It’s Been Awhile

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted here, or any of my other blogs really. I took a very extended break from the blogging world, and I’m not even sure I’m ready to come back. I have had a lot of changes in life, and even had a hemi-thyroidectomy, but I think I’ll share my struggles soon.

The Beginning With No End in Sight

Starting around fall 2012, I began to experience bouts of vertigo. It usually only happened when I would go to bed and turned over on a certain side. The room would spin violently, the right side of my head would feel weird, and I would grip onto the bed and shut my eyes to prevent myself from feeling sick. At first it only happened a couple of times maybe about six months apart. 

Around this time, my second ex-husband and I had started to start drifting apart. I don't know if it was the stress from trying to deal with the situation, but I started not to feel well. I was eating less, feeling more tired than I had been in YEARS since getting Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, and bruising more easily than I normally do. I would be full after five minutes of eating, then my stomach and chest would hurt from the full feeling. I think this is what caused me to start eating less. My heartbeats were becoming more irregular. It is normal to get skipped beats here and there, but I was feeling then more often, and it really got to me. 

In February or March of 2013, I ended up getting sick, felt fullness in my left ear(which has kind of been there for a year or so), then my ear began to ring and hasn't stopped sense. It was driving me nuts! I ended up finally confronting my ex-husband about our situation and asked if he wanted a divorce. He said that he did. I couldn't understand how it got to that point, but then I put two and two together, and discovered that he had been cheating on me for months. I think even though our marriage was not going well the last couple of years, there are better ways to handle it than cheat. I do take my share of the blame in the destruction of the marriage as I just didn't want anything to do with him the last two years. I think that came from a combination of being sick with my thyroid issues and partly how he was towards me. Even if I wasn't getting what I wanted or needed from the marriage, I didn't do what he did. I do need to write about the experience at some point to help me. But I digress.

Spring 2013 brought on major allergies for me, and the vertigo started again. This time it wasn't just from lying down, it also happened to me standing up. I was at Walmart shopping for a few food items and such, when all of a sudden, I was hit with major post-nasal drip. My nose would not stop running. I had already felt a little dizzy, akin to rocking-on-a-boat feeling, and I knew I had to hurry up and get out of there or I wouldn't be able to drive home. Once I got home, I leaned over to put something down, and the room started spinning even worse than usual. This was the first time I almost fell from the vertigo. I tried just sitting down, but keeping my eyes open, and seeing the room spinning so fast, started to make me feel sick. I had to shut my eyes, because it's one of the only things you can do to make yourself feel better. It took me a bit longer to recover from that bout. 

I ended up going to the doctor, and even though I only felt things in my left ear, the doctor said that I had fluid in the ear...mostly in the right one. I was still getting dizzy after that and got the same thing from another doctor. My regular doctor, at the time, scheduled an MRI of my brain and left inner ear,  and hearing test. The MRI came back negative, but the hearing test showed high frequency hearing loss. I didn't get a hearing aid at the time.

Here I am, two years later, and I still get bouts of dizziness. The vertigo has only happened maybe once or twice, but only when lying down. I have had MRIs, bloodwork, x-rays, ultrasounds, etc., but no one can find anything to cause my dizziness other than thinking it's either Meniere's Disease or cervical stenosis. This week I've had the dizziness. I am grateful for the times that it goes way, and really hate when it comes back. I can't focus as well as I would like, and I pretty much become useless, because I don't like the feeling when I stand up.

One thing that was discovered in all these testings. outside of the hearing loss and cervical stenosis, was my low vitamin D levels. This can happen to people who have thyroid disease. My level was at 5ng. The cardiologist, that I saw for the irregular heartbeats, said that he wasn't surprised that I wasn't feeling well, and started me on vitamin D therapy to see if it would help. At this time, because I felt so crappy after taking thyroid medication, I started to not taking them regularly. I'm sure this didn't help. I have more to say on this, but I will save it for another time.

Wow....It's Been Three Years Since I Last Posted.

