Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
Voicelessness and Emotional Survival => Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board => Topic started by: write on July 28, 2005, 01:56:20 AM
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I've been struggling for ages with mental health and stress issues now it seems that the Bipolar 1 is medicated, ex-n-h is in therapy, my family is doing really well, I just got a great new job-
and all of a sudden I have one minor health problem after another: chronic fatigue, cystitis, acid reflux, one virus after another...I feel like I'm falling apart at the seams.
Is it just coincidence or is my immune system finally giving up on me?
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I think stress can play a big part in weakening the body's immune system. Also, a deficiency in vitamins and minerals can cause a weakened immune system. Taking regular medication can sometimes deplete the bodies stores of vitamins/minerals.
Eating loads of vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds (any allergies permitting) can boost a weak immune system. I wouldn't have believed it before, but since I have been forcing myself to eat as much fruit and veg as I can (usually in the form of smoothies) I have been feeling a lot better and my health has improved a lot. If you hate that idea then try taking a good multivitamin or something.
Relaxation, such as yoga, can also help a lot.
You have been through a lot (from what you have written) so it could be a delayed reaction to it all. Take care!
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I think Cadbury is right. And add a lot of natural yoghurt...(did I spell that write?) :lol: You might have been in the alert mode for so long that now you're finally able to listen to your body. A lot of what you list could and probably is stress-induced but maybe not. Maybe it is just "life". I've had some medical episodes that totally unhinged me in the past several years because (retrospect is wonderful!) I thought I can't physically fall apart now....I'm just getting my groove back :shock:. I know for me, when I have been sort of hyper-vigilant and "alert", I need encouragement to just enjoy the good stuff that is finally coming my way. Don't worry about it too much and you're going to be OK. You've been on a hell of a ride. You've had so much to confront and deal with and you did it. There's always going to be another problem but, hopefully, it will be something like a parking ticket! If your immune system was going to give up on you, it would have done it a while back. I hope I am not sounding to nicey-nice but it is the same advice I give myself. And throw in some bon-bons with the fruit and vegetables. I love reading your posts. You are very real and very phunny....Bit
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Hi Write! As you know, I'm also bipolar- medicated- lucky for the rest of world!! Hee hee! Anyway, I believe and some research supports, psych meds do affect your immune system. I too get every virus, cold, flu etc going. Alot of these meds directly affect white blood cells etc which, as you know, are needed to fight infections etc. An interesting bit on hormones I came across the other day- related to body's abiity to deal with stress as we age. One of the main endocrine things that regulate stress- the flight or fight response- is cortisol. As we age- actually levels start dropping significantly after 35, cortisol levels become so low, that we automatically get flooded with mega doses of flight or fight( or " fright" in context of dealing with Ns). And obviously the whole aging process weakens the immune system , never mind effects of any illnesses one might have/develop. Aging sucks the big one! I too am diong the fish oil bit- it also has protective qualities in terms of the old noggin functioning. I know I need all the help I can get in that department! There's lots of interesting alternative type research for bipolar- outside conventional Western meds. A friend of mine sent me an article on a natural Lithiu. Hardly any side effects. If you're interested, I can pass on some of this info to you .
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It could be the aftershocks of stress which maybe has already been mentioned. Apparently it is quite common to get through the stress and then have the physical reaction later.
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Thanks. I think you're all right. I almost thought I had PTSD a few weeks ago, recurring nightmares/ flashbacks etc. They've stopped, and I'm perfectly calm most of the time, but there's always something wrong with me.
You're right, I do need to revamp my diet, I agree that fruit and veg make a big difference, and I've been just taking my supplements and neglecting diet and exercise. It's hard to get motivated once you're demotivated ( if you know what I mean! )
Think I'll write up a chart or plan, then I can keep track of what's happening.
I think I read that sleeping a lot is a natural response after extreme stress so I'll not worry too much unless it means I can't work etc. Maybe I just need extra rest.
Another thing is- I am so used to having to be in charge, push myself and get on with things regardless, this is the first time in my life I don't have a source of stress.
