Gosh I'm such a whiner. I just feel so depressed and anxious right now. And my mother-in-law is coming to spend the weekend these afternoon; and next week my step daughter and her family are coming from VA with a 4 month old. Only staying 2 days, so I'm sure I can handle it. But its such a struggle.
I am on an antidepressant and Xanax; but relapsing just feels overwhelming to me. I thought I had beat this disease. I am so disappointed and sad.
I'm really sorry to whine so much. I was at one time way sicker than I am now, so I should be thankful that I'm not in super bad shape.
Its just overwhelming to have thought I was home free and now this.
I wonder if maybe I have mono. Do older people get that? I may have already asked you guys that.
Anyway, Thanks!
SG
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Suggested vocabulary shifts that might soothe your concerns.
You are not whining. You are not complaining. You are explaining emotions and situations of stress. You are letting off steam. It's important.
It's okay to explain and okay to feel as you do, it's very understandabe. Most of us know what it is like to have periods of disappointment & sadness and I've learned that it can go down easier if I don't fight it but become a bit limp to it and ride the wave.
Still, I always jump ahead to what might help. I hope you have some adrenal support on hand. If not, even getting some today from your closest vitamin shop or natural food store may be of help.
B-5
Ashwagandha,
Siberian Ginseng (not a true ginseng as those can be too stimulating for some)
FISH OIL can help lift depression & anxiety, too. A key helper.
Be sure to take care of yourself. Rest as needed, ask for help or just say that you will need a few volunteers for this, that, and the other so those around can pull together, too.
And, try to enjoy the impromptu smiles & laughs & tales of others' lives.
Good food might also help. Watermelon has fabulous health benefits, so do blue berries . . . lots of fresh greens, and all colors of veggies, etc.
Remember PROTEIN, it's a major mood support as are good fats.
NUTS can help.
You asked about mono. Yes, it can flare at any age. Yes, there may be other medical diagnoses that may be involved and you can start to sort those out next week. For now, excellent planning with nutrition, rest cycles, etc. is priority.
Antidepressants can be hard on the liver so be sure you have liver support on board to help counteract that. Liver stress, for any reason can cause (or complicate) depression and anxiety:
LIVER & KIDNEY SUPPORT & and several HERXHEIMER support links, too. -
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
Excellent advise Keebler! Thanks! That helps me a lot. I need to re-focus on living life the best that I can live right now.
I am taking fish oil, but only 500mg because I can't swallow big pills. I take 250 2x a day.
I will look for some B5. I have some regular B's.
And we actually have a water melon in the frig right now.
What kind of nuts do you suggest?
I don't eat dark leafy greens because of the vitamin K; I had a DVT. I do eat light colored salad, which is lower in K. I know the dark greens are filled with wonderful nutrition, but gotta try and protect against another DVT.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Walnuts are excellent for the brain. Pecans seem to nourish my heart, just a sense of that. They taste fabulous and sweet, too.
Brazil nuts, two anytime or, especially, for the "first breakfast" of the day will supply selenium, very important.
Macadamia nuts are expecially good as are pistachios. But there are at least 80 varieties of nuts. Try them all.
Buy RAW, not roasted. Make sure they are fresh. At checkout, ask to sample one and if not fresh, don't buy it.
Never buy roasted nuts, ever, as the oil turns old and can actually be dangerous to the walls of the blood vessels then.
Right before enjoying, if you want them roasted or toasted to bring out the flavor, you can do that in a skillet or in the oven. Just open a window so that the smoke alarm does not go off - some are very senstive. Even if nuts don't smoke, my alarm goes off if I've not opened window and put on a fan.
Expecially during summer, store nuts in fridge or freezer to preserve their natural oils. -
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I will go out and find some fresh nuts.
Bananas seem to help me feel a little better. I know they have sugar in them, but they just seem to do something for me.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I just came up with this "ice cream" - a regular blender will work.
1 can coconut milk
6 ripe apricots
2 ripe bananas
vanilla
stevia
cinnamon and nutmeg
-------- Pour into 8 oz. glass jars - or a muffin tin and cover.
Keep in fridge but then put in freezer a couple hours before you want it. It will be creamier this way.
or if you freeze it longer, let it melt for about an hour before eating. Ice crystals will develope but it's still going to be a nice treat. -
Posted by daphnesmom1 (Member # 39433) on :
Those are very good suggestions Keebler. I didn't know that about Brazil nuts.
sutherngirl...I completely understand everything you are feeling. In my mind, I feel like we are climbing this ladder on the way to a healthy life again, and when set backs such as what you are experiencing happen, we get thrown back down the ladder, and have to start the climb all over again. It's very frustrating and disappointing, when we all put so much effort into our treatment.
People don't realize how exhausting this disease is on a myriad of levels.
Keeber's advice about riding it out is great. There will be an upturn for you, but it doesn't lessen the sadness you feel, especially with company coming. Hang in there. One day at a time....sometimes afternoon or evening. Live in the moment and try not to expect too much of yourself. Just do what you can, and don't do what you can't. And must of all make time for rest.
I am sending my husband for watermelon!! Thanks Keebler.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Oh, and chocolate is my best anti-depressant.
DARK - at least 75% but an 80% or higher is best with much lower sugar.
One once a day will be plenty. Enjoy with nuts, too, for better nutritional composition and better glucose balance.
Organic is best, too, as some chocolate can be contaminated with lead (grown in countries that still use leaded gasoline and the cocoa is grown near the road).
CANDIDA is an issue for many here so chocolate can be enjoyed in different ways. A little very dark chocolate after a good meal should be just fine regarding glucose stability.
For a snack at other times,
Some cocoa powder, mixed in with any good nut oil and bit of stevia. Improvise from there.
Any nut butter and cocoa powder balls, etc. -
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I've been craving chocolate lately. I will have to see if I have some dark chocolate laying around here.
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
For me, craving chocolate means I'm lacking magnesium.
I still eat chocolate anyway! And its got to be dark chocolate!
Posted by sideways (Member # 34352) on :
Green & Black's Organic 85% dark chocolate is fantastic. I just eat a few small squares at a time, very slowly. yum!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I "feel" some yeast coming on!! Chocolate, watermelon, fruit...
You guys are killing me.
Posted by phyl6648 (Member # 28522) on :
Southerngirl I so can relate but sorry I don't have any answers just sympathy for you. Sometimes when this happens to me I have to increase my Xanax which takes a little of the edge off. It is so hard not to get depressed and anxious when you have added stress and not feeling well. Wish I could be of help.
Posted by Summer3 (Member # 35286) on :
I can relate also. I've had some SERIOUS depression the past several weeks. It's been so bad that I literally wouldn't care if I died.
For some really strange reason, the only thing that helps me (and this helps DRASTICALLY). Is daily methylcobalamin (b12) shots. If I skip even a few days, the depression/anxiety becomes unbearable.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
Summer3, I had my B12 checked and it was good. I have started back taking my B's though.
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Chocolate, watermelon, fruit...