What happens when you can't ski

[LZywicki1]

I'm probably like most of you, been skiing most of my life, worked hard to have a boat and like on or by a lake, and ski as long as the lake isn't frozen. For the past 3+years I have been dealing with physical health and pain issues, (and now the mental toll), that make it very difficult or impossible for me to ski or set up our course with my friends anymore. Any advice from my fellow skiers would help, looking at the lake and not being out there is painfully.

[A_B]

Watch your weight and do whatever else you can do to stay in shape.

 

Can you still drive? Being on the water and helping others can also be satisfying.

[gregy]

What kind of health issue? I'll go play on the wake board if I'm too beat up to ski.

[Chef23]

I have tendinitis in my achillies that came on last week. I took last week off from the gym but went back this week and tried to do upper body stuff plus rode the bike real easy so I didn't put any strain on it. I went out and drove for my ski partners yesterday and will likely drive for them today also.

 

Two summers ago I had a ruptured disk in my back and once I could sit again I spent a lot of time driving and coaching (If you can call my advice coaching) and I went to tournaments and judged, rope handled and helped out anyway I could. It was tough not being able to ski but it was good for me to be on the water and around skiing.

[Than_Bogan]

"On the water and around skiing" is definitely the way to go. When I was out for a while with double-herniated discs, I initially thought I might prefer to hide from it to avoid being reminded that I couldn't ski. That couldn't have been a worse guess. Getting out there and being a part of it was great, and kept me focused on my rehab and longer term goals.

[LZywicki1]

I know that being on the water should help. It did when a dislocated my knee wakeboarding 10 years ago, it was an injury and thought I'd be back after rehab.

 

This time I'm fitting IBS-D. No rehab., just doctors, hospital, cramping, loss of sleep and weight, med,s that cause more problems, pain management clinics besides trying to keep working. When I can get out it helps most of the time, its all the times that I can't or canceling at the last moment.

 

[Horton]

Can you wake surf?

[Than_Bogan]

While trying to find out what IBS-D was, I quickly found a pile of support groups, at least one of which didn't seem afraid to cover any possible topic. I'm sure you've done 1000x more web-searching than I have, and hopefully something like that has been/is a little helpful. I also wonder if perhaps those folks with lots of experience around the condition can offer better advice for managing it on the water? Seems worth asking if you haven't already.

 

At the least, try to stay involved with waterskiing here on the internet and watch the web-casts and do whatever else you can from home!

 

GOOD LUCK!

[SkiJay]

Wow @onamission, that sounds like torture. No advice here, just heartfelt condolences and best wishes for a spontaneous full recovery!

[Waternut]

@horton beat me to it. A lot of die hard slalom skiers don't like it but since you do wakeboard, wakesurfing can be fun and it at least gets you on the water. Wakesurfing is a very injury friendly sport. Even if you broke a rib, you could just roll off the back platform and never even touch a rope.

[Horton]

If you can't ski.... do something fun. Hell drink beer and sleep on the engine cover if that is the best you can do.

[The_MS]

If anyone can find it, there was an interview with MW skier Corey Piercy in waterski mag a few years back. He was stationed in Iraq and he talked about how much he missed water skiing. Basically he said that everyday you have air in your lungs and have a chance to ski, do it. It may be your last.

[rawly]

I would suggest to check out the tournaments in your area. I'm sure they are in need of volunteers to help out.you can surround your self with good people,be of service to the ski community,and meet new ski buddies. Some of the most dedicated people don't even ski. I know it's hard but if you want to be around skiing this might make you feel good. Good luck

[gregy]

@onamission It was suggested to me a few years ago that I had the same thing. Even though it had gotten progressive worse it did come and go so to my logic something was causing it. After several years of investigating and being told by more that one doctor that I needed to see a Psychiatrist I figured out on my own that I had allergies to a lot of the foods I was eating. I've been able to control it by diet, exercise, and controlling stress for over 10 years now and was able to start skiing again.

