to have SO MANY health issues at once?

[Brittapie]

Sigh. More "is my body being unreasonable" really. GRUMP.

OK, so. I have fairly severe bipolar disorder, which is bad enough in itself, but I also take various meds which give me their own side effects and stop me being able to take things like ibuprofen (or any NSAIDs) and the pill. I see someone at least once a week for various aspects of this, and have to bear it in mind when eating, drinking, exercising, sleeping and making any kind of decision. I also have to deal with a lot of prejudice, stigma and harassment.

I have SPD (yes, the pelvis thing that people get in pregnancy, even though my youngest is nearly 4) that makes me limp and be in pain sporadically. I see a physiotherapist and it limits my options with various physical things. Luckily not my dancing - I do lindy hop which is really energetic but for some reason doesn't often hurt my pelvis. I do have to be very fussy about only dancing on slippy floors in slippy shoes though, but a lot of people are anyway. The main effect it has on my life is pain, but mostly at a low level.

I have terrible periods. Heavy and painful. I take tranexamic acid but still sometimes have really long periods that are sometimes till fairly heavy. The prescription painkillers I was taking I can't any more because they interact with other medication, so this month is going to be horrible. I'm going for an ultrasound scan tomorrow.

I have mystery bad joints. Creaky and stiff. I have no idea why. I went for blood tests and nothing showed up.

I am anxious about a lot of medical proceedures - I'm having to get better at blood tests because I'm having them all the time at the moment. I've never had a smear test. I have a mole that looks really dodgy. Two of my teeth have snapped off and I have been on a waiting list to be sedated so they can even look at them for nearly two years (not the same list - I moved after a year on the first one so had to join a new list)

I can't swim, I'm scared of heights, milk makes my entire face hurt so I avoid dairy, I'm diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia, I can't have more babies because of birth complications.

I'm only 28 FFS! I feel like people are rolling their eyes behind my back. I know some people think I make the things up for my own twisted amusement or to skive off or whatever. I've had some utterly horrid things said to or about me recently regarding my health. None of it is stuff I can prove either, well not without inviting them to read my medical notes. I probably look fairly normal.

Can we all be disapproving of my body? Stupid body.

Has anyone got a "healthy pill"? That's all I want really...

My poor liver/kidneys! I take so much, and it all interacts in various ways, and none of it completely stops any of the symptoms.

And still I get MY ACTUAL HUSBAND accusing me of making it up or at least exaggerating it, and encouraging a gang of twats to give me abuse about it. He is a soon to be ex husband now, and I have a much more sympathetic new boyfriend, who, along with my mum and one other friend, seems to "get" it.

The weird thing is, I don't feel "disabled", and I always feel like a bit of a fraud using that term. But pretty much any definition puts my MH as a definite disability, never mind the rest of it (tbh the rest of it is a series of fairly minor problems, which in a way makes it more embarrassing).

I don't even have the standard type of bipolar 1, I have rapid cycling, so I'm extra weird

Doctors always end up getting out the BNF and looking confused.

Oh Britta, you poor thing!

I'm sure your friends really don't roll their eyes. My best friend got really bad sciatica at the age of 18, to the point where they were considering operating on her back to stop the sciatic nerve compression (she refused because if they'd done it she would never have been able to ride horses again) and we all accommodated her "I have to sit down! I can't stand up for long! I can't sit on that chair without back support! I can't do xyz in case my back goes out!" etc. because we understood that she would be in pain. I'm sure your friends do too.

Re. the SPD - I see you're having physio for it but can I offer you this osteopathic exercise as well - my osteo used it throughout my second pregnancy, which corrected the joint until the next time! (C&P from another thread on here):

I have tried to find a video of the technique my osteopath used on me, that I could do myself a little but have failed so far so will try to describe it for you. It really does help, I promise!

Lie on your back with your feet hip width apart on the bed and your knees bent up to right angles(ish). You won't be on your back long, don't worry.
1. Place your hands on the outside of your knees/lower thighs, and push your knees together at the same time as using your outer leg muscles to pull your knees apart. So you're creating resistance in your thigh muscles. Do this manouevre for about 5 seconds if you can (You might want to get your DH to do it for you, it's easier with another person holding your knees) then relax your leg muscles before you let go with the hands.
2. As soon as you release the outer knee, place your hands on the inner knee/lower thigh and push outwards, at the same time using your inner thigh muscles to try and pull inwards. Again for about 5 seconds and again relax the leg muscles before you let go.

