Recovery is hard

[Jay1985]

I feel like I'm on the right track

But I get these strange headaches all the time! It's driving me crazy

If these headaches stopped, I think I'd be ok
Ergh

[missmello]

If it's not one thing, it's something else, right? lol I get like that too, once one symptom gets better, I start feeling something else. Sucks, and you're right it is hard. But if you feel like you're on the right track don't start doubting yourself now, keep going! Hope you feel better soon.

[Wiredgwc]

Headaches for me come and go. No matter what I take for pain relievers they won't go away. The only thing I find that helps is just trying to empty your thoughts and maintain a healthy positive thought process.

[Lin]

Brill if you think you are on the right track, hope the headaches stop and you are really good.
You have to take the chinks of light and keep hold of them as long as possible in this horrible depression.

[Jay1985]

I just wish these headaches would go

They aren't even severe, it happens now & again and doesn't last long, but it's enough to make me start feeling anxious

[DustingMyselfOff]

Wow, I was just logging on to start a new thread but thought I'd catch up on what I missed today and here's a thread already somewhat related to what I was going to ask...... I'm sorry for all of us that we have so many common problems. :(

I had to get up insanely early today (5:00 a.m.) to accompany my sister to a major hospital for an all-day event regarding organ transplantation. She needs a kidney, I have told her (and her doctors) that I'd like to be tested as a donor. She drove so at least I didn't have to deal with driving phobia - thank goodness because the highway traffic and trucks were horrendous. I knew it was going to be a stressful day so I took a tranquilizer before she picked me up. I did ok on the ride there and for the first few hours (listening to group discussions by doctors) although my thyroid was making me antsy, but I'm used to that. About 4 hours into the day I started feeling kinda shaky and faint so I got up to take a walk to distract myself. I stopped near a window to get some "alone time" and I really started feeling faint, and then it turned into a panic attack. i tried very hard to talk myself through it, telling myself it was just stupid nerves and that it wouldn't hurt me and it would pass, but I really felt like I might crumble to the floor so I found a ladies room and it passed. A little while later I had to meet with a few of the doctors and I couldn't concentrate on what they were saying or asking me because I was then feeling really anxious and faint and just wanted out of there. I snuck a beta blocker and rode it out but didn't get as much out of the meetings as I should have. A while later while I was waiting for her during some medical tests, I was sitting and again thought I would faint. I asked the nurse for some water and that helped a lot. i took a walk and found a fountain and had more water and that helped a lot again. Then finally it was time for us to leave (7 hours later) and she wanted to stop somewhere for lunch but I told her I really needed to get home. She's the one with the kidney disease and she wants to be out more than I do!

Anyway, after my rambling (sorry) I guess my question is: how can you tell when it's your nerves making you sick or when you're really, physically unwell? I have a few reasons to think I don't feel well (legitimately) but I also know that I always feel bad in stressful, crowded situations.

Telling myself to just relax and ride them out wasn't working well, I just wanted to be HOME and lying down! I still don't feel well but I don't know if it was the awful, draining day or if I'm sick.

Can anyone relate? (I'm betting you can, unfortunately)
Sue

[missmello]

how can you tell when it's your nerves making you sick or when you're really, physically unwell? I have a few reasons to think I don't feel well (legitimately) but I also know that I always feel bad in stressful, crowded situations.

Telling myself to just relax and ride them out wasn't working well, I just wanted to be HOME and lying down! I still don't feel well but I don't know if it was the awful, draining day or if I'm sick.

Can anyone relate? (I'm betting you can, unfortunately)
Sue

Absolutely!! I struggle with that every day. Some days I realize it's just my nerves, and I'm able to convince myself that, take deep breaths and able to relax myself and the symptoms ease up. Other days I feel like I'm going crazy and think there's something seriously medically wrong with me, I'll try the deep breathing, meditation, pop a pill when I'm really desperate, and cannot make myself feel better no matter what I do. It's like, why could I calm myself down yesterday, but today I can't shake it? My symptoms feel like a real physical illness, all in the stomach.. nauseous, no appetite, feel like i'll vomit, sour stomach, sometimes pain.. not what i consider to be my normal "anxious" feelings (like heart palps or can't breathe), so it's hard for me sometimes to think it's anxiety.

I know exactly how you feel, it's so hard!!

[DustingMyselfOff]

Absolutely!! I struggle with that every day. Some days I realize it's just my nerves, and I'm able to convince myself that, take deep breaths and able to relax myself and the symptoms ease up. Other days I feel like I'm going crazy and think there's something seriously medically wrong with me, I'll try the deep breathing, meditation, pop a pill when I'm really desperate, and cannot make myself feel better no matter what I do. It's like, why could I calm myself down yesterday, but today I can't shake it? My symptoms feel like a real physical illness, all in the stomach.. nauseous, no appetite, feel like i'll vomit, sour stomach, sometimes pain.. not what i consider to be my normal "anxious" feelings (like heart palps or can't breathe), so it's hard for me sometimes to think it's anxiety.

I know exactly how you feel, it's so hard!!

I would love to be able to say to the people around me "Please excuse me, I'm not feeling well right now" but I would probably be saying that at least daily or more. And since I am such an Academy Award winning actress at LOOKING normal even when I'm sick (whether it be mental or physical) people would think I'm a hypochondriac or just trying to find an excuse to go home.

I SO ENVY people who can walk into the office feeling like crap and non-chalantly announce to everyone that they feel lousy that day. They aren't nervous about it - they just are sick and are fine with it. But nooooooo, not me.... if I have any physical symptom I assume it's my nerves which ignites them even further. Someday I will probably have a serious illness and ignore it because I'm chalking it up to nerves . . . sheesh!

I would be so happy if I could have some pain in my extremity (leg, finger, hand, toe, etc.) instead of the chronic, invisible anxiety. Wouldn't it be lovely? Is there a place we can work a trade? I think I'd give a finger to be rid of anxiety forever.
Sue

[Jay1985]

Spot on guys, I used to look at any small symptom I feel & automatically link it with something I'm afraid of having, but that's dwindling down now, I thought I was ok for a bit but had a bad relapse recently, that even involved me rushing to see my nurse on my birthday at 7am! Great ay

I'm starting to really believe I'm ok now, but it's hard work

It's been a dreadful 4 months for me, probably the worst & hardest of my life, but I'm absolutely determined to come out the other side a hell of alot stronger

Most important thing to do is trust our docs really, it's their job to look after us