Everything is still going wonderfully, but that's getting boring.
Went to the gym today for my ritual humiliation. The exercise of the day was announced as:
Front Squat 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Followed by "Everyone do this as Rx'd"
Darnit. Gonna have to do the big one today. Okay. Look up how to do a front squat, grab my keys, head to the gym. Gym was nice and empty. There was a girl on the stairstepper machine, physique similar to mine, and she was going very slowly for the brief moment while I was watching. She was also bright red, and drenched in sweat. I was thrilled - she's obviously pushing hard, not just doing the time. I was remotely proud, and wished her silent luck.
So I suppose I do understand a bit more why awesome-you're-red-and-sweaty guy spoke up last time. Note to self.
So, I head back to the back room and do the warmup. My pushups are ugly as heck, but at least they're full body pushups now, not just the knee-massagers. I'm doing dips between two benches so I can scooch my legs under myself for a bit of support. Hard to notice any progress on these. Everything else was total piece-of-cake.
So on to 'front squats'. I head through to the area that's got lighter dumbells and grab the 30 pounder. Just to see how it goes.
1.2.3.4.5 Okay done. Easy in fact.
Grab the 40 pounder.
1.2.3.4.5 Done. Not as easy. Harder to lift up to the shoulder-chest-rest zone, so I had to shrug and toss it just a bit. AHA. Okay, note to self. Next time I do cleans, try it with some weight - much easier! Also easier to get elbows pointing north with the heavier weight.
Grab the 50 pounder.
1.2.3.4.5. Ooof. Done. Not as easy again, but not feeling like I'm close to my limit.
Grab the 60 pounder.
1.2.3.4.5. Ooof. Oof. Done. Feels like exercise! Also noticing some muscles starting to make themselves known.
Grab the 70 pounder.
Ooopsies. Fumbled the shrugtosscatch. Try again. Fumble again. Needs work.
Grab the 60 pounder.
1.2.3.4.5. Done. Not putting it down. Just wait a second. Harder to catch breath with 60 extra pounds on my chest. Wonder idly if this is easier because of my big boobs. Hm. Okay, two more sets and done.
1.2.3.4.5. Ugh. Almost there. Must be using something in my abs because the front of my stomach hurts now.
1.2.3.4.5. Done. Done done. Back tired now too. Interesting. Now to try and put this thing down gracefully so I don't embarrass myself in front of gnarly guy.
Make notes.
40 50 60 not70 60 60 60
Ummmm...
Oops. Did an extra set.
Note to self regarding ability to count to five reliably. Needs work.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Quickie
Big grin time. I'm not lighter, but I think I'm just the barest smidge thinner. Yay!
Confirmation at lunch today when my friend Joy, who hasn't seen me since spring, said "You seem thinner, and more energetic!"
:)
Confirmation at lunch today when my friend Joy, who hasn't seen me since spring, said "You seem thinner, and more energetic!"
:)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Stomachache
My digestion has not gone awry... it's just that I've just discovered that I can't do 60 situps. Boo. Well, I probably *can* do sixty situps, but not as a part of the workout I did today.
http://forum.brandxmartialarts.com/viewtopic.php?t=3532&sid=b678dbf6207017bc10f16b4ab22ba435
The realdeal workout for gnarly types is:
Warmup
"Michael"
Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups
Dilute this down to Buttercup strength and you get:
Warmup
Three rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
10 Back Extensions
20 Sit-ups
The running is no problem now, I'm a bit slow but I make it.
The back extensions are super easy - apparently I've got a strong back. I get done with my 10 and seriously feel like I've been cheating. Not hard at all.
The sit-ups, well, different story. First 20 went fine. Second 20, not so much. Third 20, much better than second, but still didn't make it to the end. Boo.
While I was in the back room at the gym trying not to embarrass myself doing situps, there was a guy in there who is obviously a competetive bodybuilder. He was huge and brown and muscly and wearing nothing but his knickers. His girlfriend was videoing him and he was practicing for a competition, trying to find the most "interesting" poses. Don't mind me over here in the corner, sweating over situps. *blush*
Speaking of blushing. When I exercise I turn bright red. Always have done. It has nothing to do with how fit (or not) I am at any given time. Simply put, I exercise, I turn red. So I'm doing the running bit of today's workout, I'm actually rather pleased because it went really really well. No funny pains. Only got a sidestitch twice. Ran the whole time at a proper running speed. Yay! Also bright red. Also sweating inelegantly.
