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CringeFest's Avatar
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my health fluctuates between very healthy and totally horrible trash-can body. I need to get better at music or else im gonna be stuck like this forever.



I quit smoking in '03 after a 40+ year habit. In my view, the hardest thing for most people about quitting is THINKING about quitting. The actual stopping is not that traumatic.

I used to come up with every rationale in the book about why it was okay for me to smoke. And I used to break out into a cold sweat when imagining quitting. But I was surprised that after a few days, a week, I really didn't miss them. And it was such a pleasure not being looked upon as some kind of a pariah: wondering where I could smoke, where I couldn't, and resenting places I couldn't smoke.

It also helps to have some type of physical symptoms: throat pain, hoarseness, COPD, etc. Then one can be scared into stopping. I had throat pains which persisted for 3 months after quitting. I finally went to the ENT doc, who examined me and said that my throat looked fine. As I walked out of his office relieved, I thought, "Well, hey, maybe I could start smoking again."



I quit smoking in '03 after a 40+ year habit. In my view, the hardest thing for most people about quitting is THINKING about quitting. The actual stopping is not that traumatic.

I used to come up with every rationale in the book about why it was okay for me to smoke. And I used to break out into a cold sweat when imagining quitting. But I was surprised that after a few days, a week, I really didn't miss them. And it was such a pleasure not being looked upon as some kind of a pariah: wondering where I could smoke, where I couldn't, and resenting places I couldn't smoke.

It also helps to have some type of physical symptoms: throat pain, hoarseness, COPD, etc. Then one can be scared into stopping. I had throat pains which persisted for 3 months after quitting. I finally went to the ENT doc, who examined me and said that my throat looked fine. As I walked out of his office relieved, I thought, "Well, hey, maybe I could start smoking again."
Robert Downey, Jr. (of all people) said what I consider to be the best statement: “The easy part is quitting smoking. The hard part is not starting again.” This resonated with me so much. It’s exciting to stop smoking. People are cheering for you & you feel mighty proud. Then, two weeks later you’re forgotten & alone in your apartment. Why not have a quick ciggie?

So right about physical symptoms. My husband spent an unhappy weekend with a very severe sore throat. He could barely swallow. (In the days before Urgent Care walk-ins.) When he got some meds on Monday & felt better, he stopped smoking & never smoked again. After God knows how many decades of smoking he didn’t miss it at all. I was so envious that he could quit so easily. But the sore throat had scared him so much.
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The trick is not minding
Friday night, my mother had a stroke. Saturday, it was discovered she had a blood clot in her brain. She remains in the hospital in ICU, where my brother and I have been denied entrance due to COVID restrictions, and only my sister has been allowed in.

Last night we got the news, and as I feared, she is paralyzed along her left side.



CringeFest's Avatar
Duplicate Account (locked)
I quit smoking in '03 after a 40+ year habit. In my view, the hardest thing for most people about quitting is THINKING about quitting. The actual stopping is not that traumatic.

I used to come up with every rationale in the book about why it was okay for me to smoke. And I used to break out into a cold sweat when imagining quitting. But I was surprised that after a few days, a week, I really didn't miss them. And it was such a pleasure not being looked upon as some kind of a pariah: wondering where I could smoke, where I couldn't, and resenting places I couldn't smoke.

It also helps to have some type of physical symptoms: throat pain, hoarseness, COPD, etc. Then one can be scared into stopping. I had throat pains which persisted for 3 months after quitting. I finally went to the ENT doc, who examined me and said that my throat looked fine. As I walked out of his office relieved, I thought, "Well, hey, maybe I could start smoking again."

and the heightened stigma ushers in another false excuse if you let it get to you...



Friday night, my mother had a stroke. Saturday, it was discovered she had a blood clot in her brain. She remains in the hospital in ICU, where my brother and I have been denied entrance due to COVID restrictions, and only my sister has been allowed in.

Last night we got the news, and as I feared, she is paralyzed along her left side.
Will say a prayer for your mother. Awful news. 🙏



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I don't know how much I've complained or, if I have, how much anyone pays any attention to it, but I've had some joint issues since 2012/2013. I've had TMJ issues on one side of my jaw for probably half of my life too. SOME of this may be a repeat here. I can't remember.

