I Care. Let’s Talk.

Anxiety – Steroid Induced

Anxiety is Real. Real people experiencing Real symptoms.

Anxiety can be a monster. It is present due to a number of reasons. It’s NOT all in your head.

Understanding the origin of your particular anxiety is key to management and treatment.

I’ve had anxiety rear it’s ugly head from two different sources two separate times in my journey thus far. Neither one of them pleasant.

Anxiety is like a train going full speed ahead on tracks with no brakes and no certainty of how long it will take to stop nor any assurance of what lies at the end.

I’ll discuss my first encounter with anxiety in another post. The latest encounter relates to medication. It happened tonight same as last year. So frustrating.

January 2019 I was ill with allergies as with every January it seems. I was coughing and my throat felt like it was going to shut it was so inflamed. I went to an urgent care clinic and they prescribed a Medrol dosepack which is the generic for prednisone. It’s one of those medications where you take six pills the first day, five pills the second day, four pills the next and so on. I have taken prednisone booster shots before when ill years ago so I thought nothing of it. I took the first three days worth and felt very dried up and a little better as far as my throat was concerned but that Saturday night I fell asleep and within an hour I woke up and I thought I was going to die. My mouth was so severely parched I could barely open it. I grabbed my water bottle by my bed and started drinking as much as I could. I was dizzy, confused, and my heart was racing and I did not know what was going on. I live in a three-story townhome and my son was staying with me at the time. I had him call 911 and the paramedics came. They came up to the third-floor as I was at the top of the stairs not able to go downstairs and I was in full-blown panic mode. This was not going to go well I remember telling myself.

They checked me out and did an EKG, checked my blood sugar and all vitals and said everything was fine but recommended I go to the emergency room. I was immediately thinking that this had to be a reaction from the Medrol because I had never experienced anything like this. I think one of the paramedics may have mentioned anxiety but this was not the anxiety that I knew from past experience. I declined to be taken to the ER. Paramedics left and I was able to go back to sleep after drinking tons of water. Of course I was afraid to go to sleep because I did not want to wake up like that ever again.

I work in an emergency room and went to work the next day asking one of the doctors if it was OK if I stop taking that medication because I didn’t want to take any more of it and he said yes I had already had the higher doses and it was OK to stop it. Normally prednisone is not stopped abruptly if taking it routinely. That I do know.

My week went by okay and I kept multiple bottles of water beside my bed anticipating another dreadful night. The following Friday I went to sleep and woke up within an hour with the same symptoms calling 911 again but this time I did go to the hospital because I thought there must be something wrong.

Even though I thought it might be the Medrol pack because this occurred again it had me worried something was seriously wrong. This was getting a little out of control. There’s no way I could live like this. Of course the emergency room runs all sorts of blood tests and sends me home with a diagnosis of anxiety. I’ve had anxiety in the past and this was not the anxiety I knew.

I take thyroid medication due to Graves’ Disease which occurred back in 2010. I know that thyroid trouble can also contribute to anxiety so I started my own investigation into this dilemma. I went to the doctor and had my thyroid blood levels checked and everything was good there. She also wanted to talk about anxiety and depression. At this point I was getting worried because I did not know what could be causing this anxiety. If this was truly anxiety, then it was a different anxiety than what I experienced prior to my cardiac ablation in 2009. I was baffled. I was in tears and I was still ill from allergies and I didn’t feel good at all. We were going to get to the bottom of this I assured myself and the doctor.

Within 2 days I was waking up after being asleep for an hour and a half with the same dreadful symptoms only this time not quite as severe. I drank lots of water as before and it lasted about 20 minutes and I was able to get back to sleep.

Within five days the same thing happened again and I asked a pharmacist if all of this could be from the Medrol dosepack and they said absolutely and that it will have to get out of my system and that will take some time. Time I really didn’t want to spend. I like to look on the humorous side of things but this was no laughing matter.

I felt a little bit of relief that I wasn’t losing my mind. I would wake up after an hour of sleeping a few other times and the symptoms would lesson each time and I would just get through it the best I could. I eat a lot of bananas because they are a good source of potassium. While all this was going on I wanted to make sure that I was getting good nutrients as well. Bananas are my comfort food. Find yours.

