I AM SO STRESSED

On 2006-03-24 17:11:14 -0600, "Jo Firey" said:


"Karen" wrote in message
news:2006032321401616807%kchuplis@alltelnet...
OK, on top of all the mystery pain SH*T, monday my laptop died in the
middle of a raging blizzard with a class waiting for me. I went into
the raging blizzard to my "day job" office 1/2 mile away and was lucky
to make it back. I had to buy a new iBook Tuesday. I had my CT scan
this a.m. and I suppose it will be MONDAY before I hear anything. And
tonight Sugar threw up a hairball, OK, fine no big deal. Two hours
later she began meowing manically and growled when I picked her up from
hiding under the bed. I rushed her to the emergency vet and her blood
work showed the same thing as back in January suggesting she was
mounting some kind of infection. They gave her a shot of baytril to see
if we can get a head start on it. She is home, looking miserable but at
least she is looking miserable on the couch and not under the bed. I AM
SO STRESSED OUT RIGHT NOW I CANNOT TELL YOU. I know other people
probably have a lot more to be stressed over. HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT????

Well, I prefer the chemical solutions to really bad bad days. When
anxiety has a head start. Especially when its the end of the day and
there just isn't enough time to use gentler ways of unwinding.

Honest I don't take them very often, but I do have a prescription for
Serax. Back when I had to deal I called them my IRS pills. Or my MIL
pills as the case may be.

Granted a martini would be the drug of choice for many but I don't
tolerate alcohol well and it isn't a great way to show up for an IRS
audit.

If I wake up feeling that stressed for no particularly good reason, I
will go out of my way to be nice to myself that day. (And alone if
possible for the sake of everyone concerned) I don't like to shop, but
I'll go for a drive, either out in the country or in a really fancy
neighborhood. Take my camera to the lake and take pictures. Or my
very favorite, get my hair done. Its strange. I do not like a
massage. But I just love to have my hair washed. The guy who does my
hair will usually find time for me if I ask nicely. He knows its my
version of therapy.

Jo

That's the thing though....I don't think I was particularly stressed
before this started. I've certainly been stressed since though!!

Karen wrote:

On 2006-03-24 19:18:06 -0600, mlbriggs said:

Did they consider adhesions?

I don't think anything showed up in the contrast scans. I think those
would?


No, scar tissue does not show up on CT scans. They have to go back in to
see it.

That's what we're going through in the family right now -- do we try an
operation to fix possible scar tissue when an operation might cause more
scar tissue? We may end up with a laparoscopic if the things we're
trying now (numbing nerves, physical therapy) don't work.

Rhonda

"Karen" wrote in message
news:2006032416043075249%kchuplis@alltelnet...
You guys are the greatest. Sugar seems to be doing much better since
the anitbiotic shot. My scans came back normal. So, now I have
something to treat IBS. To me that is such a vague thing, but we will
see. If I don't feel better by Monday then I have another consultation.
They did make it clear they did not think it was cancer, which was a
relief all around. I still feel lousy, and it is still really a mystery
but that at least seems ruled out. Thanks all soooooo much for your
support.

Yay, Karen! Everything sounds much more positive today -- I'm so very glad
for you and Sugar.
Purrs still continuing and hugs also!
Christine

On 2006-03-24 22:22:22 -0600, Rhonda said:

Karen wrote:

On 2006-03-24 19:18:06 -0600, mlbriggs said:

Did they consider adhesions?

I don't think anything showed up in the contrast scans. I think those would?


No, scar tissue does not show up on CT scans. They have to go back in
to see it.

That's what we're going through in the family right now -- do we try an
operation to fix possible scar tissue when an operation might cause
more scar tissue? We may end up with a laparoscopic if the things we're
trying now (numbing nerves, physical therapy) don't work.

Rhonda

I think that if this isn't cleared up soon he will want to do
laproscopic surgery to look at that ovary. That should not be too
invasive and I know that seeing by eye is sometimes the only way to
tell something.