Way back in 2012ish, before most of this started, I started walking at the local park. It's a dinky thing with a narrow paved path that covers about 1/4 mile in length, wrapping around a small playground and greenspace. Not much to it, but it was lit at night and 2 miles from the house. I would stop there after work. I got to where I would jog there 2-4 miles twice a week, as schedules allowed. I was feeling pretty good about myself. I had bought a few weights lost 20lbs or so, was eating better and generally in a better state physically than I had been in for years.

After several months, I noticed that my right hip would start to pop. Not audibly, but I would feel a hitch in my step forcing me to slow down. Over several weeks, that eventually led to pain with each step, slowing me back down to just a walk. At a point, the pain became constant and ended my efforts completely.

Over the years, the pain spread to my left hip, the other side of my jaw started hurting the way my right side had for years, then my right shoulder, and more recently my left shoulder started in. For the better part of a year, I would find that I couldn't open or close my mouth without gently wiggling my jaw side to side to settle the joint. It was as if I could only have it open OR closed, unable to smoothly transition from one to the other. Yeah. Chewing. The hips were stiffening up during my days at work so much that I had to use my arms and upper body to leverage myself out of chairs to then, slowly, ease into a partially standing position, pausing to allow my joints time to adjust before slowly moving into a full upright position. Walking around after that was more of a waddle. It would take minutes before I could walk somewhat normal, but it would hurt and was just easier to slightly limp about to continue the waddle, making deliberate wider than normal strides.

My right shoulder was so bad I stopped playing guitar for a year as I couldn't lift my arm high enough to drape over an acoustic. Even if I managed to get it up and over, the pain was too much to try to strum through the elbow pivot motion. Eventually, my left shoulder started to follow. If I fell asleep on either side, I'd wake within an hour locked up and in pain that I found it difficult to roll to my back so that I could try to stretch the arm out.

Back in 2013ish I had gone to a bone and joint specialist as my regular doctor thought it was arthritis. The specialist did not agree but also didn't say what else it could be. That year the company dropped our health insurance coverages so that was then end of that exploration. She did put me on anti-inflammatories and I've been on one version or another regularly, since.

Most nights I wake several times with joint aches. Sometimes the meds help. Most times not really. This has been my day since late 2012.

Now. For the last few months, I've have more troubles sleeping due to weird anxiety nightmares. Odd daily routines that just go wrong in my dreams. Those dreams would wake me several times most nights and it was getting unbearable. I thought I might stop drinking coffee as an experiment. My thoughts were that perhaps the caffeine had a role in my anxieties and light sleep. So, I stopped. I also decided to stop the anti-inflammatories as they didn't seem to make much difference from the days I didn't take them. Too, I was very concerned about the risk of ulcers or other digestive issues that could come as a result of long term use.

It's been about six weeks or so sans coffee, though I've snuck a quarter cup in once or twice in the early weeks. My sleep patterns have improved, my mind is not racing nearly as often (not stopping that completely as it is my personality), and I find it's easier to get to sleep at a reasonable time.

Two weeks ago at the office, I needed to go pick up a print from down the hallway. After sending the file, I pushed back in my chair from my desk, stood, and rounded the corner from office. Then I froze in my tracks. What just happened?

Retracing my steps to solve this odd mystery, I realized that I had just stood up from my desk. I stood up. There was no staggered staging of posture allowing my joints to ease and settle into positions. I had not waddled out from behind my desk. My steps were normal and fluid right up until I stopped. My hips no longer ached. I felt no stiffness that I've carried for nearly eight years. It was a weird moment, but I could actually squat to the floor without popping, snapping, and locking up halfway down. wtf? Granted my thighs could barely handle the motion having only minimally used them for so long, but I was moving. WEIRD!

Looking back, I have to wonder if coffee was my unknown variable here. I have since regained health insurance and started visiting my B&J specialist again back near the start of the year, maybe into Spring. We found that I do have a bone spur in my right shoulder and started physical therapy to help with that. It helped, but was also considering surgery as I still could not play guitar.

Today, though my right shoulder is not 100%, I can at least lift it again and the pain I experience feels reasonable for someone at my age with an actual bone spur. My left shoulder? nearly 100%. Both hips? For at least two weeks since monitoring it, I have not locked up, hurt, or ached. My sleep is so much better, and I've been able to again sleep on either side without the issues described earlier. Muscles, on the other hand, are still stiff but that is understandable. Even my jaw seems to be back to pre-2012 levels of irritation.

