 arthritic diseases and is progressive. It can be slowed down, and each day's pain and number of joints affected is different. I have good days with only a little pain once in a while, and some days where pain and fatigue get so bad I can do very little but stay in bed. I'm in a season of fairly good days right now which can change in a heartbeat, but I am making progress. Depending on the disease activity, I may need help dressing, be unable to sign my name or lift things one handed, unable to climb stairs, have to sleep or at least rest more often, etc., but usually not all at once. I may not loose weight, but I aim to at least keep from gaining while on steroids, which preserve my ability to function. I also aim to increase and keep flexibility and mobility.

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