1. < Just Want to Talk
Mentor

Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Feb 19, 2020

Many of you living with cancer or an autoimmune disease, like me, deal with daily fatigue. You know that exercise is so important to your health, but it’s so hard. There’s always an excuse: it’s too cold or hot, it’s going to rain or it’s raining, or it’s snowy and icy, or I just don’t want to. I, too, have all these excuses, but I have a new rescue dog who wants to go out and who doesn’t care about my excuses! And I’ve got traction devices for my boots.Now I just need a walking group who will keep me accountable. People who say, ‘let’s go for a walk.'

And I thought: What about my virtual friends on MayoClinicConnect?

Mayo Clinic has an easy 12-week walking program to get us started! Here’s the link:
- Get walking with this 12-week walking schedule https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/

So let’s form a virtual walking group. We can agree to walk every day and encourage each other through Connect. We can walk outdoors, in a mall, or in the red center, or in the hallways of our apartment building.

Who’s in? Who’s going to join me?

Come on, Let’s Go Walking!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

pollyanne | @pollyanne | May 22, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@funcountess Also running . I was doing an insurance exam on a client and she was..." + (show)
@lioness

@funcountess Also running . I was doing an insurance exam on a client and she was a runner everyday . When I saw her she had to quit Dr,s orders as she ruined the ligaments in her knees by all that running daily . Your whole body needs to rest and repair itself especially the muscles and she didn't . So that's another thing to keep in mind when you work out whether running or weights

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@lioness You are definitely right there.

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mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | May 22, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@contentandwell If your happy with what you have now and the Dr is too that is..." + (show)
@lioness

@contentandwell If your happy with what you have now and the Dr is too that is great I am too since Im on Rosuvastatin no leg pain

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@lioness @contentandwell.. Thank you so much. I wish I had read your post before I email my doctor. I emailed him again requesting Rosuvastatin. Will hold off on pravastatin until he replies. Coincidentally, I remember my PCP mentioned his wife is on that and so is my Neurologist. If the doctor take it, it can't be all bad. I've been walking close to 3 miles a day, looking forward to walk with no pain. It would be such a pleasure. The Jacaranda trees are in full bloom, the flowers dropped to the ground and the bees are all over it. Last summer I was in sandles and got stung!

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1 reply
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | May 22, 2020
In reply to @becsbuddy "@fiesty. I’m glad you didn’t fall! Are the shoes new? Do you think the company will..." + (show)
@becsbuddy

@fiesty. I’m glad you didn’t fall! Are the shoes new? Do you think the company will replace the?

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@becsbuddy, Hi, Becky, Yes, I was lucky not to fall. I've had the shoes 2 yrs but really didn't start my walking regime until Jan. 2020. I was really surprised this happened. Fortunately I have another pair but they aren't quite as comfortable so may take a shorter walk or two to see how they perform. A good friend fell in her garage and broke her hip. It was a clean break and luckily her garage door was open; a neighbor heard her and called EMS. Told earlier in the week she'd be in rehab 2 more weeks but today doc said she was mending well and could go home this coming Tues. She is so happy! At home p.t. and home health beats the rehab facility, yes?

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fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | May 22, 2020
In reply to @pollyanne "@fiesty76 and @becksbuddy I had this happen to me once when I was in the airport...." + (show)
@pollyanne

@fiesty76 and @becksbuddy I had this happen to me once when I was in the airport. Someone stapled the sole in place for me until I finished my journey. My shoes were old. If your shoes are new or fairly new I would return them to where you bought them. You were wearing a good make and they should stand by their product. Good luck. You might need to mail them direct to the manufacturer.

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@pollyanne, You lucked out! Glad the staples worked to finish your journey. Thanks for the suggestion; glad I'm not the only one something like this happened to. Just thankful that I stopped to investigate the flapping sound.

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lioness | @lioness | May 22, 2020
In reply to @mayofeb2020 "@lioness @contentandwell.. Thank you so much. I wish I had read your post before I email..." + (show)
@mayofeb2020

@lioness @contentandwell.. Thank you so much. I wish I had read your post before I email my doctor. I emailed him again requesting Rosuvastatin. Will hold off on pravastatin until he replies. Coincidentally, I remember my PCP mentioned his wife is on that and so is my Neurologist. If the doctor take it, it can't be all bad. I've been walking close to 3 miles a day, looking forward to walk with no pain. It would be such a pleasure. The Jacaranda trees are in full bloom, the flowers dropped to the ground and the bees are all over it. Last summer I was in sandles and got stung!

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@mayofeb2020 I can tell without looking when the Jacaranda trees are blooming ,my allergies are worst when they are out.They are pretty but know the bees love them .Let me know what the Dr says about rosuvastatin ,it has worked well for me no leg pain and has brought my cholesterol down to almost normal of course I watch what I eat also .

