Thursday Sep 2

Posts Tagged ‘anxiety’

May
13/10
Old Country
Last Updated on Thursday, 13 May 2010 08:51
Written by Melinda
Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Every time I pass this barn on my way home from Mike’s house, I swear to myself “One day, I will stop and take a picture.”  That, of course, was 2 months ago.  I finally did it Monday night.  The road is not traveled a lot yet (it’s fairly new), so I cautiously slowed to the side until I found just the right angle.

I pushed the electric window button and then leaned out to take this picture.  Tim was working overtime and I texted him a message:  “I finally took a picture of that old barn.”  His response:  “It’s about time!”  It’s actually the first time I have taken a serious photo this year (or gone out of my way to purposefully photograph something of interest).  I decided a good title for this would be “Old Country”.  Scott (Bald is Beautiful) touched it up with a sky but I can’t get it loaded…

These past several months, I’m noticing slight changes every week in how I feel.  I started on Cymbalta but then was moved to Zoloft and it seems to be working very well for my low seratonin level problem.  It got to the place where Tim had to almost DRAG me to Mike’s house to visit the kids (furbabies) and Mike.  I just didn’t want to leave the house and was tired ALL the time.  Depression had taken its ugly toll on me, but I didn’t realize just how much – until just a few days ago.

I was shopping at Goodwill (I go every day, just about) and the realization came to me…  “I’m feeling better these days!  I’m getting out, more like myself.”  I still have days that are not what I want them to be.  I won’t call them “bad days” because they are much better than the best days I had while in depression!  I’m glad to be back closer to normal than I was.

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Mar
22/10
Is This What Normal Is Like?
Last Updated on Monday, 22 March 2010 07:40
Written by Melinda
Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Mother Nature brought my gift…

I don’t recall ever having a “normal” period since its inception in Jr High School.  It always involved heavy bleeding, cramps, irritability, mood swings…  I felt at times like my emotions were in a cage, and I was unable to express them.  It made me wonder, “Does every woman feel like this?”

One reason is because I suffer from PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).  Google Health lists these symptoms of PMDD and states that 5 of these must be present for a diagnosis:

  • Disinterest in daily activities and relationships
  • Fatigue or low energy
  • Feeling of sadness or hopelessness, possible suicidal thoughts
  • Feelings of tension or anxiety
  • Feeling out of control
  • Food cravings or binge eating
  • Mood swings marked by periods of teariness
  • Panic attack
  • Persistent irritability or anger that affects other people
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Physical symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, headaches and joint or muscle pain
  • Sleep disturbances

Without fail, 7 to 10 days before the day I start my period, these symptoms begin to show up.  I also tend to have nightmares and a very POOR self esteem and concerns of Tim leaving me rise.  And he knows when I ask, “Do you love me?  Do you think I’m pretty?” that I need some extra special affirmations from him.  He reminds me in his southern draw “Hun, ya know this happens every month.  It’s time for your period.”  But he hugs me close anyway and we both ride out the storm until the day the blood flow finally starts!

This month, something has changed.  I recently was put on a medication for depression which is among the SSRI category (selective seratonin-reuptake inhibitors).  My therapist was the one who explained that often times, PMDD is present in people whose seratonin levels are low.  And during that ten day window prior to the cycle, it takes drastic dips and it causes the symptoms listed above (which are emotionally taxing).  The purpose of the SSRI is to raise the seratonin levels, and even it out during hormone times.  I’m happy to report:  IT WORKED!

Last week the only symptoms that notified me of Mother Nature and her gift was the bloating/full feeling in my abdomen accompanied by constipation.  I was also very tired but much to my surprise, Saturday I started my period.  Later that day, I asked Tim, “Have I acted like I normally do when its that time of month?”  He said, “No. Not at all.  I didn’t even know it was time for your period.”  I have been very happy with the results so far of this medication.

My gynecologist never talked to me about this possible solution.  Actually, I had grown so concerned and tired of dealing with this every month that I just KNEW I had some type of chemical imbalance.  I sought the help of a psychiatrist who, in the only visit I’ve had, was able to pinpoint the problem.  It was he who provided my solution.  He also said that the Mirena made my matters much worse!  While some women have fabulous results, those like myself don’t do so well.