I plan to test this for another six weeks or so but if this lasts through the holidays, I hope to start walking again at the park by the new year. The more I dwell on the whole coffee connection, I've remembered that I started drinking it regularly in ...2012. I am not claiming the two are connected and it could be coincidental, but it's hard not to see some pattern here given that I cannot think of anything else that I've changed. I did switch supplemental brands for vitamin D3 and those levels have greatly improved since doing so. That could be the other factor.

I don't know. Not sure I care. I'm just glad my mobility seems to be returning. So you got mysterious joint paints? Cut the coffee and maybe check you vitamin D levels. I guess?
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matt72582's Avatar
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I attribute hedonistic behavior because some are just trying to get through the day and having a routine of "treats" every few hours gives people something to look forward to.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
@ynwtf How old are you? I ask because you talked about hip pain and I'm just wondering if it's age related.
hm.....
*dons a trench coat and Zoro mask, looks around for watchers, and whispers....45*



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
I don't know how much I've complained or, if I have, how much anyone pays any attention to it….
I prefer to frame you in this light, while leaving out the important stuff 🤗

I’m happy that you found a possible answer, while also plummeting into a pit of despair that one of my last vices (after shedding so many) may have such a wide-reaching effect on health. Coffee is something I cherish in the morning, along with its ancillary benefits.

Really can’t explain how excited I am that you found something that had a profound effect on your quality of life. All the stuff I’ve changed in my life, never seems to yield the bliss point I’m looking for.

You have inspired me. Last year, I only had one New Year’s resolution. It was a biggie, but this coming year I felt a need to do more. Your story has led me to my first 2022 resolution. No more coffee!

Ok. I’ve been thinking about dropping coffee, but I’m going to take your story as a sign. Plus, coffee is probably gonna get out of hand before too long anyway.



“Sugar is the most important thing in my life…”
I attribute hedonistic behavior because some are just trying to get through the day and having a routine of "treats" every few hours gives people something to look forward to.
I’m not gonna jump in and be weird food guy, but…

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food”



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I prefer to frame you in this light, while leaving out the important stuff 🤗

I’m happy that you found a possible answer, while also plummeting into a pit of despair that one of my last vices (after shedding so many) may have such a wide-reaching effect on health. Coffee is something I cherish in the morning, along with its ancillary benefits.

Really can’t explain how excited I am that you found something that had a profound effect on your quality of life. All the stuff I’ve changed in my life, never seems to yield the bliss point I’m looking for.

You have inspired me. Last year, I only had one New Year’s resolution. It was a biggie, but this coming year I felt a need to do more. Your story has led me to my first 2022 resolution. No more coffee!

Ok. I’ve been thinking about dropping coffee, but I’m going to take your story as a sign. Plus, coffee is probably gonna get out of hand before too long anyway.
Give it a few months and see I guess? I wasn't looking for anything but sleep. I don't know if there's a connection to the rest, but I'll take it. Could have been the VitD though, the more I think on that. My levels were nearly non-existent. The brand I started was a generic from the local pharmacy I use. For about a year or more my D levels increased but not by much. I switched over to the Nature Made D3, 5,000 iu gels (twice a day, btw. yeah. i was low) about the same time I cut coffee. It's totally possible it's the D. It was my doctor that prescribed the dosage. I started at 5,000 iu a day but that wasn't doing anything. I really think it was the branding now. My levels doubled after switching to Nature Made.

I have to admit that I'm excited. I can move again. I hope it sticks around! Maybe in a few months I'll start the coffee back up just to see what happens. It's the only way to know. For science n stuff.



matt72582's Avatar
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I’m not gonna jump in and be weird food guy, but…

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food”

I was eating a Drumsticks ice cream when I posted the previous message. I ordered Q-doba a few minutes ago for tonight



Annual routine physical went well today. I am 5’10” & I weigh 119 LLBS.

Rather alarmed that my doctor is talking about retiring. He’s no more than 50 years old I would guesstimate. Nothing solid yet, but he’s definitely having these thoughts. He told me it’s no fun anymore due to people being less fun during a pandemic.