Physical Check-In #2

Yeah, that's the one. She seems really good.

I don't know the first thing about essential oils. What are they for?

They are medicinal. They are compounds extracted from plants. I use them in place of antibiotics, pain relievers, anti inflamatories, etc.

For example, I put a few drops of peppermint oil on my neck, behind my ears and on my temples when I have a headache. I use a mix of a few oils mixed with a little oilive oil for an ear infection. If I have something going on internally, I take an oregano oil pill because it is a super strong antibacterial and antiviral.

I diffuse certain oils in the air and breathe them in when congested. I also make a eucalyptus rub that works like Vicks vapo rub.

I use other oils for cuts, stings, skin issues, etc. There's an oil for pretty much anything. Our creator is awesome like that

Essentially, I'm like my own pharmacist. I also use them to make my own cleaners, hand sanitizer, deodorizers, sleep aids, etc.

I think they are awesome and I attempt to resolve most issues naturally.

For that ear pain you can also try cutting up some garlic and letting it sit in a bit of olive oil for a while and then putting the oil on a cotton ball and placing it in the ear. You can also put some dry rice and salt in a sock and microwave it until it is warm. Lay down on that for a while. It can help relieve the pressure.

It sounds like you need a doctor perhaps, but there are natural options you can try when things crop up initially to keep them from getting out of hand.

Moose, glad to read you have been doing well with physical activity.

Fern, I hope today is a little easier to get through. I commend you that you pushed through doing important things, despite. I get a similar reaction when I eat too much sugar, though I can't seem to lay off of it as well as I should.

bpcyclist, it's nice to see you here. Sorry to read you are physically under the weather. If you start to think you have something more concerning (i.e. covid 19) you really should contact a doctor. I know that you are a doctor, but I also know that some doctors aren't so good at judging the severity of their own situations as they are others'. [Though my doctor father-in-law would do just the opposite.] There was story in the NY Times this weekend about an ER doctor that took an illness casually. She even ran 6 miles (she is a runner) during part of it.

You are so creative and clever!!

I took aromatherapy at the hospital, it was really awesome. I will look into those ear remedies--thanks a million!!

Finally got some pretty good sleep, yes!! My ear and breathing and headache are all better this morning. Seemed like I might have been having a little challenge with my breathing last night for a few minut4es, but I am just not sure. That's all gone now. Just going to monitor things and see where this heads.

Thanks for the support, all!!!!!!!

Hugs!!!!!

You pick up a lot when you decide to use fewer chemicals because you have people in your house and animals that put everything in their mouths

I love using the oils for aromatherapy. So many of them have wonderful mental health benefits!

I hope you feel better soon, and I agree with BirdDancer. Don't be a hero and go get checked out if this continues.

I'm cooking dinner and was just doing push ups and crunches. The crunches have a way to go to being "good", but the push ups are passable. I also used my elastic band to pull out from behind me forward. Every little bit counts. If the weather would cooperate, I'd go ride my bike!

My anxiety has reached a point where I am feeling that I will drop dead of a heart attack at some point. Intellectually, I know this is very unlikely. [I've had such periods off and on throughout most all of my life.] However, the feeling remains, all the same.

I also have a mildly upset stomach. Also, lately I have really been sweating profusely when I go out in public. That's all anxiety. I think I'm developing an anxious hypomania.

That sounds uncomfortable. What coping skills are you using? I know you have a lot to pull from.

Have you experienced this kind of hypomania before? I hope it passes quickly. Hang in there.

Well, BirdDancer, good on you for having the insight to see this now. Don't you have a Klonopin prn or Ativan or something, or did I make that up?

Some people I knew i=on Seroquel found it helpful for anxiety. But you are already on that one.

I hope it calms for you soon!!!!

Made myself leave the house yesterday for first time in a long while. Have been so paranoid. In a bunker. It was good, overall. Only rode about 25 easy miles and was a bit short of breath after only maybe 6 or so. I think it is this 8 week-old URI stuff, which, the more I think about it, the more I think is probably the Provigil. It's bad news for me. I will have to stop it, most likely.

The yoga has been helping. Like most road bikers, I have low back stuff chronically. Now doing some poses every day for about 20 minutes. It's really good for me.

Strength and discomfort-relief to all!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been working out consistently and eating less sugar lately. Yay! I've also had the good fortune of a lot of nice weather to enjoy. I've really appreciated getting a little sunshine and fresh air every day.

I've also had time to make more of our food from scratch. I think that helps overall, and I'm trying to get several recipes down so that I can still use them once things get busier again.

Sending support to everyone. You all are in my thoughts often.

Quite stressed out with my sleep pattern being disrupted by the current mess and being an "essential worker" supposedly

I'm actually quite relieved that it looks like I've finally gotten my monthly. It was looking like more than 2 months would have passed without one. So far it's just at its beginnings. I'm not sure how long or strong it will become. In any case, I was feeling quite down at the thought that I'd be going through some perimenopause right now in the midst of everything else. Well, maybe I am, but it's at least at the very beginning stages. I was also concerned if it was hyperprolactenimia. That's apparently not that common with Seroquel XR, but it's not out of the question. I hadn't noticed any lactation. Thank goodness! Only a little breast soreness, which could be related to my monthly. I also considered that stress could be part of the issue. Maybe all of it is. Who knows!

