blueyes618

I recently have been experiencing severe stomach pain and feeling bloated all the time. I went to my primary doctor and he referred me to a GI doctor and OBGYN. Before I made it to either I landed in the ER over this past weekend in crippling pain. They did ultrasounds and took all sorts of blood and urine samples and found nothing, just sent me on my way with pain killers. The following day I went to a new OBGYN and he literally saw me for 8 minutes and seemed to think I had a bladder infection, which Makes no sense being that I don't exhibit any of those symptoms, but he's a professional right? He prescribed two antibiotics that I am now taking 3 times a day (and my stomach still hurts). I saw my GI doctor today and he was wonderful. At first he kept asking me why I stopped taking my SSRIs for anxiety and I had no idea why he continually brought that up. It actually started to make me mad. Then he asked why I stopped drinking. I told him because it wasn't part of my healthy lifestyle anymore. He examined me and asked me more medical questions and his prognosis was that I am overly stressed and killing my stomach. I literally laughed out loud and said "well isn't everyone stressed?" He explained that most people who are stressed have an outlet to 'de-stress' them... The gym, yoga, drinking a glass of wine (or 3) getting massages, etc. He asked if I used alcohol to cope with stress and I said of course. Then it all made sense to me. I have a huge amount of stress with no where for it to hide. I teach mentally ill children in the morning and nanny for a severely bipolar child every afternoon. I come home to a boyfriend that I love, but who has not worked in 2 months due to the weather (he does construction). Which also means I am paying for the both of us (he is a recovered gambler and has no savings whatsoever) I am recovering from two recent consecutive miscarriages. My boyfriend also got his second DUI and that is always on my mind. I guess I never really thought about it until today.

Alcohol was my medication, my best friend, my stress reliever, and now it's gone. I was going to the gym daily up until last week when the pain stopped, but that did not de stress me, it only made me more angry because I wasn't losing the weight I wanted to after the miscarriage. I do not go to AA that is my choice, and my counselor I was seeing made me feel ten times worse than I already felt. So here I am sipping on my chamomile tea, candles lit, meditation music playing and hoping this gets out some of that stress. But I was wondering, how does everyone else cope with it without the booze? Are getting back on my anxiety meds a good idea? Sorry for the long rant, but You guys are my only sounding board right now

Anna

I am someone who notices stress in my back and sometimes my stomach. It took me a long time to figure out what was going on too, but stress can affect people in many different ways.

I dance. I've been a dancer since I was 5, so when I can't get out I put on some music and I dance. I hope you have good results with the chamomile tea. Have you tried meditating? It can help a lot, but some people find it stressful, too.

matilda123

Blue eyes, that is a lot on your plate. Stress was a huge drinking trigger for me and the main way I tried to cope with my stress (tried is the operative word since drinking only exacerbated my anxiety).

Anna's suggestion of dance or some other physical activity is a great idea. Personally, the combination of animals and the outdoors is very soothing to me, so I ride horse and take long hikes with my dogs. Another thing I'm working on is trying to differentiate my stress from that of others: I seem to be a stress collector sometimes (kind of like a fuzzy sweater that picks up lint). I'm trying to get better about pausing, and thinking about why I'm stressed and whether this is my thing to stress over. It is hard (I'm a people pleaser from way back and have spent years as the family negotiator) but I'm getting better.

It might be worth considering whether some of this stress can be left behind. Easier to do sometimes with stressful situations vs. stressful folks, but perhaps key to maintain our sobriety.

Wishing you peaceful thoughts.

Soberwolf

(((Blueyes)))