How to deal with stress? Maybe a little sens

Batfink, you have my utmost sympathy. I am suffering from stress too at the moment. My blood pressure has been classed as dangerously high and I keep having fainting fits and losing my eyesight for periods of time. I've also developed IBS, constant headaches...the works.

I think you should see your GP. Mine has been pretty hopeless TBH, but I am trying a different GP in 2 weeks time to try and get straight.

In the interim I have started reading a book about CBT and it's really helping to change the way I think about things. You can't necessarily get rid of the causes of the stress, but you can change your reaction to them IYSWIM. I also saw a herbalist and I am taking a herbal remedy (Lemonbalm and Skullcap). It seems to be working, it probably is a placebo, but I don't care, it's doing the trick. I'm also doing Yoga stretches every morning to release tension, and I'm having a massage every week starting this weekend.

The shock of my BP being so high, and the GPs stark warning about having a stroke/heart attack has shocked me into action.

I really hope you get this under control.

Thank you both for your replies. I think I'll book an appointment on monday & hopefully start getting somewhere. It's such a horrible feeling, I've never experienced it before.

You sound as if you're taking positive steps Katchoo, I really feel for you - you sound as if you have far worse symptoms than me, & I'm miserable enough! Have a ?. I'm going to follow your lead & go to a herbalist for some natural remidies, placebo is fine by me too!

You have a huge amount of stressors in your life right now and it doesn't seem like there's anywhere for you to relax, home or work. I'd definitely go to the doctors as it sounds like you really do need time out from somewhere and it sounds like time out from your job will give you a bit of breathing space.

I do hope that you make an appointment with your GP tomorrow, not Monday! and best wishes.

I know *exactly* how you feel. I had a slightly... err... unhinged moment last night (that lasted 4 hours) and my OH nearly whipped me down to A&E. I agree about seeing a doc, as everyone else said. I also find that eating very plainly minimises (in theory) eases all the upset tumy-ness that you can get. I also swear by getting as much sleep as possible, if you can sleep of course. Obviously, the more energy you have, the easier it is to cope; but also I find being asleep preferable to feeling like I am going to yack my spleen up/collapse/throw things around at any given moment.

I hope you feel better soon. It's very tough, and can be a bit of a vicious circle ?