 

I don't know if this will help in your case, but I have learned that you are your own best advocate and you have to take charge of your own health. If I had listened to the doctors and just accepted it I would be really bad shape by now.

[LZywicki1]

@Horton "If you can't ski.... do something fun. Hell drink beer and sleep on the engine cover if that is the best you can do." Hell I can't even drink beer without the chance of a major flare-up.

 

Forget wake surfing, wake skating the course is better. But honestly its more about getting down to the lake that's the problem. As you all know being a semi-private lake the only real good time for the course is the early morning and it takes about 2-3 hours after I wake up before I can get out the door.

 

@gregy Tried all the drugs that the GI Dr's have, there the same ones that a Psychiatrist would use but a lower dosage, wasn't good at all. Looked into the food allergies and nothing, now looking at food intolerances. Been doing Yoga, acupuncture and FODMAPS diet.

 

Thank you all

[billb]

Hey, I was at the clinic years ago in Michigan with you when we brought in Greg Sherer. Sorry to hear about your issues. I found this link that may be of help :

http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/08/13-causes-of-ibs-d-most-doctors-never-test-for-but-should/

Best of luck to you. I hope you're back on the water soon.

[thager]

When I can't ski I get antsy and send @Horton encouraging text messages. Works great!!

[Horton]

Painful

[thager]

@Horton At least you're skiing! We have had snow, cold, wind, monsoon like rains, no driver, etc

ad nauseam. this spring.

[eyepeeler]

Lots of bad advice on here. You are going to the wrong doctor.

[LZywicki1]

@eyepeeler What would be the right doctor?

[gregy]

You have to take what the doctors say, what you find by researching, and what you learn by trail and error and make your best judgement call. I'm not taking any drugs at this point and keeping it under control. There was a time that I had given up and one night I was watching tv and there was a doctor talking about hormonal imbalance and the effects which they sounded a lot like my problems.

 

Food allergies / sensitives, there are differences of opinion on this subject. There were a lot of common things that effect me. Wheats of any kind including rice (beer), eggs, lot of chemicals and spices put into foods. One doctor noticed my testosterone was very low which he thought was a result of stress I under and lack of exercise. I wasn't exercising because I was in so much pain and felt so bad. It wasn't just one thing it had kinda snowballed, one thing effected another.

[OTF]

@thager Snow- we skied in that. Cold- traded in my wetsuit for boardshorts and a vest 3 weeks ago, Wind- it builds character, Rain, @ms @pj and have done that.....part of skiing is getting wet unless my math is wrong, Driver- always one here...... Time to trade in that skirt :)

 

@onamission wishing you the best in finding a solution

[thager]

@OTF When you move out I'll move in!

[jipster43]

I was sick all winter and became so fed up that I finally went to the doctor. My family doc prescribed antibiotics, so I went to a naturopath who prescribed a gluten/wheat free diet. the results have been unbelievable. A chronic ear infection that I've had for years vanished within a week. After a month I no longer craved sugary foods or alcohol and my metabolism is racing like I'm 16 again.

 

Gluten and sugars are cancer's best friend. Reason enough to remove them from your diet, but the overall health benefits I've discovered through their elimination has led me to believe that they are the worst kind of poison.

 

If you haven't already I would eliminate all gluten and dairy. Give it at least two months and see how you feel. I eat a lot of chicken and bison as well as vegetables and bananas. It's really not that difficult - especially after a cou

[jipster43]

couple of weeks!

 

Damn iPhone!

[OTF]

@thager sell you my place cheap.......double what I paid for it

[LZywicki1]

Decided to go down this morning and drive. Felt like I made my first pass easy, shortened the rope then had one of those yard sale falls at the gates.

 

 

[DooSPX]

At least you got out there! Thats a major plus and a step to over come the mental part. @jipster43 I have heard that before, I really have been wanting to try a gluten free diet, the problem is, I'm mostly Italian, and we LOVE our wheat and dairy. Makes it so hard :/

[LZywicki1]

So last Sunday I end up going to the ER for some major pain management. Tue. back to work. Wed. ski buddy show up with both a new Quest and Fusion to demo and he know that I'm off Fri and wants me out there. End up skiing a set on both skis and then again on Sat., (new demo ski, I just had to). I feel good but sore doesn't real describe it.

