I am going to complain about aging, and genetic testing proving I have at least one Ehler's Danlos hypermobilily gene that I have long suspected, and how it's impacting my joints as I age, and how my fairly simple fractured tibial plateau 11 years ago appears to be rearing its ugly head since I've started strength training. Throw in a diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia, which so many medical professionals are not familiar with despite it being more common than is widely known, and I sometimes want to just bake cookies and pet my cats. I'm really struggling with all the ailments that are rearing their ugly heads after decades of being a fit, active person who gets restless and angry without regular dopamine hits from exercise. I was a personal trainer and fitness instructor for several years in my 20s! Now I feel like the lame horse who needs to be put down. (Been there, done that, too.) Yes, I was an accomplished equestrienne for decades. Can't afford to even own a horse anymore.
Just this year, nagging heel pain in my achilles was diagnosed via MRI as achilles tendonosis (not itis, which can be treated, but true scarring on the achilles.) Same heel has a bone spur, which is probably the cause of the tendonosis. I have arthritis in the other foot which I believe is caused by ski boots, which I also think caused the heel spur. Switching to Hokas for walking and Altra's for gym has helped it, thankfully.
I have had several partial dislocations of my right shoulder since high school. I've had two full dislocations of my left patella. (1 star--do not recommend!) Shoulder MRI in November has revealed "fraying" of the rotator cuff, a bone spur, and bursitis. Doing PT for that now. I have babied my shoulders for decades because I get headaches when I use them. The PT is giving me headaches, but I persist. The cause of the headaches? Fibromuscular dysplasia! (FMD) Working those muscles puts more pressure on the vertebral arteries, which have FMD in them, which causes for lack of a better word, spasms. FMD=1 star, also do not recommend!
I started going to the gym and taking classes this fall despite strength training being contraindicated with FMD. No valsalva allowed (bearing down.) This is how I knew my right shoulder was a real mess. Strong muscles are an antidote to hypermobility. The problem? Full range of motion is contraindicated with hypermobility and appears to have aggravated the torn meniscus in my right knee, which was discovered at the same time as my tibial plateau fracture I earned while skiing in 2015. It was a non-surgical fracture (yaay??) and I am now wondering if I should have just had it all repaired when it happened. I have an appointment next week with an orthopedic surgeon to try to get an MRI on that knee before the end of the year (thanks, US health insurance, for stupid high deductibles!) I was in a fitness class about 3 weeks ago when I felt a sharp pain in that knee that went away, but then later seemed to be a strained calf muscle. But was it? The knee has been glitchy and and weird since then. It's never been the same since the TPF injury, and skiing has made me nervous as it would feel unstable at times. I skied Tuesday and had a moment where I felt like my knee was about to give out. Well crap! Because I need more reasons to be a scared skier.
Connecting the dots: Ehlers Danlos/hypermobility can cause anxiety, especially with highly variable activities because our autonomic nervous system senses a constant need to protect the hypermobile joints. I have always been a VERY fearful skier, despite having the skills. Like, stupid fearful, to include full-on panic attacks on terrain I can ski. This is why I hesitate to join Diva functions. If I get taken into terrain that is over my head, I will have a panic attack and freeze. I feel like a pain in the ass because I'll be zipping along, until I'm not because I get scared. Then I get down on myself and often will cry. (Happened at Alta last year, but nobody knew because I hid it.) But I can mountain bike like a mad woman. It's a much more static activity and the knee joint in particular is stable. And I get a massive dopamine hit from it, and from skiing but only in terrain I am comfortable in.
EDS and FMD appear to have a genetic connective tissue abnormality correlation. I actually donated a sample for a genetic study being conducted by the U of Michigan. It appears both have a genetic abnormality affecting collagen. Both cause anxiety which in my situation cause horrible insomnia. The FMD means I have to be very careful about drugs, to include alcohol, that act as vasoconstrictors or vasodilators. That includes ibuprofen. Hypermobility causes fairly frequent whole body pain. I take it ibuprofen sparingly when I just can't stand the aches anymore. Oh, AND there are some FMD specialists who say hormone therapy is also contraindicated, to which I say hogwash because estrogen has connective tissue and cardiac protective benefits, so I continue to take it with the blessing of my vascular surgeon/FMD specialist.
I'm 56, and I feel like my body is starting to revolt and say "you can't do these things anymore" and it has me really down. I have strict limits on heart rate and blood pressure. So, I had to get an e-bike so I can keep those both lower than I like. (I love anaerobic bursts. But not anymore!) My HR is exceeding the imposed limits while skiing and I am being defiant and continuing to ski. As I get in better ski condition, my HR will not go as high, so it's a risk I take. OH, and if I fall hard or get hit by another skier, it could literally cause an arterial dissection since my arteries are not strong and flexible. Good times! I get fired up about the massive increase in crowds midweek thanks to the IKON pass for a good reason.
