posted
Quick history - Friday I went to the ER with fever, fatigue, muscle aches, bulls-eye rash. Diagnosed with Lyme Disease and started treatment - Doxy.
I've already posted in medical about the treatment and doctor.
I thought this would be more relevant here.
I am feeling much better now. However, I am still tired and get a fever on and off throughout the day. Feel fatigued a little bit, but gets worse throughout the day and I keep napping.
So, my concern is getting through work tomorrow. I feel like I am getting better and better each day, so I might be fine tomorrow.
Maybe just getting out of the house will help.
I am concerned because I have a 40 minute drive to and from work. So, I don't want to drive in and then start to feel bad.
Any thoughts?
Posts: 20 | From PA | Registered: Jun 2010
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kam
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 3410
posted
EAch of us are different. Lyme hit me hard and fast. But, I was not ready to give up on work yet.
So, I drove to work early and then laid down and rested before work started.
I also got a handicap placard but the parking for handicap was not located close to the entrance I needed.
I laid down during my breaks and again at lunch.
If you could learn to conserve energy it might help.
Same with food..whatever is going to take the less amount of energy to eat or bring.
Posts: 15927 | From Became too sick to work or do household chores in 2001. | Registered: Dec 2002
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
I used to listen to praise and worship CD's while I drove to and from work. Like you I had a 30-45min commute. I would also pray often (silently) throughout the day while at work. I really felt like I did not have the strength, energy, endurance, stamina, all that I needed to get through and do a good job. I prayed that God would help me and I felt like He did.
When I was at work I would try not to think about me. I would focus on what needed to be done and tried to enjoy the people around me.
I did not complain at work. My coworkers did not know how much I was suffering. It was easier for me not to talk about it because no matter how bad I felt I still had to do my job. So I tried not to look sick and gave my all while at work.
As kam suggested, take advantage of your breaks. Find a place to sit down or lay down, close your eyes and rest for awhile. Set a timer or watch to wake you in case you fall asleep.
Make sure that you eat every couple hours to keep you blood sugar stable. This will help you think and feel better. When you pack your lunch, pack protein snacks too.
I would avoid caffeine and sugary drinks/snacks. These things might give you a boost for a little while but then you crash hard and fast.
If you feel like you are getting drowsy, get up, stretch, and walk around for a minute. If you are having trouble thinking and concentrating, try chewing some peppermint gum or suck on a mint. This might help make you a little more alert.
It's hard trying to work when you're sick. Hang in there. Hopefully things will get better for you soon.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
I have been sick for over a year, and still working. I have absolutely no leave time to spare for sick days because I use it all for my LLMD trips.
I have not told my boss or my coworkers about it. They already knew I was eccentric, so they didn't comment much when they see me taking pills, putting drops and powders in my tea and orange juice, wearing gloves/hat/jacket/special sunglasses for the sun, etc. And I seem to have developed a close friendship with somebody a couple of states away who I keep going to visit on vacation (my LLMD).
Sometimes I don't have much energy and feel like I am lucky just to avoid falling off my chair or falling over when I walk around. One day I actually tripped on something and went flying across the room and landed sprawled on the floor. I wasn't hurt so I just laughed and pretended I was clumsy.
I wasn't sure if it was the right thing not to tell people, but I have decided I like it. I don't want people to be looking at me wondering if I am up to doing my job. Truth is, I'm not always, but other times I do well even though I feel bad. And it is imperative to my recovery that I keep this job and don't miss any days without pay, so I can keep paying for treatment.
I wish I could quit or work less, but I tell myself that if I did, I would get depressed and stop taking care of myself, and go downhill, apart from losing my salary and health insurance. It helps to give yourself a reason why it's worth putting yourself through the suffering of working when you desperately want to be home in bed.
If you have someone who can support you for a while, then by all means, take a break, but I'm assuming you're in a position like mine, where you can't.
Once I finally accepted that I will be dealing with Lyme for quite a while, and not just a couple of months, I finally decided to reorganize my life as much as I could, to reduce the amount of things I have to do other than working.
I withdrew from most of my leisure activities. Hang onto your friends, though, because you need them. I started paying the extra money to buy cooked food so I don't have to cook. Get someone to clean for you or learn to live with a dirty house.
As much time as you can free up for evenings and weekends, spend it resting and saving your energy.