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1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | May 23, 2020
In reply to @pollyanne "@mayofeb2020 I have had the same dilemma with whether to take a statin or not. My..." + (show)
@pollyanne

@mayofeb2020 I have had the same dilemma with whether to take a statin or not. My Dr that I had for years was happy with my cholesterol levels because of my high HDL which at my recent level was 90. But then a new Dr arrived and she didn't like my total cholesterol number. She told me to talk to my regular GP about taking a statin. So I spoke to him and found that the recommendations had recently changed and so it might be a good idea to take one. I asked if age had anything to do with the decision and he replied that yes, one day you could be considered fine and then you have a birthday and you are not fine. This seems a bit stupid to me. The Dr told me that in his opinion it was very subjective. Anyway, I tried the statin and it didn't agree with me. I then spoke to another Dr who felt my cholesterol was fine and he said to just keep up the exercise and watch my diet. [I am not overweight] So that is what I am trying to do although I feel a little insecure after being told for years that I was protected by my high HDL. I also think my diet is already quite good. I think I have slipped a bit on the veggies which I actually like.

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@mayofeb2020 You mention that your new doctor wanted you to confer with your GP about the statin. What type of doctor was the new doctor? I ask because my PCP had me check with my endocrinologist about what I should do for my cholesterol which I thought sort of odd. Why did he want the other doctor to prescribe rather than himself? He's a doctor of internal medicine. The endocrinologist is the one who prescribed the statin. Actually I was OK with that, I have more confidence in my endo than I do in my PCP, I just thought an internist would do that prescription himself.

I'm sure that pravastatin isn't "all bad", different people just have different reactions to medicines. I often seem to have unusual reactions to various medicines.

Thanks, @pollyanne I know there are some exercises, like those with weights, that they say you should not do every day and I am wondering if that applies to other exercises like squats. I was doing 3 sets of 15 squats every day. My son thought that I should not be doing that daily. He's very fit but has no education about all of that. When I was going to my health club I alternated gym days with days of pool jogging or water aerobics - actually I did the water aerobics and stayed after to jog. That worked out so well for me.

I am trying so hard to be good about what I eat but I can't lose weight at all and am gradually gaining still. I guess my home exercises are not burning as many calories as what I did when I could go to my health club. I think it's going to be a long time before I will be able to go there again, unfortunately.

@fiesty76 I have New Balance sneakers that I bought a few years ago. Twice I had to bring them back to the shoe store and have the soles reattached in places. I started out not using them much so by the time it happened, even though the sneakers were barely worn, it was beyond the time when they would take them back. My newest sneakers are ABEO from The Walking Company and so far I really like them. I had Sketchers before and they were great too, they have a memory foam insole. I actually picked them up at Marshall's for some crazy low price in the sale section and they worked out great.
JK

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3 replies
JK | @contentandwell | May 23, 2020
In reply to @rosemarya "@becsbuddy, I hope to get back to walking soon. I am taking a break because of..." + (show)
@rosemarya

@becsbuddy, I hope to get back to walking soon. I am taking a break because of foot pain when I was over inspired to increase my pace and distance. Resting, new shoes, and a tentative appointment with pediatrist are how I am treating it.
I really miss my quiet reflective walking times. That is why I do not like to wear a head set. (someone asked about that once before) Heck- I don't even own any.
Everyone, Please keep sending the walking stories!

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How's your foot, @rosemarya? Is it getting any better? I too tend to overdo at times and then pay fort.

When walking I too would enjoy those quiet times if I was alone but I am always with my husband. When I do my water jogging though I am concentrating on really making it vigorous so I find that having music streaming into my hearing aids helps to keep me motivated, and music with a good tempo helps to energize me. I find a lot of the Latin music has a great beat. Of course there are others too that are not Latin. I love Neil Diamond's "America". When I'm on the elliptical and that comes up I get energized.
JK

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | May 23, 2020
In reply to @contentandwell "@mayofeb2020 You mention that your new doctor wanted you to confer with your GP about the..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@mayofeb2020 You mention that your new doctor wanted you to confer with your GP about the statin. What type of doctor was the new doctor? I ask because my PCP had me check with my endocrinologist about what I should do for my cholesterol which I thought sort of odd. Why did he want the other doctor to prescribe rather than himself? He's a doctor of internal medicine. The endocrinologist is the one who prescribed the statin. Actually I was OK with that, I have more confidence in my endo than I do in my PCP, I just thought an internist would do that prescription himself.

I'm sure that pravastatin isn't "all bad", different people just have different reactions to medicines. I often seem to have unusual reactions to various medicines.

Thanks, @pollyanne I know there are some exercises, like those with weights, that they say you should not do every day and I am wondering if that applies to other exercises like squats. I was doing 3 sets of 15 squats every day. My son thought that I should not be doing that daily. He's very fit but has no education about all of that. When I was going to my health club I alternated gym days with days of pool jogging or water aerobics - actually I did the water aerobics and stayed after to jog. That worked out so well for me.