As this is happening, I look around the gym. There are quite a few people in, and the people watching here is pretty good. Nobody else is sweating. No one. No one else is red. There's a girl who often works out at the same time I do while I'm running round the gym looking confusedly at the directions I wrote myself at home and muttering to myself (what's tabata again? wait, was that 10 back extensions and 20 situps, or 20 back extensions and 10 situps? darn, that guy took my pulldown machine. ack, gonna puke. phew. didn't puke. whoops, shirt flipped up on the extension machine, good job I'm wearing my brunhilda bra, must remember to wear cute undies - pants creep down butt during squats... you get the idea).
She is a very elegant exerciser. No sweat. No red face. Cute hairdo. Perfect little outfit. No muscles ;) She comes in, does half an hour on the elliptical machine, then leaves. Seems boring to me, but I guess it must work for her.
So, I stagger off the treadmill and start the walk of shame back to the room with Mr. Incredible in it posing for a video camera and this other buff dude looks me up and down and says, very nicely, "Wow! You're red! Did you just go tanning?"
*laughing* "Nope! I'm just really unfit!"
He replies "Well it looks AWESOME!"
*again laughing* "Thanks! This is what happens every time I exercise... charming, eh?"
He replies "Wow... I wish *I* could do that"
Ummmm... okay. Trade ya.
Weird interchange. Nice guy though, next time I saw him he was helping someone use the equipment, so there's a decent chance he's a trainer there.
http://forum.brandxmartialarts.com/viewtopic.php?t=3532&sid=b678dbf6207017bc10f16b4ab22ba435
The realdeal workout for gnarly types is:
Warmup
"Michael"
Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups
Dilute this down to Buttercup strength and you get:
Warmup
Three rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
10 Back Extensions
20 Sit-ups
The running is no problem now, I'm a bit slow but I make it.
The back extensions are super easy - apparently I've got a strong back. I get done with my 10 and seriously feel like I've been cheating. Not hard at all.
The sit-ups, well, different story. First 20 went fine. Second 20, not so much. Third 20, much better than second, but still didn't make it to the end. Boo.
While I was in the back room at the gym trying not to embarrass myself doing situps, there was a guy in there who is obviously a competetive bodybuilder. He was huge and brown and muscly and wearing nothing but his knickers. His girlfriend was videoing him and he was practicing for a competition, trying to find the most "interesting" poses. Don't mind me over here in the corner, sweating over situps. *blush*
Speaking of blushing. When I exercise I turn bright red. Always have done. It has nothing to do with how fit (or not) I am at any given time. Simply put, I exercise, I turn red. So I'm doing the running bit of today's workout, I'm actually rather pleased because it went really really well. No funny pains. Only got a sidestitch twice. Ran the whole time at a proper running speed. Yay! Also bright red. Also sweating inelegantly.
As this is happening, I look around the gym. There are quite a few people in, and the people watching here is pretty good. Nobody else is sweating. No one. No one else is red. There's a girl who often works out at the same time I do while I'm running round the gym looking confusedly at the directions I wrote myself at home and muttering to myself (what's tabata again? wait, was that 10 back extensions and 20 situps, or 20 back extensions and 10 situps? darn, that guy took my pulldown machine. ack, gonna puke. phew. didn't puke. whoops, shirt flipped up on the extension machine, good job I'm wearing my brunhilda bra, must remember to wear cute undies - pants creep down butt during squats... you get the idea).
She is a very elegant exerciser. No sweat. No red face. Cute hairdo. Perfect little outfit. No muscles ;) She comes in, does half an hour on the elliptical machine, then leaves. Seems boring to me, but I guess it must work for her.
So, I stagger off the treadmill and start the walk of shame back to the room with Mr. Incredible in it posing for a video camera and this other buff dude looks me up and down and says, very nicely, "Wow! You're red! Did you just go tanning?"
*laughing* "Nope! I'm just really unfit!"
He replies "Well it looks AWESOME!"
*again laughing* "Thanks! This is what happens every time I exercise... charming, eh?"
He replies "Wow... I wish *I* could do that"
Ummmm... okay. Trade ya.
Weird interchange. Nice guy though, next time I saw him he was helping someone use the equipment, so there's a decent chance he's a trainer there.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Normal
Saw an awesome post on alt.support.thyroid today on the concept of the "normal" range on lab test results.
