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Feeling down due to fatigue & undiagnosed health issues

Elizabeth CP
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

I haven't been using the forums much apart from a couple of responses to others posts. I stopped as I was too busy & trying to keep up with the forums was becoming too stressful. In September My husband went to Europe which was great although tiring due to the pace of the tour we did. Unfortunately a few days before returning home I fell heavily on concrete steps hurting my right side. I continued on relying on icepacks to manage the pain. I couldn't sleep because of the pain when lying down. The last day I came down with a bad cold which developed into a chest infection later on. The pain eased after 6 weeks & I recovered from the chest infection but have ongoing problems with fatigue & abdominal discomfort. My GP arranged pathology tests. The blood tests are normal but urine isn't. Today I was sent for a ultrasound of kidneys & bladder. Next week I have a gastroscopy & colonoscopy. My stress levels seem to be escalating out of proportion each time I see the GP & get sent for more tests. Prior to my accident my mental health issues were settling down but the last week it is much worse. I have lost my temper a few times in the last week without much provocation. This is not normal for me. I have been on a diet for several months but I am now finding it really hard to stick to it I just want to go & eat food I know will make me feel worse. The diet is a healthy one which I normally find easy to stick to because the food is satisfying.

I just want to get back on track & feel in control of my life & not feel so stressed & down. I also feel guilty for feeling this way because There is no confirmation of a serious illness.

974 Replies 974

Elizabeth CP
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member
Thanks Croix.

Still struggling. psych asked me to come up with things to do for myself to keep myself going & have the energy to care for my husband. I'm trying but finding this difficult. The constant barrage of problems make it hard to feel any hope & be able to plan anything positive. Monday was spent on the phone to multiple people trying to deal with varied issues including the insurance claim for my kitchen, (the company assigned to the work have been useless & impossible to get answers to my requests for explanation re why nothing had been done & appointments broken without reason) The insurance company then assigned a different company to deal with the mould so now have very noisy machines going to clean/dry the air. The were further calls from the hospital & other health professionals to discuss my husbands condition. Then family members rang to check on him. Of course many calls clashed with other calls so I had to ring back. I finally decided to go for a walk to escape for a few minutes only to find a leak outside out property so returned home to find the number & ring the water provider to arrange for that to be fixed. I ended up staying up late trying to deal with other urgent tasks I hadn't done during the day. Yesterday was dealing with the mould removing company who came to assess & set up equipment & then returned to rip up my floor. They've taped up affected cupboards so I've had to rearrange cupboards & remove stools etc Went to make a drink & couldn't get spoon without moving the heavy equipment in front of drawers. I know they are little things but it adds up. The afternoon I had a psych appointment then visit husband & then to a meeting re the NDIS which I needed to go to find out info to help my husband. To top it off I was crossing the road when a car turning from a side road (he had stopped before I walked across) decided to take off straight into me. Fortunately he he hit just as he took off so at slow speed but my arm is very sore where it was pinned against his bull bar.

Ggrand
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hello Dear Elizabeth,

Im really very sorry to hear that you were in accident and I’m hoping so much that your arm will heal very quickly..Did the person in the car stop to make sure you were okay, did you get your arm checked out? Maybe would be a good idea if you did..just to be sure...

A whole lot of little things combined do make for a huge big thing..can really overwhelm you...I’m really hoping that things start working out for you very soon...Please Elizabeth take time to breathe and rest a little if you can..I know it’s hard to rest but please try...

You are an amazing person Elizabeth with the amount of innner strength you have...you’re such a huge inspiration and I admire you a lot..

Love and hugs dear Elizabeth💜🤗.

Grandy..

Elizabeth CP
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

I am seeing my psychiatrist in a few days for the first time since early Nov. I am unsure how to use the time effectively as so much as happened since I saw him last including an exacerbation of PTSD symptoms due to the hot weather & high fire danger & multiple triggers throughout the summer. On top of that has been the issues with my kitchen which is still an ongoing stress (I'm now staying in other accomodation because of the mould) & there has been huge delays getting things fixed. Now I have my husband still ill in hospital. Each of these things are increasing stress impacting on my MH

How do I explain things without spending too much time on the details so there is no time to work out ideas to help.

