Stress intolerance

[diamond]

Anyone else have complete intolerance to stress and anxiety. Since i got fibro i go down with a bang as soon as i get overloaded with pressure or stress....and i used to be a person who coped well with high pressure.

Now i do everything to avoid anything outside a simple unpressured life.

Of course people around me don't understand this and then think my illness is just anxiety...but its not its the other way round my fibro is very severe and this stress intolerance causes it to get even worse and wipe me out..become bed bound and brain that goes from functioning well to almost non functional .

I then have to withdraw from everyone and just rest sleep be in severe pain head to toe and pray in a week or 2 i will get some function back.

Anyone else struggling like this?

I should add i have been told i have ME at severe end too...so maybe a bit different.

 

[Marie219]

I am very sorry that you suffer so much from Fibromyalgia, and stress augments your suffering. I think you might have gone through a lot of stress in your life before you reach the degree of intolerance.

In fact, stress can cause many illnesses and increase the pain in our body. When we have stress in continuation, our tolerance becomes lower and lower. I fully understand how you suffer. For example, two days ago, I started to have nerve pain that travels from hands to feet caused by a very stressful situation. I did not have this kind of nerve pain before, it is very painful, I was afraid that it might become permanent. So I tried my best to get out of that burden and fear as soon as possible, and took some natural remedies for the symptom.

I hope and pray that you start to feel better and better each day.

 

[sunkacola]

I avoid stress as much as possible because it causes me physical reactions every time. I am usually able to deal with the stressful situation quite adequately at the time, but the next day I will be exhausted and probably in pain. I do take a medication which helps me to manage stress more that I used to without it, but I still strive to avoid it.

One thing important to me is to keep lots of time open in my week. I cannot have something scheduled for every day in the week, even if just something small, even if something enjoyable. I have to have days just to rest and stay home and, if I choose, do nothing. This helps me not to get overwhelmed with stuff or anxious.

The unfortunate thing is that, since I have no one to help me with anything, things don't get done sometimes. dishes don't get washed, rug doesn't get vacuumed (and I have 4 furry animals), dogs don't get walked, things don't get picked up, laundry may get done but not put away......

Worst part of that is that I then feel guilty for not walking the dogs, and get depressed by the state of the house which, although probably not all that bad to most people's eyes, is unacceptable to me because I have always kept a very tidy and clean home.

This then causes me more stress.
There doesn't seem to be any way to solve this cycle.

In your situation, diamond, I simply suggest making sure you keep your life as simple as possible, which you are doing. Be grateful if you have anyone to help you with anything. And if people don't understand, to heck with them.

I remind myself often of this:
Those to whom it matters, don't matter.
To those who really matter, it won't matter.

 

[DawnEM]

Stress and anxiety are a big part of my struggle with fibro. Along with that come headaches, muscle spasms and I feel like every cell in my body is firing. Or maybe shaking in side is a better description. Words escape when I try to say what I feel like. Saying, "I am really tired" is not the same as someone who doesn't have fibro/CFS. They just don't know.

 

[diamond]

MY description is similar DawnEM...its feels like every cell in my body is vibrating and buzzing and pulsating and this in turn causes severe muscle and joint burning and deep throbbing pain.

You are so right there are no words to describe any of it accurately.

 

[Keri]

Ah, the body vibration and buzz. I always felt weird telling people about it. I tried describing it once to my boyfriend, telling him that's one of my first signs of a bad flare. It's as if my body was a hive filled with bees. He called me crazy and then said "that explains why you're so sweet, you're filled with honey." LOL. The buzz starts immediately after a stressful situation comes up. If I can, I take a hot shower asap. It doesn't stop the flare, but I have found it lessens the anxiety I get during it, and helps my muscles relax which instantly tense and tighten. My life has been very stressful the last 2 years and I have had to pull myself back from being an emotional support to anyone other than immediate family. I have recently had two of my best friends tell me to not contact them unless I can be there emotionally for them. It hurts, but I have pulled back from them completely. I don't think I will ever have a stress free life, lol, it's all in how we choose to handle the stress, and it's different for everyone. Us fibro sufferers will continue to buzz along, in our own unique way. If only we could harness this vibration/buzzing, you guys think we could turn it into a viable energy source?!? Like a battery??? oooo.....that makes me think of the Matrix.......ok. nevermind. I'm on a silly rant right now. lol. peace and love to all.