Saturday, August 22, 2009

Feeling Down and Stressed

I've been feeling down since yesterday. (I haven't felt this down in a while.) I've figured out that there are a number of reasons why I'm feeling so blue.

  • Work has been especially challenging. We had a big turnover recently, and I miss many of the people who have left. Because I don't have a life outside of work, my "work friends" are pretty much my only friends. I've also been more stressed at work than usual because I've had to take on more responsibilities and projects now that we are short staffed.

  • My energy has not returned to my "normal" energy levels in what feels like forever (i.e., months). I'm wondering if how I've been feeling lately is my new normal. This possibility disturbs me. I have been considering the possibility that I will need to quit working or, at the very least, take a leave of absence if my energy levels get any worse.

  • I've been feeling physically yucky (more than usual) since my trip to North Dakota last weekend. I do not regret going, but I am wanting some relief. I have managed to ward off a major crash and I feel better today than I did a few days ago, but I am still quite uncomfortable.

  • I have to take a day trip out of town tomorrow (Sunday) for my job. I am not looking forward to it because I am still physically exhausted and trying to recover from my trip last week. I really hope this excursion doesn't set me back too much. I'm feeling a lot of anxiety about this.

  • And, of course, I've been singing the usual woebegone song of CFIDS/CFS/ME sufferers: I'm sick of being sick, and tired of being tired. Also, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Today's Activities: home. Today's Most Annoying Symptoms: exhaustion, headache, nausea, explosive diarrhea, intestinal discomfort, asthma attack, feeling down.

Mood (10 is best): 3
Energy (10 is best): 2 (most of today), 3 (after sleeping all day)
Physical Discomfort (10 is worst): 6

11 comments:

nathanrosie925 said...

Hey

Just stopped by for a spontaneous read. This is probably too obvious to mention, but probably best to just in case: I've noticed that most of my "foggy" friends, as well as myself, have been extra low during this hot summer, and that the rest of my foggy friends, who love the heat, hit a low as soon as it cools down. Thought it might be affecting you. I've just invested in a portable air conditioner - getting too hot clearly drags me down. Doing a little better already.

Thanks for stopping by YouTube :)

Cheers
"SharkBateNait" aka Nate

upnorth said...

I'm so sorry you're having a rough go of it lately. I know just what that's like. And I'm sure you will make the right decision about work. When I finally decided I just couldn't manage it anymore, it took me ages, but I did improve over time. And with the stress and energy of work removed, I was able to spend a little energy doing enjoyable things instead.

Laurel said...

Hang in there, Alyson. Hugs to you.

Treya said...

Hey Alyson. I'm sorry to hear things are difficult for you at the moment. It does sound like you are struggling a bit... Is there any chance you can cut your hours to part time??

I really hope things start looking up soon. : )

Sue Jackson said...

Hi, Alyson -

Just catching up after vacation. Sorry to hear you're feeling down. It sounds like you've had a lot going on lately.

I've noticed that I often feel down or blue when I'm crashing - the emotional feeling seems to go along with the physical symptoms, which makes sense since the endocrine system is messed up and hormone levels are fluctuating. So, your feelings may be a sign of a physical downturn - just something to keep in mind.

Hope you've had a very restful weekend and are feeling a bit better. Good luck with the trip this week -

Sue

Renee said...

You are echoing my own words....I am sick and tired of being sick and tired!!!!!!!!!!!! Sure hope your spirit soon soars and your energy too.

alyson said...

Thank you, everyone, for the kind words! Your words mean a lot to me. I'm feeling much better now. You all bring up good points (Nate, I've actually been considering getting a portable air conditioner).

Anonymous said...

One thing I like about this particular air conditioner: it came with a remote control; very convenient for me not to have to get up to use it.

Nate said...

whoops, accidentally clicked the little enter key at the edge of my keyboard at just the wrong moment... Anonymous air conditioner commenter is in fact Nate, just to be clear

Cheers

alyson said...

Nate, I know you're in Canada, but what brand air conditioner do you have? Do you need an outlet hose that drains water? Thanks for any info!

Nate said...

http://www.londondrugs.com/Cultures/en-US/Product+Detail/Homeware.htm?BreadCrumbs=Homeware;Homeware;Appliances;Air%20Conditioners;Simplicity%2012000%20BTU%20Portable%20Air%20Conditioner%20-%20SPAC120081&Catalog=Homeware&Category=Air%20Conditioners&ProductID=2827962&ProductTab=3

"Simplicity", they only had one brand there, seems like a good one. It's quite big, very heavy, and I have sensitive ears so need earplugs to have it on. Sooo nice though, I've used it every day since.
No hose required, that's only if you have/use dehumidifier (it has one, not turned on). You do kind of have to give up a window for it - it has 2 large air tubes at the back that must be attached to the opening of a window. It comes with a metal bar thing that you put vertically in the window/door opening and then plug in the tubes.
If heat is a challenge for you, it's a big help!
I've noticed that hot and cold can both be a big drain on me, and often I don't even realise it, it can be very subtle.

Hope this helps save you a little energy. I wasn't sure what I was getting but I think I got lucky. :)