I have managed a bit better since I started forcing myself to go to bed at the same early hour every night. Before that, I was taking a long nap every time I came home, and then staying awake until very late at night and not getting enough sleep. Skip the nap and go to bed early if you can.
Don't start with the caffeine and sugar. That is the obvious and easily available route but it doesn't ultimately work and could make you sicker.
I haven't told my boss about my illness nor asked for any accommodations, but depending on your work, you could ask for a schedule with different hours or a long lunch hour, if it makes it easier for you to get more rest.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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Breaks (mental and physical) Gum Music (headphones) If possible, change work if a particular task starts to feel exhausting Don't push yourself (don't say "I'll take a break when I finish this task"; say "I'm starting to feel tired, I'm going to take a break.") Bathroom cat naps Car cat naps Uplifting scented lotions (citrus, peppermint) Moving slowly, deliberately Stay away from energy-sucking irrelevant conversations (gossip, etc.) Stretch, even if just in your office seat Meditation/prayer Ask people to tell you jokes (make you laugh) Hot drinks (coffee, tea) Soda (people disagree with these, and I know I'm in the minority, but I don't get "lows," they are completely necessary to get me through, they help with my pain/headaches and doc said ok, 1-2/day, total) (no, I'm not addicted, I don't get headaches from no caffiene, but from my TBI).
Posts: 252 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
Oh yeah, I have done 5-min. bathroom naps and lunch break car naps many times. Be careful of the sun if you are on doxy and napping in your car--learned that the hard way.
I have trouble getting up from desk and walking because my legs are stiff at first, so I have to hang onto things for a minute. Lucky for me, the area near my desk is cluttered with furniture and carts that I can hang onto.
It almost looks like I am just being careful while I squeeze out of the narrow space, instead of holding on so I don't fall down. You might be able to rearrange furniture to be helpful without being noticed.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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A fan Adjusting seat and keyboard positions, if you work at a desk. Getting a good foot rest A little spurt bottle full of water you can mist yourself with as needed.
Posts: 252 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2010
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merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
God bless all of you who are able to (or are forced to) work. I DO NOT know how you do it. I cant imagine it. That must be rough
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
This is an oil blend that is GREAT for aromatherapy.
You'll see in the description it says: "Olbas Vapors May Help Improve Endurance and Reduce Fatigue"
It comes in a glass bottle. You dab anywhere from 10-20 drops on a napkin or tissue, and just set it on your desk (or if I'm at home, sometimes I wave the napkin around in the air to disperse the scent). It will make the whole area smell like peppermint and super FRESH.....it's like a piece of minty gum for the air.
It really wakes me up. Sometimes when I have to drive, I just put it on a napkin and bring it in the car with me, and the crisp smell keeps me going. The smell will fill up the whole car.
Hard to imagine a scent can help keep someone awake, but I LOVE this stuff.
Just be careful that if you get any on your hands, don't rub your eyes, wash your hands first, because the menthol or peppermint or whatever will sting the eyes.
You may also want to make sure your co-workers are okay with the smell. I'm hoping they will like it too, but some people can be picky. It is completely natural, so it shouldn't necessarily bother people in the same way fake scents do.
Also, sometimes I will have a Ricola cough drop, the original in the yellow bag. To my knowledge, they are safe even if you don't have a cough. They are also very minty, more minty than gum if you bite into it and chew it. It gives me sort of a "jolt" of freshness when I bite into it that seems to wake me up.
But if you are avoiding sugar, you may want to be careful because they do have some sugar. I'm thinking the amount is small but who knows.
Anyways, my husband was in college recently and I would always joke to him that if he opened up some Olbas oil during a test, the class average would improve.
Oh I just thought of one more thing. It might not work for you guys (disclaimer), and I have no idea WHY it helps me.....but these "superfruit" teas from Republic of Tea actually give me a boost of energy, even the Decaf ones.
I have no clue why. There shouldn't be anything stimulating in them besides the "superfruit."
The one I like most is the Acai Green tea. This one does have some caffeine, but sometimes I'll drink 2-3 glasses of something else first, and get no boost, then when I drink this one I suddenly feel better.
And then there is the Decaf Pomegranate Green Tea (naturally decaffeinated) that also gives me a boost.
I am not a sales rep or anything, just like the product.
Here are the links of where you can get it, or sometimes you can get it from health food stores:
The Acai is my favorite and gives a little more energy, and the Decaf Pomegranate is right below it. Those are the only two of the Superfruit ones I've tried.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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