ANA Discussion Forum
Archive => Archives => Topic started by: Kathleen_Mc on April 01, 2006, 05:59:33 pm
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Just wonderng if there is anyone else around who is "long" past surgery and still has difficulty with stanima?
I am over 15 years post op from my orginal surgery and still I am very tired. I almost always wake up tired, I get naps whenever I can, I often all asleep on the couch before my son (who's 7) and I feel like I'm dragging myself everywhere.
Kathleen
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I can relate, I feel like crap most the time and fight headache's three to four times a week. :'( IMO it drags you down where you just don't feel like doing anything, :(luckily I can still make it to work most days, but by the time I get off I'm wore out, feel like crap, and my head usually hurts. :( I find that the short drive home makes it worse. My ear starts buzzing, I get alittle dizzy from the movement and by the time I get home I almost got motion sickness. I sure hope you don't feel this way. Please give me some HOPE! But, I do think I'm getting better, my episodes don't last as long and I do have some good days. :)
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I am 8 years post-op and have not regained the stamina that I had pre-op. I find myself feeling very overwhelmed at the things I need to get done because of the lack of energy. I find that I need to pace myself during the day, so that I am not so tired in the evening. My doctors keep telling me that it is because I am getting older and also related to hormonal issues. Not sure I totally agree.
The good thing is that I never have problems falling asleep at night. ;D
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I doubt anybody can tell you how much energy or staying power you should have in any given time because there are so many other factors. I think one could compare themselves with a sibling, older or younger, and perhaps get some benchmark to go by. But, in reference to aging...there is some amount of change in stamina over each advancing decade of life. Having reached 64 I can say I had lots more stamina at 55 than I had pre-op. I'd believe age 44-50 is the so called time of zest. Then as menopause approaches (usually 52 or there about) the whole body shifts gears. Men experience a similar shift, might have trouble sleeping, put on extra body weight, loose muscle mass.  I mean this might sound silly but as we get older we do slow down.ÂÂ
As for feeling draggy, I'd say a blood workup, check thyroid, etcetera might give you an answer. You might find out you are right on schedule and healthier than most people in your age group.  :D
The mistake we make as we age is comparing ourselves to young people. We are bombarded every day with comparisons.
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RC, I have sound induced tinnitus since my surgery. I get a zzzttt after every sound I hear, after my own voice, and after these keys click on this keyboard. On days when the humidity is high, it is worse. I keep on keeping on, like you. I am just too stubborn to pay attention to it. I will find something more pleasurable to listen to. When I drive, the road noise is very bad, so I play the radio low, this helps me. I turn the TV low and listen. Little by little I am adjusting, but it isn't easy is it? We could all get jobs as endurance coaches. :)
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Boppie, Noise is really hard on me also. I cringe when ice drops from the ice machine. Silverware clacking drives me up the wall. Any high pitched noise makes me cringe. I have to have the TV so low my wife can verly hear it. I know I get on her nerves sometimes, but she understands having to set in the waiting room for 18 hours and taking me to who knows how many appointments. Life is definately different, but good! You probably know my motto: A day without a headache is a GREAT day! ;)
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Since my surgery in 03, which felt like waking up 30 to 40 years older, my stamina has decreased in inverse proportion to my anxiety level. Just leaving the house is a chore, especially for trips, Drs. appointments, etc. I work at home, and even though, I am able to work almost full-time again, I dread any kind of driving around chores (bank, grocery, etc.) I joined a gym to try to get myself out of the house more--didn't even go last week!
When I had my daily excruciating headaches, at least I had an excuse not to get out of bed! Now I feel bad about myself when I feel like blowing everything off because my anxiety about it is overwhelming. I'm tired of kicking my own a** when I just DO NOT have the energy to get done what needs to get done.