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.thyroid/browse_thread/thread/a5ee2a2b8f6fe91f?hl=en Poster: kgrhoads at alum dot mit dot edu, Oct 22, 9:28 AM
"When doctors talk "normal" ranges, they seem to be unaware (or have totally forgotten) that the "normal" here is the technical statistical usage, being the Gaussian distribution, a.k.a., "normal" distribution, and has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with "normality" in the common usage sense. A value can be within the Gaussian reference range for the lab and be highly ABnormal. "
"Now, that does not mean that this value is ABnormal. It just means that being within the reference range is NOT PROOF OF NORMALITY in the common meaning for "normality". "
"Personally, I believe the use of "normal" for labs should be abolished, and only "Gaussian" should be used. That way people are not being set up for misinterpretation of the meaning of the lab values. "
Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from my brother: "I'm right, because I proved my point with math."
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.thyroid/browse_thread/thread/a5ee2a2b8f6fe91f?hl=en Poster: kgrhoads at alum dot mit dot edu, Oct 22, 9:28 AM
"When doctors talk "normal" ranges, they seem to be unaware (or have totally forgotten) that the "normal" here is the technical statistical usage, being the Gaussian distribution, a.k.a., "normal" distribution, and has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with "normality" in the common usage sense. A value can be within the Gaussian reference range for the lab and be highly ABnormal. "
"Now, that does not mean that this value is ABnormal. It just means that being within the reference range is NOT PROOF OF NORMALITY in the common meaning for "normality". "
"Personally, I believe the use of "normal" for labs should be abolished, and only "Gaussian" should be used. That way people are not being set up for misinterpretation of the meaning of the lab values. "
Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from my brother: "I'm right, because I proved my point with math."
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Requesting a do-over, please.
Well, things continue to be great. I'm sleeping a bit better, haven't had a nap yet (woohooo!), and am feeling energetic all day. I don't think my metabolism is at full roar yet, I'm having non-hungry days back to back with hungry days.
I would like to request a do-over though. The master's degree would have been *SO* much easier with this level of energy. I honestly do not know how I did it.
Hm.. Thinking about it, I think I do know how I did it. Adrenaline. I kept myself at a high stress level so I could function successfully. The second I relaxed, I'd do nothing but sleep. My uncle called me Rip-Van-Richardson and my husband was very kind about me sleeping away my free time. If I had a day off (rare!) I'd generally sleep until mid morning, drift around the house for a while, then have a five hour nap in the afternoon, then be in bed at a decent hour for the night's sleep. Why didn't I think this was weird? Why didn't I ask questions sooner? Why didn't my doctors ask any questions about this? Every time I went in for some random little thing - headaches, tendinitis (I was swimming 4 to 6 hours a week, and royally bollocking up my joints in the meantime), neck pain, etc. they would *always* ask "Is anything else going on?" I would follow with the usual fat girl litany - I'm overweight, I exercise a lot, I don't eat much sugar or starch, I don't sleep well.
They'd always nod, but never say anything. Perhaps passing judgement - not exercising enough, not eating right, etc. They'd send me to physical therapy where I would be pronounced very strong.
Finally, this last spring, I went to the doctor because I had some brown mottling on my back. Looked a bit like leopard spots. I basically wanted reassurance that this wasn't the creeping death, and found out that it was tinea versicolor, a yeast infection of the skin that turns it brown. Easily fixed, not a problem. Yay! Also not the creeping death, big plus there. She asked the usual "Anything else?" question, I responded with the Fat Girl Litany, and she said "You should get your thyroid checked."
Whuh? Never occurred to me. So, being a grad student, I made an appointment with a new physician and then I Googled it. Holy buckets - I think I'm hypothyroid! I read the encyclopedic sites with lists of symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. I read the anecdote sites with the usual assortment of the highly knowledgable, the frustrated who haven't found the right treatment yet, and the enthusiastic people who *have* found the right treatment who tell the frustrated to try what worked for them. I then found citations for papers in medical journals, and read them. I then read the papers that *they* cited.
Thus armed, I danced off to my appointment, and the doctor gave me a good bollocking for not coming in sooner. She pronounced the thyroid "big" and said I had a compelling list of symptoms. When the blood test came back my TSH was 2.94 - right on the edge of "normal" with the new guidelines. She said, well, you're not hypothyroid so get on the ball with diet and exercise.