Fast forward to today. All this nonsense is happening again and I’m not taking any steroids. 🤔 Allergies are still bothering me. It must be a really bad allergy season this year. I had a slight cough and I asked my daughter to bring me some hot tea as I was having trouble falling asleep. I added eucalyptus and peppermint to my diffuser hoping that would help diminish my cough. I drank about 3/4 of the cup of tea and eventually was able to fall asleep. I woke up within an hour or so feeling exactly as I felt last year! 😳 It is something never to be forgotten. My mouth was dry, my heart was racing, I felt a little dizzy and disoriented and I did not feel good. I reached for my water and started drinking furiously. I thought “could it be the diffuser I had going with the eucalyptus and the peppermint”? So many things running through my head at once. I reached for my phone and called my daughter and she didn’t answer. I called multiple times but no answer. I was going into full-blown panic mode. When your heart is racing and you think it’s not going to slow down it just throws all your clear thinking out the window. I needed to get downstairs and figure out what tea my daughter had made because this past January I had been feeling similar and made some green tea and woke up with a racing heartbeat and wondered why on earth that had happened thinking maybe it was the caffeine in the tea or I was allergic to the soy. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I made it downstairs and my daughter was asleep but now awakened. I sat and calmed myself drinking lots of water and trying to wrap my head around all of this. I went to the kitchen and looked at the tea and sure enough it was the same one. I thought “am I allergic to soy“? I looked up symptoms of allergic reactions to soy and I didn’t have any of them. I thought maybe ingredients in the tea could be reacting with the Delsym that I took for coughing. I then looked up the Panax ginseng and this is what I found; the active ingredients consist of “steroid like components called ginsenocides”. That’s it! Steroid induced anxiety AGAIN! 😡 If I had only known I would not have drank the tea. You only know what you know. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Mystery solved! I have thrown that tea out never to be seen again! I need to stay completely away from anything that contains steroids. I know everybody is different and some people need to take prednisone and steroids but that stuff is dangerous…..at least to me.

There are different articles and publications that will list causes of anxiety and they’ll say ‘some medications’ as a cause but they’ll never tell you specifically those medications and prednisone is one of them. You can definitely experience prednisone induced anxiety and even mania and I have seen it in other people as well. That’s one of the reasons why I even thought it was the Medrol pack last year to begin with. It is most definitely on my DO NOT TAKE list. Anything with Panax ginseng (true ginseng) will be put on that list as well.

I have included an article below that someone wrote to add additional information to my experience as well as a link to the Mayo Clinic with their information on anxiety.

Yes, there is a genetic component to anxiety for many but there are other factors as well. Medications being one of them. While my first experience with anxiety had nothing to do with medication, my second experience 10 years later has everything to do with medication, specifically steroids and I’m finding many other people have experienced the same.

Know your body. Know what you’re putting into your body. Ask questions. Don’t assume. Not everything is as it appears. There could be multiple explanations for what you’re going through. Explore them all. Trust yourself. Love yourself.

You Are Not Alone.

💕~MH

https://medshadow.org/prednisone-psychiatric-side-effects/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

Monday Motivation – Health or Wealth?

Would it surprise you at how many people come in to the emergency department that are suicidal who have very high stress jobs stating their medication (often multiple medications) for depression is not working? Hmmm….Maybe it’s the medications that don’t need to be changed ….maybe a change in environment would make a big difference. 🤷🏼‍♀️

What’s even more baffling is they are more worried about losing their job than they are about losing their life due to the stress of their job. I get that people have to pay bills and put food on the table but these high-paying jobs are affording people much more than their basic needs. The more money that is made often equates to more money spent.

We can choose wealth or we can choose health and occasionally we can choose both but there must be a balance between managing financial wealth and managing health.

High paying, highly stressful jobs are not good for anybody mentally or physically and while there is a lot of money being made and ‘things’ being bought… what’s it worth… Your health? 🤔

That’s the million dollar question.

Health before Wealth!

💕~MH

Rules of a Breakup

Holidays are over. Valentine’s Day is over. Spring is near. Relationship breakups happen all throughout the year and sometimes they occur more often after holidays or around holidays because these are stressful times.

Experienced a break up? I certainly have over the years and this is what I discovered. I will share in hopes that it will help others.

Rule #1

DO NOT send continuos messages that go unanswered. This is futile and a waste of energy and time. If you must send a message then I recommend sending the message to another friend who will just listen. Journal your thoughts helps as well. I also recommend writing him/her a letter but don’t actually send it. Often times we are angry and we say things that we might regret later so processing your emotions without letting the other person in on it is more beneficial in the long run and will aid in moving forward.

Rule #2

Make a list of self affirmations and say them aloud to yourself every day. Trust me….this works more than you know. 🙂

Rule #3

Give yourself time to reflect and focus on taking care of yourself. If you can learn to like being by yourself then future relationships will be healthier. Accept and love everything about yourself because you are unique! There is no one else like you and that is the greatness about life. Everyone has something to give to this world.

Rule #4

No self medicating. This includes alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription drugs. These things cover-up your pain but at some point you have to face the music so why not get it over with …the sooner the better I say.

