The Importance of Exercise in Chronic Pain

                           Move It or Lose It!!!!!!!!!

When the days were long ago, and I was working out three times a week at the gym faithfully, I felt better pain-wise than when I haven't been exercising.

The fact is, when we stop moving our muscles in a determined, focused way; our bodies are going to get used to being at constant rest and not give us anything back.  We are not giving our muscles any challenge and as a result, muscles become complacent, and at the end of the spectrum, can begin to atrophy.

I was quite sedentary for a good year straight.  I was protecting myself from feeling the pain of using the muscles that support my spine, and especially abdominal muscles.  Our abdominal muscle strength has a direct correlation to the spine and the ability to stand straight, feel LESS pain, and so many other benefits.

When we do not excercise, well, that can become such a habit.  It is a never-ending cycle of pain begets fear of excercise, and excercise begets pain.  This is a serious issue in chronic pain patients and hard to get away from feeling scared to even begin exercise, so as to begin to benefit from muscle strength. 

So how to start?

As with many other issues in living with daily pain, we must be willing to go through some days of increased pain, all the while benefiting ourselves while we go through higher pain levels.  Starting to strengthen our muscles must be done slowly, with determination, and be ready to face your pain.

Since we already face pain daily, and hopefully are armed with different modalities to help alleviate said pain, it becomes a matter of DOING IT!  Remember that you are only going to benefit from the increased muscle tone, despite probable pain levels being higher than we are used to when beginning any exercise plan.

It comes down to the old adage: Move It Or Lose It.  I was falling into the thinking that exercise would only increase my pain, and do nothing else.  Despite the personal and professional knowledge that what I was doing, (or not doing), was just hurting myself in many ways.  Sometimes the way that life puts us in certain positions has proven to only strengthen us, both physically and mentally.

I began by just moving more.  It is a decision that must be made, to become determined to help your spine be surrounded with muscles that are in shape, and are strong.  The resulting benefit, less pain, better posture, and not feeling like a truck ran over your body when you have to do things physically that you are not used to.

The biggest fear is:  My pain will be out of control.  The reality is:  Your pain will be out of control later in life if you do not allow your muscles to get stronger little by little.  As with everything in a life with chronic pain, there is a period of transition, whether it be our lifestyle, medications, mental strength or physical strength.       

Start slow, a gym membership is not needed, and you can figure out what works for you around your lifestyle, time available, and physical abilities.

Lose the fear of increased movement!!  MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!!!


Gentle Hugs......(Because I am sore from yesterdays exercise!)

RECALL OF VICODIN AND ALSO PHENOBARBITAL

Safety Alert: Voluntary Recall

February 8, 2011

Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Announces a Voluntary Recall of Hydrocodone with Acetatminophen and Phenobarbital

Qualitest, a generic drug manufacturer recently acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., issued a voluntary recall of three lots (11,000 bottles) of its hydrocodone with acetaminophen product on February 5, 2011. One bottle was found to be mislabeled, causing the medication to be identified as phenobarbital. According to the manufacturer, the error was discovered as a printing error and immediately corrected. About 5,000 bottles were found in the warehouse prior to pharmacy shipment which leaves 6,000 bottles out in the marketplace. Qualitest and Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., notified the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and wholesale and retail pharmacies.
If you are taking generic hydrocodone or phenobarbital, please check your lot numbers immediately. These lots were distributed between September 21, and December 29, 2010, to wholesale and retail pharmacies nationwide (including Puerto Rico). Affected lots are: 

• hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets (10mg / 500mg): Lot numbers T150G10B, T120J10E and T023M10A
• phenobarbital tablets (32.4 mg): Lot numbers T150G10B, T120J10E and T023M10A

Lot numbers can be found on the side of the bottle. Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets are large (approximately 16.5 mm in length), pink capsule-shaped tablets with 3600 imprinted on one side, and V on the other. Phenobarbital tablets are small (approximately 6.4 mm in diameter), white, round, scored tablets with 5012 and V on one side and plain on the reverse side.

As a result of this mix-up, individuals may unintentionally take hydrocodone and acetaminophen tablets, instead of the intended dose of phenobarbital. Unintentional administration of hydrocodone can lead to serious adverse events including respiratory depression, central nervous system (CNS) depression, coma and death, especially in individuals who do not take opioid analgesics on regular bases or when it is combined with other CNS depressants. Unintentional administration of acetaminophen in excess of the maximum daily dose (3-4 g/day) may result in liver toxicity in individuals who take other medications containing acetaminophen, individuals with liver dysfunction or people who consume more than three alcoholic beverages a day.

Additionally, missing doses of phenobarbital could result in loss of seizure control for those with seizure disorders.
Individuals who have these lots in their possession should:

• Stop using the product and contact Qualitest at (800) 444-4011 for disposal and reimbursement information. The lot number can be found on the side of the bottle.
• Contact the FDA and report if you have had any adverse reactions like loss of seizure control, excessive sleepiness, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting or itching. Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product should be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
  ; by regular mail to 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787; or by fax to (800) FDA-0178.
• Notify the pharmacy where this medication was filled and report that you are in possession of an affected lot.
• Notify the health care provider who writes your pain medicine prescriptions and ask for guidance.
• Notify your insurance provider should a new prescription need to be written, so that it will be covered.

Consumers with questions may contact Qualitest at (800) 444-4011 for more information.


Source: American Pain Foundation  

PLEASE CHECK YOUR BOTTLES!!!!  
 Gentle Hugs...