I was a bit upset, did some more research, and then found a great little paper. The paper describes patients who are clinically euthyroid, but diagnostically hypothyroid, and remarks that they benefitted from treatment. That's me! I asked for some followup tests - total T4, free T4, T3, thyroid antibodies. Doctor referred me to an endocrinologist.
Endocrinologist tested all this stuff, and found out that I have Hashimoto's Thyroidits. My numbers all came back awesome, except for T4 which was in the very low end of the "normal" range. This is good, it means that my injured thyroid is keeping up pretty well, even if it is pretty huge.
Endo started me on a teeny weeny dose of T4 to see if it would help with my symptoms, and voila, it has.
Thus, I declare myself Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, clinically euthyroid, symptomatically hypothyroid, responding AMAZINGLY to treatment.
In retrospect, I don't think I'll do that Master's degree over again. That was a heck of a lot of work ;) Plus, it now becomes a point of pride. Master's. Hypothyroid. Uphill, both ways, barefoot, in the snow... So began the legend ;)
I would like to request a do-over though. The master's degree would have been *SO* much easier with this level of energy. I honestly do not know how I did it.
Hm.. Thinking about it, I think I do know how I did it. Adrenaline. I kept myself at a high stress level so I could function successfully. The second I relaxed, I'd do nothing but sleep. My uncle called me Rip-Van-Richardson and my husband was very kind about me sleeping away my free time. If I had a day off (rare!) I'd generally sleep until mid morning, drift around the house for a while, then have a five hour nap in the afternoon, then be in bed at a decent hour for the night's sleep. Why didn't I think this was weird? Why didn't I ask questions sooner? Why didn't my doctors ask any questions about this? Every time I went in for some random little thing - headaches, tendinitis (I was swimming 4 to 6 hours a week, and royally bollocking up my joints in the meantime), neck pain, etc. they would *always* ask "Is anything else going on?" I would follow with the usual fat girl litany - I'm overweight, I exercise a lot, I don't eat much sugar or starch, I don't sleep well.
They'd always nod, but never say anything. Perhaps passing judgement - not exercising enough, not eating right, etc. They'd send me to physical therapy where I would be pronounced very strong.
Finally, this last spring, I went to the doctor because I had some brown mottling on my back. Looked a bit like leopard spots. I basically wanted reassurance that this wasn't the creeping death, and found out that it was tinea versicolor, a yeast infection of the skin that turns it brown. Easily fixed, not a problem. Yay! Also not the creeping death, big plus there. She asked the usual "Anything else?" question, I responded with the Fat Girl Litany, and she said "You should get your thyroid checked."
Whuh? Never occurred to me. So, being a grad student, I made an appointment with a new physician and then I Googled it. Holy buckets - I think I'm hypothyroid! I read the encyclopedic sites with lists of symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. I read the anecdote sites with the usual assortment of the highly knowledgable, the frustrated who haven't found the right treatment yet, and the enthusiastic people who *have* found the right treatment who tell the frustrated to try what worked for them. I then found citations for papers in medical journals, and read them. I then read the papers that *they* cited.
Thus armed, I danced off to my appointment, and the doctor gave me a good bollocking for not coming in sooner. She pronounced the thyroid "big" and said I had a compelling list of symptoms. When the blood test came back my TSH was 2.94 - right on the edge of "normal" with the new guidelines. She said, well, you're not hypothyroid so get on the ball with diet and exercise.
I was a bit upset, did some more research, and then found a great little paper. The paper describes patients who are clinically euthyroid, but diagnostically hypothyroid, and remarks that they benefitted from treatment. That's me! I asked for some followup tests - total T4, free T4, T3, thyroid antibodies. Doctor referred me to an endocrinologist.
Endocrinologist tested all this stuff, and found out that I have Hashimoto's Thyroidits. My numbers all came back awesome, except for T4 which was in the very low end of the "normal" range. This is good, it means that my injured thyroid is keeping up pretty well, even if it is pretty huge.
Endo started me on a teeny weeny dose of T4 to see if it would help with my symptoms, and voila, it has.
Thus, I declare myself Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, clinically euthyroid, symptomatically hypothyroid, responding AMAZINGLY to treatment.
In retrospect, I don't think I'll do that Master's degree over again. That was a heck of a lot of work ;) Plus, it now becomes a point of pride. Master's. Hypothyroid. Uphill, both ways, barefoot, in the snow... So began the legend ;)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Presenting... a metabolism! Woo!