I am trying so hard to be good about what I eat but I can't lose weight at all and am gradually gaining still. I guess my home exercises are not burning as many calories as what I did when I could go to my health club. I think it's going to be a long time before I will be able to go there again, unfortunately.

@fiesty76 I have New Balance sneakers that I bought a few years ago. Twice I had to bring them back to the shoe store and have the soles reattached in places. I started out not using them much so by the time it happened, even though the sneakers were barely worn, it was beyond the time when they would take them back. My newest sneakers are ABEO from The Walking Company and so far I really like them. I had Sketchers before and they were great too, they have a memory foam insole. I actually picked them up at Marshall's for some crazy low price in the sale section and they worked out great.
JK

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To everyone talking about rouvastatin and other statins, please check out this discussion:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/statins-and-peripheral-neuropathy/?pg=1#comment-312571

They are all discussing pros/cons of statins

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1 reply
pollyanne | @pollyanne | May 23, 2020
In reply to @contentandwell "@mayofeb2020 You mention that your new doctor wanted you to confer with your GP about the..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@mayofeb2020 You mention that your new doctor wanted you to confer with your GP about the statin. What type of doctor was the new doctor? I ask because my PCP had me check with my endocrinologist about what I should do for my cholesterol which I thought sort of odd. Why did he want the other doctor to prescribe rather than himself? He's a doctor of internal medicine. The endocrinologist is the one who prescribed the statin. Actually I was OK with that, I have more confidence in my endo than I do in my PCP, I just thought an internist would do that prescription himself.

I'm sure that pravastatin isn't "all bad", different people just have different reactions to medicines. I often seem to have unusual reactions to various medicines.

Thanks, @pollyanne I know there are some exercises, like those with weights, that they say you should not do every day and I am wondering if that applies to other exercises like squats. I was doing 3 sets of 15 squats every day. My son thought that I should not be doing that daily. He's very fit but has no education about all of that. When I was going to my health club I alternated gym days with days of pool jogging or water aerobics - actually I did the water aerobics and stayed after to jog. That worked out so well for me.

I am trying so hard to be good about what I eat but I can't lose weight at all and am gradually gaining still. I guess my home exercises are not burning as many calories as what I did when I could go to my health club. I think it's going to be a long time before I will be able to go there again, unfortunately.

@fiesty76 I have New Balance sneakers that I bought a few years ago. Twice I had to bring them back to the shoe store and have the soles reattached in places. I started out not using them much so by the time it happened, even though the sneakers were barely worn, it was beyond the time when they would take them back. My newest sneakers are ABEO from The Walking Company and so far I really like them. I had Sketchers before and they were great too, they have a memory foam insole. I actually picked them up at Marshall's for some crazy low price in the sale section and they worked out great.
JK

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@contentandwell It is definitely best to not repeat the same exercises each day and if you have different routines that is great. I think your son is right and I have to watch overuse when using weights. I don't do very much with weights myself but I do think they are good for lots of reasons. I really feel they help your metabolism more than walking because you are building muscle and in fact it isn't good to just walk, so a mixture is perfect. We need to work on flexibility and strength just as much as walking. However, I am not an exercise freak and so don't think that I am continually exercising. In fact I just hit my 80th birthday and my energy level is definitely going down from 6 years ago when I went to the gym 5 days a week. That was when I had a trainer and did weight lifting with him. But it was too much for me and made my back worse. It was great for weight control though.
And your comments about using music with your work out is exactly right. Music can give you a lot of energy and that is why it is one other thing to be aware of because I found that music made me overdo things. I still enjoy it though and I was doing advanced high impact classes, so that;s a bit different from what you are doing.
Also, concerning your statin options. I do think that in spite of the new recommendations, different Drs have different ideas. I have found that the older Drs are still not so gung ho on using a statin whereas the younger Drs, especially the females, go by the book. Women are always more exacting than men which is often a good thing. It took a woman Dr to discover my daughter's broken neck 2 years ago. Two male Drs had already examined her. I hope my present Dr who is an older man is right about me not taking a statin, but I shall be talking to him again soon. I think it is a difficult decision to make when you are border line like me. Plus the medical field is always changing it's mind!

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1 reply
pollyanne | @pollyanne | May 23, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@mayofeb2020 I can tell without looking when the Jacaranda trees are blooming ,my allergies are worst..." + (show)
@lioness

@mayofeb2020 I can tell without looking when the Jacaranda trees are blooming ,my allergies are worst when they are out.They are pretty but know the bees love them .Let me know what the Dr says about rosuvastatin ,it has worked well for me no leg pain and has brought my cholesterol down to almost normal of course I watch what I eat also .

Jump to this post

We have the Jacarandas here in Maui and they are so beautiful. You have reminded me that we should take a drive upcountry to look at them. Luckily we don't have an allergy like yours.

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