Supposedly I'm too OLD!

This week's Friday 5 is "Fitness Snapshots" but since neither of us have been doing much Fitness since the marathon we are going to have to deviate from the theme a bit.

1. After today, we are both going to try NOT to talk about our pain. We don't want this blog to turn into a "poor us"  complain session each time. Everyone has had pain at one point or another so we just need to do what we can to take care of it and move on. We  ( and I mean ME) are not even going to complain about not being able to run the race I want to at Princess. (This seems to be a theme with me and Disney races so I'm not even surprised...It is what it is).




 2. I did have my Ortho appointment this week. Even after my primary care doctor told me there was nothing that would help me except for rest, she still INSISTED that I go to the Ortho.  I was to this same Ortho last July and didn't really get any different answers so I really wasn't excited about spending more time and $ to hear there is nothing more I can do.

3. Although I didn't hear any different news about my diagnosis, I did hear something that I never heard from any of the medical professionals that I've seen before. This Ortho told me I WAS TOO OLD TO BE RUNNING! Can you believe this? I am obviously not a teenager but I'm in pretty good health but yet he thinks I am too old. I hate to break it to you ladies that are older then me, but I guess we're done. Hang up your running shoes!  I pretty much told him he was a Debbie Downer and he could have been a little more encouraging! My sister was in the room with me and I LOVE that she came to my defense and asked the doctor " Are you a Runner?"  #MyProtector :)  I know she was thinking in her mind that if this doctor is not a runner, he really just doesn't get it. ( Later in the car she told me that was exactly what she was thinking) And P.S he doesn't run. He said he use to but now he just bikes.

4. The result, you guessed it. More cortisone shots. I told the doctor that I just got one on New Years Eve ( I thought you were only suppose to get them every 3 or 4 months and quite honestly I know it is not good for my body to keep getting them at all).  He told me that it was okay.  At least this time he actually gave me the shots on the side of my knee where the actual pain was ( unlike my primary care doctor who gave me the shot in my lower back).  I was glad to have my sister in there with me because I was squeezing her hand tight the entire time. I think getting the shot on the side of my knee was even more painful then getting it in the hip. The stuff they spray on your skin to numb it literally feels like your skin is being freezer burnt and it is painful (but tolerable).

5. I understand that not everybody has answers for everything but one thing I HATE is when doctors use the phrase "I don't know".  I was trying to ask questions about the pain and trying to learn a little bit more. I have a really hard time believing that this particular pain I have is so uncommon that these doctors don't have any experience with it. Heck, my sister is going through the same thing ( that's sort of why she came with me to the appointment so she could see what the doctor had to say). The doctor was kind of rushing too because he had a patient he had to see that had an emergency which I totally understand, but dang it, the same thing happened to me during my last doctor's appointment on New Years Eve.  I guess it's so much easier for the doctor to just print off a page from the internet and say "read this" to learn about your problem then to actually sit down and have a conversation with you.

So that's it. That's how things are going. If you read the entire post, Thank you. I know it was a long one today  -M







26 comments:

  1. I can't believe your doctor told you that you're too old! What was his reasoning behind that?! Not sure about that doc. Hope whatever it is you have goes away soon!

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    1. His reasoning was something like how the injury and recovery time are increasing and that its not healthy. Something like that.

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  2. Oh my gosh I can't believe your Ortho told you that!
    Almost 2 years ago the first Specialist I saw for my foot when I had the original work injury told me, that I should look into another sport and give running up. I told him, I disagree and didn't listen to anything he said from that point on and went to a different specialist. The next time I found one that was a runner!
    You need to find an Ortho specialist to help you that is a runner! I don't know if things are like where i live, the same as you. But any Running Specialty store in Utah has a list of all the "Actual Runners" specialists in the state, and recommendations by different runners. Maybe if yours has this too, you can help find a new Dr. that can actually help. Saying your too old to run is ridiculous, heck remember the 100 year old man who ran marathons until 102 and then said "I think I will retire running" at 102, seriously that goes to show your never too old to run:)
    Hope you can get the help you need! If it helps, I totally understand the frustration of not being able to run or run as you'd like!
    Hope you can get help, heal up soon and get back to running all the awesome races you want too!!!!

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    1. I was told that it was time for me to try another sport and perhaps I should try swimming! ( I dislike swimming so that will never happen..lol)

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  3. Maybe it's time for a new doctor! I hope you're able to run pain-free soon. It's no fun being side-lined!

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  4. I could strangle your doctor for you. Find another one! It sounds like he is giving you guidance on an area he's clearly not an expert in. A few years ago, I attended a seminar from a doctor in our area who works with athletes. She and her team have done research on aging and fitness. The research shows that fitness is critical to aging with vitality--to still being healthy and active and not hunched over needing a walker to walk--and one of the main things she suggests is running. She is a runner and is involved with the Pittsburgh Marathon. Her site is http://www.drvondawright.com/. Sounds like she needs to talk to your doctor!!!!

