Hello!
I know I have a problem with not updating my blog very often, I attribute that to being busy and forgetful! I have good intentions but when it comes down to it I falter.......I'm sorry for that, I really am!
So, it's been a year since I had my thyroid removed and I can tell you that I notice nothing different. My levels are still wacky, I'm losing hair by the handfuls, I still lack energy and god forbid I want to lose a little weight - it takes an enormous amount of effort and it always comes right back. So, having my thyroid removed didn't help me with any of my major issues. At least I don't have growths anymore but my levels still have not leveled out. I started on 150 mg of Synthroid last year and am now on 100 mg - I continue to be adjusted to lower levels without it helping.
So since it's been a bit since I've updated let's see what's been happening:
January-March 2016 - I started back to college at an online University - Ashford University. It's been 7 months and I'm doing great! I have straight "A" grades and just last week was invited to become a member of Alpha Sigma Lamda Honor Society. This is an honor society for exceptional adult learners. It was such a great surprise and honor. So being that I have such great grades should also tell you I spend a lot of time with my schooling. I haven't had time to be sick or tired or sore or anything other than focusing on school. My intention of going back is to complete the degree I started right out of high school - which was a long time ago.........I'm studying "Social and Criminal Justice" and will graduate with my BA in 7/2018.
Regarding my FMS and CFS I'm still holding steady. I haven't had any major flare up of either condition. I have learned to just listen to myself and if I'm tired, I go to bed. I still have issues with my hips being achy and locking up after sitting down for a bit but overall I can't complain. I have a lot of contact with people who have FMS really bad and I feel terrible for them but at the same time am grateful I have been able to reverse a good majority of my issues with FM and keep it under control.
April - July 2016 - I ended up in the ER on my birthday, April 5th - with what I thought was chest pain - it was bad, had me convinced I had a blockage - after a night stay and many tests that came back negative I was sent home and referred to a cardiologist. A few more tests and nothing. I still get these weird chest pains but haven't gone back to the cardiologist because he already determined it's not my heart but of course, as with most things they don't know why I'm having these pains. I thought maybe heartburn but I really don't think so since I never get it. So chalk it up to another strange thing related to FMS I guess.....
I was just talking with my mom about when I first got sick back in 2010 and took up juicing to get better. It definitely worked after a period of time - between juicing AND taking many supplements I brought my nutrition levels back to where they needed to be and was able to reverse a lot of my symptoms that had me bedridden for several months. Everyone also is different so what worked for me may or may not work for another - but it's all worth a try! In fact, coming back to my juicing information I've decided to juice a metabolism boosting juice and see if it helps me shed a few lbs like it says it does.
In other news, I've been off work since the first week in June and it's been great! Since I work in a school, I have the same schedule as the kids do and it's fantastic. We go back in just 3 wks from now......summer vacay goes way too fast! But it will be good to get back on a schedule. When I have no schedule not much gets done because I don't have to....it's bad.
My daughter is going into her senior year of high school - I can't believe in just a short year she will be going to college. My "baby" girl is grown into such a beautiful young woman. Makes me sad that she will be leaving but I know it's coming quickly. My son is starting his sophomore year - he is another one that I can't believe has grown so much both physically and mentally. The past several months have been big in the growth area for him. My daughter will be playing volleyball with the school over the next few weeks leading up to try outs - in fact next week we go to a big college camp with some girls who were invited from the school - should be fun!
I hope this update has found you all well! I would like to say that I will update in a month but, I've said that before and 7 months later I show up ...... I know I suck at this but I'm trying! I will be back soon, how is that???
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Sunday, September 6, 2015
My thyroid numbers and medicine changes
First, let me start off by saying how great I've been feeling! I think having my thyroid removed is a huge part of why I'm feeling so great! For years I had a suspicion that a good majority of my medical issues were because of a faulty thyroid - even though the blood work always came back "fine" I knew things were not "fine" and now that I have been without my thyroid for a good 2 months I really believe that the be the case.
