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"Connecting" once a person is retired is a challenge anywhere. ...
It ain't easy. And I am a very friendly person. Good luck with that.
You are certainly correct. People do tend to be primarily in their coupledom/parenthood (and then there's t the women with grandchildren, yow!)
Because there are so many transplanted people in my new town, I think there is more option to meet people. I know it's harder to make close friends with age, and I think my former work situation (informal, an intimate time at night versus the busy days, and the nature of the work being so personal) that I feel I made friends at work even if we didn't do stuff outside of work.
I think in the volunteering I will be in concert with other people towards a common goal in the community, which is sort of how my work friendships evolved. To get out and do the volunteer stuff that I know is available, I need some energy. Which I certainly hope to resolve.
To answer another question, my current altitude is 7,000. I have lived here since April and had adjustments at the beginning with the altitude and heat wave, but feel this recent deterioration is not as subtle. With a history of fatigue and swollen glands and likely multiple mono, I am leaning towards it being a stress/adrenal reaction and do hope for some resolution.
Hope things improve. I think the altitude may have a lot to do with your feeling tired, as I've heard that from several people. Thin air. Anyway, continue to enjoy paradise. I still envy you.
Yeah, this. I remember when I first visited Idaho Falls, coming from around Atlanta, I was very tired on the trip, and when I moved there, I was tired, slept a lot, and ate like a horse (I was 25 at the time) - but, yeah, your body needs time to acclimate to altitude.
You can test this by taking a short trip to a lower altitude. I don't know of a suitable destination from where you are.
OP,
I have noticed many times people going thru the death of a spouse, major move, stressful new job etc., you function under stress for about 6 months like a super person and then your body says "enough" and shuts down - without your permission. Your body needs to rest and it will not take no for an answer. I think you just hit that 6 month wall.
I would assume folks born at higher elevation would show different results - but I definitely had a wonky higher HCT for YEARS. And I was not in "training" - just doing normal 2-3 times a week workouts.
I read somewhere that a study of babies born at high altitude found they came equipped with larger-than-average lung capacity.
The higher RBC and hematocrit I interpret as a sea-level-born person’s adaptation to stressing the body at higher altititudes. AFAIK, growing bigger lungs as an adult is not possible, although training supposedly causes tiny alveoli to open up and get to work.
That ought to be long enough for you to be acclimated already, but, maybe not. I think it took less than that for me when I was 25. But neither of us is 25 anymore, so it may be taking longer.
Thank you. I am wailing on green tea all day long. My appetite is shot. For anyone who knows how I love food, that is plain weird (although what I do eat is very healthy, unlike my old night shift days).
^^^ this
I have to make myself eat. Just not hungry. Yesterday I was able to slide down my size 10 Eileen Fisher jeans without unzipping them....sometimes I think I'm wasting away.
I do eat breakfast, made myself eat some yogurt and granola and a piece of cheese tonight...but, meh...it was just eating and I did not really want it.
I'm sorry to hear about your health issues BDL. And here I was, picturing you grooming miniature horses and cocooning in your lovely new house. It sounds like you love your new community and I'm glad to at least know that.
I don't have a medical background and have never experienced altitude sickness so I have nothing to offer in that department. However, I'm also a single woman who moved alone to a brand new state so we have that in common. I totally understand your need to be connected to the community and to others. I also missed the easy camaraderie of the workplace but not the stress, and after giving myself a few months to recover in splendid isolation, I set about finding things that interested me in my new community. As I reflect on my choices, I think amongst other things, I needed "appointments" on my calendar where someone would expect to see me and worry if I didn't show up. Not only did it make me feel less isolated, it helped me realize I still had much to contribute.
I'm sure our interests are dissimilar, but I volunteered at the local hospital, joined a card club, volunteered for our local "community patrol", took art classes and now volunteer on a committee that's kind of a clearing house and support system for our many clubs. My community is much larger than yours so I had many options. I still love my alone time, but have just the right amount of connectedness and the right number of friends to give my life balance.
But... I'm fortunate to be pretty healthy and totally understand your current challenges. I sincerely hope you're able to get to the bottom of your mysterious ailment, that it's treatable and that you regain your energy quickly.
I am very sorry to hear about your health issue. It sounds more like chronic fatigue syndrome than high altitude adjustment to me.
I believe that you are living in a newly built home. It is possible that some materials in the house have been outgassing certain chemicals which may have triggered your illness.
Many doctors who work with chronically fatigued patients and those who work in the field of environmental medicine, agree that chemical exposure is a major contributor to fatigue and low vitality. For example, if you review the symptoms of formaldehyde exposure, you will find fatigue, depression, and poor concentration right at the top. The symptoms of exposure to trichloroethylene (found in floor polish, copy machines, carpet cleaner, etc.) include fatigue, poor concentration, and drowsiness, among others. Exposure to toluene, the most common indoor air pollutant, triggers symptoms of fatigue, poor concentration, drowsiness, and headache.
Methylene chloride is found in paint thinner, hair spray, adhesives, solvents, paint, flame retardants, and many other common products. The aerosol propellants found in hair sprays, antiperspirants, air fresheners, and spray paint, may contain up to 5o% methylene chloride. Once inhaled, methylene chloride goes directly to the brain, fat cells, and liver. Common symptoms include fatigue, lethargy, headaches, and chest pain.
To start with, you may want to have someone check the formaldehyde levels in the house.
I hope that you can identify the causes of the problem (be it stress, chemical exposures, thyroid issue, high altitude low oxygen etc.) and find some reliefs or cure soon.
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