So if you have problems with PMDD and your doctor has not given you information, ask him or her about a decreased seratonin level and how that might affect you.  Perhaps an SSRI might be of help in your situation.  One thing for sure…  I have hope now that I can live from month to month like a “normal” woman.

Mar
02/10
I Want To Feel Wonderful Again!
Last Updated on Tuesday, 2 March 2010 07:23
Written by Melinda
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Most of you already know (if you’ve read the blog) that I had lots of depression up until December.  Then the Mirena came out, depression improved until it was time for my monthly cycle.  THEN it was not quite so pleasant.  I saw a doctor about it yesterday and he prescribed another medication to take along side the Wellbutrin.  I’m glad that I can still take the Wellbutrin because I just fought the denial from my insurance company (and won).  Evidently, they don’t want to pay for brand name drugs if generics are available.  Anyway…

He said that I was experiencing some anxiety, it sounded like some attacks to him.  I get to where crowds make me very nervous, I cannot hardly catch my breath and my heart races.  I feel very agitated and afraid.  I guess I didn’t realize this to be the case until Tim & I were in Vegas walking around on the streets and all the people everywhere made me nervous.  I wanted to retreat to my hotel room, or at least to a much quieter and lonely place.  This was the first hint that perhaps I was having anxiety.  But, now that I look back, I see its been evident for some time.

Last Friday night, even a small episode (something really petty) “set me off”.  I had purchased a new outfit, and needed a black tank top.  It was somewhere in the house, but I couldn’t locate it.  I asked Tim if he had washed it when we returned from Vegas (I swore I had taken it with me, but really later remembered, I had not).  I grew extremely agitated, and that feeling of anxiety started in the pit of my stomach.  It started to rise as I hung up clothes in the laundry room with hopes that I’d soon get to the bottom of the clothes pile and find my black tank.  I couldn’t catch my breath, agitation grew until I exploded with profanities.  *Well…  I am not going to lie about it!*  Tim finally located it underneath a pair of his blue jeans on the dresser in the bedroom.  But, the anxiety was still present for another few hours.  I tried to tell him that it wasn’t specifically the fact that I couldn’t locate the tank.  It was just anxiety as a whole in general, and that it doesn’t take much to just set it off.

Hopefully this medication will help my anxiety, depression, and yes even some OCD tendencies!  I took the first dose last night, and I didn’t sleep very well.  This morning I had nausea really bad but I am hoping that I can adjust.  At this time, I don’t want to tell what kind it is because I have positive thoughts that it will work.  I don’t want to receive emails of how horrible this medication is…  I’d rather try it, pay close attention to my body and how I respond, and then go from there…  But I will definitely keep you apprised of my progress (or possibly digression).

A noteworthy statement from the doctor…  he was in agreement that the Mirena was not a good option for me, and is a cause of these issues.

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Feb
24/10
My Journey to Vegas
Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 12:47
Written by Melinda
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

I need to tell the story in chronological order to get the real effect of what happened in my getting TO Vegas.  Originally, I thought that I would not be visited by Mother Nature as I calculated having one more patch left.  I was WRONG.  Keep in mind that this is just the second menstrual period since having Mirena IUD removed, and I was told that the “Mirena crash” could happen for a few months.  I didn’t think I had anything to worry about since last month it hit pretty hard.

Along about Tuesday, I started feeling a little bit stressed.  And, I developed a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I also was suffering from depression but knew that I had an appointment with my therapist on Weds afternoon.  Then, Weds. came and I was working on items for the Meet & Greet (freebies).  A situation occurred with the hotel that brought lots of frustration, and I started to feel the anger at the pit of my stomach.  Suddenly, before I knew it, it had grown and reached my vocal cords.  In other words, that anger rose up inside like the building of a volcano, until finally it just erupted!  Afterward, I felt so ashamed of my actions because that just isn’t the way I used to be (pre wls, that is).   By the time my afternoon appointment with the therapist came, I had calmed down some.  Thankfully it was still “raw” enough that I could tell him about how I was feeling. But, as I sat outside his waiting room, another patient and two family members came out and were talking in the hall.  It just about set me off.  I was angry.  I wanted to yell “WOULD YOU SHUT UP?”  I sat moving my leg up and down, just waiting impatiently to be seen.  I even talked to the therapist about this, and how I had felt like that last month near my period.