 

Question is why did the Quest fell like I was riding a big piece lumber and the Fusion felt like my own ski. Sat. the Quest felt better and the Fusion the same. Most passes where at 34 and 22off and making 6 on the last couple. I'm ridding a 66" X7 145lbs and the demo's where 67". Buddy's on a Z7ST 66" 175lbs and felt the same about the Quest and liked the Fusion better then his Z7.

 

 

[gregy]

Thats great, glad you were able to get out. I think 67" is too big for you at 145lb might have something to do with it feeling like a board. I'm on 68" x7 but all other skies I've used 67"

[OTF]

@onamission glad to hear you made it out. A challenging day behind the boat is better than a great day of anything else. Best wishes to you for more water time

[XR6Hurricane]

@onamission Don't know if you've done any of this yet, so if you have please don't take it as condescending. Just trying to help. If you've got trouble with your guts in any way, shape, or form...first take a close look at anything you might be eating with aspartame, artificial sweeteners, fillers (like the lunch meats), or MSG. The GI docs generally won't volunteer these as potential causes. Take it from someone with horrible acid reflux who had the camera down the throat (yep, you've got acid reflux alright), was living on Dexilant, couldn't even eat plain chicken, and had no real answers. I was so sick a couple of years ago I could hardly go to work some days and I was only 34 years old. Thought I had Crohn's or something really serious. I eat yogurt to boost my immune system - been a habit since I caught mono a few years ago. I tossed the light yogurt with aspartame and switched to Greek yogurt. Didn't think it could make that big of a difference but I was desperate. Stopped buying Hillshire Farm pre-packaged lunch meat and coughed up the money for Boar's Head. Those two things changed my life. I still have some flareups but nothing at all like before.

 

MSG will give you the runs, and in some people (like me), heart attack symptoms to boot. It's amazing to me that stuff's even legal, but I'll leave that soap box for another day...

[LZywicki1]

@XR6Hurricane and all others, any advice, ideas and encouragement is greatly appreciated and I would never find them condescending.

Trying something new is way better then a trip to ER.

 

[Skoot1123]

A couple years back I was coughing (in what my wife would say in the most inopportune times) a lot. I was used to it, since I had lived with it for many years, but she was not (go figure). I had allergy tests done - nothing major there. I went to the GI Doc and ended up having a scope put down my throat - nothing out of the ordinary there either. Well, I also have asthma and thought that might have something to do with it, but living in the midwest complicates things a bit (if I were to give up my asthma medication) with all of the pollen, dust, heat, humidity, weeds in the lakes etc. Since I was about 13 years old I had been using an inhaler as maintenance every day. I thought, maybe I should just stop taking it and see what happens. I haven't taken a daily medication for my asthma since (been about 4 years now). While I still have flare up every once in a while it isn't near as bad as it was. My coughing has gone mostly away - mostly due to me not having to use an inhaler everyday.

 

@onamission - While the asthma may not pertain to you - I had to evaluate everything I was doing and cross them off the list. I know you are doing the same - keep it up, you'll find the cause eventually (hopefully soon). As @xr6hurricane said - It's amazing what food can do (or won't do). As I have gotten older I have noticed how much a particular food item will affect me in how I feel. Hope you get better soon!

[A_B]

I guess when I read the Thread Title again, just shoot me comes to mind. The last couple years have been a beach with injuries etc., and little ski time and ballooning weight. I said last time out after a lousy first round, I am about done with this sport, and may have added some colorful adjectives. Crappy skiing with pain in both knees, a shoulder that slops around, and cists in my left hand that weaken my grip. Next round I skied better (changed skis), and can't wait to go again.

[Skoot1123]

@ab - kinda like golf then uh? One good shot will bring you back. One good pass makes you forget all the bad!