Living with a chronic health condition

[Geila]

I've been struggling lately with accepting the conditions imposed on me by my health issues. Low energy, lots and lots of meds, nausea from meds, what feels like a never-ending focus on the negative aspects of my health, constant vigilance over what I eat, fatigue, etc.....

I realized yesterday that my health issues take up about 75% of my mental energy. I don't know if I can change that, and I guess even if I can, the thought of it feels exhausting. It feels like my bad health controls my entire life. And one of the aspects of my health condition is fatigue and low-energy, so I feel pretty screwed in trying to make positive changes.

Does anyone else have a chronic health condition? And if so, how do you deal with it? How do you keep it from controlling your life?

[Teacher Terry]

At age 50 I took no medication and walked 6-8 miles a day. Then I started to feel horrible and it turns out I had HBP, too fast and erratic heartbeat and asthma. On lots of medications and they make me tired. I also gained weight because the medication for my heart also slowed down my metabolism. I wear a Fitbit and make sure I get 10k/steps a day. I am 64 now and used to it. I make myself do things like exercise and clean house, etc even when I don’t feel like it. Beats the alternative)

[JaneV2.0]

I try to tell myself this is a temporary condition. After all, if I just got both knees and a hip replaced, I'd be almost as good as new!

The knees are some kind of genetic defect, and I think the hip is due to favoring my left (weaker) knee for so long.

It seems to be getting progressively worse, though, so I'm considering grocery delivery/pickup and other means to cope. Thank heavens for ebooks and library downloads. I can still manage my stairs, barely.

If I start to feel too sorry for myself, I think of my relative battling the same progressive arthritis with a stroke on top of it. After eleven months, they can transfer from a wheelchair to a toilet and back, which has been a goal for months. Of course they've racked up thousands and thousands in debt to live in a care facility and get minimal therapy. They have to pay extra for "helpers." Gotta love American health "care."

The worst thing is that I'm no longer invisible. On my weekly post office/grocery store outings, people come out of the woodwork to offer assistance.

[Geila]

Thanks for sharing ladies. One of my health conditions has a weekly support group and I'm going to join that. I've been pushing myself to be more active in general and getting out of the house and that has helped in taking my mind off of my physical ailments.

[Gardenarian]

I have a couple things that aren't going away ever, and a couple of things I've been dealing with for several years, which seem to be improving.

[Zoe Girl]

My chronic health condition is in my brain, it is not going away. Every couple of years I think maybe I am all cured! At least I am smart enough to not go off meds. But it does affect my daily life. It is not a physical issue but I do have times I am queasy or have difficulty. I am realizing that the stigma is not that unique either, not that I am disclosing anything in real life!

[Gardnr]

Mom's advice to me: "Don't be angry about what you can't do, be grateful for what you CAN do". when she couldn't walk 5 miles, she walked 2. When she couldn't walk 2, she walked 1. When she couldn't walk one, she counted the "laps" across her home from one end to the other. She was a wonderful example of positivity.

Focus on the positive and care for the health issues in whatever way necessary. The positive focus helps the health issues recede a bit.

[Teacher Terry]

G, I totally agree.

[Gardenarian]

Yes, staying optimistic and not dwelling on health problems makes a big difference to me.

It's easy to get sucked into this medical vortex where your disease becomes your life, especially when you're in pain. I've done that, sometimes you have to for a while, but once you've figured out what's going on and have a treatment plan it's best to put your focus elsewhere and move on as best you can.

[CathyA]

I have fibromyalgia and pretty bad osteoarthritis. I can't stand long in one place, and it's painful to walk, since my right knee and foot are bad. My fingers point in different directions and some joints are swollen. I still keep doing things though. (Cooking, gardening, etc.) I think I've gotten used to some of the pain, but routinely take tylenol (well under liver-damaging amounts), and am on CBD oil. I think it mostly helps my attitude and stamina......but then I use my body more and then have more joint pain.

I've always been a negative person. I haven't a clue how not to be. But I do keep doing productive things. Exercise isn't good for everyone, but I think stretching is really good.
It's definitely a balancing act. I said I was a negative person.........but I really don't know. Maybe if someone else had my physical problems, they wouldn't be handling it as well as I am. I've never been anyone but me, so I can't say how positive/negative I really am. You always have to remember to do a few pleasurable things. That can be having a hobby, birdwatching, playing with a pet, watching the stars at night, etc.
Life is so curious.........