Last week I discussed having reserves (both in weight and energy) to fight against bugs and other attacks. This week, Beautiful and I have felt the full effects of one of those attacks: stress. Dealing with the health insurance company over the 20% copay for Colistin and Plumozyme ($1500/mo) has taken its toll on both of us, but more so on me.
Stress does not do the body good, especially the body of a CFer. Cystic fibrosis leaves our bodies in a perpetual state of being on the precipice of “the next disaster” to strike us down. Sometimes it’s hard to not thing about that. It’s impossible to not think about it when the very stressor is a very real danger of losing access to the things that keep or make you healthy.
What does stress do?
Stress increases your heart rate, churns up extra stomach acid, increases blood pressure, and often causes insomnia or just sheer exhaustion. All of these are bad for cystic fibrosis and lead to secondary issues in our bodies. With these effects, CFers are prone to an exacerbation such as hemoptysis, decreased peak flow, or a raging lung or sinus infection that takes hold while the body is weakened.
I’ve been put on IVs (or very close to it if I’ve been healthy enough to stave off a desperate measure) for the following stressors:
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