Carrying On With Your Daily Life When You Feel Like Poo!

[allison]

the message pretty much says it all...

are you a one-day-at-a-time person? (i find it hard to keep that going)

how do you convince yourself to go out or go to work when you feel this way?!

let's hear it..i know we all have jobs, school etc (i found it to be easier when i was in school)

thanks!

[Sweetfudge]

It's tough for me...espeically w/ the severe depression. I have found that I am doing better now in school than I did when I was working. Although 4 years ago when I first went to school....I flunked out ....I think having some positive motivators (quotes, books, photos) around the house helps. And setting aside rewards for when I get stuff done. I try to avoid food as a reward though, that is a tough one. I will allow myself to get online, or watch a tv show, spend a little extra on myself, etc...if I get through the day doing all the things I need to. Good luck to you!

[Amanda L]

I am bipolar, so I have a lot of bad days. I take it one hour at a time. Working is pretty much out of the question for me, as there are days when I can't talk myself up out of bed, but school was slightly better. And life really sucks if I'm having a bad depression day AND a diarrhea day. Then I just hole up in my house and be miserable.

[Guest cassidy]

I actually wake up earlier so I can take my time in the mornings. I wake up at 5 and don't leave the house until 8. It gives me time to take a shower and get back in bed or eat breakfast and get back in bed. After a couple of hours I can usually make it out the door.

I also try to map out the things I have to do like Monday I will go grocery shopping and Tuesday I will do laundry so I'm not trying to do everything all at once. Also I have started asking for help. My husband is not one of those guys who does things without being asked, but if I ask him to go grocery shopping I can send him off to find things and it takes me half the time. He can help a little more when I don't feel well because I'm sure it will still never be equal.

Hopefully the diet will work well for you and you will start feeling better more often.

[Jestgar]

I kinda do Cassidy's approach.

I have coffee and breakfast in bed every single morning.

I plan out my required events (shopping, cooking, etc) so they are spread throughout the week.

I do dishes once or twice a week only and use paper plates whenever I can to minimize work (I live alone).

I have decided that chocolate is an important food group and should be consumed daily.

No matter what, I have two nights a week "off" on which I don't do anything I don't want to do.

[i canary]

I love my job, so I remind myself of that fact when I’m struggling to get going in the morning. I think about the cool aspects (never ever dwell on the negative side-otherwise I would just pull the covers over my head and never get up ) of my job. I think about what projects I'm working on and how I feel when I complete one. All that helps me get there. Once I'm there I usually take it 1 hour at a time. On really bad days like today I take it 30 minutes at a time. I reassess my situation every half: How am I doing, can I work another 30 min? I made it until 12:30 today. Just felt too crappy to continue. I'm looking forward to trying again tomorrow. I'm working on 2 projects just now (among other things). One is a little bit of a downer (I’m about a week from finishing it) the other lets me use my creative side and it keeps me going.

I like Jestgar's idea of chocolate being an important food group and should be consumed daily. I might have made it to 1 p.m. if I just had some chocolate.

I also have motivational and spiritually uplifting quotes around my house like sweetfudge. Surrounding myself with positive ideas helps.

[Guest Viola]

I find the most important part of getting me through the day is my dog. She gets me out for a walk. She makes me laugh at her silly antics and basically gets at least part of my mind off of my problems and onto something pleasant. It's been proven over and over that a pet is good for everyones health. Hopefully you all have one to help you through.

[AmandaD]

I learned this phrase recently "Energy follows thought" (or thoughts actually create energy...")

[allison]

I like the half-hour at a time rule. That seems a little more manageble. How do people at work take it when you often have to leave early? I find that one of the problems is that people have no understanding of how disgusting I feel--but explaining just makes me sound like a complainer!

I agree on the dog thing--I don't have one because of the hours of my job, but my mom does and she lives nearby, so that helps.

MMM, Chocolate is good, but doesn't agree with the GERD (

Cheers to you all for your responses!

Allison

I find the most important part of getting me through the day is my dog. She gets me out for a walk. She makes me laugh at her silly antics and basically gets at least part of my mind off of my problems and onto something pleasant. It's been proven over and over that a pet is good for everyones health. Hopefully you all have one to help you through.

[dionnek]

I actually force myself to work out, no matter how crappy I feel. If I'm having the D and need to stay near the bathroom, then I'll just go to the gym and do weights and maybe stairmaster, but if the D isn't an issue then I'll get outside for a jog, and so what if I have to walk some, at least I'm outside and that lifts my spirits. I find exercise is really the only thing I can do that doesn't make me dwell on my "illness".

[i canary]

I like the half-hour at a time rule. That seems a little more manageble. How do people at work take it when you often have to leave early? I find that one of the problems is that people have no understanding of how disgusting I feel--but explaining just makes me sound like a complainer!

I've worked at this particular job for 5 years. They knew me before I had to take off so many days. They have seen me struggle with feeling so crappy and trying to work. They know if I take off, then I'm really hurting and as long as everything is covered that needs covering there isn't a problem.

I feel like a whiner a lot too. Deep down I know I'm not, but I do get tired of telling people I'm sick.

A couple of years ago I shared with my co-workers, the Spoon Theory, an essay written by Christine Miserandino. (You can find it at www.butyoudontlooksick.com). It helped explain why some days I have energy to do what needs doing and other days I don't. I'm not explaining it as well as I would like (it is one of my worst days). It is a very good essay - wish I had written it.

[burdee]

I have 4 ways to get through really bad (painful symptoms) days:

(1) Herbal teas to cope with cramping, bloating, gas and nausea. Peppermint tea eases cramping pain and bloating. Ginger tea relieves nausea and the 'too full' feeling after eating almost anything when I'm having intestinal symptoms.

(2) If I don't really have to go anywhere (like on a weekend day), I allow myself to feel bad until noon. Then I think "Now I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired". So I get out to do something, ANYTHING, but usually walk somewhere to get out of the house and get some exercise which help tp relieve bloating, cramping and gas. Usually by noon, whether I've had diarrhea or constipation, the bowel symptoms have subsided, even if the bloating, cramping and pain haven't. If I don't have errands to walk, I pack peanuts and walk around our local lake to feed squirrels and crows or I walk to a mall to window shop.

(3) I make a list of everything I want to accomplish that day and priotize each item with a number. Then I proceed down the list. Even when I feel crappy, I'm amazed at how much I can accomplish by just following the list.

(4) On REALLY bad (painful) days I call my husband at work or walk/talk with him on a weekend day OR email a sympathetic (celiac) friend or post how I feel on my BLOG.

BURDEE

[tarnalberry]

On days when things are really bad (which isn't much of a problem for me, but it happens), I do 'give myself permission' to *not* get anything done. Life *can* be put on hold most of the time, almost all of it and it won't all come crumbling down. It happens often when I get sick - then life gets put on hold for, like, a week!

[MauriceGreene]

1) get some excercise

2) You just gotta suck it up. If you have a desire and purpose for everyday, not feeling good should not be enough to stop you. Think the black knight from monty python.