Was it just anxiety?

Touching on the tummy problems I experienced in the closing weeks of 2021, and on into early 2022, and indeed at other times in the past, I am glad to report that these have now receded. 

If you were following the saga, you'll recall that I had symptoms of indigestion, and I was thinking there might be something wrong with my diet - perhaps a new sensitivity to one or more foodstuffs (although I am not allergic to anything), or more recently a suspicion that I was eating too much fibre. I also wondered about whether - with all the fruit I consume - my diet was a shade too acidic.

I made some modifications to what I eat, and these have been both enjoyable and effective in easing my discomforts. I don't mind a change.

I am left with a residue of mild aches and twinges that seem to be coming not from deep inside me, but from just under the skin. Muscle ache, in other words. Especially as the (mildly) protesting area moves around. The obvious causes of this, bearing in mind that my senior musculature doesn't like being stressed, are some slow sit-ups when doing pilates, and unaccustomed garden exercise such as mowing the lawns. The abs can't take it like they used to.

But muscle issues can't however explain my tummy's gurglings and wind of the recent past. What was that really all about?

All along, I've felt well, looked good, and my appetite for tasty food in proper quantities hasn't abated one bit. I haven't felt ill, as I would if some internal organ were giving me warning signs. No sharp pains; nothing that would definitely make me book an appointment with the doctor.  

Then I thought of all the worrisome or stressful events that have come my way since the end of August. It's quite a long list. Mostly car-related, but not all. I worried because I wasn't sure what the outcome would be, and whether I could afford the remedies. I worried because I live alone and can't talk these things over with somebody else whenever they go round in my mind. So the pressure from them gets magnified; and it's not surprising that after a while the mental discomfort translates into physical symptoms.

This is the list of worry-causing incidents. I include the remedies, each of which of course eliminated the original worry, but generally created a cash-flow problem, which I also fretted about.

31st August. Dentist, after breaking a tooth. A crown was needed.

29th September. Dentist: the tooth was prepared for the crown.

8th October. Dentist: crown fitted, costing £500.

12th October. A 'Notice of Intended Prosecution' letter arrives from the police. Caught speeding on camera when giving a friend a lift home on 5th October. Could avoid a conviction by attending a course.

24th October. Speed Awareness Course booked (with difficulty) online, costing £90.

29th November. One of the tyres on the car gets an unrepairable puncture. Decided that all four tyres had best be replaced. 

7th December. Volvo dealer. Four new tyres costing £779.

9th December. Speed Awareness Course attended online, using Zoom. 

10th December. Car accident. Pulled the front panel and one headlamp badly out of position when manoeuvring in a local car park. 

1st January. Noticed that the brakes on my car were squealing badly, suggesting it was time to replace them. 

4th January. Noticed that after a gale one of my garden fence posts was sagging.

7th January. Fence post replaced, and an entirely new post and fence panel installed, all costing £200. 

18th January. Volvo dealer. Front and rear brake pads and discs replaced, costing £906. 

21st January. Signs of a water leak in my aged boiler, discovered during its annual service. Agreed that a new boiler, long put off, was now needed. This will cost at least £2,000. But not until May or June.

25th January. Bodyshop. New front panel and new headlamp fitted, costing £2,297.

Each of the above presented me with a problem, large or small, to cope with. And gradually the negative effect of these things must have affected my peace of mind. I don't think it's silly to put down much of my indigestion in December to internalised worry. 

But in January, this month, the remedies for the big things have started to come in, and that has quickly made me feel better, even though I've had to spend the most money. But I don't mind spending money if (a) I can arrange my affairs to make it possible; and (b) I get a good result with ongoing benefits. My mood has definitely lifted, so that even the prospect of buying a new boiler for £2,000+ in May or June doesn't make me wobble.  I can afford it by then.

And a year's savings lost? I'm snapping my fingers. I've got used to the situation, and I don't care. 

Have I got to the root of my tummy troubles? Possibly; but I'm keeping a close eye on what I eat, and if I come to suspect that something other than psychosomatic causes are at play, then I shall see the doctor and discuss what might be going on.