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[Dorothy]

Having a bad day today - sat at work really anxious.  Haven't been sleeping for over a week now so think that's not helping.  Waking up anxious and worrying every little twinge in my chest is going to turn into a full blown heart attack. 

If I hadn't slept for a week, I wouldn't just be having little twinges, I'd have so much chest pain I could barely breathe!  No wonder you are feeling rough.  Tiredness is one of the biggest causes.  A doctor once said to me that you often get chest pain with exhaustion as it is nature's way of trying to make you rest.  If it hurts to move, you are more likely to stay put!

Walking:  I don't have your problem, but I did go through a phase of panicking about walking anywhere after I collapsed once when I was out.  If I had to walk anywhere, I would panic it would happen again, which of course made my breathing funny, which made me light headed, which made me panic more...  I built it up in tiny amounts, gradually extending how far I went & eventually it eased.

Typing - make sure you do lots of relaxing exercises regularly - shoulder shrugs, rolls etc.  It's really easy for the shoulder & neck muscles to tense even if you aren't anxious.  Also, check your chair, desk height, screen height etc - it's amazing what a slight difference of position can do.

[Justjules]

Ha ha, yeh Sparkle ....OH says I sound like Darth too...and the mouth has started to stay open now!!!

Coldethyl, I will take a look at that book and some You Tube techniques.  My therapist did teach me how to breathe but then you forget to do it and fall back into old ways.

[coldethyl]

Ha ha, yeh Sparkle ....OH says I sound like Darth too...and the mouth has started to stay open now!!!

Coldethyl, I will take a look at that book and some You Tube techniques.  My therapist did teach me how to breathe but then you forget to do it and fall back into old ways.

I think that what we have to remember is that the things we are taught like relaxation and breathing are things we need to keep doing to stay well. I'm guilty of doing them when I have to and then as soon as I feel ok, dropping them. If we are habitually anxious, we are prone to hyperventilating, holding ourselves tensely and so on so it is essential that we keep at all the techniques that support us. It would be lovely if life was as effortless as it seems to be for others but it isn't so we have to just accept that we need to take time for ourselves to sustain ourselves.

[Justjules]

Sparkle, that's always my tightest spot when I get massaged...completely knotted and hard.

Dorothy, think a lot of the discomfort is exhaustion at the mo...post Christmas etc. I would love a week off just to chill and recharge.

[coldethyl]

I have a dead upper left arm from using my ipad so much. I can feel a lump under the skin and it hurts when I touch it and spasms now and then. We were never designed to sit so long or use computers or touch screens. No wonder our bodies are rebelling.

[Dorothy]

Coldethyl, I agree it's important to keep doing these things even when we don't feel the need for them.  I was given stretching/relaxing exercises following a car accident a number of years ago & told to do them at least every half hour when using a computer - by the time I'd finished the physio (6 months) it had become automatic to keep doing them.  Even when I'm not aware of being tense, I always find I am when I do the exercises!  I think it's important for everyone but much more so if you are prone to anxiety related tension to build these things into daily life, not just wait till you feel the need for them. 

[Justjules]

Well I keep reminding myself that I am not 25 anymore as I watch the young ones in the office banging away twice as fast as me on the keyboard! 

Coldethyl, wise words and so true.

This forum has been a Godsend to me since I have discovered it.  Thank you all so much.

[coldethyl]

I think it does help just to see that we are not alone with all of this. Reaching out to others  has been shown to stimulate the production of oxytocin the feel good hormone, and I think the support and space to share that this place provides is invaluable.
I'm like you Sparkle. The bad habits are so ingrained that they just are normal now and it is hard to accept that they can cause so much physical upheaval. I guess we just cope with it until something like the hormonal maelstrom of the menopausal transition comes along and our poor bodies scream " enough!"
Dorothy, you are so right. I'm going to switch my light of shortly and just do ten minutes breathing practice.

[coldethyl]

Was reading a book on anxiety yesterday and one of the sections was on importance of just drinking enough water throughout day. I know I should but I don't so going to add that to list of things I should do. I thunk it's doubly important when you are suffering from the hot flushes and night sweats.

[Justjules]

I am terrible at drinking water.  Every New Year it's one of my resolutions and every year I fail!  Trouble is, I am never thirsty, even in hot weather so I have to consciously make myself have a drink.  I make numerous cuppas through the day but never drink more than half a cup!  I too will make an effort and see if that helps. 

Hope everyone has a good day today.

[coldethyl]

A water app sounds good idea. Will check that out. I really do need to up my intake as I've been feeling on the edge of a migraine this last week and it drinking more fluids does help them.
I had a reasonable night's sleep but then had two hours of flushes when I got up so now look and feel very damp!! Wouldn't care so much but I am a diabetic and it raises my blood sugar. Argh. Can I pencil myself in as coming back as a man next time?
Have a great day ladies. X

[coldethyl]

Water is good for helping flush the stuff through your system faster and helps the kidneys cope. My BS was perfect till this all started but now goes up with a flush- all that cortisol and adrenaline not great for the body in so many ways. Of course the diabetic nurse will just think I have been eating all the pies!
Yes it would be my luck to get me as a partner!

[Justjules]

Sparkle, not heard of a water app!  I will have a look now.... 

[babyjane]

I have a pint glass of water on the dining room table with a drinking straw and I have three draws on the straw every time I pass.  I find a draw on a straw easier than gulps from the glass.  I try to refill the glass at least once so that's 2 pints a day (1 litre) in addition to my normal cuppas with the hubby.

[CLKD]

How does water intake have any effect on anxiety 
It is known that if the body is dehydrated = headaches
However: it is not necessary to drink as much as we are told - because we take in fluids with other food stuffs.  Back to the colour of pee: the 1st one of the day (i.e. after 2.00 a.m.), will be dark.  As the day goes on it should be straw coloured, any lighter and the person is drinking TOO much.  Often we are told that we should be drinking X-litres of water by the bottled water Companies, we don't see Anglian Water pushing the info., do we?
I do know that after my anxiety subsides I pee every 10 mins. for hours and not small quantities either.