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I hope everyone is not getting tired of my postings. But I really need to reach out tonight. I have been very stressed over my daughters situation all day and then went to physical therapy where the therapist basically implied that my bladder and rectal wall are pro lapsing and therapy won't be much help. She had mo idea how i would ever be able to fix it. Great. Then she told me swimming is the best exercise - which I can not do now that I have IC! She didn't even think walking was good for me - which is what I have been doing a lot of. I havd been looking so forward to begin exercise, and she cant even recommend any kind for me. So that on top of stress causing flare ups and frequency is making me have heart pounding anxiety that just won't quit. I want to crawl out of my skin. I can't even answer simple questions and I find myself talking to myself.
My question to all of you is if I were a patient of Dr Brizman , how would she handle me? Are there chinese herbs that she would give me to take for this anxiety? Im not asking for the kindly medicine, as I know no one can advise me on that, I was just wondering if she does treat anxiety. I think that will be what I need the most from her initially. I have never experienced as much anxiety as I have since I have started with the IC. I have never taken any drugs for it but can understand why people would. This is dibilitating. It would be nice to know that she actually has something to offer me to take that would be safe to relieve it. I can't even eat dinner as I don't think I could swallow anything.
Thanks for listening to one more of my postings.
Sue
Dear Sue,
Dear Sue,
Dr. B does address anxiety. She feels that as the body becomes more balanced the anxiety wil lesson. While that't happening, there are things that she puts into your protocol to help with that. This has been a huge issue for me - at the moment it seems to be getting better - afraid to jynx it. Hang in there - your appt will get here!
Sue,
Sue,
What Dr. B does is help your body get back in balance. As that is achieved, anxiety decreases. I used to be such a worrier and now I'm basically free from it. I get concerned about things from time to time, but I don't constantly obsess about things anymore.
There have been times in treatment when I temporarily had increased anxiety, but Dr. B would change my dose and I would be fine.
This treatment is a journey and we all learn important lessons along the way. I have learned to let go of trying to control everything and just take things one day at a time.
Please know you are not alone. I don't know why that therapist said what she said, but she is only one person. You don't have to accept what she said as truth. Just because she says something is hopeless doesn't make it so. Keep looking for answers, but only do what you can handle one day at a time. Getting healthy is sometimes a marathon, not a sprint.
You are going to be okay, Sue. And we are here for you. And Dr. B will be there for you 100%.
Denise and Lisa Ann,
Denise and Lisa Ann,
I read your comforting words as I went off to sleep last night. Thank you for taking the time to write them. It meant so much.
Last night when my husband got home from work I tried to hide my anxiety. We both went out to grab some food from the grocery store and to distract me.... But upon returning and making the meal I was still wound up so tight I had to lay down with a hot water bottle.
Since I have begun having my IC issues, my husband has had to find outlets for his stresses and interestingly enough one of those outlets has become karioki. Funny thing is he doesn't drink (which actually helps me)! But we are not bar people. He has an amazing voice and gets the crowd going every song. Anyhow, last night was his karioki night and there I laid on our couch fully stressed out and he asked if I was going to come with him. Well, except for listening to him, I really don't get much out of going out to these things (loud music, pepple drinking, etc.). But I finally decided I was not going to let the anxiety dictate what I wanted to do. I really love my husband snd love spending time with him. I got up and went. Usually I sit at a table and suffer silently in pain. Well, when I got there I decided to act as if I didn't have IC (except for not being able to have a glass of wine! Server brought me my spring water in a wine glass!) . I walked up to several people and just conversed with them and tried distracting myself from the anxiety and discomfort. My two daughters and their boyfriends and a college friend of my husband met us there and , even though the sress had brought on moments of intense pain, I rode them out and ended up being so glad I pushed myself to go out. I even got up to sing m first karioki song (Angel From Montgomery - Bonnie Rait). My 20 year old daughter was crying she was so proud of me and said I sang beautifully.
Now, I realize not all IC pain and anxiety can be dealt with this way, but I realize I personally have to push through sometimes and stop acting like a victim and , yes, Lisa Ann, know that everything is going to be okay. It felt so good to hear that from you.
Thanks for listening,
Sue
Dear Sue,
Dear Sue,
Thank you for sharing this - I hope that you are so proud of yourself - I was proud for you. You are going to be ok - hold onto that - and to your moment as a star at the bar - way to go.
Hugs,
Lisa Ann and Denise,
Lisa Ann and Denise,
Does she give you a certain supplement or medicine to treat the anxiety specifically? I understand about getting the body back into balance, I just needed to know that when I have these extreme anxiety attacks that there is something I can take to relieve them. It now makes so much sense that there are people on this forum that are experiencing issues with reducing their anxiety meds. I really don't want to use them, but when these come on I just want to crawl out of my skin and really don't know how to come off them. I would be great if Dr Brizman had something safe I could take to reduce my anxiety.
