Going out tonight

ok so yesterday was another good day and i was not anxious at all not even at work. Everything was great until this morning. I woke up feeling nervous for some reason with the butterflies in my stomach feeling (hate that) and then my neck got a little stiff and this caused me to shake a little. I did not panic though and told myself this was just my anxiety. This worked and i felt normal in a few minutes. I ate three full healthy meals today and my body is feeling pretty good. In fact it feels so good that i think im going to get out of my cave tonight and hang out with my friends. Probably going to end up having a few drinks but im going to try my best to not over do it because i dont want to wake up feeling horrible which would probably make my anxiety worse. Just a little update on how im feeling lately. Thanks SC and everyone who responds to my posts. Its really helping out a lot. Wish me luck guys

***Cheers!***

I hope that you have an awesome time, and yes you are smart to keep it within limits. I find one or two drinks fine, but you don't want to get past your limit...the next morning's punishment can set off anxiety:)

You're doing great...keep it up!
S.C.

Yeah, good for you...have a great long weekend:)

There is a physical reason for the a.m. shaky feeling. Cortisol, a stress hormone, is at it's highest concentration in the body in the morning. It's purpose is to help the body and mind 'get up and go' after sleeping all night. Those of us with A/P either produce too much of it, of are extra sensitive to it, so it makes us jittery/shaky/nauseous, ect...

I suffered with this for a long time until I reached a certain point in my recovery, so it should pass for you eventually too:)
S.C.

Yes, in fact in fact I had so much trouble with stomach pain and eating I thought I had an ulcer. I tested negative for one, but I sure felt miserable. I lost so much weight that it was effecting my normal vital functions, so treating my anxiety was pretty crucial. I was incapable of eating anytime around a panic attack. It was as if my digestive system was shut down. Now that I am free from the p/a's my appetite is back to normal and I am at a healthy weight.

I would suggest supplimenting with a protein drink like ensure, muscle milk, or the like. Get your calories/protein in when you can, so that when you aren't able to eat as much as you like, you're not falling behind. A guy your size (and depending on activity level) is going to need appox. 3,000 or more calories a day to gain weight! To do this, you will want a suppliment, or meal replacement, on top of your regular meals and snacks to reach this goal.

I hope that you are feeling well enough to enjoy eating agein. That was the worst part for me...forcing yourself to eat is not fun! One of the great pleasures of life is enjoying good food. It is both for the body and soul...it's social, essential and fun all at the same time. For what other activity do we dedicate three (or more!) set aside times explicitly for?

Bon appetit:)
S.C.