I can't believe it's been three years since I last posted to this blog. So much has happened since including having thyroid surgery. I want to start this blog back up, because I think it will help me deal with some of the things I have been feeling especially since the surgery. Maybe it will help others, too, I don't know.  

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.

Update

I keep saying I'm going to try to get this blog going again, but I haven't quite been able to with all the stuff I have going on. I recently requested some labs from my doctor, which by the way, had his last day here on Friday. He's relocating to southern California. Kaiser has given me a new doctor, but I may look around to see if I will stick with the new one or choose another. But I digress.

I requested the labs, because I have been feeling a little more run down than usual. I also had not any of my thyroid levels checked in about a year. My labs are already back, and I'm in a decent rage. I guess I can attribute the extra tiredness on a menstrual cycle that I never get. As you remember, I had an ablation to stop them. It does not, however, stop the pms-ing or any of the other things that I normally get i.e. headaches, tired, cramps. It doesn't help that I've been cycling with my daughters, and ever since that started, I have bled a little more. Usually, it's very little to none.

I really need to get that pic of the Cytomel, both generic and brand. The difference will amaze you. I can never take the generics, because it was making me sicker. I wonder what the binding agents are and just how much they use.

I'll be getting the pics, of the meds, up soon along with my progress and other changes. Until then, good health to you.

The Puffer Fish Effect

I was reading up on allergies and colds last night, and if there was such a thing as an 'allergy cold'. Tuesday, after class, I had the worst allergy attack. The wind was blowing a bit, I had walked through freshly cut grass at school, and I believe the pollen index was moderate. All I know was after all that, I was feeling miserable. My whole entire face was itching including my head and the inside of my mouth and throat. I even felt my throat tightening up a bit which always makes me a bit nervous.

One of the main things I discover that happens to me when I have an allergy attack(after getting Hashimoto's) is that my entire face swells up. I was likening myself to a puffer fish the other day. It wasn't pretty. I'm going to research allergies and its affects on those with thyroid disease to see if I'm the only one this happens to. Right now the allergies have turned into a cold, and I've been resting as much as I can. I skipped school today as well to get better. I'm hoping this doesn't last long. I have a weekend trip I need to be better for so I can enjoy it with my kids.

Womenshealth.gov Hashimoto's Disease Facts

Most of those who know me, know that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I thought I would share these facts that

put out in regards to Hashimoto's Disease.

What is Hashimoto's disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It also is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (theye-royd-EYET-uhss). The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4 that regulate how the body uses energy. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by the pituitary, which is a pea-sized gland in the brain. It makes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers the thyroid to make thyroid hormone.

With Hashimoto’s disease, the immune system makes antibodies that damage thyroid cells and interfere with their ability to make thyroid hormone. Over time, thyroid damage can cause thyroid hormone levels to be too low. This is called an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism (heye-poh-THEYE-royd-ism). An underactive thyroid causes every function of the body to slow down, such as heart rate, brain function, and the rate your body turns food into energy. Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. It is closely related to Graves’ disease, another autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid.

What are the symptoms of Hashimoto's disease?

Many people with Hashimoto’s disease have no symptoms for years. An enlarged thyroid, called a goiter, is often the first sign of disease. The goiter may cause the front of the neck to look swollen. You or your doctor may notice the goiter. If large, it may cause a feeling of fullness in the throat or make it hard to swallow. It rarely causes pain.

Many people with Hashimoto’s disease develop an underactive thyroid. They may have mild or no symptoms at first. But symptoms tend to worsen over time. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:

• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Pale, puffy face
• Feeling cold
• Joint and muscle pain
• Constipation
• Dry, thinning hair
• Heavy menstrual flow or irregular periods
• Depression
• A slowed heart rate
• Problems getting pregnant

Who gets Hashimoto’s disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is about 7 times more common in women than in men. It can occur in teens and young women, but more commonly shows up in middle age. People who get Hashimoto’s disease often have family members who have thyroid or other autoimmune diseases. People who get Hashimoto’s disease sometimes have other autoimmune diseases, such as:

