Re: Why does stress wipe me out?

[Guest guest]

I am the exact same way, although I've always had a really easy

life. I bring my own stress on myself -- mostly due to my career. I

work for my bf, and we " compete " with each other on who can be the

most ambitious and successful each day. The man is 20 years older

than me, and has more energy than ten 30-year-olds. Since CFS or FM

hit me 3 years ago, I have absolutely no stamina, and the slightest

little thing totally stresses me out. I develop instant pain,

headaches, bowel problems, shakiness, etc.

About two weeks ago, I finally decided I've had enough. No more

competing with my sweetheart. He has energy, and I don't. Simple as

that.

I started deliberately relaxing. Really making a conscious effort to

do it. Something I've NEVER been able to do. I usually come home

from work, and bring home a folder of paperwork with me, I will work

into the night til bedtime. Well, no more. I started just plopping

in front of the TV and cuddling with my dogs and a good book or

magazine. I will make dinner, and just make a conscious effort to

not get stressed out. I have distanced myself from my employees (I

used to be available 24/7 & would tell everyone where I'd be etc.

etc. Our office is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. So imagine even

if I am at home, the phone is ringing with both shifts of workers

calling me with incessant questions. NO MORE!)

I indulged in yoga classes last year, and it helped me a lot. I

don't do a whole one-hour practice anymore, but I do some poses to

adjust my painful areas of my body and just to relax.

My pets are a god-send. They de-stress me in an instant.

Good luck to you, keep coming here and sharing your thoughts.

K2

>

> I have always had a really hard life. I think from the time I was

born

> I went from one stressfull situation to another. I have always had

a

> really high stress level. Now I can't seem to handle any stress.

When

> it first started I would just get tired. I couldn't cope I would

just

> need to sleep. Now It's affecting me physically.

[Guest guest]

I think that is the $64000 question...........I certainly haven't mastered it by

any means, but I do try VERY hard to do one day at a time. Don't let the things

you cannot control, control you................I know, I know..........this is

SO SIMPLE to say, and tough as all get out to do. Keeping a positive attitude

(I was able to do the dishes today, etc) and prayer are the only things that

keep me personally going.

You're right, we cannot avoid stress, it is part of life, but we can change how

we handle it............and not let it handle us! Do I still have days where I

cry my eyes out becuz my life has changed so drastically overnight? YES, of

course! But I try again tomorrow.

What are the options?

Hang in there and know that there are so many people - HERE - on your side, with

complete understanding and empathy for your situation. The people here are a

Godsend to me.

STL Jane

veryniceblonde wrote: I

have always had a really hard life. I think from the time I was born

I went from one stressfull situation to another. I have always had a

really high stress level. Now I can't seem to handle any stress. When

it first started I would just get tired. I couldn't cope I would just

need to sleep.

[Guest guest]

I have been wondering the same thing ~ why does stress ~ any stress cause my

symptoms to flare.

It had steady gotten worse over the past few years so that I can't watch an

intense tv show, or any emotional show on tv without my body reacting like I am

in a crisis. I used to be able to deal with alot of stress and now any little

thing sets me off. I hate to give up the shows I like on tv ~ I am homebound

and don't get out nor feel well enough to have others over only a few times a

year. Talking on the phone is also stressful for me much of the time. I am

trying to figure out how to stop the downhill slide!

[Guest guest]

This would be to do with the adrenals, which normally are exhausted/fatigued

in CF sufferers. Any sort of stress, good or bad will cause a relapse.

Regards

Barbie

[Guest guest]

From what I understand our body's ability to regulate itself is not

functioning right if at all, it is called, easier for me to just give the

definition.

It makes a lot of sense to me. I know even laughing can exhaust me or

talking on the phone, my body's ability to adjust to temperature changes is

off, my

bodies ability to regulate is gone.

Homeostasis is the property of an _open system_

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_system_(system_theory)) , especially living

_organisms_

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organism) , to regulate its internal environment

to maintain a

stable, constant condition, by means of multiple _dynamic equilibrium_

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_equilibrium) adjustments, controlled by

interrelated regulation mechanisms.

In a message dated 2/8/2007 8:14:19 PM Pacific Standard Time,

reneejoel@... writes:

I have been wondering the same thing ~ why does stress ~ any stress cause my

symptoms to flare.