Woo! I needed that! Thanks for listening (reading)
Capt Deb 8)
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Deb I find my anxiety level climbing with leaving the house. I've been avoiding grocery shopping for two days now. I know how hard it is and how anxious I get while in the store. I'm not able to work full time and figure when it comes to crunch time all my energy will be work and I'll not have much quality of life for anything else. I can't tell is I'm depressed and that's why I'm sleeping so much or if I'm exhausted. UGH! :-\
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Believe me, Batty, you really are exhausted. I think depression, anxiety and physical exhaustion all go hand-in hand with each other and feed off each other. The core of it is the vestibular deficiency after surgery. It takes a lot of physical energy to retrain your "other" systems--visual and skeletal-muscular. Mine usually comes to a head in the form of a thumping mifraine --my body's way of telling me to "HEY!!! take the day OFF!!!!" It does get better, though, but it's a bloody battle. And it really doesn't improve by sitting around, either. Getting up and getting out is hard WORK!!! No one understands this like someone who has been in your shoes, believe me!!!
Capt Deb
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I finally managed to go to the car wash and get some groceries and had a major anxiety attack. I hate going out in public. Some scarey dude came up behind me at the car wash and for a minute I freaked out as I realized I couldn't defend myself if I needed to. Luckily I realized I wasn't out there alone and he was only looking to vaccum his car. When he drove in all the windows were down and it didn't look dirty for a wash. Mind games..they suck!
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My anxiety level sky rockets when I leave the house. Not sure when the balance issues will surface, driving causes such sensory overload and then dealing with SSD. When I get back home, I am mentally/physically exhausted at trying to keep all these issues in check . Alot less anxious when I am with someone.
I suffer from panic/anxiety attacks. I had them 20+ years ago and worked through it and did not have any until last November. Working through them yet again.
Sorry what happened to you today BattyP. Take care!
matti
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Thanks Matti.
I've had anxitey attacks before surgery and was hoping they would go away but I guess that was a hope and a dream. I'm still trying to get my heartbeat under control. Darn didn't find those guys so had to wash my car myself >:(
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Gee guys,
I had no idea that you have been affected this way. My concentration span has diminished and yeah, come to think of it, I do more of "can't be bothered" than I used to. Can't say that I have had panick attacks - gee that must be really hard to deal with. Can meds help? My wife had a breakdown some years ago and was put on a cocktail of drugs which she has now brought down to not a lot and is able to cope better with daily stresses, the kids and me.
I guess the AN and subsequent issues and side effects of the op creates a lowering of self confidence as well.
Anyway, relaxation does help but also confronting the issue helps - but you have to be ready for that. Confronting the issue like, doing the groceries but being aware of your surroundings especially at the beginning of recovery.
Laz
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Sorry to hear about your anxiety attack. i hope you all get them under control soon.
I have some advice about shopping at the grocery store. In the beginning i always tried to have someone go with me and i would walk holding onto the cart and only go around the perimeter of the store. Then whoever was with me would go up and down the isles. As i got more comfortable, i would add an isle. i am now able to go alone, sometimes it is still overwhelming and i leave before i have everything, but if my 13 yr old is home i usually make him go with me. When he grows up he will be quite the bargain finder at the grocery store.
I hope this helps.
D.
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Your talking about shopping? This is a killer, in WalMart when you have a cart to hang on {thats good} but your looking for someone and you have to look up and down the isles and left and right too.
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My stanima? I feel 20 years older. I went through this operation and menapause at the same time. Thats no picnic. Double wamy.
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WoW!--me, too! Menopause and AN surgery at the same time--totally double whammy!
I'm wiped out today--went to the gym for 45 min work-out, then to Lowe's for paint stuff, then to grocery store. Major wonkyhead. What stamina? It takes me all day to do what I used to do before lunch!
Capt Deb
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hey guys, speaking right outa tune here coz I don't know much about the menapause except when my wife gets it, I'm outa here!!!!!!
It might just be the fact that more women seem to identify with stamina isssues than guys so wondering if there is a link to ye old hormones and whether a top up / change in level is needed. I'm talking about the blokes hormone now not the female one.
But hey, I'm just a mere male mortal but sounds logical to me.
Laz
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Deb I really love the "wonky head" description. Do you think they'll understand it on my disability form? :D
I think I'm on the heels of you two with the menopause thing. Will find out more next week. Hormone imbalances suck!