• Vitiligo (vit-ihl-EYE-goh) — a disease that destroys the cells that give your skin its color
• Rheumatoid arthritis — a disease that affects the lining of the joints throughout the body
• Addison’s disease — a disease that affects the adrenal glands, which make hormones that help your body respond to stress and regulate your blood pressure and water and salt balance
• Type 1 diabetes — a disease that causes blood sugar levels to be too high
• Graves’ disease — a disease that causes the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone
• Pernicious (pur-NISH-uhss) anemia — a disease that keeps your body from absorbing vitamin B12 and making enough healthy red blood cells
• Lupus — a disease that can damage many parts of the body, such as the joints, skin, blood vessels, and other organs

What causes Hashimoto’s disease?

Many factors are thought to play a role in getting Hashimoto’s disease. These include:

• Genes. Some people are prone to Hashimoto’s disease because of their genes. Researchers are working to find the gene or genes involved.
• Gender. Sex hormones also might play a role. This may help to explain why Hashimoto’s disease affects more women than men.
• Pregnancy. Pregnancy affects the thyroid. Some women have thyroid problems after having a baby, which usually go away. But about 20 percent of these women develop Hashimoto’s disease in later years. This suggests that pregnancy might trigger thyroid disease in some women.
• Too much iodine and some drugs may trigger the onset of thyroid disease in people prone to getting it.
• Radiation exposure has been shown to bring on autoimmune thyroid disease. This includes radiation from the atomic bomb in Japan, the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, and radiation treatment of Hodgkin’s disease (a type of blood cancer).

How do I find out if I have Hashimoto’s disease?

If you have symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease, your doctor will do an exam and order one or more tests. Sometimes, routine screening of thyroid function reveals a mildly underactive thyroid in a person with no symptoms. Tests used to find out if you have Hashimoto’s disease include:

• Thyroid function tests. A blood test is sent to a lab to see if your body has the right amount of TSH and thyroid hormone (T4). An above normal level of TSH is a sign of an underactive thyroid. When the thyroid begins to fail, the pituitary makes more TSH so as to trigger the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone. For a while, the thyroid can keep up, and the blood test will show slightly higher TSH levels with normal T4 levels. This is called subclinical hypothyroidism. But over time, the damaged thyroid cannot keep up, and T4 levels will drop below normal while TSH levels are high.
• Antibody test. A blood sample is sent to a lab to look for antibodies that suggest Hashimoto’s disease. Most people with Hashimoto’s disease will have specific antibodies that people with other causes of an underactive thyroid do not have. Some people have the antibodies seen with Hashimoto’s disease, but have normal thyroid function. Having only the antibodies does not cause any symptoms.

Hashimoto’s disease can be harder to diagnose during pregnancy. For one, Hashimoto’s disease has many of the same symptoms as normal pregnancy, such as fatigue and weight gain. Yet untreated underactive thyroid during pregnancy may affect the baby’s growth and brain development. So make sure to tell your doctor if you have symptoms of thyroid problems.

How is Hashimoto’s disease treated?

Hashimoto’s disease responds well to treatment. It is treated with a single daily tablet of levothyroxine (lee-voh-thye-ROKS-een). This is a manmade form of T4 thyroid hormone. It also is called thyroid replacement therapy because it restores back to normal the T4 that the damaged thyroid can no longer make. It almost always needs to be taken for the rest of a person’s life and in the same manner each day.

Thyroid replacement medication comes in different amounts. The exact dose depends on:

• Age
• Weight
• Severity of the underactive thyroid, if present
• Other health problems
• Use of other medicines that can interact with levothyroxine

When you start treatment, you will need a follow-up TSH test so your doctor can fine-tune your dose. Thyroid hormone acts very slowly in the body, so it can take several months after the start of treatment for symptoms to go away and goiter to shrink. If the dose is too strong, thyroid hormone levels will become too high. This is called hyperthyroidism. Too much thyroid hormone can cause heart problems and bone loss. So finding the right dose is important.

