Advice about stress
#357837 - 04/16/10 06:56 PM
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Hey all,
I haven't been posting much because life got in the way. My 93 year old grandmother fell and broke her hip and never fully recovered. She passed away two weeks ago. At the same time my grandmother fell, my dad started having difficulty swallowing. After several tests we found out he has stage three non-operational esophageal cancer. Just as we started treating it with radiation and chemo, my dad got too sick. He doesn't want to spend the time he has left sick. I've been a waking zombie, just trying to figure out what to do with everything. On top of everything else, I'm getting married in 99 days (but whose counting), and I'm so behind on my planning. We just started booking our European honeymoon, but I'm already starting to get stressed out over it! I was on an hour flight last June and I was a complete mes and seeing how it's a 16 hour plane ride from CA, I have no idea I'm going to make it.
I'm thinking about getting on anxiety meds to deal with everything, especially for the honeymoon, but I'm not sure. I've done the hypnotherapy cd's twice, and although they have been totally helping my day to day stress, I don't think they are working when I'm dealing with these huge stressors. Aside from a VERY BAD decision from eating Panda Express (what was I thinking? The mushroom chicken did look safe though), I haven't had an attack in months.
I've never taken any pills before ever, so I'm not sure if it is a good idea to start now. Any advice?
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Hi Little bean
I'm so sorry your going through such a hard time right now. All of these events are stressful in themselves and to have them all come together at once is incredibly hard. So even if your IBS isn't bad right I think you could benefit from anti-anxiety meds. However this is a decision you would need to come to with your doctor.
However I'm also thinking there are changes you could make to your situation. Would you consider waiting to have your honey moon in France? Several couples I know stayed some where local after getting married and then went on a out of country honey moon a few months later.
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Stable IBS D
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Littlebean … that's is really just a load of terrible things that you have to deal with… It just seems everything is coming at you. I'm sorry.
Pills … mmmm .. I had some trouble with pills years ago, and now I shy away from most. Certainly there is a time when meds are needed, but becareful.
I have to agree with Glasgowgirl … put off the foreign trip for awhile until things settle down as much as they can. That would take some of the pressure off.
We'll keep you in our prayers.
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 Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”. Mary Anne Radmacher
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Hi littlebean -
I am so sorry that you have had all these things happen in your life ((((HUGS)))) to you, hon, and I will pray for you and your dad - you have gotten thru a lot in your life so far, and you can continue to do so. I know it is so hard seeing your dad this way - my grandmother had non-operational esophageal cancer, and I know how difficult this is for you...
You may want to continue to listen to your favorite session - or perhaps either session one or two - of your hypnotherapy CDs to help you through this - I had other stressors besides IBS and it did help me through. Replace IBS symptoms in the second session, with your stressors, worries, etc.
If you decide to go on meds for all the stress, consider those that you only would take "as needed" rather than a long term med, because your symptoms are being caused by what is going around you, rather than having been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder - but also, there is a very safe homeopathic remedy that helped my friend, and has helped me in times of difficult stress as well - it's called Rescue Remedy - you take a few drops in a small glass of water - or the spray formula just spritz on the tongue - there may be tablets you place on your tongue too. Some folks say these dont help, that homeopathic is not valid treatment, but I tried it and it did seem to calm me down - I didnt attribute it to the placebo affect because I forgot I took it and about 20 minutes later I was feeling quite calm and mellow - then my friend pointed it out to me. (You can get it at a health foods store, like GNC or Whole Foods).
Worth a try and no side effects or dependency and cheaper than meds too.
My daughter has been dx'ed with general anxiety disorder, and some of these meds have altered her personality - so from just what you have written here, I again would say, if you do go the med route to take something like Xanax (or generic) that you take as needed to get you through. I had a doc insist I take an SSRI (been on them before for IBS) and they messed with me big time - because they take effect in about two weeks, you have to keep taking them, and if they dont agree with you (I felt really sick with them) then you switch to another kind, and you have to wean off the other one, build up to the next one, etc. I was on about 4 different ones before I realized they were not for me! But docs do seem to recommend them first...
Again, I am so sorry about your family, and sending you good thoughts to help you through... (((HUGS))) Take care of yourself too, it is totally OK for you to take some "me" time and rest...
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My Journey and Success with the IBS Audio Program Hypnotherapy Program: www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=hypnotherapy&Number=224850
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Marilyn
#357889 - 04/19/10 03:31 PM
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Gerikat
Reged: 06/21/09
Posts: 1285
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Marilyn, I too use Rescue Remedy and can vouch for its effectiveness. I have a lady certified in the Flower Remedies, and she makes my blends for me. This is a wonderful tool if you do not want to go the drug route, which I never have. 
Homeopathic is just as good, if not better treatment, for the long haul.
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