A blog reader recently wrote to me that she has Hashimoto’s and she was interested in working with Dr. Jack but concerned because I talk about Pilates and going to the YMCA. Her fear was exercise and the pain it causes. She was telling me how walking to her mailbox is a painful experience. That she suddenly has a pain that escalates into other pain. And, I can totally relate. Gosh, I have felt your pain, literally. And my blog today isn’t just about her pain or mine, but about all kinds of diseases that truly bring life altering pain and inflammation.
So first, remember that I am with Dr. Jack since October. I started Pilates not until March and didn’t start at the Y until June. Dr. Jack would be the first one to tell you tone down the exercise in the beginning. So keep that in mind.
I, of all people, totally get her story. When my Hashimoto’s was in full bloom for so many years, pain is something you just learn to live with. And it is really a challenge. You decide to carry in the groceries from you car. You put one too many bags on one side, you turn funky and you feel it. It aches for a few days…. Yeah, well that is most people. But for me what would happen is that would set off a chain reaction. My hip hurt, then my arm, then suddenly I had shooting pain down my leg. My sciatic nerve ached, all from one false move. You felt like that for weeks. Simple everyday stresses and strains brought all kinds of those reactions, some so painful, no amount of Advil would help. From your nose to your toes, something in every area is in pain.
Before Dr. Jack, I never walked into my second job at Walmart without two Alleve. Heck, I was sore before I got there!! Never had a single day from my back surgery forward without pain reliever. I carried Advil, Alleve and Motrin everywhere. Because you just were never sure that once something felt funny what would hurt next?? When I had my back surgery, the pain intensified. It was enormous. Many days I walked to my car at the end of my shift in tears, it hurt that bad.
The first day after my surgery they told me I had to be still flat in bed for five days. And then when they got me out of bed, I nearly passed out just standing. I refused any prescription pain killers, because I was afraid of addiction, and preferred to just take over the counter. I cried trying to walk to the bathroom. Once I got home, it was even more challenging, I had to walk as much as I could at home to get myself back, but I would literally wait for my kids to go work or run errands. Then I could get up and be crying walking up and down the hall, the pain was so bad, and they wouldn’t see it. I didn’t want that. One day, they had gone to the store and I just wanted something to drink. The walk to the kitchen set off a chain of pain that kept me in bed for two days.
Now, most people who know me well are surprised. I was great at hiding that pain. I worked hard at hiding it. But if you have never looked at some of my before and after pictures, look at this one. 
Tell me that you do not see that pain in my face. Every single day, something hurt. Not one day, every day. And one hurt lead to other hurt, lead to more hurt, a fact I blamed on the residual effects of my surgery and my age. I wasn’t going to let it keep me down, but it was hard. My dad had rheumatoid arthritis since his teens, living in pain was a way of life. If he could do it, so could I, and that is the mindset I lived with. But it’s hard, it’s physically and mentally taxing, coming with a huge price tag.
Now fast forward, I have not taken a single pill of any kind of pain relief since I started with Dr. Jack, not one. Why?? Because the pain is suddenly gone? Not exactly. I still do stuff. I still create pain. I over use, I stretch funny, I cramp up. And muscles get achy and sore. But what does NOT happen is that chain reaction. And the pain is not as intense and goes away on its own. Instead of becoming disabling, I can do some stretches, that alleviate some, I rest things in between, I can go to the pool and swim and gently relieve what is sore. Total game changer! I can take an exercise class, totally feel it, and the next day not be the person who can’t get out of bed. That was the old me.
Now let’s back up. So when I started with Dr. Jack, he kept telling me the my body had the means to heal itself. First, the goal was getting rid of the inflammation, and during that process I had about two weeks worth of residual pain. I could feel that sciatic nerve something fierce. The pain I had when I fell and broke my tailbone in the shower returned and my back was sore. Nights were hard for a few weeks because I was just uncomfortable but Dr. Jack helped me to stay the course. And then something happened. A few weeks in, I gingerly got out of bed one day and realized that although achy from my second job I wasn’t hurting. I could walk okay, and the pain was only in one spot. The next day the ache was better, and continued to get better. Pain was now isolated to one spot, whichever spot had been hurt. And week by week? That all got better. Suddenly, painful moved to achy. Sore moved to just a little uncomfortable. Painful traded out to just felt over used. Not a single Advil… Nothing.
I do not need all that chemically formulated garbage in my body. I have worked hard to get clean, from diet to products I use at home, and on myself. Not ever going back. No thank you.
I still over do it! I wouldn’t be me otherwise. I push stuff a little far sometimes, well honestly? Way too far, ha ha…. I use muscles that I forgot I even had. And they get achy and sore. That’s just living, as Dr. Jack reminds me, But there are not those days, of the pain going like a set a of dominoes and me feeling like its a chore to even get up from a chair. That is all gone. Totally gone!
I never realized the real effects of cellular inflammation. Truly I didn’t. And that is why I tell everyone I know this fact……..You don’t know what this program will change about your life. I thought chronic pain was a natural phase that I just needed to live with. I thought two Alleve every day was going to just be the norm. I thought Dr. Jack would help me drop forty pounds, maybe, and get rid of a few symptoms. Little did I know that he had his own set of dominoes lined up. And his chain reaction of what falls, one at a time are alllllllll those symptoms including chronic pain. Lots of people who have Hashimto’s have the exact same problem. And so do other people with different diseases. But you don’t have to live with it if you don’t want to!!
Before, I wouldn’t have dared even attempt a stretch. Now?? Holy cow that feels sooooooo awesome! You don’t know what you are missing! I will never take this ability to move for granted ever again. It is a gift!! I feel, better now than I did at age 29! Is that possible for you too?? Absolutely!!
So to my new friend who wrote to me, the answer is YES he can help you! Go for it!! Living in this happy place is so much better. You will be skipping to the mailbox singing before you know it!