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Nova Scotia,CanadaHelp,I'm running out of ideas..... my legs are becoming a very big problem.When I am on my feet working ,I experience a great deal of pain in both legs.I have seen my doctor and besides telling me to stop working two jobs (which I will have to do soon) this is what we have tried. First very expensive orthotics (shoes) that I have been wearing for 5-6 months.Now I am going fro massage therapy,once a week and wearing support hose.Here's how my week goes.....I teach on Monday get my massage usually on Tuesday and have been teaching almost daily the last few weeks.I go from school on Thursday to my other job at the Fabric/craft store and work another six hours.Teach Friday,work six hours at the store on Saturday.By Wednesday at the latest,I'm in pain.By Thursday ,lots of pain.By Thursday night,I can barely walk.Okay,at this point you are thinking that I am out of shape,old and very overweight,I not.I am 5 foot two and a size 5-7.Oh and I am just forty. This is getting worse to the point that I stay home instead of going shopping or somewhere that requires walking.I'm trying to do yoga to strengthen but I am at a loss as to what else to do. Help!
I realize that this is a long post and probably no one will answer but I don't know where to turn anymore. Thanks for listening.
Posts: 8,574Actually I wasn't thinking overweight, when you said that, I was wondering if your legs are swelling?
is it bone pain, muscle pain, skin pain or can you tell?
When you can do you keep your feet elevated- if you do does this help?
Are you diabetic?
When you get up at night and first put your feet on the floor are in you nearly instant agony?
All the different symptoms point us in different ways- I need more info....
Can you sit down while you teach?
Can you elevate your feet under your desk?
Do you know about the alphabet exercise for feet and legs?....and if you do do you do it?
OK answer some questions and well go from there?
I'm sorry you are having so much trouble Shari! :hug: :cry:
LuxembearsAh, Shari, I am sorry to hear about your pain. As a nurse, here, I agree with all that Dilu has posted. Are you able to excercise at all? Sometimes pain can be a symptom of poor circulation.
How about a hot bath? aaahhhh every day.
Is the pain in your calves? If so this needs attention from your doctor.
Swelling also is a biggie as it can be also be a result of poor circulation.
Keep up updated Shari. We care about you. 
I am glad you know you have support from your friends here. :hug: :hug:
Posts: 8,574This is for anyone who is interested......it was developed by the Olympic ice skating teams
you write the alphabet with your feet using your big toe as your 'pen' and you go throug the alphabet, capitals and small letters and it is better to do cursive not printing.....it strenghents you ankles and your claves, and you do it sitting down with your legs elevated until you can hold them up on your own.....
I do it, because my tendons are so loose and it protects me from twisting an ankle.
:hug:
Dilu
LuxembearsI do that too Dilu . Mostly because I have diabetes and I need to really pay close attention to my circulation i my legs and feet. It does help.
Nova Scotia,CanadaHi girls,I knew I could count on my nurse friends to try and help.
Okay,Dilu and Judi .... I don't think my legs are swelling a great deal but maybe some.The pain is inside my legs and sometimes feels like it starts behind my knees but My legs hurt right from the top of my feet and into my butt and lower back. The pain feels like my "growing pains" or rainy,damp weather pains form ever since I was a child but my doctor says my blood work for all of this is fine.I also get sharp stabbing pain and my doctor first talked about Fibromyalga but then said if she went any further with the diagnoses,that I would be unable to get health or life insurance and employers would not look at me if I carried that label. She was willing to say that I defiantly have polymyalgia which is just another name for muscle aches and pain.
If I can elevate in the evening it does help so I try to baby myself when I can.I think hot baths help but we are in the country on a well and with three kids(tweens and teens) the water must be used for cloths washing and showers or we can run the well to low.
I am not diabetic and some mornings I wake up in pain and can barely walk by the end of the day,other days are better.
I am trying to do yoga ,it does seem to help and I tried my walking machine a few times but I was very sore for two days after but may try five minutes a day.I will defiantly try the alphabet excercises.Thank-you.I know my circulation is probably bad,I cannot give blood,it just doesn't flow.I am not a smoker and never drink.
I try to sit when I teach Dilu but I am a walking circulating kind of teacher but Friday was so bad that I could not stand up at all and the pain didn't lesson,even with Ibuprorfen until this morning.
Thanks girls so much for trying to help,I'm just worried as this keeps getting worse and I fear I will be unable to work.My husband works very hard as it is and I really need to help.I have told my Fabric boss that I cannot do more than two shifts and never two days in a row.I will take a leave after Christmas and hope this will help.
Love you guys bunches!!!
Delartful BearsI have no ideas for your SHari, I just want to say how sorry I am to hear about it. I hope it improves quickly!