If you’re suffering from SEVERE anxiety and SEVERE sleep deprivation then please seek medical attention as you can be prescribed medication temporarily until you can get through the rough spots. Or if you prefer, seek a holistic doctor as there are alternatives to traditional medications. Anxiety is rooted in fear and intolerance of uncertainty. Understanding what creates anxiety is important to avoid those triggers. If we can learn to see the situation differently perhaps we can limit our anxiety. We often create the anxiety due to the way our mind views situations. We always go straight to the negative as if there’s something wrong with us. Whatever has happened…. ‘it is what it is’ and we must move forward even if we’re waiting for the person to come back…..which they may or may not do. If they do come back we may be in a different place and not want them back. 🤷🏼‍♀️

While you’re waiting… Get on with your life. Go for walks. Join a gym. Read some books. Listen to music. Sing Karaoke. Take some classes/continuing education at a college. Play golf. Go bowling. See a play. Go to a concert. Travel. The list is endless. When you continue living you grow as a person and you realize that while you may want this particular person you no longer NEED them. Understanding needs vs wants is very important.

Lavender from Young Living Essential Oils has a calming effect and allows some to get a good nights rest. Everyone is different and not everyone benefits from oils. I have read where Lavender enhances the effects of antidepressants and pain medication so please use caution when using anything if you’re also taking prescription medications.

Rule # 5

Give yourself a break after a break up or any kind of loss, whether it be loss of a job or a death of someone close to you. A breakup IS a loss. Take it day-to-day and you’ll know when you’re feeling better and ready to move forward. Reinvent yourself! It truly is the other person’s loss!! For those of you who work full-time or don’t have a flexible schedule it’s more important for you to take care of yourself and journal throughout the day. If you’re able to take a few days off when something like this happens I encourage it immensely. If it’s a job where you need to concentrate and stay highly focused I recommend taking a few days off initially to process some of the emotions.

Rule # 6

Shift your mindset from thinking that it’s all your fault too it’s all on them. You’re OK …you’re going to be OK and you have to tell yourself that. The more you tell yourself that, the more you’re going to believe it and when you believe it your actions as a result of that belief will change direction.

Is this going to be difficult? Absolutely it’s going to be difficult! You can get through it! YOU are worth it!! If I can do it…. and I have….anybody can do it.

💞~MH

Bullying – Proaction can Prevent Teen Suicides

Do not wait for any school to address the issue of bullying.

Please, please, please……if your child or someone you know is being bullied at school, tell the school counselor and principal but it is a MUST that the ones being bullied get into therapy ASAP so they learn how to cope with bullies as well as learn how to love themselves regardless what anyone says. Bullies have their own issues and need to be in therapy and disciplined as well but it should NOT stop there.

Being bullied is not the only contributor to someone’s death by suicide. There is more to it with regard to how a person sees themselves or every person who is bullied would die by suicide which does not occur.

Don’t know what to do? I will gladly direct you in the right direction. Don’t hesitate to reach out. These teen suicides can be prevented!!!!

💕😢

https://people.com/human-interest/bullied-teen-suicide-photo-funeral/

It’s the Little Things that Make All of the Difference

I was sitting at Sonic near my house which I occasionally do to get my SONIC ‘fix’ and just sit and think and process my day, upcoming day or life in general. In this case I had come from a job interview and now would be heading to work soon to work another 4-12 shift in the emergency room. It has been super busy there lately with psychiatric assessments but that is what I primarily do and those are the people I love to help because they are people and people deserve to be treated with respect no matter what their medical or mental ailments may be.

My order came to $7.11 and I had a $10. I always tip at least a dollar but this time I thought I will give them the $10 as it would not have been that much more of a tip than the dollar I normally give.

A female came to the car and said “hi my name is Gwen and I will be your carhop”. She gave me the order and said “That will be $7.11”. I handed her the $10 and said keep the change. Her eyes got big, her jaw dropped and she smiled and acted all giddy. I said, “ I am in a good mood” and she said, “so am I”. I said, “well, I’m actually always in a good mood” and she said, “so am I!” She said, “here” and dug into her pocket and gave me two coupons for some ice cream and a free soda from sonic. She was still not believing that someone actually gave her an extra tip let alone a tip at all. She said, “have a great day!” and she ran off like a little kid!

Anytime I can bring out the little kid in someone I’m all for it. I’m still a little kid inside, too, as I think we all are if we stop and think for a minute. We are all kids that have grown up into adults. I never want to lose sight of the little girl in me because she’s in there. She is just wiser, walked a few more miles and weathered a few more storms.

Make a difference in someone’s life today. You can do it! It takes very little effort.

It took $2.89 to brighten this lady’s day.

It truly is the little things we do that make all of the difference.

~MH 💕😊

Monday Motivation

I am thankful that I have taken the time to embark on an education that has provided me the knowledge to be more accepting of all people, their culture and values.

I have looked at myself through a different lens to be able to understand who I am, where I have been and where I am going.

When we close our eyes and our ears to those who are different from ourselves we are in essence closing our minds to learning and understanding the world in which we live.

Be kind to others for you know not their journey.