After my surgery, I started on 150 mg of Synthroid. I had my blood drawn on Aug 8th and it came back with a low TSH of 0.028 - the normal range is 0.0450-4.5000 so my Dr lowered my dose to 137 mg. What I find most interesting though is that my other numbers are significantly higher than they have ever been. Prior to my surgery and going on the medication my numbers were always in the low range of normal.
Before my surgery, my numbers were:
TSH - 0.749 (within the normal range)
T4 or Thyroxine - 5.4
T3 Uptake - 30
Free T4 1.6
My most recent numbers show improvement and I'm sure why I feel so much better:
TSH - 0.028 (according to my Dr, the number being so low means I have high thyroid hormone which could cause heart problems and why she wanted to lower my medication dose)
T4 -9.8 (up significantly since starting thyroid medication)
T3 Uptake - 34
Free T4 - 3.3
You will see an increase in all the hormones which makes me even more certain that the lower numbers were causing much of my fatigue, fibromyalgia pain and overall lack of being healthy in general. I would argue with anyone who says otherwise considering that it's the only thing that has changed in my life and the result is me feeling like a "normal" person most of the time now.
I will go in and have my numbers checked again later this month or early October to see how the medication adjustment has changed the numbers. I was really worried that dropping the dose of my medication would significantly effect me but so far things seem fine.
On another note, I've lost 18 lbs in the last 3 months. I'm on a mission to lose another 40 to get back to where I was before getting sick. With the new found energy I have, I'm able to get myself to the gym a few days a week to lift weights. I'm really pleased with the changes that I'm starting to see overall.
That's it for this update - I just wanted to be sure to update my numbers and share my success thus far since Surgery - it's really just been about 9 weeks since the surgery but so far everything is going really good.
Until next time - to your health!
After my surgery, I started on 150 mg of Synthroid. I had my blood drawn on Aug 8th and it came back with a low TSH of 0.028 - the normal range is 0.0450-4.5000 so my Dr lowered my dose to 137 mg. What I find most interesting though is that my other numbers are significantly higher than they have ever been. Prior to my surgery and going on the medication my numbers were always in the low range of normal.
Before my surgery, my numbers were:
TSH - 0.749 (within the normal range)
T4 or Thyroxine - 5.4
T3 Uptake - 30
Free T4 1.6
My most recent numbers show improvement and I'm sure why I feel so much better:
TSH - 0.028 (according to my Dr, the number being so low means I have high thyroid hormone which could cause heart problems and why she wanted to lower my medication dose)
T4 -9.8 (up significantly since starting thyroid medication)
T3 Uptake - 34
Free T4 - 3.3
You will see an increase in all the hormones which makes me even more certain that the lower numbers were causing much of my fatigue, fibromyalgia pain and overall lack of being healthy in general. I would argue with anyone who says otherwise considering that it's the only thing that has changed in my life and the result is me feeling like a "normal" person most of the time now.
I will go in and have my numbers checked again later this month or early October to see how the medication adjustment has changed the numbers. I was really worried that dropping the dose of my medication would significantly effect me but so far things seem fine.
On another note, I've lost 18 lbs in the last 3 months. I'm on a mission to lose another 40 to get back to where I was before getting sick. With the new found energy I have, I'm able to get myself to the gym a few days a week to lift weights. I'm really pleased with the changes that I'm starting to see overall.
That's it for this update - I just wanted to be sure to update my numbers and share my success thus far since Surgery - it's really just been about 9 weeks since the surgery but so far everything is going really good.
Until next time - to your health!
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Thyroid Surgery, Synthroid, Recovery and more......
Hello! I'm here, alive and doing pretty well! Had my surgery on June 26th which I want to share that experience with everyone......
Surgery took about 3 hrs - apparently my thyroid growths were pretty big, bigger than the Dr expected and growing down into my chest! That was a surprise when he told us that! Clearly a good thing I went with the surgery to get it removed. Pain after surgery was pretty high mostly inside my throat and upper chest - it hurt pretty bad - the incision itself didn't really bother me though. It was swallowing and taking a deep breathe that I struggled with. The Dr had told me to expect some pain in my throat due to the large breathing tube they use in order to monitor the nerves to the vocal cord. So the pain wasn't a surprise really but the amount of time I've had it has been. I'm almost 2 wks out from surgery and my throat still hurts to a degree. Not nearly as bad as it did but it still hurts when I swallow. Hoping that goes away in the next week. I have my follow up on Thursday the 9th (tomorrow).