3. Then repeat 1. again; and then repeat 2 BUT after the 5 seconds, suddenly let go with ONE of your hands while still using your inner thigh muscles. Your knee will bounce inwards, you might feel a sudden crack (this is your SP going back into position).

Then do it ALL again but next time, release the OTHER hand quickly at the end. If your SP didn't crack the first time, it probably will this time!
It can sound like a gunshot if it's a good release, other times you might not hear anything, or even feel anything, but it will still probably provide relief.

If that doesn't make any sense, or you need more explanation, I'll try and make it clearer. If your SP is well out of whack, it might hurt a little to do this to start with, and your muscles might feel too weak to put much pressure on (I found that when it was very bad, one leg would be too weak to do a good job) - this doesn't matter, the manouevre should still work so long as you get some pressure. If it hurts TOO much then please don't do it, of course. And if you start to feel dizzy, sick or faint at any point then STOP immediately and sit up, or roll over onto your side (knees together of course). You may find it easier with a pillow behind your upper body to help you reach your knees but the flatter you are, the better, so coercing someone else into helping you is a better plan.

Re. the joints etc. - have you considered, or are you allowed, to take any multivits/minerals with your medication? You might find that a good daily multi will help, especially if it includes essential fatty acids as well. And vit D. Vitamin D is my current "favourite" supplement - I have to take 3000IU just to stay stable with it, because despite my intake of oily fish and sunlight and multivit etc., I was still deficient until my doc tested me and dosed me up. It's made a lot of difference to joint pains etc.!

Anyway - you can take what you want from my offerings and I hope it helps. :)

Hi!

I've only skimmed the thread.

I have years of experience of depression, but cannot add any experience of other health issues.

But I would say, FGS, don't bother with any GoApe hen-weekend madness! FFS, I have never been on a go-ape thing (though my DCs have). Just say NO. Or NO, I don't like heights. Or NO, i get vertigo. Or NO, I do not want to. Or NO, are you mad? Or NO, not for me. Etc. etc.

Oh, feel really sorry for you . But if you don't want to do something just say... "I don't want to do it." Irrespective of your illnesses, you shouldn't have to do things you don't want to do. I never go in the swimming pool with him and the kids. DH is always having a go at me about it, but I won't go.

May I ask OP, are you overweight? The reason I ask is that I had terrible joints in my 20s, especially my knees. It used to keep me awake at night, it was so bad. Then I lost weight and the pain went away. I am in my 40s now and don't have any problems. Just a thought.

No, I'm not - dancing and a bit of hypo mania sorted that out. I dance 2 or 3 times a week, and it is proper energetic stuff for an entire evening. I'm a follow, so I get more rest than a lead (because there is a lead shortage) but its still a good workout. Then the mental stops me from eating much too.

Hi Bitta I just wanted to offer a hand to hold. My best friend has bipolar and I have seen how hard it can be.

If you don't mind me asking, how long ago were you diagnosed? It took a while for my friend to get the balance of meds right, but he is pretty even most of the time now and the highs aren't anywhere near what they used to be. (He bought a house one time )

He felt the same as you. Like his body was letting him down, but it did get better. The aches and pains were crippling and he was always told they were either a side effect or psychosomatic. In the end he was diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency, so a bit like rickets. He had some injections and it got better. Just a thought...

Just wanted to say that my best friend organised a Go Ape hen weekend and half of the attendees didn't take part. Because Go Ape is the lowest form of organised fun. I wouldn't do it either, and the only thing I went to the doctor for this year was waxy ears.

I realise this isn't the most pressing of the issues, but please don't beat yourself up about it. (I can't swim either.)

Officially diagnosed 3 years ago, but that is just cos they are silly about it and refuse to diagnose for fear of 'labelling' people. I'd been treated for bipolar for 3 years before that.

I am actually fairly stable, considering. I just have to be aware of it all the time. I'm a scatterbrained person and a bit of a hippy, but I have to behave like a sensible boring person

Maybe we should have some kind of petition, try and put some kind of limit on how many illnesses one person can have? Then we can get injunctions against our bodies when they act like dicks?

Maybe a stiff letter to the local press?

I'm up for a petition . Can we have a ribbon or mascot or something?

What would our mascot be? A teddy, like pudsey, except instead of one cute eye bandage, just wrapped entirely in bandages, and with a pile of medication in its hands?

Forgot to add! I have a new condition! Fibroids! Found them on a scan today.

Is that making the periods worse then?

Yep! And my womb tilts backwards, which isn't alarming but explains some other stuff.

Mumsnetters against multiple health conditions!