Have been taking my daily pill and doing my exercises with a good girl. Weight is actually up just a touch, but my muscles have been stiff and sore, so I'm not too concerned. The big issue of the day is hunger.
Before T4 (shall I be all cute and call it "b4t4"?) - I'd get hungry for dinner. Usually. Not always. I ate lunch because people would get upset with me if I didn't - people terrifying me with cries of "It'll slow down your metabolism!" ditto on breakfast. So, I'm supposed to eat when I'm patently not hungry... okay... So, I took my lumps. quite literally, and ate two to three meals a day. Often wanted the meal - I'm a good cook, but rarely hungry for it.
After T4 supplementation, Today especially - Hungry. Woke up starving. Was very sad that I had to wait an hour to eat (stupid pill, evil clock, slow slow minutes, grr). Went over to friend's house to hang out and actually dug through her fridge for a bit of breakfast. Yum! Then, we took her girls out to the museum, then went out for lunch. Yum! I was hungry for it! Then I came home and promptly was quite hungry for dinner! Yum! Lamb stew! I even had two bowls. And a pear.
In other news, since the medication began I haven't taken an afternoon nap. This is probably the longest I've gone without some kind of nap in about five years. Sugar cravings are almost totally gone. I'm sleeping a bit weirdly - wakeful in the middle of the night and things, but it's not bad.
Exercise has been coming along nicely. In the Brand X Crossfit universe, there are Infidels, Big Dawgs, The Pack, Puppies, and Buttercups. I aspire to being a full buttercup, but since I can't do a proper pullup yet, that will have to wait. As it is, I'm a buttercup in training - it's awesome!
Before T4 (shall I be all cute and call it "b4t4"?) - I'd get hungry for dinner. Usually. Not always. I ate lunch because people would get upset with me if I didn't - people terrifying me with cries of "It'll slow down your metabolism!" ditto on breakfast. So, I'm supposed to eat when I'm patently not hungry... okay... So, I took my lumps. quite literally, and ate two to three meals a day. Often wanted the meal - I'm a good cook, but rarely hungry for it.
After T4 supplementation, Today especially - Hungry. Woke up starving. Was very sad that I had to wait an hour to eat (stupid pill, evil clock, slow slow minutes, grr). Went over to friend's house to hang out and actually dug through her fridge for a bit of breakfast. Yum! Then, we took her girls out to the museum, then went out for lunch. Yum! I was hungry for it! Then I came home and promptly was quite hungry for dinner! Yum! Lamb stew! I even had two bowls. And a pear.
In other news, since the medication began I haven't taken an afternoon nap. This is probably the longest I've gone without some kind of nap in about five years. Sugar cravings are almost totally gone. I'm sleeping a bit weirdly - wakeful in the middle of the night and things, but it's not bad.
Exercise has been coming along nicely. In the Brand X Crossfit universe, there are Infidels, Big Dawgs, The Pack, Puppies, and Buttercups. I aspire to being a full buttercup, but since I can't do a proper pullup yet, that will have to wait. As it is, I'm a buttercup in training - it's awesome!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Let's hope I'm lucky!
From http://www.thyroidmanager.org specifically http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter8/chapter8.html#id2452111 : Massively abridged quotation ... "it is now clear that up to one-fourth of patients who are hypothyroid [due to Hashimoto's] may spontaneously return to normal function over the course of several years."
That's outstanding. There's a 25% chance that this isn't a life sentence. Yay!
This article also discusses the generally accepted theory that there is a genetic component to this disease. Here's a shout-out to my blood-relations: Check your neck! Heck, everyone should.
I was reminded by a comment on an earlier post (Thanks!) of the Check Your Neck campaign. You all have excellent Google-fu so I will not insult your intelligence by posting links that will no doubt cease to work the minute I stop looking at them. The general idea is that you should keep an eye on your neck, and on necks around you, watching for swellings, masses, or changes. Hickies don't count.
When I originally started suspecting that I might have a thyroid problem I found the Check Your Neck site and got the shock of the year. I went to the bathroom, tilted my head back, and swallowed in front of the mirror. My thyroid was huuuuge. Huge in a magnificent manner that made me wonder why I hadn't seen it before. When I'm at the gym running, the lighting makes it look especially nice and large. How on earth could I have missed it? I looked at my Mum's and my husband's necks, and realized that I have a goiter. Charming. Nice to meet ya, Big G.