My dear sweet husband said it is two steps forward and one step backward. He seems to feel I am making some progress on the diet alone. I guess when you are the one going through all the experiences, you don't see it as well. I just feel I am in the same hell all over again so don't feel the progress as much. I feel my anxiety attacks have become more severe. Although I do have a good day every once in awhile.
I am back on the couch with a hot water bottle and my feet up waiting out this anxiety. I've done the tapping and deep breathing. But I can't think of anything else I can do to stop my heart from pounding and my gut from churning up. I get so anxious I become nauseous. Just hanging in there until it passes. Karioki isn't going to be my cure today! Hope whatever it is that I have taken or used passes sometime in near future. It's odd that this has started in the AM as that means I haven't used anything for 8 or more hours ago. It happened before I ate anything or used anything on my body.
Thanks for listening once again,
Sue
Sue,
Sue,
I'm so glad you got to go out and have some fun with your family! Sometimes we just have to take a chance like that even when we aren't feeling that great. I've had to say no to going out a lot of times due to pain, but whenever I can, I go even if I don't feel super good.
It sounds like you and your husband are singers. My husband and I are singers too! In fact I have a couple voice and piano students that I teach at my home. I actually can't sing as much right now because it causes too much activity in the pelvic area which causes my pain to increase. I miss it so much, but I'll be able to sing Iike a bird again someday, hopefully sooner than later!
Praying for you today,
I am so touched to think
I am so touched to think about your singing voice coming back strong!
bless you!
I've woken up with another
I've woken up with another extreme form of anxiety and spasms in uretha this morning. I was wondering if anyone had reaction from eating kale or from using any dr Hauska products or weleeda rose deodorant? These are the only things besides the olive oil I use that I can figure would cause it. I can't find pure olive oil yet.
Sue
By the way, I had a really
By the way, I had a really great day yesterday and only went to the bathroom 5-6 times and went anywhere from 13- 30 ounces at a time. It was often 4-5 hours apart. And I drank a lot all day. I stuck to the diet really well. (except for kale and oh and spinach ) , but they never seemed to bother me I really don't think it's the facial products because my days seem to go like this. One good or okay day and then a bad one with no difference in what I am doing. I took a calming chineses herbal supplement to try and make me feel better. I can't wait to see Dr Brizman, although, even then , I realize these issues can take a long time to resolve. Ugh!!!! I know I'm always on here complaining and I am sorry. But thanks for listening.
Sue
Dear Sue,
Dear Sue,
I'm sorry, I'm not sure about the flair. As for immediate anxiety relief with Dr. B - some things she's given me have helped right away. However, what she gives won't kick you in the butt like some of the conventional western anti-anxiety meds. For me, I've been forced into extensive therapy and facing so much crap from my childhood, that was stuffed so far down I didn't know how far down really was. I'm hoping that I'm getting close to finding that bottom and can continue to climb on out. Because as weird as this may sound to you, for me, it has become abundently clear how much the mind and body are linked. Often times, I can't tell when I've had some sort of mental breakthrough or if my body has caused it by unloading actual physical toxins. I truly believe that if you pursue this treatment, you will be on a path that will teach you your own depth. Because, for most, some more than others, this will be the hardest and most rewarding thing that you've ever done.
Denise,
Denise,
Which had helped more for your anxiety? Dr Brizmsn or your therapy? I didn't find therapy helped me at all when I went. I've tried several people too. Very nice threapists. It just didn't help. Is there a specific kind of therapist or treatment that you would highly recommend? So much depends on the person you see.
Do you get anxiety like I've described? I woke up with it so it's as if it's a physical problem. I like the idea of getting the body back in balance but it seems like many people here have to wait sometimes years to get to that place. That is why I would be happy if Dr Brizman has something I could take to relieve it when it got this debilitating.
Thanks for trying to help me out so much Denise. I'm afraid I'm playing the victim again but I'm just reaching out for help. I can't seem to make sense out of this condition. In the past any physical issues I had had common sense remedies. This condition just seems off the wall. I can't imagine what struggles Dr Brizman has with dealing with patients with these conditions. She has to be a saint. I am in such immense admiration for her taking on the challenge of helping so many women with such complex and physical as well as mental incapacitating illness. I am so grateful to have the chance to heal with her guidance. But also to have the friendship of many caring women who share the same issues.
Thank you
Sue
Dear Sue,
Dear Sue,
When you see Dr. Brizman I would discuss wanting to get some sort of therapy that might help you. The kind of therapist that I found is one that I know concerns Dr. Brizman, as it works with energy fields - which is actually what tapping does. I found my therapist by an internet search, using the termonology EFT - which had been mentioned on this site by someone who had been helped in this manner. For me, she's been a lifesaver. The tapping and afirmations have helped to calm my mind. From there, we've moved on to delving into what is often called the inner child. When, as children, we aren't taught healthy coping skills, as adults, often times we seem to become anxiety ridden. This type of therapy isn't the easy quick fix. However, after years of trying other things, including cognitive behavorial therapy, I seem to have finally found something that is actually helping. Again, please discuss any energy work with Dr. Brizman, I have heard that it can be disruptive to her own treatment.
