This post is not about politics, guns, prepping, or anything relevant to our usual topics. I just needed a place to put down my thoughts.
I was recently diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. It has caused me to be hypoglycemic. It has also caused a hormone imbalance, low blood pressure (like low enough that I should go to the hospital almost weekly), low cholesterol.....oh yeah and I also got mono on top of all of that.
Fun stuff, right? I forgot to mention fibromyalga also goes hand in hand with adrenal fatigue. Lila was right. She has been convinced I had fibro for years.
My doctor is big on changing lifestyle rather than handing out meds. I like that. At least I thought I did until I was told I could no longer eat carbs or sugar. Honestly, I am just griping. I needed to cut way back on those things anyway. And I really WOULD rather fix this with diet. I have to be careful to balance any carbs or sugars with protein. If I don't my blood sugars skyrocket then drop low enough to make me lose consciousness. One good thing that has come of this is that my little Boston terrier is now a service dog in training. She had been cuing in on my lows long before I knew I was having them. I just thought I was sick. One morning she jumped up into bed with me and refused to let me up. I checked my sugars and was very low. She now alerts me when she smells the change in my blood sugar level and when I ask her to check.
The hormone imbalance can be reversed by eating three eggs a week. I am not fond of eggs and this has been hard for me. I am learning to be creative!
The low blood pressure can be raised by adding more salt to my diet. It is more of a long term fix though rather than a quick fix when I find myself in trouble. One way to raise blood pressure quickly is with caffeine. I don't drink coffee or black tea (yuck). Pepsi or most other caffeinated beverages are out because of the sugar content. I would just be fixing one problem and creating another one just as bad. Energy drinks can cause stroke and I am already high risk due to the blood pressure issue. So what's a light headed girl to do? I found some energy strips at our local GNC that are caffeine, ginseng, and Vitamin B. PERFECT! I keep those in my purse along with my blood pressure monitor and my blood glucose meter and my jerky. I have had to learn to carry a big purse.
The thing that is honestly the worst is the fibro. I absolutely loathe feeling this way especially when there isn't a lot to do about it. Today is a bad day. Yesterday was worse. I have a lot on my plate and no one to help take up the slack. I can only work outside when it is cool. I can only work in the house until my body screams at me to stop. Stress shortens the time I can do anything. I have three little boys who create stress and toss it around the house like confetti. They fight, they destroy, and they make messes faster than I can clean them even on a good day.
I feel stupid. I lose track of conversations even before they are through. I will argue a point with someone until they laugh and point out that they are saying the same thing I am. I am just too out of it to realize it. I almost wish I didn't know about the fibro. At first I was relieved to have a diagnoses of any kind. Now I have a name to get mad at. I KNOW what is causing me to feel this way and it pisses me off. Maybe it is just something to blame, but I sometimes find myself in a fury with an invisible foe. It's hard to fight an enemy you can't see or smell or touch. I can however feel it and it sucks.
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Wednesday, August 1, 2012
8 comments:
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As you've seen with Lila (and other stories around), it is possible to get back to a semi-normal life. Once you get a hand on the other issues, I think you'll see that the fibro becomes a little more manageable. Not perfect. Not "other people's normal", but survivable. Listen to your terrier, if you let her, she'll clue you into more than just your blood sugar levels. And she'll something that is important (and something most docs prescribe anti-depressants for) - she'll keep your spirits up. The fatigue, pain, short term memory loss, etc, all can add up to a depressed mental state.
ReplyDeleteAnd I understand that it's rough, irritating and feels like the kids are just going out of the way to make it worse. If they're old enough, explain a little of what's going on and enlist their aid in helping Mom keep an even keel. I did that with my four (11 - 17 years old) and they're more hit than miss. When they're actively trying, they can make a difference.
Otherwise, just pace yourself. Remember that your body has limits (and yours moreso than a lot of others with fibro). I've learned to do things in small chunks and at different times to try to maximize what I can do. Other times ... well, that trip to Disney World summber before last was for the kids, and I paid for it for about a month afterwards, but IMO, it was worth it. :)
If you like, I've got a series (kind of in limbo, but I need to pick it back up) of what it's like from the male point of view with fibro. It's at http://shamandin.blogspot.com/. I'm slowly transitioning everything there over to http://shamandin.wordpress.com/. Again, workload and energy levels are intruding there, too. :P
This wall of text to say, slow, steady, and careful progress and you'll be able to get back to some semblance of normal. As for having a name to get angry at ... well, now that you know, you know what to work with. How about taking almost 10 years to get a doc to identify it because it's just that rare in guys?
Keep your chin up, and God bless! If you don't mind, I'll keep you in my prayers.
Hugs. You know, this is getting ridiculous. I gotta quit having friends. First DW, then Lila, now you, all have Fibro. I think even a cousin of mine has it. I'm beginning to think I'm a vector.
ReplyDelete*hugs* ♥
ReplyDeleteAhh, I am sorry you are having such a rough time health wise. Thinking of you!
ReplyDeleteShamandin, Prayers are appreciated. I followed your blog on wordpress, still looking for it on blogger. I really hate this new format.
ReplyDeleteTCA, you are not a vector. Thanks for the hugs though.
Linda, thanks
AGAHG, I was just having a poor me pity party kind of day.
Here's hoping today is better. Thanks again everyone for your kind words and support.
Oh and Shamindin, I have a brother with fibro as well.
ReplyDeleteI had a pretty good idea yesterday. I was feeling so angry and pissed off that I decided I need a big punching bag, light colored. When I get into a mood like that I am going to grab a sharpie, write on the bag what I am pissed off at and then work out my frustrations and anger beating the crap out of the bag. I think the whole family could benefit from this form of anger management.
Funny that I also ran across this today.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
I am so sorry you are going through this.
Can't help with most of it, but do you chew gum? There are caffine gums, and I THINK some are sugar free (I can't swear to that, but if you do chew gum it might be worth checking).
ReplyDelete