Mental Trickery

Sciatica is a bear that doesn't hibernate. I used to get it intermittently, especially if I'd focused on lifting heavy. I haven't lifted heavy in years so this persistence is quite annoying. There are many theories as to what causes it. Some say it can start with the neck. Others insist it's a disc in the lower spine that can be treated with surgery if steroid injections and yoga don't help. Everyone's got an opinion as to what will help. I've made an appointment this afternoon with my GP. I'd also like her to look at this troublesome "rash" that doesn't itch but might be spreading. 

It took a long time to get the GP appointment. I had to wait in a queue of 14 other callers and when it was my turn, I got a computer voice telling me to leave a message and someone would get back to me. Since I didn't know if that even meant today, I made an appointment with my dermatologist. That was easier to do and is set for early next week. I don't have a problem with using two different doctors: it'll be like a second opinion for the rash. It doesn't behave like the irritated skin on my neck which I know is due to sensitivity to my soap. That's itchy as all heck but without any skin eruptions.

I went to the gym after the pups had their fill of the Bark Park. They're getting a little bored so I think they're ready to meet and play with other dogs. The gym wasn't too crowded. It's actually warm and sunny for November in the northeast. My sciatica hurts more with specific moves, like Bird Dogs and even doing Cat/Camel stretches. It doesn't impede push-ups though and I get to 40, pause for a second and decide to keep going. Fifty is kind of hard. 

I'm worried about the Inclined Press making my sciatica worse, but I still do a few sets. It doesn't actually hurt when I'm pressing, maybe because the human mind can only focus on one thing at a time. But afterward, yeah, the glute is throbbing and the calf feels painfully tight. My foot is the slightest bit numb on the outer edge. Weird. But I have my choice of cardio equipment, so I get on the ClimbMill and tell myself I'll only do half a session at Speed 6 and half at 5. 

Eight minutes into it and I've convinced myself that I can get to 10 minutes, no problem. Then I'll slow down to Speed 5. But 10 becomes 12 becomes 14 and well, I've done the entire 15 minutes at Speed 6. Except that the console has fluctuated between 50 to 57 steps per minute. Once or twice it actually registered 60 but I'm not sure how or why that happened. The sciatica didn't hurt once I got started up the steps, but standing in the shower was another story. I've been reluctant to take any NSAIDs like ibuprofen due to the pandemic and my glaucoma. Besides, I don't want to mask symptoms if they might be important... but that's just me. 

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Sooo, I went to see my GP this afternoon. She had me take a few X-rays just to see what's going on with the sciatica thing. I showed her my rash and she said to me that it looked like shingles to her. Ugh. And then I said that there was a mild rash on the opposite side and she told me that shingles never does both sides of the body simultaneously, except maybe in rare cases... but the rash on the right is really faint and barely noticeable. I get results back from the X-rays tomorrow, and next week I see the dermatologist. Meanwhile, my GP has prescribed an anti-viral because to her, it looks like shingles... It doesn't quite explain why my sciatica is so fiercely persistent though. 

5Nov2020
Sunny Thursday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 2
HR 83, 182, 156
Cal 321
Distance 2.87

Crunches x 60 x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Plank 60s
Pushups 50
Piriformis Stretches
Quick Mat Stretch

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 15
+20 x 20
+40 x 15
+50 x 20

Matrix Step
Speed 6
Min 15
HR 144
Cal 121
Steps 823
Floors 51