Check Your Neck. If you see something that worries you, talk to your doctor! If your doctor isn't as worried as you are, check with another doctor!
That's outstanding. There's a 25% chance that this isn't a life sentence. Yay!
This article also discusses the generally accepted theory that there is a genetic component to this disease. Here's a shout-out to my blood-relations: Check your neck! Heck, everyone should.
I was reminded by a comment on an earlier post (Thanks!) of the Check Your Neck campaign. You all have excellent Google-fu so I will not insult your intelligence by posting links that will no doubt cease to work the minute I stop looking at them. The general idea is that you should keep an eye on your neck, and on necks around you, watching for swellings, masses, or changes. Hickies don't count.
When I originally started suspecting that I might have a thyroid problem I found the Check Your Neck site and got the shock of the year. I went to the bathroom, tilted my head back, and swallowed in front of the mirror. My thyroid was huuuuge. Huge in a magnificent manner that made me wonder why I hadn't seen it before. When I'm at the gym running, the lighting makes it look especially nice and large. How on earth could I have missed it? I looked at my Mum's and my husband's necks, and realized that I have a goiter. Charming. Nice to meet ya, Big G.
Check Your Neck. If you see something that worries you, talk to your doctor! If your doctor isn't as worried as you are, check with another doctor!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Whee!
Man, I feel awesome. Still sleeping a whole bunch, but I actually have energy during the day. It's like waking up from a long nap. I'm getting projects done that have been annoying me for years. I'm not bothered by starting something, because I'm pretty sure I'll be finishing it soon. I'm not working on things "because I ought to" or "it really needs doing" or "is due now" or "don't want to piss off so-and-so". I feel like I've finally been let in on a secret and I'm jealous as hell of all the time that has been wasted.
I can't be imagining this - I'm certain it's not psychosomatic.
This of course means that it still could be. I got my way - proved that something is wrong, secured treatment, disproved the naysayers. Ha! This could be the high of achievement... except I didn't even feel this good when I finished my Master's degree.
So, I must do the needful. Meet Big G.
Before Swallowing:
Swallowing:
After Swallowing:
Not quite as visible in real life ;)
Sorry if that grossed you out. Kind of grosses me out too. It was harder than I anticipated to post this.
Cheers!
I can't be imagining this - I'm certain it's not psychosomatic.
This of course means that it still could be. I got my way - proved that something is wrong, secured treatment, disproved the naysayers. Ha! This could be the high of achievement... except I didn't even feel this good when I finished my Master's degree.
So, I must do the needful. Meet Big G.
Before Swallowing:
Swallowing:
After Swallowing:
Not quite as visible in real life ;)
Sorry if that grossed you out. Kind of grosses me out too. It was harder than I anticipated to post this.
Cheers!
Friday, October 12, 2007
So without any further ado..
I'm on meds. Took my first one yesterday, second one today. Levothyroxine, you sweet darling thing you.
I'm due back in for testing in six weeks to see how the ol' blood numbers are shaping up, and in the meantime I take a little peach pill each morning with a huge glass of water (it's a very dry and choky pill, if tiny). It's one of those "don't take with food" ones, but since I'm not a breakfast eater, that's no biggie.
This isn't a problem unless my metabolism increases, then I will sit with the dog and look wistfully at the fridge with droopy eyes until the evil clock has ticked away those precious minutes. Evil clock.
So, the big question is - are the meds helping? From what I can tell, you're not supposed to be able to feel results straight away. The half-life of Thyroxine (the hormone my little pill is replacing) is approximately one week (more if you're hypo, less if you're hyper), so my body shouldn't be saturated with the full dose for a week or so. The six week checkup is supposedly because the body's biochemistry takes that long to react to a change in situation. A bit like turning a barge. Looking at my waistline, an apropros comparison.
However, I think I notice a difference. It could be psychosomatic, it could be my suspected cold that I'm fighting off, but it *could* be the treatment.
1. I'm warmer, sitting here happily in a t-shirt. I don't sit happily in t-shirts even in the summertime.
2. I'm more energetic. I was pootling around today doing all sorts of little householdy things and not being at all draggy about it.
3. I don't think I ate enough today. Well, until the unfortunate Bridgetty pizza-for-dinner-debacle which I choose to blame on husband. Late afternoon I got shaky arms and shaky legs which really felt like the hungry shakies. Appetite hasn't gone up yet, but the metabolism might have.
I think it's crazy to think I'm feeling a result so quickly, but we'll see.
