I get more annoyed with wrong HR data than not having it at all, so I don’t mind not having it on the Alta. I think the wrist based HR technology is very difficult, and I think Garmin 235 has finally nailed it- at least for me!
C3B- I had to laugh. I went out this morning in 38 degrees and it felt like the Artic tundra! I swear it felt colder than the 20 degree winter days! I am SO over being cold.
Finally got back to the gym today – after clearing 5 inches of snow off my car and dropping the pup off at the groomer. It’s still cold, but at least the sun is out and it’s a gorgeous day!!
Anyway, 45 minutes on the Arc + 1 mile fast walking. Just had a quick breakfast and now I’m off to meet a rep from my undergrad school. Yes, I know she’ll want to talk money, but I enjoy the in person updates …
@romanigypsyeyes – my heart goes out to you. In your shoes I would be feeling scared as well – along with frustrated. Hope you find answers/relief soon.
@abasket – glad to hear you persevered with Fitbit. It does seem to me they want to keep customers happy.
Got my sale Vanquish (the older version) in the mail last night! Wow. They blew my socks off. They are the prettiest pair of running shoes I have owned - their blue with salmon-pinkish accents look like the colors of tropical sunrises. 
The feel is very similar to the 2, so I think the webbing on the uppers was the major change.
Awesome, Bunsen! I’m jealous. Colors sound great.
Boo. Pain is back with a vengeance today. I sent an email to my PCP asking for a referral to the U of M pain center.
I’m running out of people to turn to and I’m just really frustrated. I stopped wearing my fitbit again because it made me sad. I’m determined to go to the fitness center at least once this week even if it’s just to sit in a hot tub (though goal is to swim… or do something resembling swimming).
On the bright side, I’m not eating my weight in fruit every day now. One of my meds seems to have suppressed my Prednisone appetite.
Romani, do you keep any sort of journal??? It would be interesting to note and to share with your docs how intensely this is affecting your everyday life so perhaps they can give you some guidance - even medical issues “aside” . for instance, Maybe 3 times a day (or twice a day or once a day) at the same-ish time jot down your degree of pain for that time 1 being low, 5 being skyrocketing pain - something like that. I know there is no miracle answer but it seems you are having an overwhelming # of bad days compared to “good” or “bearable”.
I really feel for you!
Oh good idea, abasket. I hadn’t thought about that.
Yes, lately the bad days have been far outweighing the good and nothing seems to be helping. And then it’s a cycle because I can’t sleep because of the pain and then I feel even worse. Rinse and repeat 
romani, I feel for you too. Big, but gentle hugs. I think abasket’s idea for a daily journal including your health is a good one. Somehow writing things down always helps give me at least a little feeling of control when I need it. Maybe it would be helpful to add your feelings and emotions to the pain scale abasket suggested, along with your medicine and treatment changes. You have so much going on with the ups and downs in pain. Thinking about you!
@romanigypsyeyes - I may have missed it but did your Dr check you for Lyme disease?
This is not really the same as you, Romaini, but my husband was in a very serious accident at work about 25 years ago - he was run over by a tractor (LONG story…)- the recovery was intense and long - luckily successful overall. It was suggested to us a little bit in that we together piece together a journal of the days that had passed since the accident and then moving forward. This was very helpful in being able to recall dates/details etc. that became important at times to his healthcare, emotional health and otherwise. Journals rock!!
A journal would be a great idea, Romani. We’ve all been trying to come up with ideas to help you through this! it’s so hard.
Ouch, abasket. Hope he recovered well.
Journaling is something was at the heart of many of the public health interventions that I worked with or studied. I’m just bad at following what I know are best practices.
threeofthree, I want to say yes but now I’m not actually sure.
I found out that there is a pain center here at U of M and I sent a message to my pcp asking for a referral. I figure it can’t hurt
I know mowc. You all have been so helpful in helping me with gentle exercises and I push myself to take more steps every day so I can post on here that I’ve hit some goal 
Romani, my father went through many different treatment courses - not for RA - but his physician had him keep a journal much as abasket described. I like what PlantMom has suggested - adding your thoughts, feelings and emotions as well - medication can influence all of those areas.
I wanted to ask how your diet was. Are you vegetarian or vegan? I couldn’t recall. I wonder if journaling your food intake would be at all helpful. While I know you’re concerned about your weight, I am more concerned about nutrition - are you getting enough?
I wish we were closer so we could help you.
Ok journal acquired. Keep track of:
-Pain (and/or other symptoms)
-Exercise/activity
-Food
-Medicine
-Sleep
Anything I’m missing or anything else I should probably keep note of?
@romanigypsyeyes – at the risk of sounding PollyAnna-ish, I’d suggest you also add something (anything) that gave you pleasure that day.
Along those lines, for myself, today I had a small but lovely moment. We live at the top of a hill, so every time I bike anywhere at all, I get to leave swooping down the hill at 25 to 30 miles an hour (yes, it’s that steep, and no, I don’t have to pedal for about a mile if I go east or west, although I do have to go further uphill if I go directly south, and I can’t go directly north, but it would be downhill if I could)–but I have to bike UP the hill when I come home. The first two years we lived here, I walked the last half mile home every single time. The next two years, it was only the last quarter-mile. About three years ago, I started being able to bike up the west side, so I did long detours to come up from the west. Three years ago, I was going so slowly on the east side that I actually fell over onto someone’s front lawn because I wasn’t going fast enough… Then, two years ago, on a spring day with a tailwind, I made it up the steeper east side for the first time. It’s still hard and I’m still slow.
Anyway, today I biked about fifteen miles with my husband, then met a friend and swam (hard) for half an hour. Then I got on my bike to come home and it was only then I realized I would be riding up the east side hill. I got to the bottom of the hill–and realized, to my complete surprise, that I wasn’t going to have to get off my bike and walk. I simply knew I could ride up the whole way. I was slow, but I did it. YEEHAA!
^^^BIG (hill) WIN!!! That must have felt GREAT!
And I agree with DMD, I agree to write down anything that was good about the day. At least one thing, everyday.
Definitely not a bad idea, dmd! Even though it doesn’t seem like it on here, I am still very happy. I just want to get this pain thing under control so I can do more enjoyable things! (Like swimming!!)
That is awesome, dmd!
In positive developments, I am getting better at pushups. I still have a hard time in TRX keeping my shoulders down - I have this tendency to hunch. Something to work on.
Forecast is not great - looks like rain on Thursday and cold strong winds on Saturday. I am planning on spin class both mornings. Trying to vary things a bit but squeezing a run in tomorrow.
Yes, romani, absolutely include your feelings and emotions in your journal. Do you blog? This journal should be part blog, part experimental record.
Dmd, that is absolutely awesome.
Yeah, this spring weather is really sucking. No two ways about it! Today it was sunny and NOT windy -but, the high was like 38. Still ran. Tomorrow will be the only “warm” day of the week - 57, but rain. There are “snowflakes” in the forecast the next two days. Blah.