Hi all.  First of all I am so glad I have found this group.  The main thing I keep reading is how long does it take to recover from Rhabdo.  I was struck by this horrid condition back in June 2013.  I was at work and all of a sudden I had this incredible pain in my neck & lower back.  It only lasted about 5 minutes so after putting a heat pack on I went back to work.  I wasnt feeling the best but just thought I was coming down with the flu.  Later that day I had to take my boy into town (we live rural) to go to his dance class.  It was about 40 mins away.  I dropped off my boy and then went to my chiro to see if he could help with my neck.  He decided to do no work on me because by this stage I was feeling quite sore.  We both put it down to flu like symptons.  Anyway I went to pick up my boy and then all of a sudden my right arm felt really heavy, my tounge started to tingle and I knew something was not right.  Dont ask me how, but I managed to drive to my parents place.  My boy ran out of the car calling for my dad.  I pulled myself out of the car by this stage my legs were heavy and I could barely walk, I couldnt talk, my body felt like it was being crushed.  Dad rushed me to the hospital where all the bloody tests began.

Whilst I was in emergency I was in and out because by now I was on morphene.  No one knew what was going.  I can remember saying a few times "why dont I need to go to the toilet", they kept pumping me with fluid but I had no urge to go to the toilet.  "You'll be fine love" was their response.  I was later transferred to a ward.  That morning I said again to the nurse on duty "why cant I go to the toilet".  She eventually took me and then all hell broke lose.  My wee was like coke.  My Ck Levels were 110,000 and rising.  I was then diagnosied with rhabdo.  I still dont think they knew what to do, they just kept pumping me with fulid.  Later that night my sister came to see me.  By this stage I was feeling so sick.  My sister said to the nurse that night "why does she look so yellow".  They then realised my kidneys had failed.  I was then flown to our major hospital in our capital city.

I spent 2 days in critical care and then another 10 days in hospital.  I avoided dyalisis by the skin of my teeth.  They wanted to transfer back to hospital in our regional area but I just wanted to go home.  I wanted to be with my hubby and my 2 kids, aged 6 & 8 at the time. I had to go to the doctor everyday to have tests on my kidneys, they still werent working properly, and my ck levels.  Eventually eveything went back to normal, as the doctors put it.

What is "normal". Normal is me before rhabdo.  Nearly 4 years on I still struglle.  My neck has never been the same.  Constantly sore if I do too much.  Too much nowadays is so much less than what it use to be.  Before rhabdo, like many of you, I was into my fitness.  I use to lift weights but nothing too extreme, I was also doing High Intensity Interval training.  I have tried to go back to this but no chance.  I have been on and off again with the weight training, now having to resort to body weight only, even that is tiring me out and causing back neck pain.

I have seen numerous specialists, I have had genetic testing, muscle biopsy's, all to no avail.  The doctors keep wanting to pump me with bloody pain killers that were sending me spare.  My rhabdo was so extreme that it wasnt isolated to any specific area, every muscle in my body broke down, even to my toungue, hence trouble talking.  My heart was even effected.  I had to see a heart specialist on a regular basis.  The only thing that got me off the couch in the early days of recovery (took 12 months) was my family and a chinese doctor.  I travelled 2.5 hours one way to see each week.  He gave me a herbal drink that helped with my energy levels and accupunture.  Eventually I weaned myself off all the horrid drugs the doctors had prescribed me and only used this chinese doctor.

I ask myself most days "Will I ever be the same"...Im not sure, but I do know I am not going to let this condition beat me.  We have to stay strong, listen to our bodies and rest when we have to which seems like all the time and just remain positive.  God  I know this is hard but at least we know we are not alone suffering from this horrid condition.

After reading these posts, yes it is normal to be tired all of the time, it is normal feeling sick, it is normal struggling to get back into exercise.  All I know is thank God I am here and I will continue to try things that I use to do and if it means I need to spend a day on the lounge afterwards so be it.

We have each other to find strength from.  Lets live a normal life as we know it right now and just keep on going.  Find whatever works for you to keep all the symptons at bay.

Weve got this xxx