Once the TSH level is normal, your doctor will need to see you less often. Most people have a thyroid checkup and TSH test once a year. Usually, the same treatment dose works for a long time and often does not need to be adjusted until a person’s 70s or 80s. Yet, the dose may need to be changed in some cases, such as with pregnancy, heart disease, or if using menopausal hormone therapy.

Whether to treat a mildly underactive thyroid without symptoms is an area of debate. Hashimoto’s disease is the cause in most cases. Many doctors feel that treatment can help these patients. Treatment will keep symptoms from starting. Also, some studies have shown that a mildly underactive thyroid can increase the risk of other health problems, including heart disease. We don’t know yet if treating a mildly underactive thyroid will lower these risks. But some studies have shown thyroid hormone treatment might protect against heart disease. If a screening test reveals you have a mildly underactive thyroid without symptoms, talk to your doctor about your options.

What would happen if Hashimoto’s disease is not treated?

Without treatment, Hashimoto’s disease may progress and symptoms of an underactive thyroid can get worse. An untreated underactive thyroid can cause further problems, including:

• Infertility
• Miscarriage
• Giving birth to a baby with birth defects
• High cholesterol

Severe underactive thyroid called myxedema (mik-suh-DEE-muh) can very rarely lead to:

• Heart failure
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

Does pregnancy affect the thyroid?

Normal hormone changes during pregnancy cause thyroid hormone levels to increase. The thyroid may enlarge slightly in healthy women during pregnancy, but not enough to be felt. These changes do not affect the pregnancy or unborn baby. Yet, untreated thyroid problems can threaten pregnancy and the growing baby. Symptoms of normal pregnancy, like fatigue, can make it easy to overlook thyroid problems in pregnancy. So if you have symptoms of an underactive thyroid or notice a goiter, make sure to tell your doctor.

Thyroid hormone is vital during pregnancy. The unborn baby’s brain and nervous system need thyroid hormone to develop. During the first trimester, the baby depends on the mother’s supply of thyroid hormone. At 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s thyroid begins to work on its own. But the baby still depends on the mother for iodine, which the thyroid uses to make thyroid hormone. Pregnant women need about 250 micrograms (mcg) of iodine a day. Some women might not get all the iodine they need through the foods they eat or prenatal vitamins. Choosing iodized salt — salt that has had iodine added to it — over plain table salt is one way to ensure you get enough iodine. Also, prenatal vitamins that contain iodine are recommended.

Some women develop thyroid problems in the first year after giving birth. This is called postpartum thyroiditis (theye-royd-EYET-uhss). It often begins with symptoms of an overactive thyroid, which last 2 to 4 months. Mild symptoms might be overlooked. Most women then develop symptoms of an underactive thyroid, which can last up to a year. An underactive thyroid needs to be treated. In most cases, thyroid function returns to normal as the thyroid heals.

Do I need a thyroid test if I become pregnant?

Experts have not reached agreement on whether all pregnant women should be routinely screened for thyroid problems. But, if an underactive thyroid with or without symptoms is found during pregnancy, your doctor will treat you to lower your risk of pregnancy problems. An underactive thyroid without symptoms occurs in 2 to 3 in every 100 pregnancies. If you want to become or are newly pregnant, talk to your doctor about thyroid screening.

I have Hashimoto’s disease and want to have a baby. What should I do before I try to get pregnant?

Women being treated for Hashimoto’s disease can become pregnant. But make sure your pregnancy is planned. Thyroid function must be well-controlled before you get pregnant.

Untreated or poorly treated underactive thyroid can lead to problems for the mother, such as:

• Preeclampsia (pree-ee-CLAMP-see-uh)
• Anemia
• Miscarriage
• Placental abruption
• Postpartum bleeding

It also can cause serious problems for the baby, such as:

• Preterm birth
• Low birth weight
• Stillbirth
• Birth defects
• Thyroid problems

Talk to your doctor about how to prepare for pregnancy or about birth control if you do not want to become pregnant.

