Healthy Me

Just had thyroid tests done (blood tests).  How often do you get those run?  If often, how long have you been diagnosed with thyroid disease?

I am almost 42 years old and done having children.  So, that "time of the month" is just an annoyance anymore.  Imagine how annoyed I was when it came two weeks early this month! I just got off it the week before.

This tells me the recent adjustment for my Nature-throid for my thyroid disease might be off.  I might be getting those blood tests a little earlier than I planned.  No way do I want periods every two weeks!

Yikes!

If your periods are not regular or if you are having a hard time conceiving, this can be a thyroid disease symptom.  For me, it means my thyroid medication dosage treating my hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis isn't right so my hormone levels are off.

I changed to NDT thyroid treatment 6-8 weeks ago.  I updated about it here.

Three is a survey here that says unvaccinated children get sick less often. All the results for asthma, allergies, ADHD, autism, migraines, autoimmune disorders, sensory, speech, etc. can be found here.

Something to definitely do more research on. Interesting.

I need to find exercise that I will actually want to do.  If I don't like it, or it makes me sweat, it's just not going to be something I want to do regularly.  So, I am thinking about a pool.  My kids would like it.  I would like it.  Get a nice deck around it, google pool safety and cover pool and relax in the pool - fun and no sweat!

I am trying to get back into the regular routine of taking my thyroid pills.  My doc reduced the dose, which brought all my symptoms back - including memory loss.  So, now that I am back on the right dose, I keep forgetting to take them!  Until I get my system back to the right dose regularly, I am going to keep forgetting them.  Oh what a vicious circle!

My new doctor tried to experiment with my thyroid meds by reducing my T3 dose slightly.  I tried it for two months and couldn't stand it any longer.  My hair started falling out, my periods were late and when they did decide to show up, they were too light (yes, there is such a thing...wish there wasn't).  So I am back on my regular dose and now I know just how sensitive my body is and just how much I need to take both T4 and T3.

It's amazing how such a small change can cause such havoc in my body.  It's also amazing to me that I went nine years before a doctor would finally agree to give me T3.  I obviously needed it! I am real tempted to write a letter to my former doctor advising her of how well I do on my new doctor's medication dosing (she and I did not see eye to eye on it at all no matter how I felt) hoping she'd reconsider and perhaps it'd help her next patient. Then I wonder if her ego is too big and why bother.

It's a shame how many people go without proper thyroid disease management when your thyroid affects every part of your body.  I spent nine years of my life miserable - hair falling out, memory loss, exhaustion, messed up periods, weight gain.  It never had to happen.  I feel like I wasted my 30's.  Not exactly medical malpractice.  I don't need to look up raleigh attorneys and find some legal relief for this but I do want my former doctors to know how their treatment made me worse and hope they learn from it?  I think writing them a letter will make me feel better anyway.

If you have thyroid disease and have tried everything to lose weight (exercise, Lipofuze, diets, etc.), you should really have your T3 hormone levels checked.  If they're not in the high normal range, you should consider raising your T3 levels (with prescription T3).  A small bump in mine has made all the difference. 

Also, most doctors don't check this, but request that your Reverse T3 be checked.  If your Reverse T3 is high, all the T4 you  are taking isn't going to help you because it's not converting into T3 correctly but instead converting into Reverse T3 (which isn't good).  If your doctor won't test your T3 or T4, and only depends on the TSH levels, you need a new doctor. 

I haven't found a "healthy me" yet but I am getting there in part due to my recently diagnosed gallbladder disease (gallstones...wow do those hurt) and my T3 dose increase.  I have 19.2 pounds left to go.  I am finally losing all that weight I regained back so I am back on track!  I didn't even gain any weight over Thanksgiving.

My skin is still messed up a bit - eczema in some areas, the need to visit http://www.acnewash.org/ in other areas, and then weird callus-like roughness and flaking on my right ankle (what the heck is that?).  

I'm just happy to get on the scale and see it going down again!

My health is declining again in terms of my thyroid (which results in weight problems, memory problems, hair loss, skin problems). My husband asked me this morning why I just didn't go back to treating my own thyroid disease because that was the only time I felt good and lost weight.

I've gained back 9 of the 18 pounds I lost. I have whiteheads and blackheads. I feel like I'm 15 instead of 39 where my skin is concerned! I didn't realize at this age I would still need to check out the best treatment for acne! My eczema is back too. That reoccurs when my thyroid hormone levels are off.

I don't know what to do! I've been seeing this doctor for all of 2010 and he's not "fixed" me yet. He's trying and he found out I had a reverse T3 problem, which nine years of doctors never diagnosed, however, I thought I would've been better by now.  I'm losing patience.

I've had to cancel my last two doctor appointments so I don't have any thyroid health updates.  I'm not losing any weight...in fact, it's inching up higher a little bit at a time.  I don't go now until November to see my doctor.

I worry about the move we are contemplating to another state.  It took me forever to find a decent doctor.  I'm afraid it'll be very difficult to find a good doctor after we move. 

There's just so many things on the top of my "to do" list about moving - finding a good thyroid doctor, good pediatricians, a car insurance quote because I know our insurance will probably double, schools, etc.   I will definitely shop around for the best rate.  A good thyroid doctor is just one on a list of many things for me to do.

