I have been having a very difficult year with my first year back to full-time teaching. We've had a lot of life changes (have moved houses, my son's very first daycare experience, me back to full-time work, me pursuing my Masters in Education, etc), and I feel like I haven't been stressed about them. But, my coworker has been pretty difficult, and I find that I am often dreading going to work (not because of the job or the kids, but because of her). When I feel I am in difficult situations with her, I don't "fight back" (I am not the confrontational type), but do have dizziness and lightheadedness, and a feeling of almost passing out. My heart pounds, and I have to breath really slowly to get myself to calm down. It's horrible.
I recently went to my doctor and found that my testosterone is elevated, my blood sugars (fasting) are bordering high, and my cholesterol is out of whack. Nothing new, with me. I went on Metformin (this is my second week), and will be getting really serious about my diet as soon as I get the IR book and can figure out what I should be doing. I will start exercising daily again, too. Met has helped a little, but I have also been off of school on break since I started it. So, hard to say if the anxiety is being helped by the Met or not being at school faced with this tough situation.
I have never considered myself a wimp. I am typically a very strong, confident woman. I am nonconfrontational, but I do what is in my power to feel better. I am the kind of person that tries to face each day with a positive attitude.
I have dealt with depression in the past, mostly due to painful migraine headaches for years and years. I am getting them quite frequently again, up to 5 times a week. I just feel thick-headed and outside of myself a lot lately.
Does this sound like something you have dealt with because of PCOS? Does this sound like something that happens to you when you are overwhelmed? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Allsmiles
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Amanda(30) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Brian(31)
Although PCOS can do a number on our moods, the type of anxiety you're describing definitely sounds situational, especially as you seem to get the panic attacks ONLY when around your troublesome co-worker. You also have a lot on your plate right now, which can certainly add to your anxiety, albeit indirectly.
When I was getting a lot of panic attacks about a year ago, I noticed that like you, I was always getting them at work. Because of that, I changed jobs (within the same department) and now I am much happier at work and the panic attacks are gone. I'm not recommending that you change your job but there may be some changes you can make there to improve your environment.
About the co-worker, it sounds like most of the encounters you have with her are stressful and unproductive, so it probably wouldn't help to try coming to some resolution with her. Have you talked to your supervisor or school district HR representative about the problems your co-worker is causing you? I don't know your situation with the co-worker, but it seems like she could be creating a hostile work environment for you at the very least. You deserve to feel safe and respected at your workplace, so hopefully your boss or the HR Rep can help you with that.
Going on the IR diet will most likely help you with your mood and anxiety. I've found that since I've changed my diet and increased the exercising, I feel "happier" and the little stuff doesn't seem to bother me as much anymore.
Met can also contribute to an improvement in mood (at least it has for me) but it won't solve the problem with the co-worker. I know you say that you're not a confrontational person, but you may want to learn ways to communicate more assertively so that this person "backs off" from you. You can work on this with a counselor, or there's also tapes and DVDs out there on assertive communication.
I hope this has been somewhat helpful. You may want to look at all of your responsibilities at work and home to see if there is some way you can lessen the load. That'll do wonders for your stress levels as well.
I have approached the principal and the HR director both about her behavior. Unfortunately, they are trying to keep me safe by keeping my name out of it, which has furthered the stress on the entire team. There have been individual meetings with team members and human resource representatives, and I am left always feeling inward guilt for "going behind her back" to upper administration. I am actually at the point where I would love to just ignore the situation so that we can get through the rest of the year. It is a very difficult situation, and even though my other teammates feel the same way about her I am still getting the brunt of her behavior. I feel like I need to protect her feelings, even though she is at fault, because I have to deal with her for the next 5 months at minimum. I have told our principal that next year it will be either her or I, so I have the added stress of not knowing whether I will be in the same place next year. It's been very hard.
I have access to free and confidential councilling through my school district. I may need to set up an appointment and see how I can get through the next 5 months. I feel dread and disappointment that the year has turned out like this. I love to teach, love the kids in my class, everything else is going great. I tend to thrive off being busy, so it doesn't bother me to be taking Master's courses, dealing with the family, and teaching. It's really all about this person who is a bully.