How is Hashimoto’s disease treated during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, you may need to see both your OB/GYN and an endocrinologist (en-doh-krih-NOL-uh-jist), a doctor who treats people with hormone problems. Levothyroxine is safe to use during pregnancy and necessary for the health of the baby. Women with Hashimoto’s disease or an underactive thyroid who are taking levothyroxine before pregnancy may need a higher dose to maintain normal thyroid function. Thyroid function should be checked every 6 to 8 weeks during pregnancy. After you have your baby, you will likely go back to your pre-pregnancy dose.

Can I breastfeed if I am using thyroid replacement therapy?

Levothyroxine does pass through breast milk. But it is not likely to cause problems for the baby. Also, you may not be able to make breast milk if your thyroid is underactive. Your doctor can help you decide what is best for you and your baby.

For more information

For more information about Hashimoto’s diseases, call womenshealth.gov at 800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:

Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, NIDDK, NIH, DHHS
Phone: 888-828-0904
Internet Address: http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
Phone: 586-776-3900; Toll-Free: 800-598-4668 (for literature requests)
Internet Address: http://www.aarda.org

American Thyroid Association
Phone: 800-THYROID (849-7643)
Internet address: http://www.thyroid.org

The Hormone Foundation
Phone: 800-HORMONE (467-6663)
Internet address: http://www.hormone.org

New York Thyroid Center
Phone: 800-543-2782; 212-305-0442
Internet Address: http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid

Reviewed by:

David S. Cooper, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

***This was taken from Womenshealth.gov. included is the original copyright disclaimer from the website page: "All material contained in this FAQ is free of copyright restrictions, and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated."***

Tdap and Thyroid: My Reaction to the Injection

I know, as a person with an autoimmune disease, that I need to keep up with my shots. I had not had a tetanus booster in over 20 years. At the last doctor visit I had, I was told that I needed to get the tdap (tetanus, diptheria, pertussis) booster. I had kept forgetting to go by the injection clinic and get it done. Couple Tuesdays ago, when my daughter had teen group, I decided that I would get it done then (because I remembered this time!).

While the injection itself did not hurt, they did tell to keep my arm moving or massage it, because it would stiffen up and be sore. That soreness came about 10 minutes after, and it's still here. As a matter of fact, it's worse now than it was the day before. I remember getting these shots as a kid, and even when I had my car accident in 1987, but I don't remember feeling this miserable. I don't remember how much it hurts to lift my right arm above my head, or my whole arm and neck being affected, or how much more tired I've been since receiving the shot. I also had somewhat of a brain fog. I kept thinking the assignment I did, for a class I'm taking at the community college, was going to come back with a very low grade. I honestly couldn't focus on it.

I can't honestly say if it was my thyroid disease that contributed to the reaction I got from the injection, but I do know that that has never happened to me before. I wonder if anyone else with thyroid disease has had this reaction. I think it's time to research a little.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: Good Thing I'm Not Vain

One of the things that those with thyroid disease experience is hair loss. This was a BIG indicator back in the early days, back before it was diagnosed and I was put on medication. I guess it's lucky that I'm not a super vain person, because I went from thick, beautiful, long, and shiny hair to thin, dry, and dull hair. It is still long but it took a long time to grow after a short haircut. I never had that problem when I was younger. I was convinced that my hair grew at rates that were faster than normal.

For awhile, after I had gone on medication, the hair loss wasn't as bad as it had been. I believed that I was on the right track. I'm not sure what happened between the onset of my thyroid disease and now in regards to the hair loss, because I didn't really pay attention. I'm paying attention now. It has gotten pretty bad. It's in the drain, on the floor, on the carpet and so when anything is on the carpet or floor it's going to get hair on it, too. I think I read somewhere that being on too much thyroid medication could possibly make you lose hair like crazy. I'm not too sure about that, but what I do know is that if I have to suffer this hair loss to feel good, I'm not too proud to admit it. I will NOT and CANNOT live without my Cytomel (T3 medication). I did try the generics, but that didn't work out so well as I had mentioned.

