Does weather affect people?

I dunno if this is an old wifes tale about being able to tell if a storm is coming in?

I do know the last week or so my back has been KILLING me more than usual. My pain meds are just taking the edge off and not much else. I haven't done anything to cause it that I can figure.

Last year it seems I was in the same boat. Come fall and I just felt like junk many days. No energy, bad back pain, chills. I remember some days having the stove going, 85* in the house and I had two sweatshirts on, long johns, wrapped in blankets, dog stuffed under the blanket and I was still shivering.

It sure takes the motivation out of doing anything, that's for sure. Makes for a short temper... deal with the pain and anything over that is just too much. I tried to stack some wood this evening and I barely lasted 45 mins before I had to call it quits.

Not so much a "woe is me"... more wondering WTH is wrong with me?!

 

When was the last time you had a COMPLETE and THOROUGH physical? As we get older changes in health occur a lot faster and more frequently. Up until I was 50, the only doctor I saw was on TV. Each 5 year increment since then it seems more and more things crop up that play a part in slowing me down. Guess it's just a natural part of the aging process. Get a check up and start taking steps to manage these "aches and pains" as they arise and increase. You have an additional hurdle that I don't in that you have the seasonal daylight issue to contend with also. Good Luck.

 

I don't even want to know what it will be like in my 50s, I still have close to 20 years to go and I'm not doing that well now.

I broke T11 and L1 vertebrae a few years ago and herniated 3 discs. For the most part I make due between pain meds and watching what I do. 3 different specialists I saw say to fix there is a good chance I'd never walk again, so it is what it is.

Just seems lately that it's been worse and that it has fallen in line with a roll in of fall weather.

I get a physical every 2 years when I get my DOT medical card renewed.

 

I understand. All I know is my joints swell a bit when low pressure weather & humidity is high, causing all sorts of aches and pains. Hands, ankles & knees mostly is where I feel it. Not fun at all.

 

Other problems may occur along with low back pain.
Chronic low back pain is associated with sleep
problems, including a greater amount of time needed
to fall asleep, disturbances during sleep, a shorter duration of sleep, and less satisfaction with sleep.[3] In addition, a majority of those with chronic low back pain show symptoms of depression[4] or anxiety.[5

I got that from wiki.
Talk about bail on head! Its 3am and I'm still awake. Back feels like a red hot 4" metal pipe is ramming through it.
The cocktail of meds haven't helped.

 

I have my heating pad... Aka a 70lb black lab against my back and that is helping a bit.

 

Do you ever try icing inflamed areas in your lower back? Like right after activity that got it fired up? Everyone is different and what might work for some, won't for others. I use ice packs right after I have a bad pop down on my left side (L5). It seems to help for a while along with 800 mg Ibu. Then, heat.

Hope you're able to find relief Nate. Chronic pain changes lives. Good luck.

 

It's a known fact that low pressure in the weather affects folks medical conditions differently. And in places where the low pressure is more consistent (ie: england and washington state) people show signs of mental conditions.
Nate, I can imagine with some of the injuries you have already described that you can feel a storm coming a day before it gets here. From constant lifting in construction I tend to be an IBU and heating pad freak when I'm busy, lately I'm taking less and less work to help the body vs hurt it more.

 

I'm 55 now and in the best shape I've been in for years. When I was turning about 49 I was in the worst shape I'd ever been in and decided to turn that around. I was getting fat, my cholesterol levels were through the roof, and I had terrible stiffness in my joints and back, especially in the mornings. When I was 20 I was in a vehicle accident and hurt my lower back and that was becoming a real problem.
I radically changed my diet and started exercising and stretching regularly. Lost 40 lbs and started waking up with no stiffness in my back or joints. I t can be done, but you have to take it seriously and it takes more dedication then most people are willing put into it. The key to diet for joint pain is to eat only anti-inflammatory foods and avoid inflammatory foods. Stretching is also really important if you've had an injury, it helps prevent arthritis from setting in and reducing your mobility.

But to answer your question, yes the weather does effect a lot of people, mostly it has to do with pressure changes, humidity, and ionization in the air. The later tends to effect me the most. I always feel worst during a high pressure inversion, but feel exhilarated and charged before a thunderstorm. Both have to do more with ionization of the air, then pressure changes or humidity.

 

Also ask your doctor about arthotec. It is a non steriodal anti-inflammatory. I also have 3 herinated lower back discs. This was the first anti-inflammatory that really worked for me. It is also alot kinder to your digestive system compared to AI's such as Celebrex. When I have a bad episode coming on I take one of these and in about 2-3 hours things are alot more tolerable. You need to start finding some relief mechanisms now. At your age, having this much pain, I can only imagine how bad it will be when you hit my age.
Good luck.

 

I take Mobic.

Dr says my back has more arthritis than most 70 yr olds. They actually had me redo the MRIs because they thought the files/images had been mixed up with someone else.

Hands, back, feet, knees bothering me today. I don't have normal pain issues aside from my back usually. Its got to be weather related or I'm sick.

 

You're quite an inspiration Dennis!