Honestly- I'm 39 and there's finally no one in my life who is bad for me....and if anyone appears who is I'll dismiss them immediately!
Put like that, I think I understand myself. I need to relax and build myself up now.
It's a funny feeling though, taking care of myself after years of caretaking other people...
Thanks for the suggestions, I'd love to read your article M.
Take care everyone.
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Have you heard of taking Guaifenesin for CFS? (I began the Guai in 2000.) It really does work, along with good nutrition and exercise. In the past I've had Fibro but now most of those symptoms are gone through taking Guaifenesin, following a healthy nutritional program and exercise.
I like my doc's explanation of Fibro and CFS. It's the body's way of expressing what the emotions cannot. My T says all of his clients who have come from traumatic childhoods have either Fibro or CFS or both and 90% are women.
There is lots of evidence that exercise stimulates the immune system. It must do something because I haven't been sick since I began cycling in November of 2004. At the same time I changed my nutrition to healthier foods for 90 to 95% of the time.
I had acid reflux too and it is gone. As well I had frequent urination, body aches and pains, fatigue, insomnia and irritable bowel to name a few. All of which are gone. All these symptoms were healed in 2000 (except for the insomnia).
Sleeping is good. A lot of deep healing in the muscles, tissues, and organs goes on during restful sleep.
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ITexperiment,
It is such a relief to hear from someone that has experienced the abuse issues and still has gotten relief from taking the Gaui! I have been considering doing the guai protocol for a year now. It is so confusing to sort out since some experts feel fms/cfs is caused by genetics ONLY, and others that feel it is strictly a result of abuse and trauma... I suspect it may be both - what do you think?
How long did it take you to notice effects from the Guai??
Ariel
Have you heard of taking Guaifenesin for CFS? (I began the Guai in 2000.) It really does work, along with good nutrition and exercise. In the past I've had Fibro but now most of those symptoms are gone through taking Guaifenesin, following a healthy nutritional program and exercise.
I like my doc's explanation of Fibro and CFS. It's the body's way of expressing what the emotions cannot. My T says all of his clients who have come from traumatic childhoods have either Fibro or CFS or both and 90% are women.
There is lots of evidence that exercise stimulates the immune system. It must do something because I haven't been sick since I began cycling in November of 2004. At the same time I changed my nutrition to healthier foods for 90 to 95% of the time.
I had acid reflux too and it is gone. As well I had frequent urination, body aches and pains, fatigue, insomnia and irritable bowel to name a few. All of which are gone. All these symptoms were healed in 2000 (except for the insomnia).
Sleeping is good. A lot of deep healing in the muscles, tissues, and organs goes on during restful sleep.
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Write, I feel for you. I know that in my life, physical manifestations of really negative emotions usually came to me after the fact...as if my body were waiting to fall apart.
This may sound VERY strange, so take it with a grain of salt, but there are connections between what the mind does and what the body does that are hard to pin down. Perhaps, as you acknowledged, this is a time of no big stress, and what your body and mind have done for so long, as a pattern, IS deal with stress. So it might be creating stress as part of this pattern. In a spiritual sense, perhaps this is another lesson to become aware of. Your possible pattern of needing to have something go "wrong"... and in my situation, I found this to be based on my underlying beliefs about unworthiness. Food for thought anyway.
My fiance has a chronic illness...nothing has touched it, really. It isn't debilitating, and he functions fine, but it is always there and sometimes very painful. We have some lively discussions about the mind/body connection, let me tell you. I am not certain of all of this, as it would be a stretch for me to think my friend who just came out the other side of a bone marrow transplant actually CHOSE cancer for herself...... so like I said, musings for a Saturday.
And I have decided, in my own "healing" that blessings are not only bestowed by men in dresses :lol: So I will send you my own blessings for good health!!And you might consider a bunch of funny films as therapy....laughing always helps anything.