I just realized that I didn't get around to the brand and generic comparison of T3 medication. I will have to do that soon, because it really is amazing to me on what a difference there is in the makeup and the affects.

Vacation and Hashimoto's Don't Mix

Vacation can be the worst in the life of someone with Hashimoto's. At least in my case, it increases my symptoms. I found that I'm not as responsible with staying on top of my meds during vacation. I eat way too much of all the wrong things. I drink far more soda than I ever would at home. As always, when it's unbearably hot, I swell up. All these things combined made me swell twice as much as I normally do. I swear, my feet felt like they were gonna pop. As a matter of fact, they are still swollen. I also gained 2 or 3 pounds on vacation.

Why is it that I think that vacation gives me the right to do all the things that I shouldn't be doing? I gotta get myself into shape, especially since, in about three weeks, I will be taking a p.e. class in college that requires me to work out. I'll probably be the only old fatty in there with all the thin young people. *sigh*

Mini-Me's Diagnosis

With symptoms like weight gain, tiredness, mental fog, depression, and easily irritated, I had thought, no had HOPED that maybe my daughter had a thyroid issue. At least THAT I can handle, THAT is easier to cope with for the most part for her and for me (least I think it would be). It turns out that it's teen depression. It's something that is more common than most people think. We went a couple of weeks to see if there were some coping strategies, but for her, there were none. It was hit or miss as far as her moods went. She's been somewhat happy since she got a boyfriend, but I need to make sure that if something ever happens between them (being young you know this will eventually happen) that she doesn't go back to bottom. She asked for the meds. So today it begins...

Teen Depression or Thyroid Disease?

Mini-Me had slowly been getting a little more mouthy, easy to anger, and she had been talking to me less about things that had been bothering her. I attributed it to the fact maybe it was the hormonal change that she was going through and the fact that she had started her cycle during the summer. During this school year, the mood swings had been getting progressively worse. Her grades had been slowly going down hill, but I didn't think that it was bad enough to warrant too much attention. I did what I normally would do and just tell her that she needed to work harder. Then I got a call from her teacher to come meet with her.

Mini-Me's teacher had told me that it seemed like Mini-Me had depression, and the reason she had mentioned it was because she had been there before and knew the symptoms. I still wasn't sure if that was truly the problem, so I didn't make an appointment with Mini-Me's doctor. Well, just before break, I was informed that in three of her classes her grades had done a considerable drop. She wasn't doing her work. I also knew that this meant that probably after Christmas break she would be on activity restriction which means no cheering or being able to attend the dance that's at the end of this month, something she had been looking forward to. I ended up getting another call from her teacher. She pretty much told me that Mini-Me had started becoming withdrawn from most people. She wasn't staying focused, and she wasn't doing her work. I met with the teacher after school, and we discussed the depression issue again. I decided that I would finally get a doctor's appointment.

Because of my thyroid disease, I, too, sometimes get depressed or angry. I know that, in my case, it is hormonal. I wanted to meet with Mini-Me's doctor to do another thyroid assessment. I was told that he would order the test, but that he suggested she go to Kaiser's Mental Health. We went for the first appointment yesterday. I think in some way it helped her. At first, she was a bit nervous about it all, and a couple of days before she asked if only she and I could handle it. I just think it was beyond her and I handling it especially if sometimes I get into my own moods. Sometimes I don't deal with my depression/irritability as well as I can. One major difference is that I don't just 'check out'. I force myself to focus, because I know that my girls need me.

There's also another issue. Mini-Me's best friend is kind of like her. She gets down about things that are out of their control. Not only that, but a lot of friends that they know and talk to are similar. In fact, one boy always says he's going 'away'. I don't think that can be good. Luckily, she doesn't hang with this boy or talk to him often. Mini-Me's best friend actually asked if Mini-Me could take her to the counseling session. I think it would be good for her friend to seek counseling as well, but she doesn't think that her uncle (who is her guardian) cares about her. I think he does, but in his own way. I really don't know how he'd react if she asked to go counseling.