Body temp tonight is 97.9F. I tracked my temp for a while this summer and I was usually running around 97.2F, though I can't pretend that I measured with any sort of useful scientific rigor. Call it an anecdote if you will.
I'm due back in for testing in six weeks to see how the ol' blood numbers are shaping up, and in the meantime I take a little peach pill each morning with a huge glass of water (it's a very dry and choky pill, if tiny). It's one of those "don't take with food" ones, but since I'm not a breakfast eater, that's no biggie.
This isn't a problem unless my metabolism increases, then I will sit with the dog and look wistfully at the fridge with droopy eyes until the evil clock has ticked away those precious minutes. Evil clock.
So, the big question is - are the meds helping? From what I can tell, you're not supposed to be able to feel results straight away. The half-life of Thyroxine (the hormone my little pill is replacing) is approximately one week (more if you're hypo, less if you're hyper), so my body shouldn't be saturated with the full dose for a week or so. The six week checkup is supposedly because the body's biochemistry takes that long to react to a change in situation. A bit like turning a barge. Looking at my waistline, an apropros comparison.
However, I think I notice a difference. It could be psychosomatic, it could be my suspected cold that I'm fighting off, but it *could* be the treatment.
1. I'm warmer, sitting here happily in a t-shirt. I don't sit happily in t-shirts even in the summertime.
2. I'm more energetic. I was pootling around today doing all sorts of little householdy things and not being at all draggy about it.
3. I don't think I ate enough today. Well, until the unfortunate Bridgetty pizza-for-dinner-debacle which I choose to blame on husband. Late afternoon I got shaky arms and shaky legs which really felt like the hungry shakies. Appetite hasn't gone up yet, but the metabolism might have.
I think it's crazy to think I'm feeling a result so quickly, but we'll see.
Body temp tonight is 97.9F. I tracked my temp for a while this summer and I was usually running around 97.2F, though I can't pretend that I measured with any sort of useful scientific rigor. Call it an anecdote if you will.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Hashimoto ftw!
Just got an awesome call from the doctor - we have a verdict! Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Feels sort of official now.
My blood numbers came back in the "normal" range, but right on the edge. I'm borderline hypothyroid, as a result of the Hashimoto's.
She's starting me on 25 mcg thyroxine - very low dose. Will check back in six weeks to see how I'm responding.
I am hoping for the following:
1. At least moderate de-goitering. The thyroxine should make it so the thyroid doesn't have to work so hard, and doesn't have to continue to grow to just barely keep up.
2. Resolution of the symptoms of hypothyroidism that I've got.
Phew...
My blood numbers came back in the "normal" range, but right on the edge. I'm borderline hypothyroid, as a result of the Hashimoto's.
She's starting me on 25 mcg thyroxine - very low dose. Will check back in six weeks to see how I'm responding.
I am hoping for the following:
1. At least moderate de-goitering. The thyroxine should make it so the thyroid doesn't have to work so hard, and doesn't have to continue to grow to just barely keep up.
2. Resolution of the symptoms of hypothyroidism that I've got.
Phew...
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Domo Arigato, Mr. Hashimoto
Awesome site - great information: http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter8/8-frame.htm
When I first saw the ultrasound of Big G I thought it looked like black Swiss cheese. It turns out that emailing this observation to my family may not have been the compassionate and appropriate thing to do. Apparently comparing one's failing organs to cheese tends to make people worry.
I think it's funny, I don't like Swiss cheese: http://www.thyroidimaging.com/scan_cde_hashi5.htm
When I first saw the ultrasound of Big G I thought it looked like black Swiss cheese. It turns out that emailing this observation to my family may not have been the compassionate and appropriate thing to do. Apparently comparing one's failing organs to cheese tends to make people worry.
I think it's funny, I don't like Swiss cheese: http://www.thyroidimaging.com/scan_cde_hashi5.htm
Well heck.
As of Thursday, October 4th "Ultrasound consistent with a diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis". Lovely.
Well the good news is you can all call me Goiter. The bad news is.. well... the goiter.
Goiters, bunions, it seems like I get all the sexy diseases. What's next? Lumbago?
Brother's comment at party during conversation regarding potential super powers each of us might have. "Mutant Superpower : Gaining Weight! Form of... I'll sit on you and eat!"
