Does anyone ever feel physically ill with the stress?

[siblingrivalry]

Hi
Apologies that I haven't been around much to offer support etc -I've spent the whole summer doing the bloody DLA renewal. Today, it's ready to be posted

However, for the past few days I have been feeling incredibly stressed and it seems to be making me ill.
I'm trying to deal with all of the admin and therapy stuff that had to take a back seat while I was sorting the DLA form. DD1 (AS) is dreading going back to school and is having nightmares and is unable to sleep. She is also going through an awful time with regard to her body image and I'm really worried about her -think I will have to sort out some kind of help for her.

DD2 (NT) is picking up on dd2's worries and is now in a real state about going into her new class next week.

The housework has had to slide, with all the other stuff going on, and I feel like I'm way behind in everything.
The result is, I'm finding it really hard to sleep (when dd1 isn't waking me up through the night) and I keep waking up. I seem to have a constant, dull headache and I feel exhausted and drained.

Is it a coincidence, or do other people go through this too?

Want2sleep - my Mum always says 'you die if you worry and you die if you dont'. Wont stop me though!

oh yes the past 2 weeks my heart has been skipping a beat, saw the gp who said it was stress and anxiety so being referred for some talking therapy in a couple of weeks.

It's up and down for me but I'm another one whose stress goes straight to my stomach. After DD was born I was constantly dizzy for about 6 months which I guess was blood loss after having an abruption and lack of sleep/stress.

I just get it around appointment times these days - when physio/paed gives me something to worry about!

sneezecake, I get that, too. I use it as a yardstick to measure my stress levels -when the palpitations start, I know I have reached my limit.

Funnily enough, it happened this afternoon Hope the talking therapy helps you out.

The points other people have made about the stress of school also hit home with me. I can feel the tension building when I think about shifting into my 'Being a PITA' mode. I feel like I am constantly on the phone to school, or asking for something, or dealing with dd's after school meltdowns.

Getting back to the early mornings (takes DD ages to wake up and she's really weepy and stressed before school) and following someone else's routine really doesn't fill me with joy.

mintyfresh I also had an abruption at exactly this time 2 years ago, and I also felt dizzy for ages, but my Hb was low.
I thoght I was coping well with it all (until 2 weeks ago) work doesn't help!

siblingrivalry do you reel like someone is thumping you in the chest?
will let you know how the therapy goes.

sneezecake -yeah, it's exactly like a thump. Used to really freak me out; thought I was having a heart attack.

Yeah, keep us updated, thanks.

silver just to share wth yu I think every parent feels ill after filling out those horrendous forms...they bring to light how bad things really are...

I get sleeping tablets from dr every now and again and take them two-three times a week to not build up addiction....hence my name

what you describe though is very common distress most SN mums under most of the time:(

I meant sibling not silver but blurredvision from lack of sleep caused it

yes, absolutely
exhaustion, insomnia, nausea, shakes, sweats, ibs, stomach cramps

I also lose fistfuls of hair.

same as you glitter.....insomnia almost every night,fast heart rate at times and the sweats definitely.When im really stressed my eyesight goes blurred and my eyes feel really funny to me although they dont look any different to anyone else.

Headaches, nausea, stomach cramps, exhaustion yet insomnia and almost ceratinly depression too.....I thought it was just me being rubbish, thank you all for feeling the same way.

Do you ever get where you're so stressed that the world goes kind of tunnel shaped and everything goes echoey?

Yeah, Glitterknickaz I know that feeling. Sometimes everything seems dream-like and I feel like everything is skewed IYKWIM.

It's been a bit of an eye-opener on this thread, I had no idea how many other people were suffering poor health because of stress

I also have IBS, which has flared up this week too. I had an hour's peace when dh took the girls to the park, but I just couldn't relax. I found myself mentally planning a letter to a potential secondary school for dd1 -ended up making my headache worse

I know it sounds trite but I have been listening to a tape of Paul McKenna (please dont do that face) before I go to sleep, or any time once a day, and I feel strangely calm. I have felt stressed for ages, and I just dont seem capable of getting worked up even though I've got PMT atm and usually want to kill at least one person! It sends you into a trance like state and auto suggests calming messages (not sending him your life savings). I cant believe how good it is, its the stress one.

Yes, the stress has made me feel like shit too.. I'm dreading the DLA renewal.. Currently totally stressed out by dd about to start school..

Migraines started 2 years ago with really horrible auras that last for ages and my hands often go numb, IBS symptoms, insomnia when not awake with dd, and then so exhausted I can't see properly and my right eye often seems blurred, joint pains, back ache, often feels like my shoulders are up round my ears, and I take far too much ibuprofen and paracetamol, and every day I wake up feeling sick, so much so I've wondered sometimes if I'm pregnant, and very bad PMT too - all of that on top of stress incontinence from having two big babies and never remembering to do my exercises!

I had some bloods done in February after my migraines got very bad and went back to get the results in July. Was told by the GP got to come back on my own without dd and start to look after myself - but it's so hard..

Being knackered makes me eat crap and we have a saying in our house.. 'Bad night again? I'll just have to eat my way through the day!' And I do, swinging from sugar high to sugar high.. Not good..

Can't believe we all have such similar symptoms.. Someone should do some research on this.. Still it makes me feel I'm not being a hypocondriac if you're all feeling the same!

TheArsenicCupcake: 'Always being four steps ahead with not only a plan 'B' but plans right down to 'Z' .. and the list goes on and on and doesn't stop.'

Sums up my life. I'm always looking at the worse-case-scenario or risk-assessing too. I get really anxious, tight chest, nauseus. Can't relax and then wonder if I'll ever be able to truly relax again.

I have a constant headache for the whole of hte summer holidays. Once a week its turned into a full blown migraine which I can't control. I also have suffered from terrible tummy pains on and off. I was just saying to dh at dinner I'm fed up with the Friday afternoon / evening headache which is just the weeks stress releasing. Having DS at home all holiday has been a strain.

I'm a bit shocked by this, to be fair - and also somewhat reassured that I'm not the only one.

I honestly thought it was just me.

There really does need to be some research into this.

Oh research, and then DO something to help us. Not our kids.

But US.

Yes, poor sleep patterns, nausea, aching due to the level of tension in my body, exhaustion, constantly having to wear my gameface at my job even when the shit is hitting the fan in my private life.
And the sheer, constant level of fear and apprehension that you live under, year after year.
TheArsenicCupCake, you are making so much sense in your posts!

Yep same here, palpitations,constant headaches, Ibs, and feel like I,ve got a virus all the time. Being a natural worrier really helps!!! I stress when dds at school, I stress when she,s at home and stress about the fact that she's going to need care for the rest of her life so am probably going to feel like this until I shuffle off this mortal coil and then I,ll stress from beyond the grave.

Am better in the holidays, but sometimes feel I will explode in term-time from stress and lack of sleep.