Thursday came, and I tried my best to steer clear of all anxiety.  That ball of nerves was still present, and I was nervous and jumpy at every little noise.  And, exhaustion set in along with OCD tendencies that drove me…  by that, I’m talking about what happened Thursday evening.  Tim & I had gone out to supper, and I was so upset that I didn’t have clothes for the event.  I was crying because I didn’t know what to pack, felt like I needed a new outfit, and made him take me to two different stores to find outfits.  I left with nothing in my hands, which made me all the more frustrated.  WHAT WAS I GOING TO WEAR?  Tim steered me along until finally, I had my stuff together.  I am so thankful that HE packed the luggage up.  I don’t know how he did it, but our two suitcases had so much stuff in them… including my large magnification lighted mirror that I love so much.  So we went on to bed, and around 3 am I woke up and had a revelation:  I had not put my birth control patch on after my morning shower.  I ran into the kitchen to put it on, (yes, at 3 am so I wouldn’t start my period while we were in Vegas) and guess what?  The box:  EMPTY.  I had calculated incorrectly.  S&$#!  That meant I was going to be menstrual.  And, it also explained the reason I had been so upset all week long!!

Friday morning, I was in a daze of confusion.  I followed him around…  where he went, I followed.  I didn’t want him away from my side for one minute.  The people at the airport were all loud, busy, making me all the more anxious.  I had only slept three hours per night since Tuesday, so I was dead dog tired.  My eyes were hanging so heavy that they hurt, yet I couldn’t rest.  Going through Security, I yelled at Tim to please tell me what to do because I didn’t know.  Did I need to take my coat off?  My shoes?  My jewelry?  Please tell me because, I’m standing here looking like an idiot.  I was lost.  He had to step through the metal detector three times cause he forgot to take his keys out of his pocket, then had to take his belt off.  I was getting agitated and fearful that if they made me go on by myself ahead of the line, I would get separated from him.

Let’s talk on the flight.  Tammy (T2Nashville) flew beside me.  We talked much of the way.  She & I talked about the Lord, and it didn’t take much to get me to squalling and crying.  It’s hard to tell PMS emotion from conviction cause they both lead you to tears!  Once we got in to our hotel room, I wanted to rest but we met a group from BTV for lunch.  It required a lot of walking to the buffet, and I am not kidding you…  by the time we arrived, the confusion was so bad that I could hardly put two sentences together.  The music overhead was loud, plates clanging, people talking…  it just all seemed to blur together so that I simply nodded my head a lot to what everyone said, and can’t recall much of the conversations from that day.  I do remember on our way back, I was feeling horribly tired, then the next minute I was so mad.  I held Tim’s hand cause I needed him there, then let go cause I didn’t want to be touched.  This continued all the way home.  Poor guy.

Friday night, we met BTV in the suite for our get together.  I was still not feeling to well, but had food in my stomach and at least was functionable.  I enjoyed everyone’s company but…  things were still not quite right.  Big Mickey asked me into the confessional room (think “Big Brother”) but I couldn’t put two thoughts together.  I finally just asked him to turn it off, and not use any of my tapings because I just wasn’t in the mental state to do anything worthwhile.  We talked awhile, and I also chatted with Toni and Lynnda about this.

The first day was ruined because of hormones.  I felt so terrible, and also a bit embarrassed.  Only Tim has seen me at my worst, when these periods of PMS/PMDD hit.  And I am just hoping that the worst of this “Mirena crash” is over and it will not be the same next month.  I did not ever want anyone to see the worst part of Melinda, but thankfully these precious people are friends and they were very supportive.

Now…  Saturday rolled around.  And, I started my period.  I was laughing, and talking, and having fun.  I was MYSELF again!  HALLELUJAH!  I was able to enjoy the rest of the trip.  More to come later on the actual event itself (Saturday).