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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/9/2010
Posts: 77
Location: Hampshire
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Hi Everyone I'm wandering if anyone feels that having RA has made dealing with anything stressful really difficult. I have never been one for dealing with stressful situations well but since being diagnosed with RA I am finding it much worse and I try to steer away from anything stressful however small. Take care everyone Debs  xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 1/21/2012 Posts: 388 Location: Powys
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Hi Debs, definately!! Just like you, I've never been much cop at the stress thing, and now since developing ra, the slightest stress brings about a flare. I have now wised up and avoid any stress and worry if possible. The trouble is I'm a worry worry kind of person I guess, which does not help. I must appear to be a bit of a wimp too,I suppose, avoiding taking on any extra responsibility than I have to. R.A. has certainly got a lot to answer for!!!! Zena x.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/3/2011 Posts: 717 Location: Torbay
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I think in some ways having RA has had the opposite effect on me because I used to take on too much, never feeling able to say no to anyone. Now I know that if I overdo it I will feel really ill. Getting enough rest really makes a difference to how well I feel and how active the RA is. I have become better at pacing now and at realising my limitations. For example I've gone part time at work and I do alternate days so that I can rest between shifts. I now have plenty of time to have afternoon naps, to potter about the house and garden, to browse through charity shops at my leisure and to take up new hobbies. Perfume making is my latest one. My life has slowed down somewhat and whilst at first going part time seemed like a bereavement, now I feel like it's one of the best things I've ever done.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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I have always been a worreir. However I do feel that since having RA
it has made me worse.The stress does make the RA worse, pain etc
.so yes I agree with you
Rose
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/28/2012 Posts: 665 Location: Newton Abbot
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Hi Debs - I agree that since having RA I feel less able to deal with stressful things - I think it's because when you tackle a problem you often have to have a serious of tasks and once you get started you have to keep on going, even if I'm feeling tired and achey - you know the sort of thing like when I agreed to have the loft insulated the company said they would do it and I didn't have to worry, but of course I had to organise getting all the stuff currently in the loft shifted before the specific date. I had lots of help from my kids, but I really did regret getting it started because now I have all these boxes filling my garage and waiting for me to organise shifting them back and I just don't feel up to it. I agree with Naomi that the RA has made me think twice about saying YES to every request - I still feel I'm being very mean because I like being helpful, but I just have to be firm and limit myself. I try to prioritise what is really important in my life and that's my husband and my family, and they get the lion's share of my energy, but I make sure that they understand that I have to rest often and they have to help me and that includes them doing some of the stressful stuff - like dealing with money!! At least now I have a diagnosis, I feel I have a rational explanation to offer them and I am able to ask for help when I need it and feel happy that they respond so brilliantly Sylvia xx Be kinder than is necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/13/2010 Posts: 786 Location: east anglia
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yep me too, i now get panick attacks if asked to do things i don't really want to as i hate to refuse,but i have learned to say no alot more,,cause of the stress levels,i was a yes person but i get the most awful bewildered looks from some i say no to,i really don't feel the need to explain myself either,if someone said to me they didn't want to be somewhere or do something then fine i'd sort it out,i now have at last learned to look out for number 1,yes i think the r/a is in on alot of our actions,dorothy
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/9/2010
Posts: 77
Location: Hampshire
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Thank you for your replies it has helped me to put things into perspective and realise that I am not the only one who feels like this although I wish we all didn't have to deal with this. Take care everyone Debs xx
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Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/21/2012
Posts: 23
Location: Nottingham
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Hi,
This weekend my kickboxing club had a specialist in spiritual healing and hawain kempo (martial arts) come over from Portugal for a special seminar. He made a point of speaking to me at the end to discuss the Chinese take on the five essentials (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood). As describing this he drew a picture to explain the concept better. But to cut a long story short, he says that is over thinking we lead ourselves into stressful situations. Stress due to overthinking leads to stomach and lung issues (ie consider when worried we often get gippy tummy or start to hyperventilate) - so far it makes perfect sense. ..... He went on to explain the elements and how they represent body parts (earth=stomach/spleen, water=kidney/Bones, metal=Lungs etc).... when one of the elements is out of harmony it will put that body part into physical stress which will manifest in illness.... hense in Chinese theory stress=heat/inflammation and thus YES STRESS=FLARE.
He has offered me acupuncture and herbs to help alleviate some of the pain and other symptoms of RA. However, without changing my approach to stressful situations he feels my RA will continue to be problematic.... I wish it were that simple. Should also say my initial response was "how rude" how can he say I brought this on myself by having a stressful job etc..... but when you sit back and think I do wonder if MAYBE there is something in what he says.
I sure wont be dismissing it without giving it a go - ie relaxation techniques and saying "no" when I know it is really the right decision for me to make.
Have any of you heard anything similar before?
Tina
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/28/2012 Posts: 665 Location: Newton Abbot
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Hi Tina - thanks for explaining all that - it's reminded me that I used to enjoy Tai Chi. I came to it later in life so I've never done the martial arts bit, but I went to classes which taught a series of gentle movements. I stopped going because my feet hurt so much, but I really like the chinese approach to maintaining good balance in all things. You've motivated me to go back - my instructor does a Friday morning class for those with restricted mobility so I'll start with that and see how I cope. If nothing else it'll gve me something else to concentrate on because like Debs I'm feeling pretty stressed out at the mo. I find myself constantly obsessing about the RA and that is definitely a bad thing. Best wishes to all - Sylvia xx Be kinder than is necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/3/2011 Posts: 717 Location: Torbay
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Sylvia, I just wanted to say that i was exactly the same when I was first diagnosed, thinking about the RA all the time. I think it's probably quite normal at first while we get used to such a life altering diagnosis. I promise it does get easier and a new knind of normaility emerges in the end. Naomi, X
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 856
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Hi everyone
You are all such an inspiration!
I've still got a lot to learn when it comes to dealing with stress and learning to pace myself.
I was diagnosed 4 yrs ago but still can't get to grips with it. I still forget that I can't do things like I used to, and try to carry on as normal- particularly the shopping, trips to London, theatre and concerts. However, I have recently started to appreciate that there's a lot going on locally, which is enjoyable. I've been getting very angry and resentful about it and often feel very guilty that my husband has to do so much around the house.
When I was first diagnosed, I coped better as it was all new and I was in so much pain that I didn't have much choice. However, as the meds kicked in and I started to feel better, I got lulled into a false sense of security and I started to think that I could get back to 'normal'.
It doesn't help that I'm in a stressful job- teaching- although I only work part time, and am seriously considering further cutting my hours. I have promised myself that I will not take any school work home over the Summer and have a complete break with time to recharge my batteries.Hopefully this time will help me to rethink my priorities.
Maria
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