A Change in Meds

When I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, I was put on a small dosage of Levoxyl.  It helped for a short while, then I started to not feel well again.  I was then put on a higher does of Levoxyl, which helped some, but not much more.  I was also without medical insurance, trying to see the endocrinologist, and paying for thyroid medication.  I didn't see the endo very often, and when I did, I was lucky enough that he would work with me on paying for labs and such.  This was my life until I married my current husband.

I moved to California, and I finally had health insurance with Kaiser through my husband's job.  My medication was then switched from the Levoxyl to Levothroid.  I had been on Levothroid ever since...until now.  

Recently, the Kaiser pharmacy sent out a letter stating that it would no longer carry Levothroid but would substitute it with another generic equivalent.  I have been taking it for the last two months, and I've been awfully tired lately.  I know that part of the reason for my sluggishness is due to the fact that I've become more forgetful, which turns into me forgetting to take some or all of my required pills for the day (137mcg of generic T4 and 5mcg of Cytomel twice a day).  If anything though, I remember to take the T4 meds.  I know that I can't survive the day without at least one Cytomel, but between being super tired and the forgetfulness, I may often go a couple days or more without.

I guess for me to truly know if the new T4 medication is working as properly as it should, I probably should try to make more of an effort to take all the pills correctly and daily.  I have tried alarms, pill boxes, putting it by my bed, etc., but I eventually fall out of the routine.  Anyways, tomorrow I'm going to start taking them like I should, see how it goes, and get some thyroid bloodwork done after I think there's been sufficient time to see if it makes a difference.

What I've Discovered about My Thyroid, My Body, and Me

I have come to terms that hair loss will always be a part of my life since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis about 14-15 years ago.  What I didn't realize, was that when I am under extreme stress, physically and mentally, the hair loss increases greatly. I had already been somewhat stressed for two weeks, then last Friday, something really put my stress levels over the edge. Ever since then, I have been losing about two times the amount of hair.  It's not pretty. As much as that's a negative, I have also found a positive.

I am back on track to losing weight, and I'm finally figuring out how my body works.  I have not exercised at all, but in the last two weeks, I have lost two pounds.  Two pounds in two weeks, for anyone who is hypothyroid, is considered a good rate of weight loss when the average is 1/2 pound a week. I know what works for me isn't going to work for everyone with thyroid disease, because everyone could be at various stages. I went mis/undiagnosed for about five years, so my body was suffering from almost every symptom that can come with Hashimoto's.  Also, I am NOT trying to promote a very low-caloric diet. These types of things should always be discussed with a doctor to see if it's the right thing to do.  This is what works for me. But I digress.

I know that if I want to just maintain my weight, I cannot eat over 1600 calories a day.  If I do, my weight will vary.  If I want to lose weight, I have to eat 1200 calories or less (usually less works better for me). I've also noticed that I don't love a lot of foods like I used to.  I have become so bored with some foods that I rarely or don't eat them at all. Dairy is something that is almost non-existent to me with the exception of cheese, and even that I rarely eat as well. I have also begun drinking a lot more water.

I admit that in the past, I drank very little water. Even after having a lithotripsy to remove a kidney stone.  Soda was, no is, my one addiction that I have never really broken away from, but I do think it's something that I may get bored with. I say this because I tend to buy fountain sodas, drink a little bit of them, then let them sit and get watered down. I just can't finish them no matter the size.  This is true even with a can of soda. I'll drink half and just let the other half go flat.  I'm sure that the increased water intake and the decreased soda intake has a lot to do with the weight loss, probably more so than the reduced caloric intake.   I can't even imagine what the weight loss could be like if I start exercising again.

I have been so stressed which has caused me to be more tired than normal.  The naps have come back with full force, but I know I need to start back.  I just have to push myself no matter how tired I am. I know when I exercise, I get a good burst of energy to get things done.  It's always a double-edged sword, exercise and energy.  Need to exercise to get energy but also need the energy to exercise. Maybe I'll start back on the Wii Fit. Slow and steady as they say. Baby steps.

It's Been Awhile...

Here I am again on the never-ending quest to start eating right and losing weight. I officially started today and did pretty well until I had McDonald's for dinner. I do have to say that even with the McDonald's, I am almost certain that I did not go over the 1200 calories that I allow for my daily max.

I've been stressed a lot lately with my youngest daughter's ADD-inattention diagnosis, my son's depression while he was living me (he's since moved back to Las Vegas), and even my older daughter has her depression days (though she's been off meds for awhile). I'm also running back and forth to the high school for the older daughter's high school play rehearsals, and to top it all off, my youngest had a meltdown last week.

It's no secret that stress can exacerbate thyroid symptoms. I admit to feeling out of it lately, more tired than usual, and just depressed myself. I also find myself easily bored with everything and restless, but I'm sure that comes with the depression. Blah.

Hopefully I can find my groove soon. I always think that if I lose about 50 lbs, I might feel better. But I'll be honest, it's been kind of bitch losing weight. I actually had gained 5-10 lbs a few weeks ago, and I'm slowly coming back down again. No matter what I do, it seems I can't budge past 210. Then again, I don't think I'm taking it as seriously as I should. I know I need to make myself, I just wish I felt encouraged or had some support around here. A lot of the time I don't think my husband understands how I feel inside physically, despite looking okay on the outside. That's a typical reaction of anyone who's been told that I have thyroid issues. They don't get it just because I don't look sick. Let me tell you, I would trade any day of the week to feel normal again, to not be so tired that it's become a double-edged sword in my quest to lose weight. Exercise to get energy, but you need energy to exercise. Try as I might, I haven't been able to drudge up any of that lately.