Thanks so much for the advice. When I get through the side-effects of Met over the next few weeks, I hope that I have added energy and can get back to the real me. I just don't feel myself lately, and it's been very hard. I don't think it's depression (been there before), but really just a sense of dread at this situation. It sometimes immobilizes me. I needed this break so badly, to the point that I have barely been productive at all being at home with the kids. I am just EXHAUSTED, I guess I didn't realize that the emotional exhaustion would turn so physical for me!
Thanks for listening. Sometimes it helps just to vent, and I am sure my husband is just done hearing it. LOL!
Allsmiles
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Amanda(30) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Brian(31)
1) working out, because it raises my serotonin, and when I'm happier I get anxiety WAY less.
and 2) keeping Xanax on me at all times. At particularly stressful times in my life I may need it daily for a month or two. But once I've worked through the stress and am more relaxed, as long as I have the Xanax in my purse near me, I usually don't need it at all for the rest of the year.
For me, anxiety isn't caused by PCOS. It's genetic - half my family (it seems) has it, AND I tend to be a hypochondriac!
Amanda- You sound very similar to me with you symptoms. I have something like that going on too ever since I got pg and went off lexapro. Marissa suggested exercise which my dr also suggested to me as a way to help serotonin levels. I started seeing a counselor and she is helping me with cognitive behavioral therapy which teaches you ways to control your thoughts and curb anxiety. I'm also doing spring forest qi'gong (kind of like meditation). Lexapro kept my anxiety totally under control but now I have to find non medication ways, it's a lot harder!! Good luck to you!
__________________ Jen (30) Mom to Lily To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and furbaby Bailey
BFP formula: met/prednisone/femara 5mg
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I am definitely in need of hopping on the treadmill on a regular basis. I am so tired, I can't even get myself to do anything right now, but I am working on dealing with Met side effects so that may be why.
Thanks for the heads up! If the anxiety doesn't diminish with regular strategies (meditation and exercise, regular sleep patterns, etc.), then I will probably go see my doctor again.
Allsmiles
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Amanda(30) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Brian(31)
I have the same sort of problems at times. I don't think it has anything to do with the PCOS, but I think is more of a situational anxiety. I am bipolar and don't tend to have a lot of problems with anxiety, but when I do, its usually in situations similar to yours. I take buspar at night and I guess it has helped me some with my anxiety. Good Luck.
Exercising definately helps with my anxiety. Yours does sound likely situational, you've had a lot of changes going on lately. All the best to you. My thoughts are with you.
Wow.. this post could have been written by me! I was a teacher and had a horrible coworker situation, and the anxiety just built and built. Because I don't have anxiety all the time, sometimes it's hard to tell if the situation is creating the anxiety which is creating hormonal problems, or if the hormonal problems create the anxiety which exacerbates work stress. Exercise really helps me... and not just moderate exercise... vigorous! When I was teaching and speed, speed, speed walking, nothing at work really seemed to bother me. Then, winter hits and I get out of my routine... STRESS really snowballs then. Who knows if it's really even the exercise... maybe it's the season! So, like I said, I totally sympathize and somewhat understand. Teaching is tough... take care of yourself and you'll be a better teacher, though! Sorry I can't be more help. I was actually just officially diagnosed PCOS, so I'm still teasing out what causes what myself!
I get migraine headaches too. Well I call them hormonal headaches because that is what they are for me. When I see that I am having more of them than normal then I know my hormones are a little wacky. I am no doctor but have heard that seratonin drops and estrogen level drops cause this. I have a friend that went on a estrogen patch to bring levels back up and that helped alot.
Also, I have heard that Metformin helps with anxiety and depression. So it may be working for you. Just give it some time. I am newly diagnosed with PCOS so I have not had a chance to start any type of medications yet but I do suffer from anxiety that seems brought on by hormones. I just got my test results back that I have PCOS like last week
Situational Anxiety, or related to PCOS? 
Thank you 