The kids are back in school.  It was hard to see the youngest start school, definitely had to choke back tears, but it's fine now.  In fact, after the arguing she and I do in the mornings over her shoes and brushing her teeth, and the fighting they all do over the bathroom, I'm ready to nudge her right out the front door with the rest of them for the bus and lock the door behind all of them.

Health-wise, not so good.  I am back to gaining weight.  My neck has been hurting for weeks now.  I don't know if it is thyroid-related or my TMJ since both are giving me problems at the moment. 

I thought with all the kids going to school, I'd be bored out of my mind but there is just too much to do.  It's definitely not sitting around on outdoor chaise lounges, eating bon bons or watching soap operas. I haven't seen one soap opera yet!  If there are stay-at-home moms who have the time to sit around all day and do nothing, I'd like to borrow their maids please!

I have lab work to get my RT3 and Free T3 tested.  My appointment isn't until August 6 to go over those results but I'm wondering if it is ok to get my lab work done a week or so early instead of waiting until right before my doctor's appointment?  I've been on the increased Armour dose since June 11, 2010 so it's been five weeks now.  I am trying to remember how long my doctor said it takes for medication to build-up for good test results.  I am thinking three weeks but now I'm now sure if it was three, four, or six weeks.

My hypothyroid symptoms are not improving.  The weight is coming back and that is REALLY bothering me.  A fat burner like apidexin is starting look real good right about now.   I am pulling hair strands off myself all day long.  I am having bad hand tremors and that may be hyper instead of hypo.  My hands have been shaky for years, but for the past few days, they've been really bad. 

I really am anxious to know what my thyroid levels are doing right now.

I am tentatively thinking the remnants of the pelvic inflammatory disease I was diagnosed with and hospitalized for in May is gone.  *Fingers crossed* that it is well and truly gone.  That is not an illness I'd wish on my enemy.  It was very painful. 

My hypothyroid symptoms seem to have worsened over the last couple weeks.  Hair loss, skin, and weight are problems right now.  What I wouldn't give for a good fat burner right now.  I think it is the reformulated armour that is the problem.  I am on three grains, which is the highest I've ever been on, and still having symptoms.

It could also be my low iron too though or my reverse T3 problem (though the doc thought the armour would take care of that).  Blood tests next week will tell me!

If you have thyroid disease and keep getting eczema, you might want to have a full thyroid panel done to see if any of your thyroid hormones are out of whack.  I've noticed that whenever my thyroid disease isn't managed well, I need treatment for eczema but when it is managed well, the eczema clears up quickly.

I never put it together before until this past year.  I've lived with eczema for years and years and now I know what to do when it rears its itchy head!

Well, I am still hoping to get my hypothyroid symptoms gone (soon, soon, soon I hope).  The doctor switched me from a compounded Armour to regular Armour a month ago and I'm having problems.  I'm not sure if it's related to the new Armour or if it is related to the C. Diff. I got after I was hospitalized in May.  I've not felt well since May 15th! 

The house painting is coming along.  It's time to move onto the downstairs bathroom to brighten it up with paint and new bathroom fixtures.  Right now, my youngest won't even use that bathroom because she doesn't like it.  When I got up at 2:00 a.m. to go to the bathroom last night and saw a HUGE spider sitting there staring at me from the floor with it's long legs all creepily situated, I wasn't liking it that much either.  I guess I'll never outgrow my fear of spiders and seeing it in a creepy bathroom while half asleep sure does wake you right up!

Did you know one of the symptoms of thyroid disease is hair loss?  As a woman, this is important to know since thyroid disease affects women moreso than men.  I left behind hair everytime I showered.  Luckily, I have really thick hair so it wasn't noticeable to people in general (just my husband who hated all the hair in the shower). 

If you have hair loss that isn't attributed to thyroid disease, click here to see if there is anything that may help you. Because mine was due to my thyroid betraying me, the hair loss was helped with thyroid medications to regulate my hormones better. When my thyroid hormones get out of whack, I still can experience hair loss. It's a good indicator for me on when my thyroid needs attention and once that is taken care of, the hair loss stops.

This morning, my husband asked me if my goiter was larger.  I've had a sore throat on and off the past few days but thought it was a cold.  When I felt my neck, yup, sure feels bigger to me.  For my husband to notice it from the other side of the room, it definitely had to change. 

I went online to look up other doctors in the area today but it took me so long to find this one, I know it'll take awhile to find another good doctor.  By the time my appointment rolls around in June, I'm going to need to lose more weight and might need some help if it just keeps rising, perhaps herbal phentermine.  I wonder if you can take diet supplements with thyroid medications?  I've never tried it before. 

My heart reacts badly to over-the-counter cold medicines now so I probably should stay away from everything unless it's necessary for treatment right now. 

Still no return phone call from my thyroid doctor!  It's been a week as of today and I've called twice in that time.  My hair is falling out again.  Anytime I run my fingers through it or move it out of my face, hair comes off in my hands.  My husband kept pulling it off my hands when he was trying to teach me something on the guitar this past weekend.  Gross. 

I am not very happy with this new doctor.  It started out so promising but now I don't know what to think!  The exhaustion makes me feel like death warmed over.  Maybe I should just get an instant life insurance quote and give up! Not! I KNOW I can feel better. I thought I had found a good doctor but he seems to be out of reach for a week now. I am irritated beyond belief!

Four pounds gained back too. Four!  GRRR!!!  It's supposed to keep coming off, not come back again.  He needs to adjust my meds.  Why isn't he returning my phone calls?!?!