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ITexperiment,
It is such a relief to hear from someone that has experienced the abuse issues and still has gotten relief from taking the Guai! I have been considering doing the guai protocol for a year now. It is so confusing to sort out since some experts feel fms/cfs is caused by genetics ONLY, and others that feel it is strictly a result of abuse and trauma... I suspect it may be both - what do you think?
How long did it take you to notice effects from the Guai??
Ariel
Hello Ariel,
Everyone is different. The dose is individual as well. For me it was 10 days!
Before I starting taking it I could not get out of bed without extreme back pain, from my buttocks to my neck. And my back was completely unable to flex because of the severe pain. After 10 days on Guai I could get out of bed without pain. I could bend over and touch my toes which I couldn't do before. The pain management doc I was seeing couldn't believe the difference. None of the treatments he had done to me had those results.
It took 6 months for me to have zero pain.
Long term physical, emotional, and mental stress depresses the immune system. Rest, proper nutrition and the right kind of exercise (for each person) heals and builds the immune system.
Personally I don't think there is an outright genetic factor rather than a particular way in which your body responds to stress which could be genetic. I know there is belief by one doctor that these are both caused by exposure to environmental factors such as mold spores. I was exposed to mold spores in 20 years ago. However it wasn't until I was uncovering my childhood memories and being abused by my H that I developed FMS.
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Sallying Forth - I like that handle! It sounds empowering. :)
Thanks for sharing... that clinches it, I shall go on the guaifenisin. Sure hope it helps with brain fod and concentration as well, though I suppose I may find those are PTSD issues as well.
Write, sorry to commandeer your thread - I had meant to put on the other day that I have read a lot (and experienced in spades) that stress does indeed compromise the immune system. I had symptoms of cfs for years before it finally got so bad I was bed (or chair) - ridden for a time; by then I was also having the other symptoms that fibromyalgia was FINALLY diiagnosed. I had gone to doctors from time to time for symptoms of fatigue and constant minor stuff since I was 18... didn't get a dx until I was 40. :( But then when I was 20 I had a doctor miss that I had mono... until I collapsed in public later that night & was taken to ER. Apparently he missed it as I did not have an elevated temp... he actually said there was nothing wrong with me and sent me packing!
Sounds like your body is saying enough! Take really good care of yourself right now so you do not have a crash - stay away from negative people, eat well (might find you respond well to a diet for hypoglycemics, check out the diets in Dr. St. Armands' book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia") - and if, like most of us with cfs/fms you have sleep problems, get help for it!!!!
take care!
Ariel
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Sallying Forth - I like that handle! It sounds empowering. :)
Thanks for sharing... that clinches it, I shall go on the guaifenisin. Sure hope it helps with brain fod and concentration as well, though I suppose I may find those are PTSD issues as well.
... check out the diets in Dr. St. Armands' book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia") - and if, like most of us with cfs/fms you have sleep problems, get help for it!!!!
take care!
Ariel
Yes, it helps with brain fog, concentration, and more. I also found my hypoglycemia was caused by a low thyroid. I take a micro dose but it has made a difference with that symptom as well as brain fog, concentration, afternoon fatigue, etc.
I was ready to give up until I found Dr. St. Armand's book. I was skeptical but gave Guai a try. It changed my life.
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Do menopausal issues count? I have been sailing or sallying forth for years in great health, good energy etc. Menoapuse is bringing me to my knees. I have what I consider a good bioidentical homeopath. With a few minor tweaks and natural remedies, I got through last year and now this year a whole new set of symptoms. It is maddening. My previous high energy is gone. My sports ability has gone down the tubes. I am easily tired, foggy brained, bloated at times, etc. We are doing all the things that need to be done to correct it but it is still maddening slow to correct.
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well, I did aqua-aerobics the past two days and I feel SO much better...
One of my health problems may be kidney stones, I'm having a lot of problems with that so I may need to chase up conventional medicine ( fortunately one of the npd friends I found along the way is a top kidney doctor! be interesting to see what he has to say...)
I'm now writing a book about my illness and experience, hope that will be both cathartic and support others.
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well, I did aqua-aerobics the past two days and I feel SO much better...
