Woo hoo! I went to the endocrinologist today and all of my blood test results look good! I will still need check-ups every 6 weeks until it is stable. I am going to make some adjustments though.. My levels *are* good, but the doc seems to think I shouldn't need to be on the doses I am on, considering my height,weight, etc.
There has been this nagging feeling in my head that I may be gluten intolerant. Remember the whole 2 month period before my surgery when I didn't eat gluten? Well, I noticed my skin got better (no bumps) and I felt better. I have been paying close attention to how I feel when eating gluten (since surgery I went back to eating gluten). The bumps are back and my tummy is always making very loud rumbly noises.
My endo is pretty amazing and is very much a believer in trusting your gut (even if there is no test that has proven my gut feeling). I have told him since the beginning that I think I may be gluten intolerant - he never said "you are crazy" - he has been supportive. He approved a blood test for celiac last month (that came back negative), but agrees that blood tests don't always prove celiac/gluten intolerance. We agreed that (after the 1/2 marathon) I will go gluten-free (March 18th) and see how my blood tests change/stay the same. If I miraculously start absorbing more synthroid, iron, vitamin d - then it will be clear that I have a gluten intolerance. If everything remains the same, maybe it was all in my head.
Either way - I FEEL good and am curious to see how the gluten-free elimination "test" goes...
My Mom always said, you have to trust your gut...
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I love this advice
I heard this song from the 90's for the first time on the radio today "Everybody's Free (to wear sunscreen)". It was written by Mary Schmich. I just love this advice.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…
what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either –
your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…"
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine.
Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…
what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either –
your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…"
Pendulum Swing
Update:
It has been 7 months since my surgery. Still feeling good (which is important), but my thryoid levels have had a pendulum swing. I am currently hypothyroid trying to sort out the right synthroid levels.
I am off the calcium supplements and my levels are good. I have to take iron supplements and D3 (I think because this is winter time and I always get low iron in the winter)
From month 3-6 after surgery, I lost ALOT of hair. The endo was 99% sure this is from a combination of stress and hypothyroidism. It stopped exactly 6 months after surgery (which is exactly what my hair did post-pregnancy) - this tends to be common with stress, so doc was not concerned and my hair is back to normal (just growing in a little funny).
I am going to the Dr. monthly until my thyroid levels are back to normal. I am currently on 137mcg (started at 100, went up to 125, now at 137). There is a slight concern I have a gluten intolerance which is stopping me from absorbing the right amount of synthroid...but no panic yet :)
I still feel 100% better than being hyperthyroid...If it weren't for the bloodwork, I would think I was back to normal.
Oh - and my scar has faded so much - I don't think people notice it at all. I had an awesome surgeon!!
Overall - even though there is some sh*t to deal with, I really feel I made the right decision. A thyroidectomy might not be for everyone, but it was the best choice for me...
On a side note - I decided to train for a half marathon - I am on month 2 and feeling great (even ran 10miles yesterday!). This just goes to show how quickly the body can bounce back!
It has been 7 months since my surgery. Still feeling good (which is important), but my thryoid levels have had a pendulum swing. I am currently hypothyroid trying to sort out the right synthroid levels.
I am off the calcium supplements and my levels are good. I have to take iron supplements and D3 (I think because this is winter time and I always get low iron in the winter)
From month 3-6 after surgery, I lost ALOT of hair. The endo was 99% sure this is from a combination of stress and hypothyroidism. It stopped exactly 6 months after surgery (which is exactly what my hair did post-pregnancy) - this tends to be common with stress, so doc was not concerned and my hair is back to normal (just growing in a little funny).
I am going to the Dr. monthly until my thyroid levels are back to normal. I am currently on 137mcg (started at 100, went up to 125, now at 137). There is a slight concern I have a gluten intolerance which is stopping me from absorbing the right amount of synthroid...but no panic yet :)
I still feel 100% better than being hyperthyroid...If it weren't for the bloodwork, I would think I was back to normal.
Oh - and my scar has faded so much - I don't think people notice it at all. I had an awesome surgeon!!
Overall - even though there is some sh*t to deal with, I really feel I made the right decision. A thyroidectomy might not be for everyone, but it was the best choice for me...
On a side note - I decided to train for a half marathon - I am on month 2 and feeling great (even ran 10miles yesterday!). This just goes to show how quickly the body can bounce back!
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