The day after surgery I started on Synthroid, the hormone to replace the thyroid function which I'll be on for life. So far I suppose it's working, I don't feel any ill effects or any good effects for that matter....I feel fine really. I'm hoping I don't have any issues with the dosage - they started me on 150mg which I was told was the normal starting dose based on weight. I suppose if I lose weight, which is my intention, they may have to adjust the dosage.
So all in all, not a lot to report with surgery, recovery has been good, I've just been taking it easy and resting a lot and as I feel I need to.
I'm hoping my energy levels improve but so far I haven't noticed much of a difference. As I continue to recover and go on in life without my thyroid I'm hoping that things change in the area of my energy and that I get more of it.......I've lived so long with this chronic fatigue and low energy/metabolism I am really looking forward to possibly having better energy and a faster metabolism but we'll see. While in the hospital I also found out that I still have low Vitamin D levels, so I'm going to start taking that supplement again to improve in that area which could also help with the energy.
To be honest, I'm so very tired of having all these "issues". At times I wonder if I really have all the things the Dr's have told me I have - Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Lupus......All the symptoms for each really go hand in hand and cross over one another that I find it hard to believe sometimes......are my diagnosis really that or just because the Dr's couldn't figure out why I have the issues I have had. I know I have Lupus as the blood test came back positive for that and I have the tell-tell signs of it.
Now, in addition to continuing to heal, I'm on a mission to lose this weight I've put on. I've started back on the Body By Vi program, you can check it out here - Body by Visalus - It's really helpful with controlling hunger and providing the nutrients our bodies need to keep us healthy and strong. I like it because I can drink a shake for breakfast which I usually skip anyway. It's a great program if you want to start a challenge, please check it out and let me know - you can win money and with every 10lbs you lose you also help a child in need. The program is fantastic and you get tons of support! Since starting on the challenge 23 days ago I've already lost 9lbs!!
Everyday is still a challenge and I'm not sure what to expect. One day I'm great and the next I'm feeling sick. Yesterday was a day full of nausea and just not feeling well. I've also developed some issues in my gut causing me to stay close to the bathroom most of the time.
That's about all I can give you for an update - I'll post again soon as I continue to heal and become the better version of myself.
Until then....To your health!
Gerri
Surgery took about 3 hrs - apparently my thyroid growths were pretty big, bigger than the Dr expected and growing down into my chest! That was a surprise when he told us that! Clearly a good thing I went with the surgery to get it removed. Pain after surgery was pretty high mostly inside my throat and upper chest - it hurt pretty bad - the incision itself didn't really bother me though. It was swallowing and taking a deep breathe that I struggled with. The Dr had told me to expect some pain in my throat due to the large breathing tube they use in order to monitor the nerves to the vocal cord. So the pain wasn't a surprise really but the amount of time I've had it has been. I'm almost 2 wks out from surgery and my throat still hurts to a degree. Not nearly as bad as it did but it still hurts when I swallow. Hoping that goes away in the next week. I have my follow up on Thursday the 9th (tomorrow).
The day after surgery I started on Synthroid, the hormone to replace the thyroid function which I'll be on for life. So far I suppose it's working, I don't feel any ill effects or any good effects for that matter....I feel fine really. I'm hoping I don't have any issues with the dosage - they started me on 150mg which I was told was the normal starting dose based on weight. I suppose if I lose weight, which is my intention, they may have to adjust the dosage.
So all in all, not a lot to report with surgery, recovery has been good, I've just been taking it easy and resting a lot and as I feel I need to.
