Under Pressure

I have so much to do!! And very a very little attention span to do it with. All this week I've been busy with schoolwork and appointments (this time it was for my retainers). I did get a nomination for National Honor Society, which is kind of like the best leadership/scholarship program, so I had to write up all this information and an essay. Buuut I am so excited!! My dad is getting me in to see Dr. Grubb!! We have to wait until my primary sends all my medical records to them so we can schedule an appointment. The bad thing is that he is in Ohio and that's a 6 hour drive from where I live.  Anywho, as of now I'm supposed to increase my Midodrine (that doesn't have any affect on me) and we're supposed to get these urine dipsticks to see how dehydrated  I am. I have nothing more to update so onto the questions...

Cheyanne: I really hope that your flight goes well! I'll add you to the prayer list at school.


Logan: I'm really looking forward to Skyping you! Just letting you know, my webcam isn't that great, but oh well. :P


Erin: I totally understand your fatigue! I am always so tired and even lifting my head sometimes feels like a workout! But your question was do you have a b12 deficiency? No, but I have low potassium and other wacky  levels. 

Have a good week everyone!

Bis zum nächstes Mal,

I can not remember anything today.

As soon as I got up I forgot what I was supposed to be doing today. It is one of those days.

On October 6th I am flying out to see the autonomic specialist in Ohio. I don't really know what they are going to do. I have to make a list of all my new symptoms. I'm kind of nervous about going on the plane. I don't really enjoy plane rides because I usually stay extra nauseous the whole time. I love going to airports though and seeing all of the little shops and people. Pray the trip goes well please!

I have this cold that doesn't want to leave. My nose is mostly cleared up now, but my throat still hurts. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I have this fear of getting viruses and stuff on top of everything else and it makes me very paranoid and sets my OCD off. I was expecting it to be much worse when I got sick, but maybe it didn't hit me very hard which is a good thing.

I cannot really focus much and cannot think of a question to ask. Sorry. :)

Erin's Question: Do you suffer from b12 or do you have any tips to help fight excessive (annoying) exhaustion?
I don't suffer from b12 (that I know of anyway). I have been extremely tired lately, probably because I am severely anemic, but I just try my best to push through it.


God bless!
-Cheyanne c: 

My Turn Already?!?

wow, this week went by fast!

I will start with questions and posts.
 Erin, I do get weakness in my fore arms (and my legs too). I'll just be going along doing my thing and then all of a sudden BAM my arms and/or legs are jelly.  That's happened several times today actually, and I go through periods of time where its pretty much a daily symptom.
It made physical therapy today quite a challenge. 

I do not have a b-12 deficiency, but I do have low bone density so I take extra supplements for that. 

Cheyanne - I was anemic along time ago, and I did take supplements, but I don't remember them making me sick. : / sorry no advice about that.

Rhianne- I have no advice for summer, but i am jealous HAPPY for you living so close to an actual beach. enjoy that salt water for me! And I'm so sorry your stomach is giving you crap. I would suggest a liquid, or partially liquid diet. (One as healthy as possible). But I believe you already tried a mushy liquidy diet and it didn't help much right?

Michelle k - welcome! I love playing musical instruments too, but since I'm sound sensitive I have had to give up flute, and harp is a challenge both with my sensitivity and my bad memory. But I'm determined to play harp anyway. I also love to travel, but you can guess how well that would work out with my sensitivity issues.

Miranda- I miss you and I hope you are surviving some how! I am angry that doctors don't seem to recognize how much you are suffering, and how much you need some help. I'm here for you 24/7, and I have a webcam that works so we can skype now too if you want.

Today was pretty difficult to be honest, lots of sudden weakness (the kind Erin talked about), anxiety, stomach pain, tachycardia, headaches, dizziness, tremors/jerks, red coloring around my eye, vomiting. Not feeling good right now, hopefully tomorrow will be better! Talk to you guys next week.
-Logan

Utter Exhaustion

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Exhaustion

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Over the past two weeks, I feel like I am getting more and MORE exhausted as the days go by.

