stomach virus

hello everyone,

it's official, i hate my life!  not only do we have to worry about flaring and everything else under the sun but now i have a stomach virus that is causing me a lot of pain and pushing fluids to help flush it away is causing more pain because it hurts whenever i eat or drink anything. and i couldnt go to work today and i left early yesterday because my pcp was able to squeeze me in.  and for me that is a problem.  i am an adult with a job, and i have responsiblities for that job and not being able to go to work is, for me, not responsible.  but my doc said to stay home and rest and i didnt want to risk getting anyone sick, but there is no one else to do my responsiblities.  i hate being sick, and sometimes i'm sick of being around. and i think my therapist is starting to worry about me, cuz she know that i keep a lot of stuff bottled up inside and i dont tell my family when i am depressed or feeling down, cuz i know that all they will do is worry and that is the last thing i want for them.  she recommended that i see a psychatrist and have her fix my anti-depressant.  i'm just not sure what to do anymore. any advise would be greatly appreciated. 

Hi Suzzanne!

I am so sorry to hear you do not feel well. I can relate about not being able to go to work. I have a position where if I am not here the work does not get done. I feel like I let everyone down if I can't make it to work or if I have to leave early. Unfortunately we take so many meds that make us prone to catch everything we are like a walking target for germs! It's crummy, to say the least!

Please listen to your therapist about getting your antid's reworked. You might need a different type of med now. I think this might make you feel a little better. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hi Suzanne,
I've been thinking about you and hoping you are feeling better today. Were you able to get any sleep? Were you able to eat? I know it's hard to think about yourself when you are worried about your job -- I used to be a workaholic and in fact worked two jobs before I was forced to cut back and take a job I could do from home (and now can't do that). I think I really did a lot of damage to myself trying to work so much though. I've been where you are now and I know putting yourself first seems incomprehensible when you are so driven to work hard, but please take care of yourself! I think this is the perfect time to get support from your family as well. If another member of your family was going through this, wouldn't you want to help? Please let them help you, and continue to write to the forum too.

(((((((Suzanne)))))))

((((((((((( Suzanne )))))))))))))) I didn't read the other responses and I hope you are starting to feel better, but wanted to comment on the anti-d. Do spend the energy to look into this. It can make a world of difference. and finding the right one is a process well worth the effort. You've already done the hard part by reaching out!! Suzanne . . . I bet there are people reading who are not able to post who will be helped by your post. Keep us posted on how you are feeling and about having your depression treated. Take care sis!! Blessings!

Hi Suzanne:

Just wanted to pass on my well wishes to you. Glad to hear that the stomach virus is gone now. Sounds like you've got things straightened out for you. Good luck with the new anti depressants hope the work for you. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Take care,
Barbara

"sick and tired of being sick and tired" i absolutely think that would fit on a t-shirt. :) fortunately depression can be helped with meds and you can even get rid of it, unforunately the same does not go for lupus. that's why i love that i have my own lupus family to support me when my genetic family falls a little short. love you all.

actually judy that is exactly how i felt. i didnt want lupus to dominate me but to tell you the truth a lot of times it does. and i especially didnt want to speak to a stranger about my personal problems. i am a very private person. but my therapist was great, she never pushed she waited until i was really to talk about what was really going on in my head. it took about 3 sessions of me seeing her before i talked about the very important stuff, and when i did, she didnt judge, she didnt pity, she didnt make that noise of concern that everyone else does, she just helped me try to figure why i felt like we dissected the problem and what i was feeling. seeing a therapist is great because it gives you that chance to talk talk and talk some about you and your problems without the worry of someone judging you or interrupting to tell you a story about them, no the hour is about you and your problems only and i think that helps. we are women with many different stresses and responsiblities and sometimes we dont get a chance for us, so that hour is great because the therapist is there for you to listen to you and plus you can stop going whenever you want and if you dont like the first person you go to keep searching til you find someone that you are comfortable with dont settle.

I'm really thinking about finding a therapist. I am on an antidepressant and that has helped. I really used to have this "thing" about getting on anti d's and talking to therapist. I have always felt I just needed to pull myself up by the boot straps and get over it! Like it was a sign of weakness or something. I guess i'm ready to admit i'm weak!! I really think I feel traumatized by all the changes lupus has brought about, there's no better word for me to describe it. I need some help to put everything in perspective. HW has been a big help. Sometimes I just wish we could all sit down face to (moon) face! :) Thanx 4 listening, Judy

Thanx Suzanne for the encouragement I really appreciate talking to someone who knows where i'm coming from. Can I ask you a personal question? It's ok if you don't want to answer. Are you a christian and did that have any influence on how you felt about talking to a therapist? Judy

Suzanne,
Thanx so much for sharing so freely. I really appreciate it. Judy

Hi! Everyone,

I have tried to explain to my PCP that with lupus, am I depressed because I am tired??? Or tired because I am depressed??? I sometimes tell people on the street I have lupus, like when I use my parking tag and get a dirty look. And I have a lupus magnet on my car. Taking Zoloft then Paxil didn't really help at all. But I really think my rheumy got it when I asked him the same question. He basically said........ that's lupus. But you share what you are comfortable with. My born again faith in God is very helpful, but as a nurse, I wouldn't hesitate to find a therapist if I thought I should. Hey, what I wish is that we could have a global lupus postee meet and greet, at a central location like Disney World, or a ranch spa, where we could get together and just vegetate and see each other, on a beach, (Yeah, yeah, in the shade), or at a spa, or on a canal in Venice, or at ____________, (fill in the blank), courtesy of some wealthy sponsor, or foundation, or lottery winner, or Bill Gates, or Steven King, (with money he earned from the bestseller he wrote about the loopie who________, when___________( fill in the blanks)!

P.S. I am so sick and tired of snow, too. Somewhere warm. I am so sick and tired of being cold, too.  I love NY!

P.P.S. And it is true, taxes in NY are killing families, and business.

I'm a nurse too. Are you a nurse Suzanne? How do you guys being a nurse affects your actions and attitudes dealing with this whole disease process? I think it definitely has pros and cons!! Judy