A really hard decision

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desertrat
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A really hard decision

Post by desertrat »

Bear with me guys. Tomorrow I am going to experience a rather stressful situation for a couple of hours. Nothing to do with anything medical; nevertheless, I could be experiencing some nausea and vomiting due to the stress. (I don't handle stress well anymore). This is more of a encounter with other people and I wish I could be more specific, but I can't right now. I know people can have setbacks with food, but what about stress? Here is my question: could stress attack/aggravate my MC symptoms more than they are now? I mean, I already have MC (which, when I think of it, could have been stress related originally, but who knows?) but I need your advice and experience with stress. Did anyone of you have a set back when faced with or experienced sudden stress? How did you handle it? Is there anything I can do before hand? I know I should try to avoid the situation, but strange as it might seem, might down the road be beneficial for me. Sorry to be so cryptic. Any advice is very welcomed.
Mandy
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sarkin
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Post by sarkin »

Mandy,

Yes - stress can exacerbate MC, and promote symptoms (I'm sorry!)

Anything you can do for self-care - whether that's yoga, massage, hot bath, breathing exercises... whatever you know will work. I do a very simple breathing thing, which is just to exhale for longer than you inhaled. I don't count breaths, or do anything else that would stress me out and make me fear I'm doing it wrong. It helps me when I'm wound up and can't sleep...

Be very gentle/patient with yourself, and good luck with this. Of course any avoidable stress may be worth avoiding, but unavoidable stress befalls us all. Hope this helps,

Sara
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Post by Deb »

Mandy, my thoughts are with you and hope tomorrow goes okay. My LC was triggered, I believe, by stress (finding out a very good friend was dying). However, since then, I have had some stressful times (including her death) and have not experienced any major symptoms with my MC.
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Post by garina »

Mandy,

This is not a good answer, but it does seem to help me. Whenever I walk into a Dr. office and spot the blood pressure cuff, my heart goes into a racing mode. Someone told me to keep Bach Rescue Remedy handy and put 4 drops under your tongue for stress relief.

Whether it is the drops or just the placebo effect, I don't know, but it helps calm me enough that my blood pressure isn't through the roof when they take it. I use it just before I leave, and thought about just keeping it in my purse as a "just in case". I've always had white-coat-syndrome ... and a BP reading at home is normal.

http://www.vitacost.com/Bach-Flower-Rem ... ess-Relief

I hope you find something that will work, because stress can be a real bummer.

garina
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Post by Gabby »

Hi Mandy
I was just thinking that it may be helpful to not eat much before the stressful situation is going to occur. Having less food in the system may minimize any adverse effects? I don't know. I also think that having someone who you can talk to or vent to afterwords may help you recover from the event more quickly.

I hope everything goes ok. Hugs.

Gabby
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barbaranoela
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right on target

Post by barbaranoela »

Hi Mandy--
Speaking for myself---STRESS--was my enemy!!!! and as U ---I never handled STRESS at ALL----even to this day but fortunately it does not cause me any :emptytoiletpaperroll: runs to *THRONE*--


the best I can say is try some MEDITATION- again--just sit down--close eyes---and sorta picture yourself with the others--

they probably as nervous as U---

I know U will be just perfect-----believe in yourself-----and lets hear the good news~~

Fondly--Barbara
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control
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Lesley
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Post by Lesley »

Mandy,
I SO identify with you. I haven't had to test MC in high stress situations yet, but I know how I tend to get. My remedy has always been to talk to myself. Literally. imagine scenarios and talk through it. Out loud. I know, it's scary. I am so grateful for mobile phones because, when people see me talking to myself at traffic lights for example, I look like I am having an animated conversation.

It works!
desertrat
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Post by desertrat »

Thanks guys for all your replies. I figure if things get bad, and I start to throw up, I will just leave. I'm trying not to be scared about the confrontation. It's just that I don't want to "injure" my stomach/gut muscles and have it affect the MC. Then I am not sure how to "stop" the major flare up, since I don't think I've ever had one.
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tex
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Post by tex »

Mandy,

If you've never had one, there's a very good chance that it won't trigger one.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
desertrat
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Post by desertrat »

Okay, I guess I have to ask. What does a major flare up entail? Maybe I've had one and I am such a superwoman that I didn't even notice! :grin:
Mandy
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sarkin
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Post by sarkin »

Mandy - major vs. minor - don't worry about that right now! Nausea and vomiting are no fun, for sure. You just focus as calmly as you can on the next 24 hours. You do your best, with whatever skills and luck and energy and magic you have... and you make the best call for yourself.

As terribly stressful as this sounds, I do not believe you will set yourself back significantly by powering through it, to the best of your ability. A couple of difficult hours is no joke, but hopefully you will be able to get back on track. And don't forget - we're rooting for you :grin:

If you need to, put a hand on your belly and breathe. Sometimes you can kind of remind the tense muscles to relax... and though the tension is no good, it is not the same as the internal turmoil of MC! So it's possible you'll briefly feel awful, but have no lasting consequence at all.

Thinking of you,
Sara
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