Any members here with Chronic Health conditin

[Matt221]

15 hours ago, tcgram said:

I'm type 2 diabetic, some issues with GERD.   I have had depression and anxiety in the past but through counseling have learned what my "triggers" are and stay away from them as well as learn how to cope with them.   

im also type 2 what a pain that is especially as i have my heart op soon there tampering with all my meds .... still onward and upwards 

[ant0n]

I have three significant chronic health issues.

Right now, I wish to talk about the one related to acquired anosmia, i.e. the acquired lack of sense of smell.

I've had problems with my nose.since youth. It was often blocked up. I got several pharmaceutical drops, which I used for too long. I got a turbinectomy around the age of 20 (it is a procedure in which some or all of the turbinate bones in the nasal passage are removed, generally to relieve nasal obstruction). Years later, I worked in a laboratory as chemical student and one day, I accidentally inhaled a toxic gas (phenyl isocyanate). Anyway, my sense of smell was still functioning enough then and I was not aware of anything serious.

In fact, my sense of smell kept decreasing. But again, I was not aware of that. I unconsciously compensated with my olfactive memories.

But a few years ago, something happened. I was buying items in a supermarket and I saw a famous brand of chocolate-coated peanuts. I hadn't eaten any of them for a long time. I reminded me of the tasty flavor of chocolate and peanut, so yummy. So I bought a pack of them. While driving back home, I swallowed a few peanuts and.... it absolutely wasn't tasty at all. It tasted like sweetened fat mixed with bits of plastic. I suddenly realized something was wrong with me. I realized my sense of smell was highly disturbed. I realized I had been lying to myself for years by relying on my olfactive memories. That was a revelation but not of the positive kind.

Then I saw specialists. I had nothing really going wrong in my skull. They just told me there was nothing to do to improve.

I'm anosmic while eating or drinking, i.e. I can't smell anything. However, I can still smell some strong odours a little bit (the hyposmic part).

Finding food that doesn't taste like an "uninteresting substance" is a challenge for me. Fortunately, my sense of taste seems to be still functioning well.

Much food and many drinks taste disgusting for me now. I focus more on tastes: sour, salty, sweet, umami, even bitter (Indian tonic). And sure, I keep relying on my olfactive memories.

Anosmia is also risky: gas leak, burnt subtances, spoiled food and drinks (milk).

Anosmia is not just about not smelling. We could consider it minor. Actually, anosmia affects the whole individual and is often related to depression, among other things.

[the13bats]

well i was in my early 20s 1980s flew out to vegas to buy a car and drive it home to fl, all fun cannonball run style, it wasnt a great experence, but no where near worthy of ptsd.

the day after i got home i go out to eat, i felt weird, off, not right and scared, things seemed dreamy this waxed and waned for days, weeks then it would get bad, insane panic would be triggered by these weird dreamy unreal feelings, but the first one i was standing in a store reached up to touch my nose and my hand felt like it wasnt mine or my fave wasnt, im not sure but insane panic hit,

what i didnt know for at least another 20 years drdp was causing the panic but my dr just had me on benzos for the panic itself,

i was very lucky to have been in the club music biz, i got by in those days, but i didnt party, i slept, got up in time to dress and hit the club, home about 3am slept with all lights on cb radio and tv, i was invited to parties i never went to and unlike my biz partner i never catted around.

since the 80s i have had spells or windows of doing okay, a few long spells of doing good, distant memories of a me i once knew,  never knowing when some weird attack would hit, i am/was hyper sensitive to almost everything, about 20 years back i was getting worse, the benzos having a paradoxical withdrawal effect and making me feel rotten, ( moreso ) so i swapped close to a year of my life to get clean of those after getting fed up with a dr who kept saying "take another pill" when i kept saying when i do i feel worse.

its been a long time since ive had a window, i function, im typing this but its dreamland, nothing is real, im in here the world around me is playing on vhs tape and if i think too much about it my old buddy insane panic will come to play,

my nerves are always on edge, i dont even expect or hope for good days any more i just hope for not so horrible days, eariler today was horrible and after sleeping im still hung over from it, i have to be doing something so if i dont feel good enough to work on a project or do house chores i manic post on here to burn it off, yeah, a bit odd but if im here im likely not doing well,

to make all that more fun i have inner ear vertigo type issues, bowel, digestive issues and really nice allergies, remember i mentioned im hyper sensitive, yeah to every little thing my body does makes mevtake notice, so why not toss ADD and OCD in there just for laughs.

chronic? im dont want it to be but its been so long i wouldnt know what feeling good and right would be like.

 

[Dejarma]

yep, i have a chronic health condition- it's called being alive! 

[Grim Reaper 6]

On 4/10/2019 at 8:17 AM, XenoFish said:

Diverticulitis. That's all I currently know of right now.

