How has stress affected your health?

[ToLiveInPeace]

Tl

Would you share with me all the ways, harmless or otherwise, that stress has made your body go haywire - and the outcome, please. (And what helped/helps?)

broken sleep, insomnia, teeth grinding, tension in the back, entire back seized up and signed off for 2 weeks, diarrhoea, constipation, migraines, high blood pressure. There's probably more. My scalp breaks out in a kind of seborrheic dermatitis (weepy spots which I pick)

Exercise helps; running and swimming, Feldenkrais, listening to relaxation meditation on you tube, mindfulness, accepting help.

Re reading this thread I wonder if my water retention could be related to stress induced hypertension? I never put two and two together as I'm not massively overweight and am very active

It's only just occurred to me that the headaches and puffiness are eerily similar to symptoms I had with high blood pressure in pregnancy

Years ago I worked under a bullying headteacher in what was at the time an awful school (I've since heard that there has been an almost complete change of staff and the school is now doing well). Just before starting there I'd had a cervical cancer scare so had not long since come off the pill and my hormones were all over the place anyway but the stress of that job made them even worse. I wasn't pregnant but I went 6 months without a period and was leaking milk. Blood tests showed my prolactin levels were sky high and had remained so for over a month ago I had to have a brain MRI scan to check for a pituitary tumour (negative).

It was meant to be a year's fixed term post but I was signed off for the last 6 weeks. Within 2 months of leaving, my periods returned, my prolactin levels lowered to within normal levels and I stopped leaking milk and 2 months after that I was pregnant with my first child.

Various symptoms including panic attacks, high blood pressure, nosebleeds so bad they had to be cauterised, night sweats, and on a lighter note, horrendous flatulence.

I’ve had an on/off period for over 5 weeks (since my dad died). I don’t know how to resolve it, given I have a Mirena. Coldsores, massive chest infection. I’m sipping Glayva, it’s medicinal!

Asthma attacks
Neck and shoulder pain
Hair loss
Weight gain from emotional eating
Lack of sleep
Tightness in chest / stomach

I'm sorry you've all had such difficulties and hope things improve for each of you if you're struggling now.

I have fibromyalgia and coeliac disease, both initially triggered by stress, along with myriad other problems. Currently struggling with random rib pain that is either stress-related or definitely going to kil me... Who the hell knows which? :)

I appreciate hearing what helps you, thank you.

@Cherrysoup... I am sorry for your loss x

Can't sleep. I also get ill for a very short period of time. And I then take time off work and I fullly recover in 12 hours!!!