Vicadin-Induced Gripe

[maverick]

My effin' back and neck are killing me. As I mentioned in another thread, I have a slight bulge in one of my cervical discs. This can lead to pain ranging from slight uncomfortableness to intense, on-my-back-for-2-days agony. As it turns out, almost any more than moderate exertion of my muscles can cause it to flare up.

Right now I am sitting right in the middle of the pain scale above, as a result of (Some might recognize this as a Mike Mahler 5x5 for size and strength workout):

24KB Double Clean & Press: 7 sets of 5
24KB Renegade Rows: 7 sets of 5

Not painful enough to disable me, but I feel like I have a dagger going in above my left shoulder blade. The dagger digs deeper everytime I turn my head. As my wife put it once when she was on pain killers, they don't necessarily get rid of the pain, they just make you not care about it for a while.

Anyway, I just needed to vent. The docs don't want to do anythign for me besides give me more pills and tell me to rest. I've taken 2 months off of anything but running and light bodyweight work with no improvement. I think a chiropractor is next on the list.

This thread has no agenda or question, really. just needed to dump my frustrations before I go nuts. I figured you guys are the only ones who can truely understand what a fitness-driven person would be goign through. My body is literally telling me that I am not allowed to work hard. It just sucks.

BTW, I really like the double KB clean and press, its my new favorite exercise. I feel like I could do a few sets of those and happily call it a full body workout.

I can feel your frustration as I nurse my bad left knee.

I can't take vicadin as it gives me wierd nightmares. When I had my ACL surgery about 8 years ago I took percadin (spelling?) as an alternative. It gave me some real lucid dreams but, like vicadin, a serious dose of constipation. After a couple of days of that I made a "business decision" that I'd rather have the pain in my leg than the pain in my gut from being constipated. Then it took several days for me to become fully operable.

Pain can make your life miserable and it can make the lives miserable of those whose company you keep. From a religious perspective, there is what is known as redemptive suffering in the Catholic world. You offer up your pain for the souls or the lives of a loved one. I haven't quite mastered that one yet although I do understand the idea.

I have always tried to work around my ouchies as it does provide an opportunity to train neglected areas, and I have found brisk walking generally to be uplifting and do-able when the rest of the body is not cooperating.

I do feel for you.

[westside24]

shibby dude. Injuries hampering progress or even maintenance level fitness has got to be irritating. I know its prolly out of the question for you, but I really would try to take at least a months full rest, no light work, and just focus on being anti-catabolic, I mean if I was in your situation, but then again I really dont know.

Whatever you do, I hope ya get better