Go Ask Connie

[Takala]

What do I make of it ?

Stop popping Valiums, they'll make you depressed.

Stop listening to Rush, that would make anyone depressed, hopeless, and hostile.

Start taking a B complex vitamin, a multivitamin, and a calcium magnesium supplement. All are calming.

Eat a fresh fruit and vegetable every day.

Exercise. Go For A Walk Everyday, No excuses, even if it's just laps around your driveway for 10 minutes.

Upper body exercises such as arm swings or rotations, you will now do. Exercise is calming. So are learning a few Yoga poses and breathing exercises.

Hot flashes. Buy a fan or two, one for the chair and one for to blow across your bed. Seriously. Sanity saver. And a little microplush blankie.

Artificial forms of progesterone are depressants. Get the natural bio identical kind that comes in a cream in a tube, that you rub on yourself twice a day, available over the counter. They are NOT depressants. Available at health food stores. Most older people have low progesterone but estrogen ups, this evens things out. Get one of the books by some of the alternative med practitioners on perimenopause/menopause. You can also get estrogen like herbs at the health food store, but try the progest cream first.

Beta blockers. Can work to cut down on panic.

Prozac can be addictive and people's initial reactions vary, so don't take it when you're by yourself and monitor your reactions, keeping in mind that the artificial progesterone can be a really bad mood alteration drug and few doctors will acknowledge this.

Vacuuming. Overrated. You can always go hog wild and rip out the carpets and install linoleum or wood. Sweeping is much more satisfying. Beating area rugs against trees is great therapy.

I've taken our bigger dog walking a lot, and had loose pit bulls and owners with pits come up to us a lot and never had a problem. I have yelled at people that they need to put their loose dog on a leash if they are being really stupid. We had somebody's pit try to come with us, and had to take the thing back. Hello, I don't need another dog. When I see people with pit puppies I always pet the pups, if they don't mind, so to help socialize them. Carry pepper spray if you're worried. The standard procedure is if you have a dog acting aggressively you give the dog your purse or backpack or jacket to bite first and hit him with the spray. (ask a mail carrier how to do this. it really knocks them off you.). You can also use a water pistol with a bit of ammonia in it. Most dogs are territorial, so if you keep going, they will leave you alone as you get out of range. There are some other breeds of dogs that are more likely to cause problems, but those types are usually not off leash. You can carry the spray on a clip on your purse or belt. You can also carry a walking stick.