Stress

The twins are my first children and have brought so much joy into my life! I feel that I have coped with the stress of having preemies (28 weeks) and one having to have surgery (3 weeks) for NEC as well as possible. I do have help a few hours a week from my inlaws but I don't have to tell you all how demanding it can be. I found out this week that I have a stomach ulcer and my doctor seems to think that it is the stress of the last 15 months catching up with me.

I know the toll that stress can take mentally and emotionally but I'm just wandering if anyone else is dealing with any physical problems due to stress.

 

:hug99: Sorry to hear about your ulcer. Yes!! Starting w/being prego, I developed diabetes and after they were born it went away but still borderline and having a terrible time trying to lose weight. My rheumatoid arthritis was really flaring up after the girls were born because of constant lifing and carrying. I think having children is a major life adjustment and stressful, especially when you don't get a break or any help. It 's hard to take time out but if you can , try to have someone watch them so you can get a break. The first year is pretty hard, and add to that being premies, it's tough. Thing do get better as they get older and more independent though. Hang in there!!

 

No issues here but i hope your ulcer gets better... Can it correct itself or here for good?

 

Thanks for the well wishes ladies! My ulcer is curable with mediction.

 

First of all...I hope that your stomach ulcer heals quickly!!! The twins are my first children as well, and the joy of my life...but they have definitely taken a physical toll on me. My twins were term, but my DD had some severe GI troubles that we didn't work through until she was almost 9 months old. I have asthma which was well controlled prior to the twins birth. Since then, I have had flare ups requiring inpatient hospitalization. My pulmonologist has me on a bunch of meds, but I am still having trouble. Any cold I get spirals out of control. He feels my immune system is depleted due to stress from the kids (also the death of my mother the year prior). Hang in there! The twins are a great joy, but also quite demanding. Take care of yourself, and try to find some way to relax if you can. My husband recently found a medical massage therapist. From time to time he suprises me with a massage from her to help me relax.

Keep us updated on how you are feeling. Feel free to PM me if needed.

Kathy

 

I think having twins and the stress that comes not only from being a first time mommy but one to twins has deffinately had it's toll on me physically. My back always hurts, I'm ALWAYS exhausted (even though I push myself on) and I have to have surgery on my belly button which is herniated from the pregnancy. I sometimes have trouble sleeping and wake up every single night 1-2 (sometimes more) times to go to the bathroom or because I hear one of the babies making noises in their sleep. I know they say it gets easier and easier and I'm hoping as they get older and I don't have to pick them up or carry them as often and they are old enough to clean up their own food and toy messes that it will alleviate a lot of the physical stuff for me and hopefully be better on my body. I also still would like to lose another 20-25 lbs which I KNOW will help with some of my physical ailments. I also think that if I could get to the gym and if I had time to just be in my own thoughts that a lot of my mind/body spirit issues will heal itself, if you kwim? One day

 

YES! I hope that your Ulcer gets cleared up quickly and with as little discomfort as possible. Let's see - I had to go to a physical therapist when my 2 were about 9 months > old for basically tennis elbow in both arms. My arms were killing me from lifting and twisting to put them in their car seats.

And most recently I have been diagnosed with Tension headaches and really should go to physical therapy again for deep massage on my shoulders and neck. But right now I just can't find the time to do it!

I love my 2 so very very much, but they are killing me!

My Dad is very sweetly treating my mom, my sister and I to a 2 day spa get-away in December. I can't wait. I hope I can survive until then!!

 

Hope your ulcer is responding to the medications and you're feeling better.

Just wanted to add my commiseration to your post;
my guys are my absolute joy and pain!!!

My lower back hurts,
I get headaches frequently,
and my hair falls out.

But besides that,
life is gooooooddddd.

 

I just wanted to give you a hug. Our bodies cope with the stress in many ways. I developed Bell's Palsy 3 days after my boys birth and I am I still dealing with it.

 

I look old as ****. I used to look great for my age now I look my age and probably older. My skin is a horror, my butt is a disgrace, my hair is grey (and I barely have the tijme to color the roots), I have bags under my eyes. Goodness knows whats going on inside.

 

No true physical problems, other than tiredness & occasional backaches but I look like I've aged at least five years in the last one!!!

 

:hug99: Thank you for this post. I'm really sorry about your ulcer and the stress that you are under. I hope you can get better soon.
I developed Fibromyalgia after the death of my mother 7 years ago. My stress goes right to my back, neck, and shoulders. After I had my son born at 35 weeks and 2 weeks in the NICU, the stress got worse. We moved to another military base a few months later, and my DH was deployed 4 times for the war during the first two years of my son's life. He was there for the start of the war and wasn't able to get in touch with me for a month. I didn't have a clue where he was either since it was top secret. I had to go to my doctor and was put on Paxil for anxiety and stress. It helped so much. Then I got pregnant with the twins and had to stop taking it. I had the girls in an emergency delivery at 31 weeks. I had Lauren natural without drugs and without the doctor present. Then, I had Laney emergency section. I woke up from the surgery with the tube still down my throat. I developed post tramatic stress from that and had panic attacks for a month. They were in the NICU for 40 days. I called my doctor and got back on the Paxil and it has really helped me. I still am dealing with lots of pain from my fibromyalgia. I also developed carpal tunnel during my first pregnancy and gall bladder problems with the twin pregnancy. I will eventually have to have surgery for both after the girls are a little older.

 

Before I go on about any stress having twins as a first time mom let me just say like all of us feel I simply adore and gush over my boys. That being said, since I teach as well as run a household I am much more run down and have become more susceptible to colds, sinus infections etc. I also have had to go to a chiropractor for the first time to readjust my body from all the lifting, carrying, rocking in the night over the last 16 months plus the actual pregnancy of the twins.

Stress has not caused major things just very minor ones except for the three gray hairs I pulled out over the past couple of months. I guess it is time to get to know hair coloring!!!!

 

Wow, looks like I'm in good company! It's nice having a place where we can share without it sounding as though we're complaining. I will be keeping all mothers but especially mothers of mulptiples and children with special needs in my prayers, may God give us the strength and grace we need for each day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

not to that extent....just my physical appearance. When I look in the mirror, w/o makeup, I feel like I ALWAYS look aged and tired now, where 2.5 years ago, I didn't....I was just more worried about how much more tan I could get. My body is awful. I've just now dropped 20 lbs but have another 20 to go to get my wieght back to where it was, but my body still will never be (well, at least not anytime soon) as toned as it once was. I literally have NO time anymore. I use to come home and work out for an hour and a half with strengthening and toning and a bit of cardio. I probably couldn't do a single push-up at this point. It's been traumatic on me emotionally with that respect. It sounds vain, yes, but it's just seeing yourself looking so drastically different from what you've ever been use to and knowing that this is the way it is now. It's taken some time to accept it. I'm at that point now, but I'm still trying to do what I can within reason to combat it gracefully instead of in complete opposition of it.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I think I've aged 10 years since my girls were born. At 30 I could easily pass for 25, but now at 35 my students guess my age at 40! I'm sorry that so many of you are going through worse health problems than looking old. Being a first time mom of twins is hard work--the hardest thing I've ever done for sure!

 

I've had alot of headaches, backaches, neck tension. Also my hair is now only about as half as thick as it used to be and my skin got real dry. I think part of my problem was stress from other issues as well. My own mother has told me that I have aged since having kids (thanks mom <_< ) so I know I'm looking older. Sometimes I still can't believe that the tired looking woman in the mirror with the dark circles/bags under her eyes is me!

K