Sorry to hear that, that can be a very painful debilitating medical issue.

I received 100% disability from the VA, when I retired from the Army after 23 years. Since then I have had two back surgeries, and I still may need another. 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[Grim Reaper 6]

22 hours ago, Dejarma said:

yep, i have a chronic health condition- it's called being alive! 

Hopefully, Doctors will find a cure for that some day.

Edited July 21, 2019 by Manwon Lender

[Grim Reaper 6]

22 hours ago, the13bats said:

well i was in my early 20s 1980s flew out to vegas to buy a car and drive it home to fl, all fun cannonball run style, it wasnt a great experence, but no where near worthy of ptsd.

the day after i got home i go out to eat, i felt weird, off, not right and scared, things seemed dreamy this waxed and waned for days, weeks then it would get bad, insane panic would be triggered by these weird dreamy unreal feelings, but the first one i was standing in a store reached up to touch my nose and my hand felt like it wasnt mine or my fave wasnt, im not sure but insane panic hit,

what i didnt know for at least another 20 years drdp was causing the panic but my dr just had me on benzos for the panic itself,

i was very lucky to have been in the club music biz, i got by in those days, but i didnt party, i slept, got up in time to dress and hit the club, home about 3am slept with all lights on cb radio and tv, i was invited to parties i never went to and unlike my biz partner i never catted around.

since the 80s i have had spells or windows of doing okay, a few long spells of doing good, distant memories of a me i once knew,  never knowing when some weird attack would hit, i am/was hyper sensitive to almost everything, about 20 years back i was getting worse, the benzos having a paradoxical withdrawal effect and making me feel rotten, ( moreso ) so i swapped close to a year of my life to get clean of those after getting fed up with a dr who kept saying "take another pill" when i kept saying when i do i feel worse.

its been a long time since ive had a window, i function, im typing this but its dreamland, nothing is real, im in here the world around me is playing on vhs tape and if i think too much about it my old buddy insane panic will come to play,

my nerves are always on edge, i dont even expect or hope for good days any more i just hope for not so horrible days, eariler today was horrible and after sleeping im still hung over from it, i have to be doing something so if i dont feel good enough to work on a project or do house chores i manic post on here to burn it off, yeah, a bit odd but if im here im likely not doing well,

to make all that more fun i have inner ear vertigo type issues, bowel, digestive issues and really nice allergies, remember i mentioned im hyper sensitive, yeah to every little thing my body does makes mevtake notice, so why not toss ADD and OCD in there just for laughs.

chronic? im dont want it to be but its been so long i wouldnt know what feeling good and right would be like.

 

This is a Dam shame, I really hope that some how your life will improve. Know one deserves that type of existence, I also have some serious health issues caused by severe pain, but mine are insignificant compared to how you suffer.

Peace partner.

[the13bats]

Manwon, thanks for the kindness but i dont really suffer per say, its a kin to that little kitten we nursed and saved, hes a manx, no tail he doesnt know it or care,

i really no longer remember what feeling okay normal ( so to speak is anymore ) this is me.

i was bad the night i posted the first reply here it was a burn it off venting and years back i sure did have bouts of deep depression over this in orlando i lived in a garage apt of my house, i would go months without stepping outside, i paid people to shop for me, friends joked i was the poor mans goth howard Hughes

i just keep beathing and in that living and doing the best i can when i can, no pace setting and no more upset and beating myself for what i cant do,

 right now i feel well enough to go tackle my house chores and that good enough for me today,

all i can say is to people who do feel good...dont take it for granted or waste it.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2019 by the13bats

[Grim Reaper 6]

11 hours ago, the13bats said:

Manwon, thanks for the kindness but i dont really suffer per say, its a kin to that little kitten we nursed and saved, hes a manx, no tail he doesnt know it or care,

i really no longer remember what feeling okay normal ( so to speak is anymore ) this is me.

i was bad the night i posted the first reply here it was a burn it off venting and years back i sure did have bouts of deep depression over this in orlando i lived in a garage apt of my house, i would go months without stepping outside, i paid people to shop for me, friends joked i was the poor mans goth howard Hughes

i just keep beathing and in that living and doing the best i can when i can, no pace setting and no more upset and beating myself for what i cant do,

 right now i feel well enough to go tackle my house chores and that good enough for me today,

all i can say is to people who do feel good...dont take it for granted or waste it.

 

 

 

 

 

I totally agree, those who do feel good should never take it for granted.

[fred_mc]

I have type 1 diabetes since 1984. It affects my life a lot since I have to constantly measure/regulate my blood sugar level 24 hours per day since my body doesn't produce any insulin. It is difficult since there is so much that affects the blood sugar level; the way you feel (if you are stressed/relaxed), how much carbohydrates you eat, and what kind of carbohydrates (fast/slow), if you are ill, if you have drunk alcohol, if you are exercising, and then there is still a lot of fluctuation of the blood sugar level that seems totally random. Anyway, it has become a part of my life so I don't think so much about it. I do the frequent measurements, and regulations with insulin or sugar, and constant estimations of how different actions affect my blood sugar level, without thinking so much about it.

