I live with a few issues which can really ruin my day…my week…my month…today is such a day and I admit that I am feeling sorry for myself.
I have no thyroid…removed due to cancer…which means I find I have to manage my energy levels carefully.
A big day or a late night can wipe me out for a week if I am not careful.
I suffer from food intolerances…mainly due to lactose issues…and recently I was diagnosed with Functional Nausea.
It can hit at any time, and seemingly without cause or reason…in fact, often I wake up with it, just like permanent morning sickness…oh joy…
And the weird part of it is I can often feel so sick, yet can be hungry at the same time…a total paradox and apparently part of this condition.
To top it off, I also suffer from migraines…not the lock yourself in a dark room type, but I do get auras and as I have got older, I get a bad headache as well.
Days can go past when I cope with the level of nausea, but then all of a sudden, the volume gets turned up and I can’t tune it out any more.
This weekend past, I got a double whammy…nausea with a migraine.
It all isn’t anything life threatening, and I know that there are so many people who have to deal with much worse chronic conditions than me…but knowing that doesn’t make it any easier.
So today, instead of going about my normal business, I have to put my life on hold while I try to get my headache and nausea under control so I can function properly.
It is frustrating, annoying and upsetting that my body can let me down like this, and there is not a lot I can do to stop it once an attack starts.
I envy those of you who never know what it is like to live with a chronic condition…who don’t have to worry about whether they will be sick and miss an event, or have to plan ahead.
Being at the mercy of my issues makes me feel fragile…the mind is strong but the body is weak…and currently, my mind is feeling very sorry for itself!
But for today, it’s no further than the couch for me…on a positive note though, I have caught up on the whole latest series of Lewis, one of my favourite UK crime shows…the perfect antidote to stop me from wallowing in self pity.
Tomorrow is another day so hopefully after some enforced rest, life can continue on it’s usual bumpy journey!
Do you suffer from similar issues, such as food intolerances, migraines and thyroid issues? What do you do to cope?
Thanks for your honest and entertaining blog Sarah! I get migraines too… strangely I don’t actually get a headache, just an hour of an annoying aura followed by nausea and tiredness. Luckily I only get a couple a year so I really shouldn’t complain… and you’re right it’s the perfect excuse, to wallow, wear pjs all day, lie on the couch and catch up on my favorite TV shows! So mope away and I hope you feel better soon. xxx
Thanks Dina! I too used to just get the aura and the weird not quite right feeling afterwards, but it seems as I get older, I am getting more of a headache. Fingers crossed it remains a rare occurrence, and not go back to what it was when I was getting them 4 or more times a month! Stupid things! xx
That’s really awful, Sarah. I’m sorry to hear this. My mum had thyroid cancer when she was 21 (when I was 3yo) and she had her thyroid removed too. First they removed half and then radiotherapy but then it came back on the other half so they removed the whole thing. It’s scary. I’ve heard thyroid cancer is the most treatable of all cancers if it’s detected early, which is good news, but they don’t tell you about all the chronic health issues you have to face after that. My mum has issues with temperature, mood, and energy levels as well. Migraines totally suck. I get those too! I hope you find a way of managing yours… 🙂
Thanks Kerry! I was very lucky to get the particular cancer I did…although I am not sure getting cancer could be described as lucky! But despite my very brief encounter with cancer, I am still struggling with issues, which have sadly got worse over the last few weeks so it’s back to the specialist I go. Migraines are the worst…I am hoping I will grow out of them…got to be some benefit to getting older! 🙂
Yeah, no cancer is good cancer! And I hope your migraines go away! I sometimes use headache balm for mine, but without pain killers they usually don’t go away. Yoga, exercise and meditation also helps prevent them. But once I have one…. ugh! It’s the worst!