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Laz: I don't have the hormone issue though and I still have the low stanima. I am only 38 now, I was 23 when I had the surgery and really my energy never really got back to what it was before the orginal surgery. I have lived my life forcing myself to do a lot of "what has to be done" and some days I get really agnry that I feel this way. I have two wonderful children and a great husband but when it gets to dinner time, if I've been home and up all day, I just want to go to bed!
Kathleen
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Kathleed do you find on the days you want to go to bed by dinner time that the next day is a bear too? I was completely wiped out yesterday and had my jammies on and was in bed by 7:00 today I'm so tired and my speeck is horrible even after just waking up from a 2 hour nap. One day I think I can handle going back to work and the next day there's no way...of course today would be the day the benefits department calls to check on me and ask when I'm coming back full time..>UGH
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I essentially feel exhausted everyday all day and there is very few days that I don't. I get the rare day when I feel O.K. just about 7 pm and then it hits. My poor children, I haven't the energy to do the things they need to do....like go to the park (I do it but not near enough and they have to leave on my terms not thiers). There's many an evening that my son has to watch his shows on my bed after I put my daughter to be around 8 pm and he's awake until the end of his shows and tells me good night and turns off the tv around 10! I am irritable because I am so tired and I just want to sleep all the time. It's not my mood, that is to say the depression is well under control, I just don't have the energy to do anything I don't have to do. Kathleen
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Kathleen,
Have you had a blood test recently - like checking your iron levels?
Laz
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Laz: Iron is fine and so is all the other obvious things, I have been thinking of getting more blood work done for things that aren't so obvious (like B12 etc.). I have been like this for so long though I'm almost too tired to be bothered (wsad ain't it?). I have addressed this with my doctor's before and they all seem to feel it's just the way it is now (since the orginal surgery). I always tell myself if I didn't have to work full time I'd be better off and have more energy for all the other things is life but I really think that's just fooling myself, I have things I must do and that is what keeps me doing them, if I didn't have to do something I wouldn't have the energy to do it.
Kathleen
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Have you had a thyroid test done also? Any possibility of even it being chronic fatigue syndrome also? Are you on an anti-depressant and if so tried changing to a new med to see if works better? Will keep thinking of other remote possibilties.
Cheryl R.
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Kathleen- 15 years! Oh I feel for you! I am coming upon 1 year and am still exhausted. I have been sick with everything under the sun this past year and am hoping to feel better soon. I could sleep my life away.. I work full time also, but do not have kids at home anymore, and I am on anti-depressants! I wish the best for you! Luv2teachsped
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been lurking this thread.. have no clue what to say, but send hugs to you all.
xoxo
Phyl
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My thyroid has been checked a few times and is OK. I have been on and off antidepressants for a majority of the years and the one I'm on is just fine....when that's out of wack I actually can't sleep at all and have major anxiety and panic attacks. I don't know how a doctor comes to the diagnoses of Chronic fatigue syndrome and I believe that is only after nothing else can be found wrong and the feel they need to give the person a diagnoses, no treatment for that either.( at least that I have seen effective). I was really just wondering if there is anyone else out there that has had this happen and what ended up being the problem (to help me make suggestions to my GP). Kathleen
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Kathleen,
If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome then there is hope. I'm not sure if there is a cure but there was (retired now) a footballer here who was diagnosed with it. He trained and played pretty vigorously so I think he was "managed". I do know that he didn't train 5 days a week like the other players and he didn't always fly coz that seemed to drain him but he did manage it pretty well. It knocked him around for around a year until they (the teams medico's) actually worked out what to do.
Maybe, you need to research it a little so you can manage the problem. By managing, I guess that means doing the right things and not the wrong ones. Got nothing to lose as I see it but if this guy who played till 36 could play professional footbal with it, then there is hope. The footbal is Aussie Rules and in case you are unfamiliar with it, its very different to gridiron. This guy would have run around 6-8 kilometres a game and be bumped and tackled a number of times. You got to be really fit to play this game.
cheers
Larry
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Hey Kathleen,
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (sister syndrome to CFS) a few years back. Physcial energy a total wash on me... I have some info if you want to help with rest, diet and exercise. I'm more than happy to share if of interest to you. Sending you hugs and wishes for a terrific holiday today!
Phyl