Later on, MJ (5 years old and precocious) came through and told me, giggling, that I had a big neck. Gasping with hysterics I asked her who asked her to tell me this - she said it was my dad. Hmm... he's in Wisconsin. We're not. Okay, plan b for interrogating a five year old. What do we know? Well, there's a kitchen full of men round the corner. Must have been one of them. Ask "MJ - did the guy who asked you have a hairy face." MJ looks puzzled. Hmmm... "Did he have a blue shirt, or a black shirt?" MJ looks puzzled "I'll go check". Off she toddles, then comes back followed by five grown men with the gigglesnorts.
Black shirt. Brother of mine, you're busted.
So now we wait for the doctor to call me with the numbers from my blood tests. At the last measurement my TSH was 2.94. "Normal" is between .5 and 3.0. Dr says that could be high for *me*, if my normal range is low on that scale. Now we're waiting on Free T3, Free T4, Total T4, Thyroid Antibodies, Renin, and Androstenedione (?). The last two are because Dr also suspects that I have Cushings.
Right now, am basking in the glow of sweet vindication. Why? Here's why...
1. It means I might not be so bad at looking after myself as I had thought. When you are overweight, everyone has an opinion. No matter what you eat it is either too much (high calorie) or too little (slowing down your metabolism) or the wrong stuff (too many carbs, not enough carbs). No matter how much you exercise it's not right; too much cardio, not enough cardio, too much weightlifting, not enough weightlifting, too much intensity, not enough intensity, exercising for too long, not exercising for long enough. Then there are the helpful folks who say, when you want it enough it'll come together, try harder. To them I say here and now, you try it.
2. It means I need not feel guilty for having pushed my Primary Care Physician to get me to a specialist.
3. It means I am not crazy, and I'm not imagining my symptoms.
So the plan... what's the plan?
1. Wait for the call from Dr and figure out what the medical response will be? Goiterectomy? Pills? Waiting?
2. Exercise. http://www.crossfit.com/ or rather http://forum.brandxmartialarts.com/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=74059d7b82f8aa7e7fa9cdcec3157228
Cheers.
Well the good news is you can all call me Goiter. The bad news is.. well... the goiter.
Goiters, bunions, it seems like I get all the sexy diseases. What's next? Lumbago?
Brother's comment at party during conversation regarding potential super powers each of us might have. "Mutant Superpower : Gaining Weight! Form of... I'll sit on you and eat!"
Later on, MJ (5 years old and precocious) came through and told me, giggling, that I had a big neck. Gasping with hysterics I asked her who asked her to tell me this - she said it was my dad. Hmm... he's in Wisconsin. We're not. Okay, plan b for interrogating a five year old. What do we know? Well, there's a kitchen full of men round the corner. Must have been one of them. Ask "MJ - did the guy who asked you have a hairy face." MJ looks puzzled. Hmmm... "Did he have a blue shirt, or a black shirt?" MJ looks puzzled "I'll go check". Off she toddles, then comes back followed by five grown men with the gigglesnorts.
Black shirt. Brother of mine, you're busted.
So now we wait for the doctor to call me with the numbers from my blood tests. At the last measurement my TSH was 2.94. "Normal" is between .5 and 3.0. Dr says that could be high for *me*, if my normal range is low on that scale. Now we're waiting on Free T3, Free T4, Total T4, Thyroid Antibodies, Renin, and Androstenedione (?). The last two are because Dr also suspects that I have Cushings.
Right now, am basking in the glow of sweet vindication. Why? Here's why...
1. It means I might not be so bad at looking after myself as I had thought. When you are overweight, everyone has an opinion. No matter what you eat it is either too much (high calorie) or too little (slowing down your metabolism) or the wrong stuff (too many carbs, not enough carbs). No matter how much you exercise it's not right; too much cardio, not enough cardio, too much weightlifting, not enough weightlifting, too much intensity, not enough intensity, exercising for too long, not exercising for long enough. Then there are the helpful folks who say, when you want it enough it'll come together, try harder. To them I say here and now, you try it.
2. It means I need not feel guilty for having pushed my Primary Care Physician to get me to a specialist.
3. It means I am not crazy, and I'm not imagining my symptoms.
So the plan... what's the plan?
1. Wait for the call from Dr and figure out what the medical response will be? Goiterectomy? Pills? Waiting?
2. Exercise. http://www.crossfit.com/ or rather http://forum.brandxmartialarts.com/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=74059d7b82f8aa7e7fa9cdcec3157228
Cheers.
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