I'm afraid I am dealing with
I'm afraid I am dealing with an extreme anxiety attack that I can not manage. I have had it going on since around 8 this morning and I do not know what to do to stop it. Can food cause this? I seemed to have it slowly start upon waking having not had anything but spring water to drink up until 9:00. I have been reading all the anxiety postings on the forum and I am not getting a great feeling that people on this program resolve their anxieties very well. It doesn't seem like an easy thing to treat. So this even depresses me more. My physical symptoms aren't bothering me so bad. I have to pee every hour but that makes sense with my anxieties. I think I am going to go insane though and having no hope the anxiety can be cured is making things worse. Is there anyone out there who can say they have recovered from having panic attacks through this treatment????
One thing I am thinking is I had eggs this morning after getting the panic attacks, tho, that had omega 3's in them (it was an accident!). I also have been eating a lot of zucchini bread and have had slight white stains in my pants that may indicate candidas. Could that cause anxiety? Will drinking a lot of spring water help wash this out? I also said earlier that I tried some hauska skin care products yesterday. But I seem to get these anxiety attacks in the past without using these products. Someone please reassure me that with Dr Brizmans help my panic attacks will go away. I have not been on any strong drugs at all in my lifetime. It is all from this horrible surgery. I so wish there was something to relieve this right now.
Lias Ann - I am trying so hard to know in my heart that I will heal. It's just do hard when the anxiety will not lift.
Sue
Sue, I sounded a lot more
Sue, I sounded a lot more anxious when I first started, if you read my first posts. Thanks to some of the amazing women here, they calmed me down! And when you start to FEEL better phyisically, the anxiety will lessen. They told me this, I know I see what they mean, but I am 3.5 months into treatment.
Where is Researchnerd when we need her? ( A fellow patient that studies statistics ;)
You have to remember that the people posting on this board are a SMALL SUBSET of all of Dr. Brizman's patients! Many of her patients have had some anxiety/depression (me included) that are managing quite well. They are NOT posting about it! If you do a search for anxiety, you will find a subset of a subset, that is, people in treatment that like to post on this forum, that also have anxiety. So this is an issue they are struggling with and may have more challenge with than many people in treatment, and it is taking longer for it to resolve. When you read her dissertation you will realize that much of this is driven by our physical imbalance and resolves slowly in treatmet. I hope that helps a tiny bit.
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Mimi,
Mimi,
Is there anything you would suggest I do to get off this anxiety trip I am on? I know you just tried to reach out to me and I don't need to get caught up in my struggles, but breathing, tapping, hot water bottles, walking, aren't taking it away. I can't drink chamomile tea or do exercise yet. I see some women take cod liver oil for anxiety but I don't want to start something without Dr Brizmans orders unless someone knows for sure something is safe to take or do. I'm just drowning here. Yesterday I thought this was going to be a cake. I'm getting really scared it is not ever going to let up.
Sue
Sue- I don't have the same
Sue- I don't have the same anxiety issues but I have certainly had huge amounts of despair and fear. The only thing that helps me is acceptance. it sounds trite but it has helped me. Not about the big picture but just the feeling I have at the moment. I just accept that I feel extremely anxious or whatever and then go with it for the day. I don't think this is a magic bullet for you as you seem to be in an extreme situation right now but maybe it will just take the edge off. ((((hug)))) The more I worry about the worry- the worse it is if that makes any sense.
Here's a good quote that I have up on my fridge
"Worry never robs tomorrow of its trouble, it only saps today of its strength"
Thank you both Deir and Mimi,
Thank you both Deir and Mimi,
I don't know what I really expect of all of you out there. But I can always feel your wisdom and compassion shine through with your responses.
Sue
I want I apologize to
I want I apologize to everyone as I believe I broke the rules of conduct by ranting today and going off on tangents and not being constructive. Please accept my deepest apologies and thank you for reaching out to me inspite of my thoughtlessness. I obviously forgot that there are others with as much suffering out there as I am experiencing. I want somehow to deal with this with as much grace as I have seen others shown in their postings. That will be my highest challenge with this condition.
Sue
Hey Sue,
Hey Sue,
As far as I"m concerned you've done nothing wrong - we all rant - not to any degree that I think the forum conduct is talking about. I'm sorry that you're having such a rough time. I turly believe that once you get into treatment things will calm down for you. I am so impressed that you've found enough trust and belief to take this leap of faith. Occasionally, on here, you hear people that sound as desperate as I can get - as desperate as you seem to sound to me, who for whatever reason just can't get to California. Whether it's a lack of hope or faith, or what have you, they disapear. You're here and fighting and you will get better. Hanging in there with you.
Denise,
Denise,
Thank you for your letter. You made me feel much better as I was feeling really ashamed.
Sue
Sue ((Hugs)) be very kind to
Sue ((Hugs)) be very kind to yourself.
Denise, thank you for all of your kind words
Lisa Ann, I remember at the beginning of treatment I could not read my daughters bedtime books to them and now I can. I feel so blessed to be here...You will be singing strong again!!
xo
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.