If you've had bb for 20 years or more..How do you cope?

[jen]

Please tell me your story! How do you cope with life? Is your bb manageable or horrible? Did it get worse over the years? What did you try?

Did the bb change your personality? Did you manage to live your life quite normally or did you withdraw from society (I don't know if that is really possible)? Are you married? Did you develop other health problems as a result of stress about your bb? Are you still trying to get a cure or did you get to a point where you just accept it?

For me the loss of my dignity is one of the hardest things to accept. I hate knowing that other people either look down at me or pity me or feel disgusted by me. What is the worst thing for you?

Did you mess up at some point because you hated your life, by using pills or alcohol or food or something else to dull the pain?

I seriously need to know how other people cope, maybe I can get some tips.

[Phantasist]

Hi Jen,

My BB did change my personality in the sense that it made me more withdrawn, less sociable.

I am not married. BB is a romance killer. (Oddly enough I had a girl friend once who could not smell my BB.)

I did not develop any health problems as a result of BB.

I accepted my BB problem long ago (didn't have much choice), but I am still looking for a cure because this has always puzzled me.

Yes, the loss of dignity is hard. People think you just don't care enough to brush your teeth, because they don't know any better.

I didn't mess up my life, but alcohol does dull the pain. Especially a real good single malt scotch!

The worst thing? I suppose it's missing out on marriage and having children. There's no way to get past that.

How do I cope with it? By summoning all my will power, against need, hope and desire, to accept that which I cannot change. It allows you to survive, but leaves you emotionally wounded.

[jen]

How do I cope with it? By summoning all my will power, against need, hope and desire, to accept that which I cannot change. It allows you to survive, but leaves you emotionally wounded.

Phantasist, thanks so much for sharing your story and answering my questions. Your last paragraph sums it all up for me. The enforced withdrawal from society and isolation and loss of intimacy with a husband or wife and children goes against the grain of what we as human beings are.

I'm constantly trying to come to terms with it and struggle with bitterness and rebellion. What you say is so true: you survive, but the emotional wound stays raw and painful.

I have basically accepted that I have structural abnormalities and bad bacteria, in fact a number of things that are wrong in my body and that I won't find a miracle cure, but I still try out new things.

I cope mostly by praying for strength every day, but I can feel the effect of trying to cope in my body. I have constant stomach ache and experience other mysterious pains throughout my body. I get spasms in my shoulders all the time. If I'm like this now, I don't know what it will be like in 10 years. Or maybe by that time I would have found some peace (I hope so!)

I hope other "veterans" will also see their way to share their coping strategies with me!

[deebo]

I'm trying to start an odor discussion group , these are good questions to bring up Jen . http://www.bloodbornebodyodorandhalitos ... rence.html

like to hear from you .

[jen]

Thanks, Deebo, but unfortunately I don't have Skype. There is also a lack of privacy in our house, I won't be able to talk freely.

That's why I would like to find out here how people with longstanding, chronic bb manage to cope. It seems there are not a lot of people who have had it for so long. Good news to the young people who suffer from this, hopefully you will find a cure soon.

I have picked up some coping strategies from other posts, of which the most important seems to be exercise. I am in a bad place now (emotionally) and haven't exercised for a year. So, high on my agenda for the new year is an exercise programme. I'm also going to try 5htp again.