Education before speculation. 💕😊

~MH

You Matter!!

Absolutely!! We DO have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable topic of suicide.

Don’t wait until your child or your loved one or your best friend is gone and you’re left asking yourself “Why didn’t I see the signs? I had no idea the person was hurting so bad. I wish I had known. I wish I had talked to them more. I wish I had listened to them when they were reaching out”. “ They seemed so happy.”

Don’t wait to get involved until it hits your family or someone you know.

Right now someone you know is going through hell and they’re not talking about it because nobody wants to talk about it. We need to talk about it so the person can know that there are other options because when people get to the point where they want to take their own life they feel like that is the only option.

If you’ve never been down that road then you can’t understand how they feel and that’s OK. We are not asking you to tell them what you think because you’re thinking rationally because everything’s OK in your life. We’re asking you to have compassion because not everybody thinks their life is worth living for many, many, many reasons and some of them valid.

Kevin Hall, president of the Grant Halliburton Foundation: “We have to get comfortable with this uncomfortable topic because right now it’s winning,”.

I Care! Let’s Talk! 💕😊

~MH

Five Families

I am a huge basketball fan. MFFL to be exact. That is a Dallas Mavericks Fan for Life to those who are not basketball fans. 🏀🏀 😉

I was watching the Lakers play the Trailblazers last Friday and it was the first game for the Lakers since the tragic helicopter crash. There was a nice tribute to Kobe and acknowledgment of all 9 on board.

I have watched Kobe play the Mavericks many times as well as other teams. Kobe was a great player. Many young athletes looked up to him. Many NBA players looked up to him. Kobe was a mentor and most likely will remain one for years to come.

I have no doubt he was an amazing father and coach with his daughter’s basketball team. My heart goes out to Vanessa and her 3 girls who have lost a husband, father, daughter and sister. They have a long road ahead.

It has been a week since this horrible tragedy. As I’ve watched basketball and social media during this week the focus seems to have been on Kobe and his daughter.

I have observed the world lose an icon and someone they thought would never perish. We all know this to be a fallacy because we are not superhuman and we will not live forever. Icons are man-made and when we view humans as larger than life their demise is most often difficult to understand. In this case, a tragic accident occurred which makes it even more difficult. We are here for such a short time and for many even shorter.

I want the world to remember and not lose sight of the fact that five families were impacted in the blink of an eye. Five. Five families will never be the same again. Five families have been traumatized and grief stricken. Five families will have to learn a new path of life for the one they were traveling has been fragmented.

Five families, not “Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and 7 others”.

John, Keri and daughter Alyssa Altobelli

Kobe and his daughter Gianna Bryant

Sarah and daughter Payton Chester

Christina Mauser

Ara Zobayan

Please take time to read about their stories and the amazing, unique people they were. They matter.

This is one way mental illness is born. Trauma. Depression. Anxiety. PTSD. Suicidal Ideations.

These families are going to need care, compassion and understanding as they wade through mourning and grief in the coming days, months and years.

When you think about and remember Kobe Bryant for the legend and mentor he is please remember all individuals who perished and the legends and mentors they are to their many loved ones as well.

Please be kind to one another and most importantly……….be kind to yourself.

~MH 💕

Self Compassion – A Missing Piece of Wellness

How many of us are self critical? I am not talking about healthy self criticism. I hear it everyday. “I am not good enough.” “I am not smart.” “I will never succeed.” “No one likes me.” “I am not happy with things I have done in the past.” “I am a failure.”

So as Dr Phil says…hows that workin’ for ya! 😁

Life is too short to be self critical.. I aint got time for that! Do you? 🤷🏼‍♀️

Self Compassion is a way to be kind to ourselves in the midst of an illness or any challenge we might endure. We CAN learn new ways to treat ourselves better and have quality of life.

We struggle with Bipolar, Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD, OCPD, etc. However, that does not mean we are defective, weak, unlovable. These are labels. We cannot allow ourselves to be defined by a label. We can’t and we won’t!

We can find tools to manage each of these. We really can. We do not need to be ‘fixed’. We need to love ourselves for who we are and the challenges we face. Have you hugged yourself today? Have you looked in the mirror and said “I love me!”

Being compassionate to others does not equal being compassionate to ourselves. It’s much easier to be compassionate towards others. Self compassion takes effort, consistency and a willingness to change the way we view ourselves. It begins with our own self talk.

We are much too negative of ourselves than we need be. The time for change is NOW!

Love yourself and the world will love you in return!

What are YOU going to do today that shows that you love yourself? 🤔

It’s a new day!

With all of the sadness surrounding us as of late….Please think of things that you are grateful for. Very easy for people to become distraught after learning of tragic events and this is how sadness can spiral into a depressive illness.

Be kind to yourself and compassionate to others. 💕

~MH

A great resource to add to your ‘toolbox’:

What is Self-Compassion?