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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on March 7, 2004, at 12:34:39
If it's all in my head, why does it feel so *physical*?
Some days I feel like I can get up and tackle work and household chores and still have energy left over.
Other days, like today, it's hard to drag myself to do anything at all. I take a bath and get dressed, and I'm exhausted. I clean up after the dogs and give pills and my heart's pounding and I'm all sweaty. Yet some days I can move mountains.
If I'm run down and in bad physical shape, shouldn't I be that way all the time?
And if my physical shape is fine and it's all emotional, why is my heart pounding and body sweating at the slightest exertion? Why is the grogginess so overwhelming that if I sit, I risk nodding off?
My therapist says to just do it anyway (my work) no matter how I feel. But some days that advice makes me just want to sit down and cry.
Posted by rainyday on March 7, 2004, at 12:49:56
In reply to Energy crisis, posted by Dinah on March 7, 2004, at 12:34:39
> If it's all in my head, why does it feel so *physical*?
>
> Some days I feel like I can get up and tackle work and household chores and still have energy left over.Uh, oh. I found my twin!
>
> Other days, like today, it's hard to drag myself to do anything at all. I take a bath and get dressed, and I'm exhausted. I clean up after the dogs and give pills and my heart's pounding and I'm all sweaty. Yet some days I can move mountains.
>
I went as far as to buy a blood pressure wrist cuff. When my head and hear are pounding, my BP is NORMAL. For me, the physical deterioration during the day is anxiety.> If I'm run down and in bad physical shape, shouldn't I be that way all the time?
>
Yup. So why do have good days and bad... it must be the cyclical nature of the disease.
> And if my physical shape is fine and it's all emotional, why is my heart pounding and body sweating at the slightest exertion? Why is the grogginess so overwhelming that if I sit, I risk nodding off?
>How about the side effects of medication... mine have not evend out yet.
> My therapist says to just do it anyway (my work) no matter how I feel. But some days that advice makes me just want to sit down and cry.
My therapist suggested I plan a mental getaway at lunchtime with a headset and relaxing music or a mantra. Isolate myself and chill out, and see if that improves the exhaustion. My take has been that at work I am trying so hard to get through the day without falling apart, that I get home without the energy to feed myself. I am trying to come across normal so people will just see this productive, relaxed contributor instead of the loser I feel I am.
And sometimes I do cry, and I feel like I am going in reverse. One step forward and half a step back. Right now I try to take advantage of the high energy days or mornings and accomplish as much as I can, then when I start to flag, give in to it. That way at least part of the day was successful.
rainyday
Posted by fallsfall on March 7, 2004, at 16:59:24
In reply to Re: Energy crisis, posted by rainyday on March 7, 2004, at 12:49:56
I'll join your Energy Crisis Club.
But I never have days when I *have* energy, my good days are days when I can put the bowl and spoon from my breakfast in the dishwasher (note this also means that I ate breakfast).
But I go up and down, too - and it is terribly frustrating. And I *did* cry before someone told me that I didn't have to do it ALL.
When you find the solution, I'm all ears.
P.S. I did have one stretch where my energy levels were fairly constant, unfortunately the level was just barely above the vegetative level. I do prefer the ups and downs to that...
Posted by Dinah on March 7, 2004, at 19:27:47
In reply to Re: Energy crisis, posted by rainyday on March 7, 2004, at 12:49:56
Well, I didn't get a whole lot done, but I did spend some quality time with my son and dogs and husband. That's worth something.
But I'm tired. I guess maybe it is just cyclical. I've been wired and getting to sleep late lately.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on March 7, 2004, at 20:48:48
In reply to Re: Energy crisis, posted by Dinah on March 7, 2004, at 19:27:47
Hey there.
I can sympathize. This week I was told that part of the problem was that Virgo's and full moons don't get along. I don't know about that.
Yesterday, my daughter had a softball practice that she wanted me to go to. I went, but fell asleep. Living on the second floor is difficult just because I have to climb the stairs.
I know how tough the lack of energy can be to deal with.
I also know how difficult the surplus of energy can be. Those times when at midnight you suddenly feel the need to take a 5 mile walk, or to rearrange your furniture.
I think I want something in the middle, preferably the high end of that middle.
Good luck. I don't know how to fix it. Maybe we could get our doctors to prescribe amphatemines.
Posted by fallsfall on March 8, 2004, at 8:02:12
In reply to Re: Energy crisis, posted by deirdrehbrt on March 7, 2004, at 20:48:48
I tried Ritalin at one point, but it didn't help. I take Provigil (and it does help), does that count (it is a CNS stimulant). Obviously, though, it doesn't help enough.
Posted by Dinah on March 8, 2004, at 9:13:46
In reply to Re: Energy crisis » deirdrehbrt, posted by fallsfall on March 8, 2004, at 8:02:12
I hinted strongly for Provigil or Straterra last pdoc visit. But he said all those types of medicines eventually have an effect on NE, and I can't take NE.
So it's diet coke for me.
Posted by All Done on March 8, 2004, at 22:22:23
In reply to Re: Energy crisis, posted by Dinah on March 7, 2004, at 19:27:47
> I did spend some quality time with my son and dogs and husband. That's worth something.
IMO, that's worth a ton. Make sure you keep getting that quality time in even with everything that's going on with your mom and dad. I think it will help.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on March 9, 2004, at 20:59:13
In reply to Re: Energy crisis » Dinah, posted by All Done on March 8, 2004, at 22:22:23
I tried provigil for a short while, along with ritalin. They were prescribed to help me be able to drive. They didn't have their intended effect and I'm not driving.
I have decided that the best natural tranquilizer is therapy.... Go to therapy, come home, asleep within an hour. That holds true unless you do something like take a walk, housework, or any other of the 'gotta keep movin' strategies, in which case you'll do all that stuff, after which any physical activity results in pain, and a strong desire to either sleep or recline.
I guess that it just seems that if you're sick, whatever you do takes a great deal more energy than it did when we weren't sick. we go on mostly through inertia; changing course is exhausting.
I so want off this ride, but I think I need to take it to it's conclusion. If I get off too fast, I'm going to sink. For now, therapy is the bus, I don't know where the end is, but as much energy as it takes, as tired as I feel every day, I need to do it.
Who knows, some day I might be able to drive again!
Posted by gardenergirl on March 10, 2004, at 0:30:36
In reply to Re: Energy crisis, posted by deirdrehbrt on March 9, 2004, at 20:59:13
This is the end of the thread.
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