Physical therapy

[morgan617]

Well, I am so deconditioned I can't even go to the store with my hubby anymore. I have tried P.T. in the past, but it hasn't worked out very well, ie, getting rides there, them not understanding my needs and some pretty weird voodoo stuff. So I decided to try one more time. I went on Friday and this guy never even examined me!!! He said I had flat feet and put me on a bicycle for 15 minutes! After about 3 I thought I was going to drop dead. He came over and said well you did great. I asked him if he had even listened to a word I said. He said, let's see how you do over the weekend, well of course I've barely been able to move and my hips are frozen solid. Has anyone had any good experiences with this? Because I sure haven't. It is so frustrating to tell people how limited you are, they don't examine you to see and then want you to do what feels like marathon stuff, to see how your body reacts. And then I was stupid enough to do it. I have appts. this week, but am going to have a talk with him.... I just give up. I explained the yaz exercises and told him I couldn't even do those. So I'm on a bike for 15 minutes and going 1.5 miles... sorry to vent, but what do you have to do to get people to listen....it's bad enough when it's doctors, but these guys must have seen people like us sometime. sigh morgan

[MightyMouse]

Hi Morgan. Sorry to hear of your bad experiences. I've had good and bad. Bad was the one who put me in traction and nearly killed me, despite my saying "I think this is a bad idea."

The good experience has been with the current PT. I've been going for about 6 weeks to help with my left sided weakness and nerve pain. I told them all about my hypermobility, so we don't do any stretching or range of motion work. I also told them about my low bp. Apparently they didn't take me all that seriously at first, but then I scared them when I said "I'm feeling dizzy and need to sit down"--they took my bp, and still couldn't hear anything at 50, so apparently I was lower than that. That was day one. Since then, they've adapted ALL my therapy so I'm lying down. Also the onlly aerobic activity they'll allow me to do, but haven't had me do yet, is the recumbent bike.

I hope you find someone who has a clue. I happen to use a PT group that has hundreds of offices throughout my area and surrounding states--it's called Nova Care. I've used them 3 other times in the past, all with good results.

Nina

[geneva]

Morgan, sorry to hear about your PT visit. I started PT 3 different times in the past. The first time I left all decisions in their hands, since I was really clueless about what I should and shouldn't do. The 2nd time, I went in, gave them papers on POTS and said let's discuss what kind of plan you suggest before I ever got on the equipment. I made them talk me through it and we modified what I would do together. It was much better but after 4 or 5 weeks I had to stop because their facility was always warm...too warm for me. The 3rd time, the PT asked questions like what will happen if you do too much and I said I would pass out....they respond well to this!! So, I was monitored on bp/hr and we went VERY slowly. The first day I had a presyncope spell they were great because we had discussed what to do.

btw, the really good PTs started me on 3 minutes on the bike...heavens, 15 minutes...that sounds like way too much especially given the way you have been feeling lately Morgan. Wouldn't some stretching exercises or leg lifts that can be done lying down be the best way for you to start?

I hope you can have a productive talk with your PT but if not, ask for someone else to work with if you can. Odds are they have never worked with anyone like you before. I told them to treat me like they would a cardiac rehab patient and that seemed to translate into their language. good luck morgan!

[steph37822]

oops