I understand that I am putting a lot of stress on my body with student teaching and all, but it has become quite unbearable. There are times at school when I think I could just fall over because I just cannot keep my eyes open. Usually mornings are worse for that and with the light-headed feeling, too.

I cannot stay awake for the life of me past 9:00pm. 

I am writing this in bed right now actually - I will probably pass out any time here

(please excuse me, if there are a lot of errors!)

I do have b12 deficiency and I am thinking that the pills I am taking are not being absorbed. It was a debate between my neurologist and internist between pills v. injections. They agreed to just try the supplements first, and then if that doesn't work, proceed to injections. My update is in November, so I want to request that my b12 is checked again to see if my levels are increasing or not.

Do any of you have a b12 deficiency? 

They said that if my b12 keeps dropping, my iron will start to go down, as well as other counts... I am wondering if this is the case since I am just feeling totally depleted.

As you all know, the feeling of "exhaustion" is not just "oh, I'm really tired"... it is full body and mind exhaustion. It is I cannot move or get up exhaustion. Lifting an arm is so draining and the thought of even getting up can seem awful!

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Mailing Exchange

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Anyways, I have received THREE people's postal addresses and I hope to receive more! I will plan on sending out the information at the end of this week :) PLEASE email me at ambivalentbliss(at)gmail(dot)com if you would love to be part of our mailing exchanges and receive/send fun mail! <3

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Questions

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Tips for surviving summer?

I try to avoid going outside at all costs.

I really have no tips and HATE the summer (don't we all!) 

My question

Do you suffer from b12 or do you have any tips to help fight excessive (annoying) exhaustion?

I hope everyone is well :)

xoxo

Erin

Finally Got My Results!

Hey guys! It's been like two weeks since I've posted, but here I am, although a little late. I finally got the results from my stress test and they just said that I'm having an excessive amount of PVC's, so my doctor wants to put me on a beta blocker. He's supposed to call back later today and when he does I'm pretty much going to beg for some fluids! I went to my GI doctor a few days ago and since I'm not throwing up he's not going to do any more testing (grrrr!) but he gave me prescriptions for Periactin and Zofran (both for nausea). I just think that he really doesn't understand where I'm coming from, I can deal with nausea, but I want to know why my dysphagia is so bad! I don't have much more to update, so I'll move onto the questions. There are quite a lot of them, so I just have them all in a list.

How are you going to celebrate awareness week? I wore blue all week, but didn't do anything else.

What is your favorite recipe, if you can post it? It would have to be either my mom's Ziti and Broccoli or her lasagna. I can get the recipes and post them on my blog later.

Is there a time in the day when you feel more nauseous or sick than others? Not really, I just feel really bad all the time.

Do you have an underlying condition that caused your Dysautonomia? Not that I know of, my doctors don’t really care about finding an underlying condition (and it’s so annoying!).

What is your favorite food to eat when you are sick, but know that you have to eat something? I usually just wouldn't eat, but if I’m being forced it’s usually chicken noodle soup or something like it.

How much water a day do you try to drink or what is your goal? My goal is 2 liters, but I can barely get in 8 oz.

Do you suffer from/have suffered from mental illnesses? Yes, I have OCD, Anxiety and depression. I was diagnosed 5 years ago by my psychiatrist and have been on meds for it since then.

Have any of you ever had to take iron supplements? If so, what kind and did it give you stomach issues? No, but I can’t even take salt pills without them messing up my stomach more.

What are your top 3 symptoms that impact on your life? I’d have to say GI (in general), orthostatic intolerance and chronic fatigue. But I have so many more!

Tips for surviving summer? Stay inside!

Do any of you get severe muscle weakness in your forearms? Yes, I get severe weakness in a lot of places, and it’s very sudden.

Have a good week everyone!

Bis zum nächstes Mal,