This campaign is taking a toll on my health

[bluestateguy]

And it's getting worse. I am having a hard time sleeping, much less at regular hours. My acid-reflux is worse--the medication I take for it seems to no last as long as it used to. I have had emotionally intense dreams, some good, but most not so good about election night. The emotional roller coaster and the flood of polls, far worse than 2000 (which was also pretty bad), is aggravating me.

Thinking about the prospect of four more years of George W. Bush in that office is extremely disconcerting, but even that is not what raises my blood pressure the most. It's the idea that the country would validate everything he has done over the last four years. Then I fear the months of gloating from the Townhall.com columnists, Fox News and sneering little College Republicans. Then I worry about the punditocracy imploring Democrats to move even farther to the Right, to become even more like Republicans: "A candidate like Joe Lieberman would have been much better for Democrats," blah, blah.

Even at 28, I am old enough to have learned the lessons of not being overconfident. I just can't bring myself to making all these posts here at DU that simply assume Kerry will win. I have seen too many disasters and meltdowns and naive idealism to get into doing that.

I just want this all to be over, and for it to end favorably.

[kick-ass-bob]

1. I'm getting gray hair.

And I'm 31.

:(

[IconoclastIlene]

2. Me too

My husband hasn't felt well either; the whole thing is making him sick. He never had the blues and GI problems he now has.

[hlthe2b]

3. Ditto.... Greg Palast's report this am on AAR didn't help either...

I just have to believe we will prevail no matter how many dirty tricks and illegal electioneering the Repugnants concoct.

[democracy eh]

4. mentally

I am looking forward to relaxing (somewhat) after Nov 2.

but there will be so much work to do.

but the screams of joy around the world when Bush is deposed will be the biggest collective stress relief since the end of WW2

[mastein]

5. Hey get a grip

Worrying yourself to the point of sickness is no damn good. Rather than poll watching, why not get out and get others to support our man, Mr. Kerry? Also, if you end up like me, you will be too tired to worry that much, and you will know that come Nov. 3 you would have done all you could to help.

I'm 32 and suffering from the worst damned charlie horse I have had in years because I went canvassing in an area with townhomes that each had a least a 1 flight walk to their door. Try doing 50 or so of those!

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. bluestateguy, please see a doctor. Two years ago I had to have the

bottom part of my esophagus reconstructed and a Nissen fundoplication done due to severe reflux. I figured it was just super bad heartburn, went through all the tests, changed from Nexium, to rantidine, to domperidone and back again...and very nearly lost my life. Now, I suffer from gastroparesis because of this. Please, please, please take care of yourself...get a 24 hour pH and mamometry done. I'll step off my soapbox now.

Hugs,Laura

[Patty Diana]

7. acid reflux remedy that works for me

OTC Zantac 75 mg-------I found it better than expensive RX's

[asjr]

8. I am going through the same thing. Healthwise I thought I was alone

because I am older. It is sad it is happening to you at such a young age. This regime has just about destroyed me. I have never felt such animosity in my life. I can't even watch television anymore because when I see any one from this administration I feel ill. I can't stand the voices, their faces and their messages, because I know they are liars but still half the country thinks Shrub is a god, and I find it so hard to accept that. I still have the sinking feeling the election will be stolen again.

[fudge stripe cookays]

9. I know the feeling...

I have gained 30 pounds since Bush took office; some from depression, and some from a way to make myself feel better any way I can. Unfortunately, I did it with food.

This has aggravated arthritis in my feet, and I now have constant back pain too. I'm 38 and feel like I'm 50.

I know that I did my best to change things though, so I feel better about myself as a person than I did before all this happened. As soon as the election is over, whichever way it ends, I am joining a weight loss program, and going back to the gym. I need to be healthy again.

FSC

[ladjf]

10. Unfortunately, a large portion of the world's population is suffering

to more or less degrees than you. Millions of people around the world realize what is going on but feel helpless to do anything about it.
We have a situation where a relatively small number of people have figured out how to rig American politics so that they can actually stage what amounts to a coup d'etat without firing a revolutionary shot. Their greatest strength lies in the blind support given by the religious right, a group that is fundamentally crazy but zealous in their desires to rule the world.

It's time for the the sane people in America to figure out how these rabid dominionist can be thwarted. They haven't made their gains through intelligence but rather through tireless, dogged perseverance and group cooperation.

[CBHagman]

11. I feel for you, gang.

We should heed the extremely good advice given above: Consult your doctor about long-term problems, fast from TV and print news on occasion to stop yourself from worrying to death over every poll, and do something proactive about the election.

I have my own health issues and sometimes think this election may finish me off, but a wicked little voice inside of me says that I shouldn't let the bastards have the satisfaction of taking me down. No matter what happens, we need to fight like hell and not let them take our health away, too.

[Maddy McCall]

12. You're only 28???

I had imagined you as a much older guy...your knowledge of mid-to-late twentieth-century politics, especially Southern politics, is astounding. I had assumed you had lived through most of it. Wow! You are wise far beyond your years. :-)