Danni
Donna's Duin BruinsShari,
I am not a nurse and can't give you advice. I am sorry for your pain. It may or may not help but you might try to rub your legs with arnica two or three times a day. It won't cure what is causing you the pain but it might help you get through the day until it is figured out. I have also heard that if you take a teaspoon of vinegar a day it can help. Also massaging with castor oil twice a day. These won't hurt you but might help while you are getting the info together for the pros.
Donna
Posts: 8,574shari, honey: I am so sorry 
Rule number one: Research- read everything you can because if it is fibromyalgia-well, honey, it is most likely forever, with increasing problems until you can't function. If left untreated. But there is treatment.
It is a very complicated complex disease process
and no one person presents exactly the same....its not like polio or pneumonia
On the links above below the abstracts the ones that really seem to fit you can buy, but usually just reading the abstract is enough
another thing to look into is disability- I have never known anyone with fibromyalgia who was able to continue working within 2 years of the diagnosis- so you need to investigate what options are available to you in Canada.
I thought you guys had cradle to grave health coverage, but that might not include disability....
here we pay into Social Security but we also pay into Social Security Disability, if we become disabled and can no longer work.
You and your hubby need to do so homework on the Canadian govt. sites to see what your rights are.
Also have you looked into other types of teaching? less vigorous, where you aren't so crippled up by the end of the day.
Also did your doc say anything about different medications for this? There are meds that can help mediate some of the symptoms for you a little longer.
http://www.medscape.com/homepage
(Fibromyalgia network)
(National Fibromyalgia Foundation)
(American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Foundation)
Baby Girl, there is help for you, and you need to start looking for it as soon as you can honey, because this is a complicated disease.
It is so complicated that 10 years ago the Psychiatric world believed that it was all 'in the head', but current research is showling that there are so many factors too it that patients, Usually women, suffer needlessly and endlessly unless they get the right diagnosis and have a doctor interested enough to help them.
Also contact your local hospital, most hospitals have a library and a librarian who can, usually for a niminal price, help you gather information...
I think I have given you enough to get started, but I'll do some thinking and see what else I can come up with....I know there are diets that are supposed to help as well as medications.....the sites above should help you with some medicine ideas to share with your doctor.
:hug: :hug:
Nova Scotia,CanadaThanks Dilu.I check out the links .My Doctor was the one who brought up Fibro and i thought I was finally getting somewhere but when I went to see her again she said the only place that would diagnose it was the city about 1 1/2 hours away but no one was doing that anymore because of the difficulty to diagnose and treat.I did have some help from some of our girls here and took info to my Doctor but she won't go any further because of the fact that I will lose life insurance etc. She basically told me that there was no way to diagnose and ieven if I did get one,I would not be able to even get a loan or mortgage again
I teach as a 20% job share and sub the rest of the week.Teaching jobs are hard to get and I'm trying to work my way into a full time where I can be more comfortable with the kids and work things to my advantage.I really hate the thought of drugs but I'll look into diet.I'm supposed to be on the waiting list for a dietician as my many food allergies are getting the best of me also.Maybe once I do that I will feel better and find there is a connection between diet,allergy pills(I need to take one with everything I eat) and my leg pain.I was really hoping my bears would do well and I could stay home and work but they never caught on well enough so I must work outside the home.Thanks so much for talking with me Dilu,I'm off to bed,too exhausted to stay awake any longer. :hug:
Nova Scotia,CanadaThank-you Donna and Danni for your support.Bear people really are the most loving,giving,caring people!! :hug: :hug:
Posts: 2,203Shari, I go to a chropractor twice a month sometimes more and I to wear orthotics. One leg is shorter than the other. Have you thoght about having a standing xray so that the Doctors can see your joints? They xray with you standing intstead of laying down. As far as the pain, I can relate. I have lived with it. and oh I am 31 year old 135lbs and 5' 2" :hug: :hug:We all care about you ! Jenn
Past Time BearsOh Shari . . . I'm so sorry for the pain you are experiencing. My younger daughter is 37 and was diagnosed with fibro 2 years ago. I know how much she suffers with it, so I do hope that this is not your problem - but your symptoms sound familiar. My daughter does work, but she is being treated and it does help. She still has bad days when she can't do anything but go to bed, however. Fibro is kind of like having arthritis of the muscles. Will be thinking of you and hope you find some relief soon. :hug: :hug: :hug:
bears by beesley TMShari! Now you listen Girl! We are worried about you! Go back to your Doctor and raise Heck!!!!!!! I mean it! Make your Doctor look into it more! We all suffer so much agony in this day and age with so little need for it! There is far to much help out there for us to sit and suffer in pain!!!