One of my health problems may be kidney stones, I'm having a lot of problems with that so I may need to chase up conventional medicine ( fortunately one of the npd friends I found along the way is a top kidney doctor! be interesting to see what he has to say...)
I'm now writing a book about my illness and experience, hope that will be both cathartic and support others.
Congratulations on the aqua-aerobics! Glad you feel so much better! :)
Kidney stones I've never had to deal with but my husband did once. OUCH! Hope you feel better.
And congratulations on the book, that is awesome.
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Hi
This is the first time I have heard of guai so I am trying to find out about it and have joined a support list. I have ME/CFS, FMS and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and I blame mercury poisoning from teething powders at a few months old, then a big dose of pesticides when aged 40 for my health problems that are so bad that I spend most of my time in bed since relapsing doing courses etc in an effort to restart my life. I am in a new area so am totally alone apart from two days a week when a carer comes in to do my flat and shop etc. It would be wonderful for me if I even got a small improvement so that I could get out more to meet others. I was doing well until this relapse and it has made me worry about doing anything now, and I had planned on doing a university course at home part time. The six years it will take will put me into retirement age and I worry in case it holds my health down. There is so much I want to do now that I have got my head sorted out for the first time in my life since being molested by a relative from 6 onwards. In the UK there is no help for environmental illness but yesterday it came in the news that there may be a blood test soon for ME/CFS so that is encouraging.
The MCS causes the most problems as far as isolation is concerned. I wonder whether the guai has been known to help with this. A Dr in the US says tghat B12 injections help but my GP will not agree with it.
I got so bad through being with the n and ended up in a council house due to his failure to get an employer to take him on, that was flea ridden and the council sprayed it with us still in. The courts have thrown the litigation I started out as with others poisoned with pesticide as it is a big political issue. The 'sheep-dip' farmers have been silenced as well.
I am thinking of trying to get a home sauna and wonder whether anyone here has found it helpful.
I must say that my former optimsim has had a severe blow since the relapse. I just hope that I have hope but I must take it slower this time.
Mati
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Hi Mati,
So sorry to read how poorly you are doing! I know exactly what you are going through: have been in the same position, and have on a couple of occasions was hardly able to get up from bed for months at a time. At my worst, barely enough energy to drag myself into the shower once a week, and the exhaustion + pain in my arms so bad it was not even possible to wash my hair. Currently, though physically not at my worst point, am terribly weak, and fatigue and pain strikes with little (sometimes no) effort. The sensation of feeling the energy suddenly drain from my body as if someone pulled a cork is a regular occurrance. Like you I also have the MCS... it seems that ALL of these things are connected.
If you haven't found it yet, go to http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/ for info on the Guai. There is link somewhere on there to a listserve for folks on or thinking of being on the protocol. Several on the list are in the UK and could likely tell you what help there is (or not?) available there. I am going to do this guai thing somehow!
You sound so lonely/alone! Sending you a BIG cyber-hug ((((((((((MATI)))))))))) !! Are you one that is normally pretty social and enjoys getting out and being with people? If so it seems the isolation must be just devastating to you. Hope you can get on the guai & have yourself feeling good enough to get out and about SOON!
Ariel
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The MCS causes the most problems as far as isolation is concerned. I wonder whether the guai has been known to help with this. A Dr in the US says tghat B12 injections help but my GP will not agree with it.
Mati
There is some doctor treating MCS and FMS and CFS as an environmental disorder. He's using some kind of antibiotic, I think. The doctor has a web site. I didn't save the info because Guai does it for me.
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Hi Ariel
Thanks for the hug xxx
Also thanks for the site. I have joined the list. I am going to do the Guai thing too.
Yes I am normally one to get out and about and the isolation is terrible but I am managing to get out a bit now. I am getting my counselling again after a break of four weeks which makes things easier. My counsellor is just a trainee and is having to find work to get her over the holidays but she is worth waiting for. Even though my body is a wreck, my emotions and mind are healing all of the time. This week I am feeling a new strength.
Thanks Sally
Mati