Apr 2017 - sort yourself out!

A few motivations from the weekend...

I spotted myself in the mirror getting out of the shower on Friday and I looked like Neanderthal man - head forward, shoulders round, slight paunch. Not attractive...
Then I bought a full length mirror on Saturday and the outfit I was wearing made me look chunky. Now at least I'll know before I leave the house.
Sunday in the sister's house I weighed myself for the first time in maybe over a year. 58.8kg is a lot more than I realised I weighed.

So. Last night I did some basic posture exercises, and made sure the pillow wasn't too high. I need to sort this out before rheumatism sets in.

So now I need to cut down on the porklife and get some exercise.


--later: I called Aviva. No health screening covered. Except back and neck health so I'm going to see a physio next Tuesday at 12:30.

Aching joints - Getting old?

So I'm sitting here a little bit freaked out at possibly aging, or more precisely, hoping I'm just aging.

So I guess I thought I was finally making some changes in my life. I visited the doctor for the first time in years around the 21st of june, where I got dovonex for the psoriasis and made an appointment with the smoking clinic. Stopped smoking 4 days ago (bedtime on the 11th). For the last three weeks I've been getting out of the house and going to the office most days. I've done a few sunbeds. (1st, 8th, 14th, 15th - 4 mins - belly still getting red)

Yesterday, Thursday the 14th, my knees felt very wobbly in work. I didn't know whether to blame my new shoes, which are comfy slip on runner deals, but have no lateral support and I had slipped off the sides once or twice, which is a bit bizarre in flat shoes.

We had also gone for a wander from Waterloo to Westminster to Downing Street on Wednesday evening, but the walk never made me feel tired or bad in any way. Which is also a bit unusual for me.

But then last night I was mopping and felt the same weakness/twingy almost-pain in my elbow. My hips and legs also feel strange sometimes. Like I need to walk fast to loosen up, but I haven't been curled up strangely, I've been sitting at my desk.

So sitting here now, I feel the muscular tiredness in my feet and lower legs,which I could write off as the walk to work and the new shoes. But earlier the joints in my fingers felt wrong and now i have that tiredness in my hands and forearms, as if I had been squeezing a ball for exercise. Nothing noticeable in the rest of my muscles.

things that have changed this week:
- Nicotine patches for nearly 2 weeks
- no smoking since Monday night
- New shoes, and heels in work
- dovonex
- intermittant use of shampoo
- no drink since sunday
- walked to work every day
- taking folic acid, omega 3, vitamin d

positive things
- stairs not noticeably difficult

Notes.
I just read that myalgia, in the spot where the patch is, and fatigue are "Uncommon" side effects of Nicotine patches.

Recap

Started daivonex 10 Nov.
Visited dermatologist 19 Nov
received long list of creams etc.

Daivonex - morning
Cortisone - evening
Salycilic acid shampoo - every third wash
gentle shampooo
body cream avene

Pasta Sauce

http://www.livingwithout.com/recipes/gluten_free_tomato_free_marinara_sauce-1771-1.html

Diet

The diet. The idea is wheat/gluten/dairy/nightshade free.

I'm not fully sure I'm intolerant to any of these, but it's certainly making me eat more healthily.

I tried that crazy shake on Tuesday. It was ridiculous. I have been guzzling fruit though

Lovely things:

• Lemon, ginger and honey drink. (WINNER!)
• Nairns gluten free muesli.
• Both rice and soy milk, surprisingly
• 9 bar... original

Slip ups
the rest of this entry is to be a list of my slip ups and guaranteed to be boring. Anyway:
Tuesday 1st march - diet started 8 pm - after pizza
2/3 - Milk with my muesli. Garlic bread. Garlic bread with cheese (I know)
3/3 - Milk with my muesli
5/3 - One piece of tempura

Holy crap my elbow is starting to clear! - Week 3

My right elbow in particular looks like it's down to a few small spots. Also, my arms have started to look clear since the weekend. That's less than 3 weeks into treatment. Still think the plaques are there in the shadows so continuing to Dovenex it  where there's any change in colour. Upper arms look clear, forearms are shadowy with spots on the soft underside and my hands are nearly skin-coloured but v. shadowy. My right hand is still covered - I think. Just today I think it's bordering on clear.

My left arm is the same as above but less so.

I'm not sure my legs are improving at all. My spots flattened almost immediately and are perhaps fading very slowly. I've only missed two applications out of 23 day's worth. I feel like the steroids help with the thick plaques but trying not to get dependent on them.

There's some flaking and I'm not sure whether it's a good or bad sign. The skin flakes but mostly around the outside of the plaques and the flakes are very soft and rollable. I'm kinda hoping it's the effect of the creams on the healthy skin around the p or (hope against hope) freshly healed skin.

Other health: Cold/cough turned up Sunday night after lurking for a while. Was pretty chesty all week. Think I'm better today although I feel some sinus pressure.

Started on the big diet too. Eliminated nothing officially yet but working on it.

Sunbeds

2 Feb - 3
4 Feb - 3
7 Feb - 3
8 Feb - 5 (burn)
14 Feb - 5
16 Feb - 5(burn)
21 Feb - 5
23 Feb - 5
1 Mar - 7
3 Mar - 7 (pink)
7 Mar - 7 (burn)