General
How do you manage stress as a patient or care partner?
January 22, 2025
in General
It is important and not everyone handles it the same way!
Exercise?
yoga?
eating/drinking?
meditation??
advocacy?
Tagged:
1 - 8 of 8 Replies
Transplant Patient
This is a topic I feel like is reemerging for me lately. Currently I'm gravitating to things like intense breath work and cold plunges to help manage my stress. I have all this stress energy in my body and I need to do something with it to move it through my body so it doesn't just get stuck, so for me that looks like shaking, dance parties, making weird sounds when I'm alone in my living room. And also giving myself as much grace as possible when I don't always get it right and sometimes spend the day on social media because maybe what was most helpful for my body in this moment was to check out.
Over the past few months, I have been dealing with anxiety more than what is normal for me. I have bi-weekly check-ins with my therapist. Crafting is also a hobby I took up when I was on dialysis, and I find it calms. I have learned to focus on other things when I am really anxious and revisit the circumstance after having a little break.
I have found dealing with stress i do a variety of different things, I watch tv read, do meditation, listen to podcasts, play with my dogs, build legos with my son, or watch my daughter perform her trumpet.
I know if you were to ask my gf/care partner she would say she manages stress quite differently. @AliEm14 i would say that the moving around and having a dance party would resonate with my partner. :) @Ldybug97 I completely understand the anxiety, the stress of dialysis is slowly getting to me.
@Berriosa1234 Remember we are here for you. I was on dialysis for 7 1/2 years so if you ever want somebody to talk about it, I have been through PD and hemodialysis. I was very fortunate to have nurses that kept me occupied and laughing throughout my treatment. There are some good days and there are some difficult days, but just know you’re not alone in this and you can always reach out. I am happy that you can release stress by doing fun things with your kids.
Transplant Patient
I wanted to add to this discussion saying Emmitt Henderson of Male Lupus Warriors is going to talk on this very thing in support groups tomorrow! He’ll be sharing on dialysis and staying positive
Drugs. But in all seriousness, some anxiety medication and a cup of tea are part of my "bed night snack" routine. (That term is from when my sister was very little and we would have a bed night snack together to manage my overnight blood sugar). Getting a good night's sleep helps me take on a new day and I've had to come to terms with needing some help getting a good sleep.
TServold
May I ask what meds you take to help you sleep? I feel like I haven’t slept through the night in years. Between my anxiety and my husband being sick and losing him I just can’t turn my brain off. My transplant team told me I could take 5 mg of Melatonin and it didn’t faze me. I took it for 2 weeks and gave up. They wouldn’t allow a stronger dose due to being post liver transplant. Help!!
Transplant Patient
I'm going to start a new discussion on this because I've been having similar thoughts and I don't want this topic to get lost!