I'm hoping my energy levels improve but so far I haven't noticed much of a difference. As I continue to recover and go on in life without my thyroid I'm hoping that things change in the area of my energy and that I get more of it.......I've lived so long with this chronic fatigue and low energy/metabolism I am really looking forward to possibly having better energy and a faster metabolism but we'll see. While in the hospital I also found out that I still have low Vitamin D levels, so I'm going to start taking that supplement again to improve in that area which could also help with the energy.
To be honest, I'm so very tired of having all these "issues". At times I wonder if I really have all the things the Dr's have told me I have - Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Lupus......All the symptoms for each really go hand in hand and cross over one another that I find it hard to believe sometimes......are my diagnosis really that or just because the Dr's couldn't figure out why I have the issues I have had. I know I have Lupus as the blood test came back positive for that and I have the tell-tell signs of it.
Now, in addition to continuing to heal, I'm on a mission to lose this weight I've put on. I've started back on the Body By Vi program, you can check it out here - Body by Visalus - It's really helpful with controlling hunger and providing the nutrients our bodies need to keep us healthy and strong. I like it because I can drink a shake for breakfast which I usually skip anyway. It's a great program if you want to start a challenge, please check it out and let me know - you can win money and with every 10lbs you lose you also help a child in need. The program is fantastic and you get tons of support! Since starting on the challenge 23 days ago I've already lost 9lbs!!
Everyday is still a challenge and I'm not sure what to expect. One day I'm great and the next I'm feeling sick. Yesterday was a day full of nausea and just not feeling well. I've also developed some issues in my gut causing me to stay close to the bathroom most of the time.
That's about all I can give you for an update - I'll post again soon as I continue to heal and become the better version of myself.
Until then....To your health!
Gerri
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
January round up.....
To summarize this first month of 2015 I would have to say it's been so, so....
I've been feeling ok but not optimal. I'm having pain in my hips again, which was the original thing that started me on the road to get a diagnosis of FMS. I've also been fighting getting sick, which right now has me home under the weather.
Both my kids have also been fighting health this month. Days out of school due to not feeling well add up for sure and effect them where school is concerned. It's so hard to catch up after being out a day or two.
Hopefully February and beyond will bring better health for the family.
We do have a big trip planned in March that we are all looking forward to. We are going on a cruise and can't wait! This will be the first for my kids (15 and 13) and the first for my husband and I since our honeymoon 20 yrs ago. So as you can see, it's a trip that we are all looking forward to - very much! We will be cruising to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and Cozumel over 7 days. It's going to be great! I just wish I was 30lbs lighter for it!
Speaking of my weight, oh what a terrible time I've had trying to lose it! I honestly believe it's because my thyroid isn't functioning correctly. I do have an appt with my endo this month to check it. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this but I have several large "goiters" consuming my thyroid. Every time I've had it checked the tests come back "normal" which I don't trust one bit. I am going to try to get my Dr to put me on a hypothyroid medication this time to see if it helps any of my "symptoms" that I think are totally related to my thyroid. The symptoms for Hypothyroidism are listed below and the ones I have are highlighted in Yellow:
I've been feeling ok but not optimal. I'm having pain in my hips again, which was the original thing that started me on the road to get a diagnosis of FMS. I've also been fighting getting sick, which right now has me home under the weather.
Both my kids have also been fighting health this month. Days out of school due to not feeling well add up for sure and effect them where school is concerned. It's so hard to catch up after being out a day or two.
Hopefully February and beyond will bring better health for the family.
We do have a big trip planned in March that we are all looking forward to. We are going on a cruise and can't wait! This will be the first for my kids (15 and 13) and the first for my husband and I since our honeymoon 20 yrs ago. So as you can see, it's a trip that we are all looking forward to - very much! We will be cruising to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and Cozumel over 7 days. It's going to be great! I just wish I was 30lbs lighter for it!
Speaking of my weight, oh what a terrible time I've had trying to lose it! I honestly believe it's because my thyroid isn't functioning correctly. I do have an appt with my endo this month to check it. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this but I have several large "goiters" consuming my thyroid. Every time I've had it checked the tests come back "normal" which I don't trust one bit. I am going to try to get my Dr to put me on a hypothyroid medication this time to see if it helps any of my "symptoms" that I think are totally related to my thyroid. The symptoms for Hypothyroidism are listed below and the ones I have are highlighted in Yellow:
- Fatigue
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Unexplained weight gain
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
- Muscle weakness
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
- Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Slowed heart rate
- Depression
- Impaired memory
You would think when a patient has 11 out of 16 symptoms the Dr would look at that in addition to the blood work. We'll see! I will definitely update once I see her in Feb.