On Thu, 23 Mar 2006 21:40:16 -0600, Karen
yodeled:

OK, on top of all the mystery pain SH*T, monday my laptop died in the
middle of a raging blizzard with a class waiting for me. I went into
the raging blizzard to my "day job" office 1/2 mile away and was lucky
to make it back. I had to buy a new iBook Tuesday. I had my CT scan
this a.m. and I suppose it will be MONDAY before I hear anything. And
tonight Sugar threw up a hairball, OK, fine no big deal. Two hours
later she began meowing manically and growled when I picked her up from
hiding under the bed. I rushed her to the emergency vet and her blood
work showed the same thing as back in January suggesting she was
mounting some kind of infection. They gave her a shot of baytril to see
if we can get a head start on it. She is home, looking miserable but at
least she is looking miserable on the couch and not under the bed. I AM
SO STRESSED OUT RIGHT NOW I CANNOT TELL YOU. I know other people
probably have a lot more to be stressed over. HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT????


Aside from the drugs, Karen, Stinky is the greatest. He loves to
sit on me, and once he starts purring, in a few minutes, I just start
to unwind. Get one of those kitties of yours to apply direct purr
power.
Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Make Levees, Not War

.. HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT????
{{{{{Karen}}}}} I am so sorry so much is going on for you right now.
Handling stress? Drink a lot ;-)
Seriously, I like to take a bubble bath, listen to some calming music
(Loreena McKennett and Sarah Maclachlan being favorites), pet a cat,
read a good book, watch good TV (is there such a thing?), and just
baby myself.
Take care of yourself, take a deep breath, and try to worry about one
thing at a time.
Sending you relaxing purrs . . . .
Ginger-lyn

Hey, at last someone has a disease I also have and can advise re! I've
had IBS for years; my attacks were much more frequent when I was
working (in Class I Trauma Centers - ERs - lotta stress there!) but have
slacked off to where I almost never have one, unless I eat something I
know triggers IBS *for ME*.
Everyone is different; the foods that are deadly to my lower digestive
system could be perfectly harmless to you; by the same token, what
you'd define as "bad stress level" might be a ho-hum to me, and vice
versa.....
Now down to basics: I never got nor required "trankies" to help with
IBS, although I have friends who swear by their aid with it. I *did*
(haven't renewed my Rx for years now) have a doc-Rx med (I
understand they've got better in every way over the years) that
is a mild narc....w/o affecting your mind in any way, it will put
your digestive system to sleep for about 3 days, which ends the
cramping pain and bathroom residence on your part. I only used
that med when things with the IBS were *really* bad and I had
to go somewhere for extended time (work).
Grab a notebook; write down *exactly* what you ate for a day
or two *before* your latest attack....food aggravation is no small
part of this disease. To this day (and the *^^(&*&^% are putting
it in more and more sugar-free foods/drinks) that so-called
"harmless" Splenda will ruin me for about 24 hours! The stress
triggers would start the IBS A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE
STRESS OCCURENCE but I eventually learned to be ready
if it started. In addition to the food-eating log, try to write down
each stress occurence and when an attack comes on.
Hope above helps a little with your misery. Best wishes for
you to be doing much better very soon, To my knowledge,
this disease is almost completely confined to females...and
has never killed anyone (good news) but during attacks one
either wishes for death OR in my case, harbors homicidal
feelings, LOL.

Karen wrote:

You guys are the greatest. Sugar seems to be doing much better since the
anitbiotic shot. My scans came back normal. So, now I have something to
treat IBS. To me that is such a vague thing, but we will see. If I don't
feel better by Monday then I have another consultation. They did make it
clear they did not think it was cancer, which was a relief all around. I
still feel lousy, and it is still really a mystery but that at least
seems ruled out. Thanks all soooooo much for your support.


I'm so very relieved to hear this, Karen! I do hope that now that the
scans came back normal and Sugar is doing so much better the stress will
lessen and you will feel much better really soon. Try to get some sleep!
Lots and lots of calming purrs and best wishes for Sugar and you,
Polonca and Soncek

"Karen" wrote in message
news:2006032321401616807%kchuplis@alltelnet...