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  5. Goodness if you are too old, what about me, a 61 year old runner who will be toeing the line at Boston this year? Crazy doctor. Is there any chance you can go to someone else? Maybe a second opinion from another Ortho doc would be helpful.

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  6. Well, what a sucky ortho to say that to you! One of my favorite blogger friends had a dr told her that her knees just weren't made for running. She switched doctors, recovered, and ran several marathons and two full Ironman events after that. So don't let that bad advice get to you!

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  7. What doctor says you are too old for running? Most doctors I go to are runners themselves, so I feel like I can trust their perspective with running related issues. Have you had a second opinion?

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  8. Wait! Hold the phone! Too old? Well, hand me my walker. That doc is nuts! I am in my fifties and still think my best races are AHEAD of me. I regularly run with a 70 year old woman who can still run an awesome 5k. Jeez. And to think, you have to pay for that stupidity! And for the I don't knows.

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  9. I hope you told your doctor where to shove it! At my last competition, there were two women who were in their late 50s doing their first comp. It's never too old to start something fitness-related!

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  10. Seesh! I see it as more important to keep moving as you get older. People in their 80s keep trucking and I'm sure that's a heck of a lot older than us! I lucked out last year since the ortho I saw is a sports doctor and treats athletes, but he was recommended by my chiro, who treats athletes.

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  11. I agree with others - try to find a dr (or set of dr's) that runs. They tend to know 1) that "you can't run" is generally not an acceptable answer to runners (unless of course, you REALLY shouldn't be; but it's not their got to answer) and 2) how to help get you up & running again.

    I had a chiropractor who was/is a runner and he was fantastic. Constantly giving me myofascial release (trigger point therapy/foam rolling) "homework" to keep me going. In return for his working with me, I knew if he told me to take it easy for a couple of weeks that he was serious.

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  12. Too old? That's ridiculous! I would try to find a sports dr who may actually give you helpful advice. Good luck!

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  13. Thats a bummer. And ridiculous to say you're too old. Doesn't feel like sound doctor advice. They should be happy you're out there. At most if they have concern they should be suggesting ways to do it with less impact or something. Feels so weird. And their answer should never be "I don't know" in my opinion. "I'll look into it" "We need to investigate further" but not "I dont know"

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  14. I am shocked the doctor said that!!!! That's why I love my ortho - he sees me for all my aches & pains & then tells me to pick it up from half marathons to full marathons.

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  15. Your ortho visit sounds really frustrating. I think if I had to go back, I'd try a different one because REALLY. You are not too old to be running!!!

    I get it about not wanting to talk about injuries/pain on the blog - sometimes it felt like that's all I was doing on mine. But if it helps you to have a timeline you can refer back on, then don't feel bad about doing it. And heck, sometimes you just need to vent!

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    1. Actually I am really glad that I did start talking about the pain on the blog. I had to tell my PT when it all started and it was nice to have it all documented here for me to go back through and remember.

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  16. What seriously?! You need a new doctor my friend!

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  17. Oh man, sounds like you need a new doctor!! I would be so frustrated in that case.

    I'm not sure what type of pain you are having, but have you tried a chiropractor? Even if it's a muscle issue, chiropractors that do ART or Graston may be able to help with the pain and give you some exercises to address the root cause. I've gone to see one before about knee pain and it really helped!

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  18. Wow! The nerve of that doctor??!!! You are NEVER too old to run! Keep at it girls!

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  19. Those cortisone injections are no joke; ugh - so painful! I can't believe this doctor...wow. Just wow. Way to listen to the needs of your patient, dude! Jeez! You're going to be running forever and I hope you feel better soon. This sounds like the guy who told me, when I was a senior in high school, that "girls don't need to run this much and if you keep up at this rate, you'll need a hip replacement by the time you're 40." Whatever, dude. I'll be 40 this summer and I'm still going strong -ha! Have a great weekend, ladies; you're better than this jerk.

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  20. I can't believe the doctor said that to you! What an idiot. I get that he has an MD to his name but you are definitely not too old to be running.

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  21. Runners never quit…but I think you should "quit" that doctor! Good luck!

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  22. Oh man, that Doctor needs to hit the curb. Too old?!?! What kind of dumb diagnosis it that? We've got a great running clinic at our local orthopedic hospital (one of the benefits of living in a college town) and it was so great to go there with my last injury. Sounds like you need to find a new ortho! I hope it feels better soon and feel free to complain about your pain as much as you want. #1, this is your space! And #2, your discussion of your injury really helped me identify mine before it got too bad (hopefully).

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Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.