Yes, I'm scared about over-doing it too. When I walk too much it makes my feet hurt....deep. A deep aching bone pain type. The joints in both big toes get very sore, moreso the left one than the right. Possible gout...? My doctor wants to treat it as such. She gave me Indocin but I'm afraid to take it cause it *will* tear up my stomach.

On the other hand I have been pushing myself around here. We live on the second story of a building. A very old building. The business we work with and for is up front. So I walk back and forth from here to there several times a day at least. When we moved in it was supposed to be temporary but it's turned into almost 2 years here now. Which means many of our boxes are still sitting out in the hallway. Now I finally have somewhere to put them so I'm going to work on that a bit at a time.

At least my pain is of a level that is easily controlled by Tramadol when I *do* need something. It used to be much worse.

Hope this works for you.

Anesthesiologists ARE pain doctors. That's what they do, even when they are doing their traditional work, keeping patients out of pain when they are operated on. My pain guy is an anesthesiologist.

Thank you. I think your right as I was amazed at the program how I could push and even since I have been home. I expect more pain but hope it will settle done. I think the issue at cleveland was they pushed too much for my pain and you get no relief of med or shots. So your in the pool,walking around,pt and then no relief. With my pain its not just then while doing I get a build up where the backlash is horrible and keeps going. If in the program you end up in a lot of pain you just write about your feelings on the pain and use coping like breathing. Many were addicted to drugs which was not my issue.Yesterday I have really did more then I have and I was in more pain but expect that. I do think fear has a lot to do with finding the balance. I will say and I feel for many of you have had this for longer that docs make many mistakes or try random things and I'm sick of going through that. I keep saying no more but want to be better to try the next. I'm nit sure how I feel about them not pushing you too far. The doc even said they wanted to see how much I could do and even wanted me on an elliptical or bike for 30 min that would of killed me but where I drew the line. I tend to be the opposite and under doc or treatment care I push too much. My nurse said that. I just eant to get the most out of it and to not let people done. Like for ex I was in the pool there 45 min and really wanted to get out after 30 but they kep pushing and I was way past the push but stayed and payed. The anasteseolgist apt is at Cleveland clinic so it should be a good place. I just don't get why at the pain clinic while there had me see them or before I started they new what I was going through. Then I would be more willing but its like when they started me off on a huge dose of lyrica and had the worst side effects now I fear the drug if that makes sense.I will get all the info and then not feel rushed or like I have to do anything at the anasteseolgist. Its so hard to make the right choice. I felt through this I have listened to all the docs but have had screw ups made along the way or done needless things and I do know some has been eliminating. Trying to stay in the moment.In the past at the foot/ankle I had to nerve block shots but that was at the start when I was in my air boot which did nothing. Thanks again anyhow does anyone know though about being on the nerve issue if it helps it feel less sensitive or regenerate/repair?

learning what your CURRENT 'circles of comfort' are, and expanding those 'circles'! You now know that you CAN do more, it's now about learning how to balance the widening 'circles' to be able to do more with less long-term pain! When we hurt, our instinct is to 'keep still', and we pay a price in so doing....we lose abilities to balance, muscle strength and just lose out on lots of life.
Now, YOU have to speak up as you are learning your limits? I've found in PT, that changing exercises from say 30 reps of X, Y & Z twice a day to 15 reps of same 4 times a day gets just as good results with less pain...Talk to your therapists about it...listen to what all your body is telling you about what you perceive your 'problem' and 'danger' points during exercises are. Talk to them! I bet they will listen? I sure hope so! I know you are comitted, it's now a matter of how BEST to approach and DO it all!
Hang in there! You won't be back to 100% in a day or week, it takes WEEKS and weeks of effort...but you CAN get THERE! Don't give UP! Got IT!
Have some 's during the painful process - j