Sorry for the b*tch fest. One huge positive in life is my neurodivergent daughter is thriving at a prestigious private liberal arts university (Gonzaga) which we can afford thanks to her receiving a very generous merit scholarship and the GI Bill that her dad (my former spouse) passed onto her after a 20 year career in the Air Force. Other than that, I'm feeling pretty defeated. This hideous start to ski season here in Utah is not helping. We are having April weather in December.
If you're still reading this, thanks for listening.
Just this year, nagging heel pain in my achilles was diagnosed via MRI as achilles tendonosis (not itis, which can be treated, but true scarring on the achilles.) Same heel has a bone spur, which is probably the cause of the tendonosis. I have arthritis in the other foot which I believe is caused by ski boots, which I also think caused the heel spur. Switching to Hokas for walking and Altra's for gym has helped it, thankfully.
I have had several partial dislocations of my right shoulder since high school. I've had two full dislocations of my left patella. (1 star--do not recommend!) Shoulder MRI in November has revealed "fraying" of the rotator cuff, a bone spur, and bursitis. Doing PT for that now. I have babied my shoulders for decades because I get headaches when I use them. The PT is giving me headaches, but I persist. The cause of the headaches? Fibromuscular dysplasia! (FMD) Working those muscles puts more pressure on the vertebral arteries, which have FMD in them, which causes for lack of a better word, spasms. FMD=1 star, also do not recommend!
I started going to the gym and taking classes this fall despite strength training being contraindicated with FMD. No valsalva allowed (bearing down.) This is how I knew my right shoulder was a real mess. Strong muscles are an antidote to hypermobility. The problem? Full range of motion is contraindicated with hypermobility and appears to have aggravated the torn meniscus in my right knee, which was discovered at the same time as my tibial plateau fracture I earned while skiing in 2015. It was a non-surgical fracture (yaay??) and I am now wondering if I should have just had it all repaired when it happened. I have an appointment next week with an orthopedic surgeon to try to get an MRI on that knee before the end of the year (thanks, US health insurance, for stupid high deductibles!) I was in a fitness class about 3 weeks ago when I felt a sharp pain in that knee that went away, but then later seemed to be a strained calf muscle. But was it? The knee has been glitchy and and weird since then. It's never been the same since the TPF injury, and skiing has made me nervous as it would feel unstable at times. I skied Tuesday and had a moment where I felt like my knee was about to give out. Well crap! Because I need more reasons to be a scared skier.
Connecting the dots: Ehlers Danlos/hypermobility can cause anxiety, especially with highly variable activities because our autonomic nervous system senses a constant need to protect the hypermobile joints. I have always been a VERY fearful skier, despite having the skills. Like, stupid fearful, to include full-on panic attacks on terrain I can ski. This is why I hesitate to join Diva functions. If I get taken into terrain that is over my head, I will have a panic attack and freeze. I feel like a pain in the ass because I'll be zipping along, until I'm not because I get scared. Then I get down on myself and often will cry. (Happened at Alta last year, but nobody knew because I hid it.) But I can mountain bike like a mad woman. It's a much more static activity and the knee joint in particular is stable. And I get a massive dopamine hit from it, and from skiing but only in terrain I am comfortable in.
EDS and FMD appear to have a genetic connective tissue abnormality correlation. I actually donated a sample for a genetic study being conducted by the U of Michigan. It appears both have a genetic abnormality affecting collagen. Both cause anxiety which in my situation cause horrible insomnia. The FMD means I have to be very careful about drugs, to include alcohol, that act as vasoconstrictors or vasodilators. That includes ibuprofen. Hypermobility causes fairly frequent whole body pain. I take it ibuprofen sparingly when I just can't stand the aches anymore. Oh, AND there are some FMD specialists who say hormone therapy is also contraindicated, to which I say hogwash because estrogen has connective tissue and cardiac protective benefits, so I continue to take it with the blessing of my vascular surgeon/FMD specialist.
I'm 56, and I feel like my body is starting to revolt and say "you can't do these things anymore" and it has me really down. I have strict limits on heart rate and blood pressure. So, I had to get an e-bike so I can keep those both lower than I like. (I love anaerobic bursts. But not anymore!) My HR is exceeding the imposed limits while skiing and I am being defiant and continuing to ski. As I get in better ski condition, my HR will not go as high, so it's a risk I take. OH, and if I fall hard or get hit by another skier, it could literally cause an arterial dissection since my arteries are not strong and flexible. Good times! I get fired up about the massive increase in crowds midweek thanks to the IKON pass for a good reason.
Sorry for the b*tch fest. One huge positive in life is my neurodivergent daughter is thriving at a prestigious private liberal arts university (Gonzaga) which we can afford thanks to her receiving a very generous merit scholarship and the GI Bill that her dad (my former spouse) passed onto her after a 20 year career in the Air Force. Other than that, I'm feeling pretty defeated. This hideous start to ski season here in Utah is not helping. We are having April weather in December.
If you're still reading this, thanks for listening.
but they come to the fence and visit with me and I kiss their muzzles and scratch their withers and they are so sweet. It gives me a small dose of that which I miss so much. 