[Kaikou]

I have Anosmia. To put it simply: I quit smoking a few years back and lost my ability to smell.
Over the course of a few weeks it just got weaker and weaker until it wasn't there anymore.

What most people don't realise is that your sense of smell and ability to experience flavour are linked, so If your sense of smell goes, you also lose that.

For example there is no point in me going to a fancy, expensive place to eat. It's a waste of time because nothing has any flavour. Any food that you can think of tastes like nothing.
Steak, rice, pizza, mellon, tuna, all tases exactly the same.

Same thing goes for drinks.

It does cause problems. For example: My dad used to own a whistling kettle. One day he asked me to make him a cup of tea. I filled the kettle, put it on the cooker and turned on the gas.
5 minutes later, I found myself wondering why I couldn't hear whistling, I looked down at the flame, only to find there wasn't one.
It dawned on me that the room had been filling with Gas for the past 5 minutes.

I looked into the living room and saw my dad raise his lighter to an unlit ciggerette. Luckily I got him to stop.

[Overdueleaf]

type 2 diabetes and bipolar. everyday is a constant battle between one thing or the other

[spartan max2]

On 7/27/2019 at 11:00 PM, Overdueleaf said:

type 2 diabetes and bipolar. everyday is a constant battle between one thing or the other

Bipolar is a hard one .

I read a stat once saying most marriages with a bipolar person don't last.

I wish you the best. 

[Overdueleaf]

On 9/19/2019 at 10:14 PM, spartan max2 said:

Bipolar is a hard one .

I read a stat once saying most marriages with a bipolar person don't last.

I wish you the best. 

thank you.

a deep understanding of bipolar and how it affects the individual diagnosed as well as those around them is crucial. However, even armed with that knowledge, it is very frustrating at times. 

[HandsomeGorilla]

I'm bipolar 2, I love it! My mother and sister are bipolar 1, though. Both are virtually impossible to live with. My manic phases are extremely productive. The hard part to deal with is the lack of sleep. You feel like you're on Adderall. 

[Overdueleaf]

Bipolar 1 here and have had a psychotic break which led to hospitalization during a manic phase that lasted for over two weeks; I don't recall even sleeping during that time period and some extreme OCD tendencies developed. It was during the hospitalization that I was finally given the diagnosis. It explained a lot.

 

Growing up I would constantly tell my parents I was depressed, but they thought it was an attention seeking phase and swept it under the rug. During my late teens and early 20s life was a rollercoaster and would go non stop for weeks on end then could barely function.

 

Since my diagnosis ( and medication) there are periods of "normalcy"  but the swings still happen. The pre mania stages like stated in the above post are times of great creativity which I harness and focus into writing haiku. But it also gives me great pause, because I know what can happen if it goes full blown into a psychotic episode. I remember every detail of what happened during my first psychotic episode, and I do not wish to relive that again.

When it sets in, the depression is immobolizing, sometimes for weeks on end. Some days are deemed productive if I manage to shower and make it from my bed to the loveseat. 

Living with these extremes is frustrating, for both me and my family. I think the biggest obstacle is getting them to understand that I cannot simply "snap" out of a phase and it is more intricate and far reaching than just being "very happy" and "sad" and impacts every waking moment. 

 

 

[RoseDancer]

I went from being a skinny, snot nosed, beat up little kid to a suicidal teenager, then a struggling wife and mother. Throughout my twenties I was on antidepressants. Spent time in psych hospital. All the crap emerged and had to be dealt with. My dad committed suicide at age 41 leaving my mum at 36 with five kids. I was 19 the youngest was 7. It's a wonder to me how I survived. No chronic illnesses. Feel like I paid my dues as a kid. So very, very thankful that I'm still here to enjoy my children and their children. 

My heart goes out to all of you. 

[spartan max2]

40 minutes ago, RoseDancer said:

I went from being a skinny, snot nosed, beat up little kid to a suicidal teenager, then a struggling wife and mother. Throughout my twenties I was on antidepressants. Spent time in psych hospital. All the crap emerged and had to be dealt with. My dad committed suicide at age 41 leaving my mum at 36 with five kids. I was 19 the youngest was 7. It's a wonder to me how I survived. No chronic illnesses. Feel like I paid my dues as a kid. So very, very thankful that I'm still here to enjoy my children and their children. 

My heart goes out to all of you. 

I can't imagine my dad committing suicide at a young age. That has to change a person. 

I also can't even imagine being 36 with five kids, single.