Everyday is not a down day for Mini-Me or her friend, but there are more down days than up lately. When the psychologist asked if I was interested in medication for Mini-Me, I said that I wasn't prepared to go down that road just yet. I thought maybe she could find some tools to learn to deal with the moods, and if that didn't work, then we could discuss the options of medication. Mini-Me got to see the psychologist alone and told her that she was interested in medication.

Luckily, the psychologist is on the same page as I in regards to medication. Because while sometimes I think it can help, I also believe that sometimes it makes things worse. Besides, I want to see if this is a thyroid thing first (as sometimes it can be hereditary). Herein lies the problem: Kaiser is one to base whether one has thyroid issues on one thing and one thing only: TSH test.

I often was told that my thyroid was normal. I also had been told that maybe it was depression since it was during the time that I was going through my divorce. Well, it had been a few years really(that I had been having symptoms), but I knew that whatever was going on with me at the time was definitely not going to be cured by the Zoloft they had given me a prescription for. I never did get it filled. It took an endocrinologist and a more thorough thyroid panel to find the root of my problem: Hashimoto's.

I took Mini-Me in for her TSH test today. They actually wanted to do a lipid panel, but since she didn't fast, we have to wait on that one. Had I known they wanted to do that, I would have taken her early one morning this week. Depending on what I see when the TSH results come back, I'll know whether to ask her doctor for more testing. I HATE the fact that Kaiser still uses the old guidelines for TSH of .3 to 5.5. UGH! I never feel good unless I'm around 1.0 or just under. A 'normal' person, on average, has a TSH of 1.3. I have had TSH tests done on Mini-Me before. The first was 1.3, but the second was 2.0. This is why I'll know more if this is what's causing her to get more emotional, tired, and unfocused.

My husband's telling me to try not to 'find' things that aren't there. I'm sorry, but I've been there and done that. I got tired of people telling me it was something that it wasn't. Even worse yet, is when my ex had called me a hypochondriac. I think we often know our bodies better than anyone else, and when I don't feel like myself, I know it. I really hope we can pinpoint this thing in regards to Mini-Me. Whether it happens to be, depression medications or thyroid medications, at least we'll know and get her on the right path. BTW, did i mention that there were tons of teenagers at the clinic?

Googlechondriac

Need to make a doctor appointment for this week, but I don't know why I haven't yet. Discovered a lump along my right lower jaw. Of course, I have become a googlechondriac. Goggled all the things it could be, and I'm SURE it's one of those things. LOL I wonder when this lump started and how long I've had it. I was sick again for the second time in a month. I got sick right before Christmas and was still feeling a little under the weather when my son and mom visited. I also wasn't hungry for days, though I can't decide why I would eat anyways. Is it habit? I honestly could have gone without food for about four days. I never once got hungry or anything. I probably should have not eaten on those days, too, because it just made me feel worse. I've also been extra tired...way more tired than usual. I haven't been going to bed before 3 AM since my son and mom left. I guess that could be part of the problem. But, even when I was going to bed early, I still have been extremely tired. To make things worse, I also felt what seems like will be a UTI. Hopefully, it will not develop fully. I don't need that on top of everything else. When I see the doctor this week, I will ask for a TSH test. Gotta see where my levels are. I have a feeling they're not where they need to be.

Is My Heart Rate Being Affected by My Thyroid?

Mini-Me was laying up against my chest one day when she said, "Mommy, you're heartbeat is slow."  Then she proceeds to make sounds and use hand gestures to mimic the way her heart and then the way my heart sounds.  After that, she tells Miss La-Di-Da-Di listen to it as well.  She's surprised, too.  I guess the only person that isn't surprised is me.  I often feel like my heart rate is a little sluggish.  These are the times where I also find it difficult to breathe once I get to the top of the stairs in my home.  Sometimes I feel a little lightheaded after exercising, too.  I know it's the strain of the weight that my body carries around, but I also know it's the thyroid.  My thyroid is what got me here; to this unhealthy weight.  I know it's causing a lot of the things that go on with me.  Is it any wonder why those with thyroid disease have more chance of having a heart problem as well?  I think I'm going to research the correlation a bit and see what can be done to make things better.