Of course, a lot of these symptoms also go hand in hand with FMS and CFS - at this point, who knows what's what?!?
What I do know is that I would love to have energy, feel good and lose the weight I've put on. I feel like I do all the "right" things to lose weight but nothing happens. The only thing I don't do is exercise due to my fatigue and lack of energy to get out and do it! I keep telling myself "tomorrow" but tomorrow comes and goes without the exercise. It's a vicious cycle I live in.
So this month has been full of ups and downs in my health and the health of my family. I'm hoping February brings us all many more good than bad days.
Volleyball has started up and we have games almost every weekend. We love watching my daughter play so I look forward to those long days in the gym.
That's all for now, until next time......to your health!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
I'm still here!! So much going on, so much happening and the best part of it all..........
I'm feeling GREAT!!
I have a new position at the school I work at that has me very busy - I'm in the literacy department and just love it!
Outside of that, I'm still maintaining my weekly chiropractic appointments to maintain myself and to keep my body in optimal health. I firmly believe that with the weekly adjustments my body has put my FMS down and has helped me stay feeling good. I still get minor aches and pains in the same areas (hips and shoulders) but nothing even close to what I use to experience. When I feel overly tired, I go to bed. I've learned through all of this that listening to my body is the most important thing I can do. And when I feel tired, I make sure to handle it instead of ignoring it.
Over the past 3 months I did a weight loss challenge with 3 of my friends using a program called Body By Vi (Vi is short for Visalus). It's a 90 day challenge and it's simply, amazing. Since getting sick back in 2010 I have gained 55+lbs - I finally got sick of the weight, sick of putting on my clothes that were too tight and finally just had it when I had to purchase a size that I swore I would never be in again (after losing weight in the past) Depression was setting in again and I knew I had to take a stand before things got worse.
The 90 day challenge consists of replacing 2 meals a day with a healthy protein shake meal replacement. It's packed with vitamins, has less than a gram sugar and tastes like cake mix - NO JOKE! A lot of people say "once you start eating again you are going to gain the weight back" to which I have to laugh. Don't think I'm not eating - in fact, I'm eating quite well. I have a shake for breakfast, and every two hours another small meal consisting of a protein and vegetable - I eat all day to the point that I'm stuffed when it's time to eat again! It's not a "fad diet" - it's a way of life - re-training yourself to keep your body fueled so it burns fat while maintaining lean muscle mass. It takes a little getting use to but now, it's just the way I do things - I eat small meals every 2 hours. Think portions too - portion control is where it's at. Once you get use to measuring out your portions you get pretty good at knowing how much you can have at any given time. I think a huge part of America's problem with Obesity is the fact that our portions are double and triple what they should be all the time - that means we are taking in double and triple the calories we should be on a daily basis - which in turn is going to be weight gain. It's pretty simple really.
Exercise is suggested but not something you have to do too strenuously or even at all if you don't want to. As we all know, exercise is another thing that those of us with FMS need to do so it should be incorporated anyway.
So after 3 months I am down 26 lbs and over 27 inches!! I feel great, am wearing my clothes much better and am actually going to be entering to win the team challenge on a national level!! Between myself and my team mates we have lost over 200lbs combined! It's inspiring really.
Currently I'm doing another challenge to drop the rest of the weight I gained. It's really just a way of life, eating clean and making smart choices. Through all the struggles over the past few years, my weight shouldn't be a reason I'm feeling sick. I've slowly come around full circle and can honestly say that I'm feeling like myself again - feeling healthy, happy and full of life again! I never thought I would be able to say that! I really thought my life would be full of pain and suffering and never again be the same. It's been 3 yrs and while the road has been a tough one, it's taught me so much about myself and others.
