Beware of doing too much

[Bleakley1]

Hello fellow PMR sufferers of doing too much in preparation for Christmas. Here was I jogging along fairly nicely on my six and a half pred about to go down to six mg when we decided to put up the Christmas tree. Wow! Putting the lights around a six ft six tree was just too much. I am in agony with my shoulders with the pain going down into the blades too. The decorating didn’t help either.

Who would have thought that something that is usually so pleasurable would prove so painful.

Regards,

Barbara

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Anything that involves lifting the arms above shoulder level is likely to cause problems. Leave the top to someone else next year!

My only xmas decoration is the Advent calendar (Lindt chocolate of course) - we are being encouraged to cut back on lights and use of electricity so nothing on the balcony this year which is my usual nod to decorations. Usually the hotels have lots of lights but I suspect it will be a bit darker than usual. The village tree and crib were put up last weekend - I'm sure there are fewer lights than usual.

[Bleakley1 in reply to PMRpro]

you are quite right. Silly me.

[jinasc in reply to PMRpro]

That is sensible. I went solar outside about 2 or three years ago. The only one that is not is LED and as it stays outside all year and I normally switch it with a timer when clocks go back - no way this year it has to wait till Christmas Eve. 😼

[SheffieldJane]

Thanks for the warning. I usually do this job and have two waiting naked trees in my house. The two men I live with, will have to do it and I will have to button my lip. Replenishing batteries for fairy lights can be my little job. No mean feat, I have them everywhere.

[Jigsawlass in reply to SheffieldJane]

My hubby and daughter always buy and decorated the tree together . I am forbidden lol. They've been this for about the last 10 years at least.. she is 27 ! I just arranged candles around the house and put the Christmas cushions in place 😄

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Jigsawlass]

Candles & cushions are very important!😊

[Jigsawlass in reply to DorsetLady]

They are vital ! I may have treated myself to another Christmas cushion from m and s ....30% off, it would be rude not to 😀

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Jigsawlass]

Absolutely 😊

[Twopies]

I have the same thing—and I don’t learn from one year to the next. And it doesn’t go away very soon either. It’s a combo (I think) of weak muscles and pmr disease. And we are big Christmas memorabilia collectors—hundreds of items to set out for display—destined for pmr doom.

[SnazzyD]

upper body activity always used to do for me, especially reaching up or doing something like using garden shears. I didn’t have PMR, only GCA, and a few times thought that it can finally come for me. It hadn’t, but it took a good 18 months after stopping Pred for this reaction not to happen every time I dared clean a window or hang decorations like you. The pattern was the same, it was a day or two before it hit, but usually 48 hours just when I was getting smug. Then it was a week to die down if I behaved myself.

[Twopies in reply to SnazzyD]

oh. A week. That explains a lot then.

[MiniSpec]

Something similar for me. I've tried to keep active since retiring, but now I find that even one day of activity will result in either two or three days of slow recovery before I can attempt anything active again.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to MiniSpec]

it’s all about the pacing -see this link -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk......

[MrsNails]

This will be the first year l’m not doing my main, large Memory Tree - we have a 15month Grandson who is a demolition expert so as we have him twice a week l’m only doing the Children’s Tree 🎄 l have a White Pre Lit Twig Tree that l can put behind a unit & he won’t be able to reach it 🙏🏼

[Colleen1974]

So this is why I am hurting today. Although I caught Covid last week too. Took Paxlavoid and felt good yesterday so decided to decorate. I was suppose to start my next taper today but my doctor told me to wait with the Covid. So I will wait.

[Bleakley1 in reply to Colleen1974]

sounds like good advice. Don’t do too much though

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Colleen1974]

I'd be wary - it isn't uncommon to have rebound Covid after taking Paxlovid, Give it a couple of weeks at least.

[Colleen1974 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes I had read that and it happened with my BIL. I'm just thrilled I didn't have a big PMR flare with Covid and I was quite sick until the Paxlavoid was in me for a few days.