January 7, 2013

Coffee and Cheerios

Hi Guys!  Happy Monday!

Sorry I was MIA for 2 days.  I didn't feel too hot at all this weekend.  In a nutshell, Last January I started getting panic attacks. They were only at night as I was trying to sleep.  Not sure what brought them on and after googling it a lot and talking with my Dr., there really is no concrete reason to what makes these bitches strike.  At that time, I was given meds for depression and anxiety and all that nonsense.  I'm not a pill person. Especially when it comes to "helper" drugs. It's just not me. It's not what I do.  For other people , it works wonders.  I'd much rather take Tylenol or drink wine and hit the sack and hope for a better tomorrow.  So THANK GOD, I never took a single one. I can't even recall what I did with the sample pills.  Maybe someone could have used them, but I'm not a drug dealer.  I'm sure I just disposed of them at some point. I am not depressed. I'm not stressed. Nor do I have anxiety. I do know most people on this planet are anxious for some little or big reason at some point throughout the day.  So I wouldn't totally rule out that here and there I get "anxious," but that's not enough to take the helper drugs. (in my opinion).

I've read online and know of a few people that wish they never took those kinds of meds.  They could do the opposite and make you feel worse, they cause weight gain, and they can definitely change your personality/mood. It's just sad to me.  Again, to each their own.  Wine is a wonderful relaxer. :-)   But back to the attacks.  It's the first week of the new year and I've experienced 2 bad ones, late at night. They're so difficult to describe.  What happens to me is that I basically feel woken up with shock and feeling breathless...only for like 5 seconds though.  And sometimes my heart races.  Saturday night was the worst yet.  I couldn't get comfortable for the life of me, I also had muscle pains from what I'm sure was doing free weights and arm machines at the gym , two days in a row. That didn't help.  My right elbow has been hurting as well, just throbbing pain, especially at night. Which is also a little odd to me.  So between all of that and the random attacks, I couldn't get to sleep until about 5am.

Last night I recall just having 2 small ones. One as I was dozing off on the couch watching TV and a brief one right before bed. I slept like a  baby though from about midnight to the time I woke up for work which is 6.  Again, {and thank god}, these only occur at night and when I'm basically asleep. Who knows what it could be. I am a thinker. I always think. I have a mental list of things to do/that I want to do that I go through...a lot.  I think we all do? Right?  Most of us? Sounds crazy, but it's just who I am.  I wouldn't say I stress about it though. I'm not freaking out over something that didn't get done that day. I'm really just thinking about it, and then I let it go.  Have you ever experienced a panic attack?  What was your experience like and when do/did you get them?  Ever taken meds for them? Depression, anxiety, etc.

I will probably go to the Dr. again if this persists. Maybe we'll have to just have a coffee talk though, because again, I am not taking helper pills for this.  I like to think that maybe it's a Winter time thing?  It's happening this January, and it happened last January.  Who knows? 

Both the hubby and I did absolutley nothing yesterday and loved every second of it.  Well, I never do nothing, but we did basically relax.  I really wanted a pedicure, but nixed that.  I didn't feel to well anyway. (the toes do need some pampering though and soon!). I did laundry. The in-laws came over for about 2 hours.  We ate some more cheese and crackers and I made a yummy chicken salad as well. {recipe and photos will be posted soon}. My father-in-law fixed our washing machine for now.  It was acting up on us.  He's so great like that. He's always willing to help.  It's better for now, that's all I care about.  We took a little nap from about 3:30-5 I guess. I woke up before Gary and had a cold slice of pizza which we ordered earlier that day. It hit the spot!  Why are we always starving after a nap?  Well, that's how I feel anyway.  And that was pretty much our little Sunday. 

I've been trying to drink more water, especially at work.  I did that. But once 10am came, a desperate feeling of needing coffee asap came over me!  I only had 1 cup.  I usually do half and half or a flavored creamer and 2 splenda's.  I hardly drink it anymore though.  Walking to work (I walk 8 blocks, twice a day, 5 days a week...you do the math, I'm too tired right now), I ate an apple.  I was quite hungry, but just had a Honey Crisp which did the job of satisfying me for a few hours.  I also have a huge box of Honey Nut Cheerios in my "work desk drawer" and ate a bowl of that with skim milk. It was yummy and hit the spot. I brought my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and baby carrots to work today. I will probably have some of that in 2-3 hours.  It's good to keep the metabolism going. Try to eat little meals throughout the day, unless there is a beautiful spread of catered lunch in the board room.


Monday is almost over...enjoy it somehow. 

I hope to end it with a decent workout (no weights tonight) and a hot shower  :-)



4 comments:

  1. I had no idea u were going thru that, I am so sorry Dana. Hang in there girl sending lots of love and wishing we were closer. Hugs, Jill

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  2. Thanks Jill! Miss you all so much! xo

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  3. UGH! I wouldn't wish panic attacks on anybody. My personal experience is they are more likely to happen when something in my life isn't the way I want it (job, school, bad relationship, etc.). I took meds for a short time and wouldn't recommend them. The paradoxical approach where you try to look forward to panic attacks, welcome them, and have a "bring it on" attitude towards them, helped me tons because anticipation of a negative experience breeds anxiety. That was the only thing that helped 100% vs. strategies to cope with the PAs or subdue them. Hope that helps!

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  4. Thanks for sharing lady! I'm feeling a ton better ...so far. Hopefully they took a long vacation! :-)

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