. I AM SO STRESSED OUT RIGHT NOW I CANNOT TELL YOU. I know other people
probably have a lot more to be stressed over. HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT????

Paxil.

Pam S.

"Karen" wrote in message
news:2006032416043075249%kchuplis@alltelnet...
You guys are the greatest. Sugar seems to be doing much better since the
anitbiotic shot. My scans came back normal. So, now I have something to
treat IBS. To me that is such a vague thing, but we will see. If I don't
feel better by Monday then I have another consultation. They did make it
clear they did not think it was cancer, which was a relief all around. I
still feel lousy, and it is still really a mystery but that at least seems
ruled out. Thanks all soooooo much for your support.


IBS is its own stress in a way. It is also made worse by your stress. I'm
on a low fat, no spice, no (haha) stress diet for it and am receiving Paxil
for it and social anxiety disorder. It all helps. So does venting. So do
cats.

Pam S. who is currently arguing with Huey about biting rights

On 2006-03-25 15:24:01 -0600, "dnr" said:


. HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT????
{{{{{Karen}}}}} I am so sorry so much is going on for you right now.
Handling stress? Drink a lot ;-)
Seriously, I like to take a bubble bath, listen to some calming music
(Loreena McKennett and Sarah Maclachlan being favorites), pet a cat,
read a good book, watch good TV (is there such a thing?), and just
baby myself.
Take care of yourself, take a deep breath, and try to worry about one
thing at a time.
Sending you relaxing purrs . . . .
Ginger-lyn

Hey, at last someone has a disease I also have and can advise re! I've
had IBS for years; my attacks were much more frequent when I was
working (in Class I Trauma Centers - ERs - lotta stress there!) but have
slacked off to where I almost never have one, unless I eat something I
know triggers IBS *for ME*.
Everyone is different; the foods that are deadly to my lower digestive
system could be perfectly harmless to you; by the same token, what
you'd define as "bad stress level" might be a ho-hum to me, and vice
versa.....
Now down to basics: I never got nor required "trankies" to help with
IBS, although I have friends who swear by their aid with it. I *did*
(haven't renewed my Rx for years now) have a doc-Rx med (I
understand they've got better in every way over the years) that
is a mild narc....w/o affecting your mind in any way, it will put
your digestive system to sleep for about 3 days, which ends the
cramping pain and bathroom residence on your part. I only used
that med when things with the IBS were *really* bad and I had
to go somewhere for extended time (work).
Grab a notebook; write down *exactly* what you ate for a day
or two *before* your latest attack....food aggravation is no small
part of this disease. To this day (and the *^^(&*&^% are putting
it in more and more sugar-free foods/drinks) that so-called
"harmless" Splenda will ruin me for about 24 hours! The stress
triggers would start the IBS A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE
STRESS OCCURENCE but I eventually learned to be ready
if it started. In addition to the food-eating log, try to write down
each stress occurence and when an attack comes on.

I've started one but I have no clue what I ate the two days prior to
when this lower pain started. It's such a specific area. I do know what
I ate the DAY before because it was an unusual day for me. But it
wasn't anything I would have thought would bother me, as I DO eat those
things occassionally. However, I can probably say that I drink too much
coffee and half and half. But I'm pretty good with veggies and fruits.
But I don't eat many of the soluable fibers list. I'll be tracking
from now on. Don't know if this drug they gave me is really doing
anything or not. I've not been aggregiously inconvenienced in the
bathroom area (but I do have many of the symptoms *at times* which I
always chalked up to hormonal antics). It's just this wierd constant
thing on the lower left side that is *really* annoying. I guess I just
have to see. I hate that I can't really figure out what to eat. Even a
temporary list for now, but it all seems quite individualized.

Hope above helps a little with your misery. Best wishes for
you to be doing much better very soon, To my knowledge,
this disease is almost completely confined to females...and
has never killed anyone (good news) but during attacks one
either wishes for death OR in my case, harbors homicidal
feelings, LOL.

I guess it's actually about equal men and women from what I've read.
Boy, I'm sure not nearly as bad as a lot of the awful stories I've
read. I feel for those folks. I guess we shall see what we shall see.