It had steady gotten worse over the past few years so that I can't watch an

intense TV show, or any emotional show on TV without my body reacting like I

am in a crisis. I used to be able to deal with alot of stress and now any

little thing sets me off. I hate to give up the shows I like on tv ~ I am

homebound and don't get out nor feel well enough to have others over only a few

times a year. Talking on the phone is also stressful for me much of the time. I

am trying to figure out how to stop the downhill slide!

[Guest guest]

Wow!

I KNEW there was a reason I kept reading this group's entries, and

does this one ever strike home!

If I have FM it must be very minimal (only after sitting for long

periods of time, or after walking for 2 km.)

But I'm quite sure I have CFS/ME. And I have been diagnosed with MCS.

Having said all that, it is music to my ears to hear you all talk

about not being able to handle things the way you used to, or the way

others can. That's the hard part, isn't it!

I figured out the " Pace and Switch " activities thing simply because

that's what my body will allow.

One of the ways I got there was by a simple change in my " To Do " List.

After weeks of not accomplishing what was on my list, a finally had

such a bad day that I felt horribly guilty about not pulling my own

weight around the house. Sound familiar?

So on my " to do " list, I began writing done what I did all day long.

At first, it was:

-got out of bed

-found some food

-ate

-slept in recliner

-got out of recliner

-found some food

-ate

& then on a better day, it might have included:

-dusted the side table

-found some food

-ate

-rested and read

Slowly I have been getting better days. But usually I still use my

" Done " list as a way of seeing that I do get things done. My way, my

time, my body. My positive way of viewing.

I have also arranged my world so that I can rest before I am needed,

like sleep 2-4 and then prep for supper. Rest while kids set table.

It feels good to see all the check marks down the list of things I

have done. It helps my family to see what I have accomplished too.

What other ploys have you found?

Debbie mcsbarrie

[Guest guest]

Hi - wanted to address a couple of issues that have been bantering around the

last few days.

Would we ask a Diabetic why they can't have sugar? We dont ask why sugar does

what it does to them? Because this is " stress " we tend to think in terms of

mental illness etc.

It is not a mental deficit that causes us not to be able to handle stress - it

is a biological one. I understand it feel lousy and makes us feel deficient

somehow - but believe me your not causing it... as in I am too sensitive, or

should be able to etc.......

I too can't watch any tv that is stimulating - we got around that by teevo it

and watching Lost and other stimulating programs earlier in the evening - you

might even want to watch them during the day to give you some energy. I

undersand the cost can be a problem but what other enjoyments do you have but

tv?

Someone called it sensory overload - when we get too excited, too stimulated,

too much sugar, (at one time milk for me) too much of anything it can set it

off. It is a lifetimes work to learn how to deal with this illness. And until

they come up with better solutions it is up to us to adapt.

My daughter is an occupational therapist. With kids that have sensory

overload she brushes them - arms legs back trunk with a soft bristled brush -

calms the nervous system down So I talked to her about myself and she said to

put a heavy blanket on - even sew something heavy into the blanket - carry

something heavy (hard for us to do) but lift dumbells - 1/2 lb or 1 lbs would be

fine - it calms the nervous system down. Also the dry brushes would also be

good. So when you feel it coming you can do some of these things.

I find Kava Kava and Passion Flower help a lot and they are part of my

nightime sleeping routine - along with 5-HTP and Inisotol which also feeds the

nervous system.

I find it hard to be in a car - that gets my senses going for sure - I find I

need to close my eyes sometimes and just be a passenger - I take extra passion

flower or kava

Sometimes it is helpful - sometimes life just deals you something that boom

you are down for the count like the 2 hours we sat on the New York Thruway

because of an accident

Then I was down for a day or so

Keep on keeping on - hope this helps.

Carol

[Guest guest]

O another thing - learning to deep breathe routinely - especially when the

stress or sensory overload gets going You can get books out of the library on

it and it is really simple.

Carol

[Guest guest]

This is very true for me and every week I ask myself " Why does a

relatively average level of work wipe me out? " . I know it's just part

of the bigger problem but it's limiting. So I have to budget my

time/energy very carefully and it's become a precious commodity to me.

~P.J.

>

> This would be to do with the adrenals, which normally are

exhausted/fatigued

> in CF sufferers. Any sort of stress, good or bad will cause a

relapse.

>

> Regards

>

> Barbie

>