@contentandwell

A very good looking couple.

Jim

@jimhd Thanks, Jim. As I say about my son, he cleans up well. He has become an amazing young man with a huge and loving heart. That's what I am most proud of in him. He appreciates me and my husband so much, knowing that we will not always be here.
JK

@contentandwell You may be back from your trip already. If so, I hope you had a great time. I LOVED Maui! Would go again in a heart beat! Hope you can relax and enjoy the beauty! What a super escape!

@amberpep I tend to ruminate. Things go on over and over in my head. I have depression, but am not bipolar. I do, however, have PTSD. I have found writing things down help me. I also turn on "white noise" when I sleep. If it is quiet, my mind tends to really whirl when I'm trying to sleep, It is better in the morning and worse at night. Perhaps because the day is ahead of me, and I am distracted. I also take trazodone for my restless leg syndrome. It does help. Bio feedback is also something that has been helpful. I clench and relax my muscles starting at the toes and going all the way up my body. Most times I am asleep before I get to my hands. It makes me concentrate on what I am doing and keep my mind from ruminating. I know it can be really, really aggravating!. Perhaps talking with your doctor and with a therapist may give you some relief. A combination of the right medication and therapy is what gave me relief. It isn't any where as bad as it used to be. I find when I am nervous or something big is coming up (like your wedding and trip) tends to worsen the whirling, but then I just have to concentrate on my go to helpers - bio feed back, writing things down, listening to music - to get my mind calmed down. Hope you find some helpful ideas on this site. I have found Mayo Clinic Connect to be extremely helpful in lots of different ways. Good luck to you! Try to enjoy the trip and wedding without ruminating too much about it!

@amberpep Hi. I have suffered from clinical depression since my teens. I also have PTSD. Clinical depression and anxiety are medical conditions. They are caused by imbalances in your brain chemistry - that is probably why you feel better after your medications. This may be something that you need to allow a certain acceptance of - that you will have some moments of anxiety until you take your medications. Knowing this can and does happen and accepting it may help you not be so anxious about it. Make sense? Perhaps keeping a positive note next to your bed so you can see it first thing in the morning may help reduce anxiety until you take your medications? Perhaps being awakened by soothing music instead of an alarm? I have found that the more I know about my conditions, the less afraid I am of them. I do my best not to let them have power me. Are you spiritual? Perhaps prayer or meditation first thing in the morning right after taking your pills so you are calm while waiting from them to work? I hope you find some answers and new things to try to help with your mornings. I will keep you in my prayers!

@blindeyepug How wonderful that you have found such a great set of tools - better yet is that you are using them. I appreciate your sharing these with all of us. By the way, it there any one in particular that you find most helpful? Teresa

Great advice. Mornings are my most difficult and I find my early walk with my little dog are helpful. He's in no hurry and neither am I. Just look up at the beautiful sky, all of nature around us, peace and quiet, birds chirping, grateful for another day and most of all for God's love. Come back home knowing life is good. 🙂

@blindeyepug Thanks, that trip is not until October. I get home on the 11th and then have a TKR on the 13th! I am really looking forward to Hawaii though, I have never been there. Having my son and his girlfriend with us this past week was fun partly because we talked about it and the things we would do. I am still amazed that our son wanted us to join them.
JK

@blindeyepug You sound like me here. My mind whirls, particularly so when something is coming up, like a vacation or an appointment that I am concerned about. Also, if something is worrying me. I have had prescriptions for lorazapam which I would take on average once a month but now my PCP is dead-set against it. My transplant said it would fine to take but they deferred to my PCP to prescribe it and I won't even bother to ask him.
I too am having less problem now than I have sometimes in the past, probably because by the time I go to bed I am exhausted.

I read another tip about getting to sleep. Start with any letter of the alphabet and think of any non-emotional words you can beginning with that letter. When you run out of words go to another letter. That probably works similarly to the muscle clenching, by giving you something neutral to concentrate on. For those who are religious, I say prayers when I get into bed. I have a regular routine but often do not make it through all of them.
JK

@contentandwell. Those are some great ideas for shutting down the mind for sleep!