November Update

I've been off of the generic Cytomel for awhile now and back on brand only. It has made a big difference. This week I'm still feeling a little more tired than usual, but I think it's because it is 'technically' my cycle despite not having one. I've noticed differences in how I feel since switching back, along with the make up of the two pills, and some other issues. I hope to do a post here in the next day or so in regards to these discoveries.

I try to post my experiences, so that others can learn something from it. Perhaps it might help in getting to the cause of some of their symptoms. I hope that what I post helps in some way. I want to get back to blogging about my life with Hashi and other thyroid subjects on a daily basis. Between school, family life, and the exhausted feeling I've had of late, it's been kind of hard to keep up. I will prevail though. :0)

Ten Days In....

I have been on the generic form of Cytomel for almost two weeks now. I still feel rather lethargic, and I've been requiring naps. I'm trying to see if this medication is what is causing this. My husband has also noticed that I have been, what he calls, "A lot bitchier." I do see that about myself. I feel a lot more irritable than usual. It's not good for me, because it causes stress on my mind and body. It's definitely not good for my family as they've been taking the brunt of it. I'm trying to wait this week out to see if my body is going to ever function the way it did with brand. I just have a feeling in a few days, I will be emailing my doctor to put me back on brand to function at least somewhat normal!

Generic Cytomel

When I first heard that the FDA approved the generic version of Cytomel, I was a little apprehensive about it. I researched as much as I could online to make some kind of informed decision on whether I wanted to switch or not all to save $10. Now I know $10 dollars might not seem like a big difference, but with the economy being what it is, I do have to try and watch what I spend. I'm sure that people will say, "But that doesn't mean you should play with your health!"

Anyways, armed with what I learned, I decided to make the switch and have been on the generics for two days. What I have noticed that in the last two days, I have been feeling a little more tired than usual. However, I can't decide if that's from the two days on generics or the fact I had to make my Cytomel last for 2 or 3 days while my prescriptions were being filled (also to the doctor closing out my scrips!). I think that for me to really know if the generics are the problem, I'll have to keep using them for awhile.

I've read that one of the generic drug manufacturers, Mylan, is now under an FDA investigation, for poor quality testing. Apparently, workers have been overriding the machines that were warning against some potential potentcy issues. Of course after reading that, I got a little worried. Then I saw someone comment that they were using generics from Paddock LA and didn't seem to have an issue. Yes, I ran and checked my bottle right away! LOL I, too, have generics from Paddock LA. So, now I'm a little less worried about it. But, I do know that if it doesn't work the same for me, I will not hesitate to ask to be put back on brand Cytomel. I just hope with what Kaiser does now with their drugs, give generics in place of brand to cut down their costs, that one, I can still get the brand, and two, that it won't cost me anymore than before.

Alli-Can it Affect Your Thyroid?

Awhile back, when Alli was getting ready to be released, I had mentioned that I had asked my ob/gyn if it would be safe to take with my thyroid condition. She had told me that it was also known as Orlistat, and was a fat blocker, that I needed to be able to deal with the possibility of oily stools that could come out on it's own. She also said that it would be safe. I never did try it, simply because I wasn't sure about the whole 'oily stool' thing.

Maybe it's a good thing, because the FDA just approved a warning label that is to be put on Alli and Xenical stating that it can decrease levothyroxine absorption and cause increased hypothyroidism. This is not to say that you can't safely take Alli if you are hypothyroid to help lose weight, but to say that those on thyroid medication should be careful. It is advised that Alli be taken four hours apart from thyroid medication, and that thyroid levels should be monitored to make sure that the medications don't need adjusting.