Many Hugs Louise
Kiprie BearsShari, I'm so sorry to hear about your legs pain..
As Louise said, I hope your doctor will take care of you legs pain.......and not the hospital far from your home.
Big hugs/Marie
Sophie Z'OursOh dear Shari.... I whish I had a magic wand to use with a good formula to use to make your problem disappear. It must be very painful. I agree with Marie that you should try to get as much help as you can from your doctor. after all, isn't she paid for helping her patients???
I am sorry not to be able to help. I have no idea about how to help. The only thing I can do is giving you some support... I hope you will get good advices from Internet and that Dilu and Judi's help will be useful for you.
:hug: :hug: :hug:
I cross my fingers for you.
Take care,
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
PottersHouse BearsShari,
I cannot give you advice, but I do know what you're going through. I have similar pain (not near as severe as yours) from my job. Are you on concrete floors all of the time? I am and it is a killer to my legs. The only thing that I know for myself is to find another job. I will keep you in my prayers.
Nova Scotia,CanadaOh thank you girls for your help.I will look into all of this and see my doctor again and maybe I can take Louise with me 
I have a lot of allergies and have to be very careful about the meds or natural meds that I take.
Mille,both my fabric store job and the schools I work at have concrete floors and my doctor told me to stop working on them too but I don't have a choice right now.I'm sorry to hear that you are having similar problems :cry:
Jenn I'm so sorry for your pain :hug: :hug: I'm having therapeutic massage and it seems to help but by Thursday I guess I need more help.
Sue Ann I'm so sorry about your daughter.So sad to know that there are so many of us suffering with pain and looking for help.Hugs to you and your family :hug: :hug:
I'll keep plugging along.Today seems to be a good day so far.We are going to watch the Santa Clause Parade and it's damp and cold so I may suffer for it later.
You girls are so amazing the way you support each other.I'm so glad I have found you. 
Matilda Huggington-beareShari, :hug: we've spoken before. The only advise I will give ,is stay in work as long as you can possibly stand it (parden the pun) It is the only regret that I have. Even though I went to the phsyio each lunch hour, I should not have given up my job.I know the pain you are in possum. I truely do sympathise. :hug: :hug: I've just had my gall bladder out and have just found out that my kidneys are having problems. This apparently is because of the medications. :cry:At times I feel like crying but it doesnt get you anywhere. Keep at , chin up possum. I was just told recently by my insurance companies Doctor that he would have me back in the workforce in 18months :lol:The poor buggas dreaming.
:hug:Shari :hug:
Terries BearsShari, I am also so sorry to hear about the pain that you are having. I worked on concrete floors for quite a few years and absolutely could not stand by the time that I got home. The one thing that really helped was a hot bath with epsom salts in it. I am also on well water and you only need enough water in the tub to cover your legs. It is well worth the amount of water that it takes. I also found that MSM really helped. I sure hope that you find something that helps you soon.
Thanks Dilu, for the alphabet exercize! I have just been doing circles and figure 8s but the alphabet would be better.
Posts: 8,574Shari, you were on my heart last night....I'll keep looking for info so that even if your doc wont help you can mediate some of the symptoms yourself.
:hug:
I have started doing a mescape search for you-that way you don't have to regester unless you want to.....
http://www.endfatigue.com/google/index-fms.htm
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/488768
If these don't cme through for you then let me know and I will save and send them to you via your e-mail...
Back Road BearsShari -
I've been a way since Thursday and don't have to the time toread thu all the 2 pages of new posts so don't know if this has been mentioned to you here or not but have you been to a chiropractor?
I've been seeing one since I was 8 and diagnosed with scoliosis. He kept me out of a brace, has since helped with sinus problems, carpal tunnel syndrom, siatic problems, a knee condition I have and the list goes on!
Many think Chiros are quacky but if you think about it... all the nerves, blood supply, etc to your legs and all of your body for that matter, run through your spine. If something is not aligned correctly there anything from your feet to your stomach to your fingers can be affected.
Just my 2 cents.
What ever the problems turns out to be I hope you discover it soon and can then get some relief!
Hugs,
Daphne
UKShari i hope you can get some help with your leg pain !! :hug:
UKshari ever tried acupuncture?? i suffer from Sciatica in my right leg and a bad back from heaps of lifting over the years and i had acupuncture once a week for 3 weeks and the FIRST session cured my sciatica by 2 days later !!! it doesntl at forever but it's brilliant when it works 
LuxembearsShari..just a thought here...have you ever thought about crossing the border and coming to the US..there would be no waiting for docotrs here, but it would cost you..that's the downside. Just a thought.
Daphne is right on with the spinal column. Sometimes a realignment is all it takes to correct many problems.
In the mean time try to take care of yourself :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