I have my annual appointment with my gynecologist set for the end of May. It was supposed to be this past week, but they obviously rescheduled it due to the pandemic. All of the above-mentioned anxieties were getting worsened by the thought that I would no longer have in-network insurance coverage for that exam. I don't believe my gynecologist takes Medicare. She takes my current insurance, but that may be bye bye in the near future, if my husband is laid off. When I go, I usually have an ultrasound done to check on my ovarian cysts and cervical polyps. I can't imagine having to pay 100% for all of that, if the insurance is switched. It might mean cancelling that appointment and scheduling one at a place that takes Medicare (or whatever insurance I end up with). It's sad. I've been going to the same gynecologist for about 22 years. If I have to cancel, I guess I'll send her a thank you card and explanation for my departure.

Other than the above, and the usual gastro-intestinal discomforts from anxiety, I'm fine. I hope.

Got a call from my surgeon's office and his assistant told me that my surgery (achilles tendon) will likely be scheduled in late May. Thankfully! I would love to take a nice walk.

I am not resting very well and body not fully recovering well ankle or concentration wise.at least am off work tommorrow

Last couple of nights I haven't slept very well. And today I'm feeling really tired and now I'm even getting a headache and just passed through a stomachache. (I am on my monthly, of course I always feel physically worse these days). But the sleep thing last night was weird! I was up a bit later, but almost as soon as I took my Gabapentin, i felt like I was passing out tired (not literally passing out, but I was even struggling to walk and felt like I could knock out any second.) I've been on this med for almost 2 months and this is the first time I have felt that tired. Could just e a combo of things, but was still weird.

Anyway, while typically the drug has been helping me get better quality sleep, as I said, the past few days were not restful. Period being the main reason the first night, but last night I think it was more from dreams. Very active stressful dreams.

Ugh! On the exercise front, I've been trying to get back into it (again!) because I think the Gabapentin was making me gain weight...somehow. Possibly it was just making me feel lazy from the drowsiness. So I'm really trying to get back into exercise to see for sure if this is weight neutral for me or not. But stupid period has slowed me down. But once I get back on track, then I'll consider talking to my doctor about the effectiveness of this drug. I don't want to gain weight, but the sleep has been nice,...

But then this is also doing nothing for my "ocd tics" or my body focused repetitive behaviors like GP said it should. If anything, these tics are worse! (Talking about hair twirling and fingernail picking, even trimming cuticle skin obsessively) No idea what to do about this.

Thought there was something else? Maybe food stuff? Honestly, I mean I have been eating deep fried all month, but it's not like deep deep fried or with a lot of dough (and it's gluten free chickpea flour) so it's not AS unhealthy. Plus I feel like it's keeping me from binging less. And I still have my hummus and carrots or celery as a snack too. But husband keeps picking on me about the deep fried. I'm only eating it because he needs me to make it for him right now! I can't be expected to have that much control, despite what he believes. :P

Ok, well if that wasn't it, it doesn't matter as this is long enough. I actually have been trying to keep up with this thread, just usually am not online to comment or react to everything. Hugs everyone! Keep up the good work and good efforts!

I've been up and down physically lately. I've just felt weighed down even though my spirits have been good in general. That feeling is starting to lift and my body feels better.

I had some gnarly back pain for about a week, but I kept myself as active as possible. I'm able to do almost anything again. I've been doing weights and cardio lately and working in a walk when I can.

I'm practicing gratitude for my body and doing my best to remember what a beautiful gift it is to have my health.

Sending love and well wishes to all.

These past few weeks I have felt physically and mentally spent, and yet I have at the same time pushed myself more than in the recent years. Every night by about 5 pm I start to really crash. I've been sleeping more hours, and yet when I get up I trudge forward again. In recent weeks, it was a mad push to prepare for the worst and a possible extreme leap in action. Now that things have settled into a cautious status quo, I've still not fully gotten the message to rest. Even with my husband working from home, because of the pandemic, I feel compelled to be more productive. My husband is not pushing me. I am. I really fear that something bad will happen if I don't rest more during the daytime hours.

Hubby and I have gained a lot of weight these past five or six weeks. Last time I weighed myself I was up by 5 lbs. That was a couple weeks ago. I feel like I've gained at least a few more. I'll weigh myself at the end of the week. There is no sense weighing myself on my birthday.

I've had my menstrual period 15 out of the last 25 days, and my current one is still going. This was basically my period for 7 days at the beginning of the month, then 10 days without, and now 8 days and counting of a second one. The month before, I didn't even have my period. I have a video appointment with my gynecologist next Thursday. I sure hope that I don't still have my current period then. I'm sure not, but if I do, it would seem a hospital worthy issue.

Eight days is usually the longest I ever had it, but this doesn't seem to be winding down. Something is wrong with me. What the exact source(s) of the issue are, I don't know. I've been taking two OTC iron supplements every day for a number of days. I do feel physically spent from all of this. Otherwise, the only discomfort I have is anxiety.