Hi Elizabeth

Psychiatrist visits.....I hear you loud and clear Elizabeth....I have my annual medication revue coming up on April 10...and even though I am used to more frequent appointments....it can be a anxious wait sometimes.

Can I ask how your husband is going? Is his breathing better?

My apologies for not being attentive on your thread topic Elizabeth

my kindest

Paul

Croix
Community Champion
Community Champion

Dear Elizabeth~

>How do I explain things without spending too much time on the details so there is no time to work out ideas to help.

I've always regarded you as an organized and resourceful person and think those talents can help now.

You have a whole load of life bearing down on you at the moment. For someone who was physically and mentally in the pink it would be hard - just the mold problem alone is serious. So with a resurgence of symptoms, a husband in hospital, family demands and everything else I'd agree it is hard to know what to head for first.

May I suggest you spend the days before you see your psych in two stages. The first being just to jot down in any brief and messy form you like each problem as it occurs - maybe 15 seconds each time, maybe less.

The second stage of course is to reduce these to point form, grouped together as best you can, if you are feeling very organized give each point a numeric value of how much hassle it is.

Whatever way you go share the paper (and if you can book and extra bit of time do so). Share and sit back while the psyche reads ALL and digests, then you have a basis for a talk. Maybe kick off with a discussion of priorities of waht to look at first.

With so much it is easy for the psych to be overwhelmed and lost over everything and thus concentrate on just the one thing - easier and simpler. Not what you need though. You have a complex situation and need a comprehensive set of answers. Consider emailing the list with a cover note a day or more before.

There are times you have to steer things, as you are the 'expert' on the spot, the one with the knowledge and realization of results and implications.

It would be a bit hopeful to expect everything to be addressed, however some of the more important things might be, and it can be an ongoing tool for future consultations.

I know, an extra burden on you when you don't need any more, maybe you can get some help wiht other's suggestions for that list. So what do you think?

Croix

Elizabeth CP
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Thanks Paul & Croix,

Paul, I only take sleeping tablets when needed but will ask for a new script. At the moment I need to have them to avoid going too long without sleep which then causes a further spiral. My husband seemed a bit better today. They're trialling some meds which help in one way but have very nasty side effects so are not sustainable. I'm feeling left out of the loop but wrote a note to the doctor & the speech therapist requesting a call from both to discuss plans I would lie the option of medication or equipment (with training) to use in an emergency when he comes home since an ambulance could arrive too late.

Croix'

My initial thought was Oh No!1 How can I find time to think through what to write & then write it in a logical way in the time available. Tomorrow is going to be crazy. Unsure about Tuesday but I'll need to get to the hospital to see hubby. Wednesday morning I see the psych.

As I read the rest of your post I still don't know how to get the task done but it seems to be the best way to have an effective visit so I will do my best. Trying to explain things on the day will mean missing important information & risking getting sidetracked on certain issues without him seeing the whole picture.

Croix
Community Champion
Community Champion

Dear Elizabeth~

You are quite right of course, it is an extra burden, however it does provide a spark of hope, I'm glad you agree it is at least a logical approach.

Can you lean anyone to help? Your husband remind you of a particular thing when you get a moment, another to help put in more things you might be enduring without thought and another to try to assist you sort, someone to type and print?

No, the next-to-last thing you need is documentation, but it has done a lot of good for me, from listing dreams to frequency of symptoms.

It is also not an all-or-nothing venture. If you miss stuff now there is next time, so please at least make an attempt.

Good luck!

Croix

Elizabeth CP
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Thanks Croix.

I have written my list to take tomorrow. It is not perfect but it will have to do

Croix
Community Champion
Community Champion

First of all- you are a Star!

Second of all - your idea of perfection is such that not much meets your standards, I'm sure it will be most useful

-C