I hope my journey so far has made an impact on others and I hope my continued journey will as well - I am living proof that you can go from literally wanting to die to enjoying life again! Please, if you have anyone in your life who is like me, share my blog with them, encourage them to follow me, encourage them to NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN and do what it takes to find the right mixture that will help them get back into the game of life! Remember back when I first started this journey to find my health? I was a research freak - researching and researching until I was blue in the face - but it was all worth it - I have found what works for me, what makes me feel good and what keeps me going - you too can find it if you haven't yet - just keep on looking! I promise it's out there!
To your health and until next time!
I have a new position at the school I work at that has me very busy - I'm in the literacy department and just love it!
Outside of that, I'm still maintaining my weekly chiropractic appointments to maintain myself and to keep my body in optimal health. I firmly believe that with the weekly adjustments my body has put my FMS down and has helped me stay feeling good. I still get minor aches and pains in the same areas (hips and shoulders) but nothing even close to what I use to experience. When I feel overly tired, I go to bed. I've learned through all of this that listening to my body is the most important thing I can do. And when I feel tired, I make sure to handle it instead of ignoring it.
Over the past 3 months I did a weight loss challenge with 3 of my friends using a program called Body By Vi (Vi is short for Visalus). It's a 90 day challenge and it's simply, amazing. Since getting sick back in 2010 I have gained 55+lbs - I finally got sick of the weight, sick of putting on my clothes that were too tight and finally just had it when I had to purchase a size that I swore I would never be in again (after losing weight in the past) Depression was setting in again and I knew I had to take a stand before things got worse.
The 90 day challenge consists of replacing 2 meals a day with a healthy protein shake meal replacement. It's packed with vitamins, has less than a gram sugar and tastes like cake mix - NO JOKE! A lot of people say "once you start eating again you are going to gain the weight back" to which I have to laugh. Don't think I'm not eating - in fact, I'm eating quite well. I have a shake for breakfast, and every two hours another small meal consisting of a protein and vegetable - I eat all day to the point that I'm stuffed when it's time to eat again! It's not a "fad diet" - it's a way of life - re-training yourself to keep your body fueled so it burns fat while maintaining lean muscle mass. It takes a little getting use to but now, it's just the way I do things - I eat small meals every 2 hours. Think portions too - portion control is where it's at. Once you get use to measuring out your portions you get pretty good at knowing how much you can have at any given time. I think a huge part of America's problem with Obesity is the fact that our portions are double and triple what they should be all the time - that means we are taking in double and triple the calories we should be on a daily basis - which in turn is going to be weight gain. It's pretty simple really.
Exercise is suggested but not something you have to do too strenuously or even at all if you don't want to. As we all know, exercise is another thing that those of us with FMS need to do so it should be incorporated anyway.
So after 3 months I am down 26 lbs and over 27 inches!! I feel great, am wearing my clothes much better and am actually going to be entering to win the team challenge on a national level!! Between myself and my team mates we have lost over 200lbs combined! It's inspiring really.
Currently I'm doing another challenge to drop the rest of the weight I gained. It's really just a way of life, eating clean and making smart choices. Through all the struggles over the past few years, my weight shouldn't be a reason I'm feeling sick. I've slowly come around full circle and can honestly say that I'm feeling like myself again - feeling healthy, happy and full of life again! I never thought I would be able to say that! I really thought my life would be full of pain and suffering and never again be the same. It's been 3 yrs and while the road has been a tough one, it's taught me so much about myself and others.
I hope my journey so far has made an impact on others and I hope my continued journey will as well - I am living proof that you can go from literally wanting to die to enjoying life again! Please, if you have anyone in your life who is like me, share my blog with them, encourage them to follow me, encourage them to NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN and do what it takes to find the right mixture that will help them get back into the game of life! Remember back when I first started this journey to find my health? I was a research freak - researching and researching until I was blue in the face - but it was all worth it - I have found what works for me, what makes me feel good and what keeps me going - you too can find it if you haven't yet - just keep on looking! I promise it's out there!
To your health and until next time!
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