I just had a huge insight into how my really bad episode of HA started just over a year ago. I thought I would share it in case anyone can relate.

Yesterday evening I started to feel really ropey, mostly with really bad muscle aches, like milder versions of the ones you get with flu. I seem to get it from time to time, especially when I'm over-tired, which I often get in winter when the days are short.

I woke up in the night with the aches, but went straight back to sleep. When I woke up this morning I still felt really achy and tired, so I decided to sleep in. At about 11am I decided to get my lazy self out of bed to do some work (I'm self employed). I had a bit of breakfast. I didn't have a shower like I usually do, because it was late and I needed to get on.

I skipped lunch because I wasn't hungry after my late breakfast.

I just noticed I was feeling even worse, nauseous, achy, weak and shaky. Well, this is exactly what happened last year. Then I got anxious about the symptoms and before I knew it I lost my appetite, couldn't sleep, and over the days felt worse and worse and worse and worse.

This year I had a course of CBT, and I have a much more rational approach to things. I felt lousy just now because I haven't eaten enough today. I've just had some dried fruit and nuts, which should hold me out until I eat properly in an hour or so. I'm not going to stay in bed tomorrow, even if I still feel bad. I'm going to get up and do some exercise, so tomorrow I'll be achy for the right reasons, and hungry at the right times, and tired at bedtime. I'll have a shower so I feel fresh and not 'poorly'. Hopefully I'll shake off whatever made me feel like this in the first place in a day or so.

Granted, I'd had a few other medical problems over the previous few months that contributed, but I can't believe the worst two months of my life started from a downward spiral from such a simple thing.