Arthritis and emotion

LignumVitae

Bear with me on this one, it might sound odd. When my arthritis first began, the week before anything happened I was incredibly short tempered. This is very unlike me, normally it takes an awful lot to push my buttons and anger is an emotion I really don't like in myself or others.

Before I acknowledged at the start of this summer that my meth was no longer in control or that things were flaring, I was super anxious and nervous. I became timid and I'm not known for my wallflower tendencies as you may have worked out . Now this flare/ lack of control has become my default setting I know when things are going to take a nose dive because I get a bit fizzy, short tempered and end up doing mad things like washing the floors twice and scrubbing the kitchen until my hands don't work...which I may have just done :oops: . I know when I am doing these things it is stupid but it gets into a frenzy and I can't stop ...I hope this doesn't sound daft to you all and as I say, it's a link that has always existed. Am I alone in that? My normal default mood setting is to not really bother about dirt, other people or getting uptight or upset, devil may care. Just before arthritis gives my body yet another beating I almost become an inverse of my normal self...has anybody else ever noticed this in themselves? The only good thing is that if I can acknowledge what is happening it gives me a little warning about what is to come

stickywicket

I can't say I've ever noticed anything as a precursor to a flare. What I do know is that I remain in full denial mode for far too long and only really accept how bad things have been once they've improved a little.

I cannot lay a claim to being placid and even-tempered (and I'm so pleased I shall never witness Mr SW's wholehearted agreement to that statement ) but I do, somewhat naturally, get more irritated as I become less able and, yes, I'm inclined to overdo everything just to prove to myself that I still can. (Only to discover I couldn't :roll:
)
I do, however, when things are rough emotionally for whatever reason, arthritic or not, become incredibly and irritatingly (to myself) indecisive. I produce excellent reasons for not doing anything that might make things better on the grounds that they might also make things worse. I become a sort of ostripine or porcupich ie I bury my head in the sand and stick all my prickles up to ward off all kind and helpful gestures. I become, in other words, a prize dozy wassock.

dreamdaisy

This makes sense to me, LV, you know what's coming so you try to pretend it isn't by over-doing things which makes stuff worse and so the vicious circle continues until you flop, exhausted and grumpy. I rather like Sticky's ostripine or porcupich, that's a very good description of it! I don't do anger at all (I don't know how to but a good friend is teaching me some of the finer points ) but my temper can slip and I have to remind myself that there's no point in getting grumpy with those around me because this is not their fault. DD

LignumVitae

See I was putting the cart before the horse then wasn't I and really, by the time I identify my crazy behaviour I'm already on my downward spiral and already have been long enough for my body to be under strain and my defensive right up. Maybe it's more a make hay before the thunder storm than whilst the sun still shines moment and really my head is firmly buried and my prickles are sticking out so I clean and wash and tidy because my body is already telling me it won't be doing so again for a while - this shall forever be the ostripine or porcupich period for me now, thank you !

dreamdaisy

I'm sorry you're undergoing this, LV, I really am. Shall we call it the PDW phase or do you prefer being an osipine or a porcupich? (I admit the latter is my favourite.) ((( ))) DD

Boomer13

LV, I read this and thought I was reading about myself. I have an appointment to go to or I'd write more now. I used to get very angry with my body for letting me down, mentally refused to let it and I'd get carried away doing things. This was before I was diagnosed and I suppose I didn't think my physical problems were really physical at all; I believe now I was trying to overcome tiredness/pain by pushing through it. Things improved when I was finally diagnosed. Sometimes, my getting irritable and angry for no reason is the signal that I'm getting worse or a flare is brewing.

Must go. Thanks for the this thread, more later.

stickywicket

(((()))) It's OK. I'm porcupich proofed.

villier

I can relate to this LV as recently went through very similar emotions which I put down to the pred I am taking, like you I am a pretty laid back person but reading your post Idon't think it is anything to do with the meds it is just as well I live on my own here is some overdue ((((())))) take care xxx

LignumVitae

It seems just like my pain then, I'm not alone in my erratic mood changes. Sad but good to know. As my irritation predicted, today is a particularly off day. Ah well! Thank you all for being such a great support ((((()))))

dreamdaisy

I think this thread demonstrates just how much arthritis can influence all aspects of our being, not just our creaky bodies. It takes it toll emotionally as well as physically; all the cherries in the world won't alleviate that. If it's any comfort, LV, I too am in for a stinker of a day, shall I come and join you and do my best to entertain one daughter whilst you have the other? DD

LignumVitae

DD you would have been more than welcome, you could have played with quiet and happy Summer whilst I tussled with poor, sore Tegen. She has a gum that is so swollen her molar must be about to erupt but she isn't taking the pain quietly. You could even have joined us in the afternoon's entertainment of watching the cat stuck up a tree. I was all for leaving her to work out her way back but the men of the neighbourhood (Mr LV was working) seemed to feel the need to 'help' me (I'm not naturally comfy as a damsel in distress) and climbed up to rescue her. Bottles of beer all around as a thank you - more for entertaining us than rescuing her.

stickywicket

I bet you chased the cat up the tree just for an excuse of some beer I think you were lucky. Usually they seem to go further up once rescue arrives but make their own way down if left to it.