I Wish I Knew

Two things I wish Louise of now could've told Louise of 5 months ago

1. That I would run 4km two times in one week, no problemo!! I just have to find a route that isn't so hilly to get my 5km run in (my goal).

2. That when I felt chest pains for days one end etc, that I should go to the doctor or ER to get documentation. I was denied disability but they recommended that I appeal (how strange is that?) so that I can be paid for Jan-May which was the time that I felt unable to teach. We will see! They said that based on my symptoms and blood test numbers I should've been fine to teach. Hilarious to me. If teaching meant sitting in a comfy chair or going for a walk and chatting with 3 students who wanted to be there (but not too eager with difficult questions) and came to class completely prepared and the lights were dim and I didn't ever have to run to the office to do any photocopying or do any extracurricular activities, then yes, I could've taught from Jan-May.

25 Minutes

For the first time in 9.5 months I ran 25 minutes straight! Thank you to my beta blockers and my heart monitor.

Woohoo!!!

For the first time in 10 months, my free T4 was in the normal range!!! 19!!! I'm so excited, I knew going into the blood test that it should prob. be normal. I also was able to play an entire football game which I haven't done since last spring I think. I wasn't awesome but I wasn't terrible:) Still falling asleep between 12-1am but I'll take it! Please note that my TSH is still non existent meaning that my thyroid is still super nutty but being controlled by the meds.

Dear Thyroid

Dear Thyroid,

Hello. You've been doing pretty well lately so I won't complain too much. I don't mind that you make me lie awake until 1am each night. I won't complain about how you make my hair fall out and how you make me feel really jittery. I won't complain that my internal thermostat is constantly measuring about 25+ C. What I will complain about is how I CAN'T JUST GO FOR A RUN. Seriously. Enough. Nine months it's been. I take a beta blocker and 45 minutes later I go out for a little jog or football practice. What happens? Heart rate immediately goes up to 200+. On Tuesday, I ran for 15 minutes and just decided to ignore the chest pains. I'm hoping that they were just the regular coronary artery spasms that I get. On Monday, I had to stop doing the drills at football practice and just watch. Exercise is so healthy for me, mentally and physically, and I NEED it. Please, just don't stimulate those adrenaline receptors so much and just let me do my thing. Please. In conclusion, do you know what I'm asking for for Mother's Day? A heart rate monitor. Oh thyroid. Thank you for working so hard but you can slow down a little now...

Love, Louise

Latest Blood Test

My T4 was at 23 pmol/L which is ALMOST in the normal range (you can see the normal range on the side of the blog)!!!

My TSH was still less than 0.01 which is pretty much non existent. Just means that hormones don't need to stimulate my thyroid because my antibodies are STILL stimulating it like crazy.

I'm altering my PTU (antithyroid meds) daily because when I took the dose recommended by my endo I was gaining a pound a day and feeling tired. I sort of take the amount that my body needs each day if that makes sense. I'm getting quite good at gauging where I'm at. Maybe next month I'll be in the normal range!!! Go me!

Feeling pretty good.

Maybe even at 83% normal. Yup, best I've felt in 7 months!

Love, Louise at 83%

Good News, Bad News

I'll start with the good news! My eyes are fine. Yes, some muscle inflammation below my eyes that makes it hard to look up and still the dryness but other than that, they are perfect! I just have to remember to keep lubricating and make sure I blink enough when I"m on the computer:)

Bad news is the ophthalmologist made me feel stupid for being there. He's the one that told me to come back in 3 months after he had seen me last time. He made me feel like my doctor or I had made the appointment because we were concerned about my eyes. He made me feel like I was wasting his time. I do not like that feeling. He is a nice guy, I just felt bad.

So back to the good....I'm feeling good! Dare I say that in the past week I ran 15 minutes straight two times?!! I know, not much, but for me, I got to sweat for the first time in MONTHS. My face was pink and sweaty but my heart rate was normal (I had taken a beta blocker). Yippee for sweating!

Ophthalmologist Trip #2

Tomorrow I'm heading down to the Eye Care Center in Vancouver to get my eyes looked at again. I have to say that my eyes are so good!! The last time they were in bad shape was about a month ago. I still suffer from dryness but as long as I lubricate them every night I'm pretty good! I feel bad `wasting' the doctor's time but he told me to come back.

In other news...I have stopped doubling the dose of anti thyroids. I can tell where my body is at and it was slowing it down to much (hence tiredness and weight gain). I should go for another blood test (just impossible taking Koen now as he is a wild one!) to confirm that I'm doing pretty well.

So ya, feeling pretty good!