This has been a very eventful week regarding my health.
HYPOTHYROIDISM
The tempest began with a visit to my favorite endocrinologist who told me my thyroid has more or less failed and therefore prescribed a daily dose of thyroid hormone to take orally every morning. We guessed on the dosage, she said she could start me super low (.25) but was pretty sure I'd eventually need more (.5 or .75). I told her she might as well give me the bigger dose already (bigger relatively, some people take up to 3mg I think) and so I've started on .5mg of Levothyroxine every morning. As she suspected taking this pill had pretty visible affects in my energy and mood. I found myself able to survive a whole day of rehearsals and shows without the usual moodiness, at least for the first day or two. By the third day, however, I found myself feeling a bit dodgy again. I'd find myself getting lightheaded whenever I stood up too fast, my muscles felt achy just from climbing stairs, I felt weak and then late at night I started feeling very nauseous, which is a sign of...
ADDISON'S DISEASE
My endocrinologist warned me that taking the thyroid pill, though necessary, may speed up the progression of the Addison's disease which has been present in each of the blood tests I've done over the last several months. Up until now, however, my adrenal function has remained fairly normal considering the insane amount of antibodies present in my blood. But inexplicable nausea (especially considering my blood sugar was fine) was a big red flag for me. She said if I experienced any such symptoms to immediately take an oral hydrocortisone pill. I did, and almost immediately my nausea went away and my energy returned in force (along with an abundantly good mood I left somewhere in last September).
What does this have to do with veganism???
Well, to quote wikipedia:
Cholesterol comes from animal products. My adrenal gland isn't dead, it's just not working very well, and I'm not helping it by starving it to death.
"You need to start eating meat again."
"Okay."
So my 40 or so days of veganism has come to an end. I've had fish thrice, yogurt twice, and a half a chicken since the appointment (the chicken made me a bit ill). I won't forget what I learned though... although I may save it for another post.
The past few days:
April 10, 2012 - First day of Thyroid pills
9:30 -> 142 Way to f***ing high! Took 2P and 2N w/cereal 140c, chips 10c, banana 27c. Took thyroid pill at 1:00. At 3:00 had Larabar 26c.
4:34 -> 108 Had apple then went on 2 mile run (knee hurt) then took 4P w/ CHIPOTLE burrito bowl 110c.
6:54 -> 112 This is good! It means the Prandin is still doing something despite my C-Peptite being at an all time low of .48 during my most recent blood test. At 8:30 had grapefruit 25c and peanuts 5c.
10:55 -> 66 Took 1P and 2N w/greens 18c, squash 30c, salad 30c, yams 90c and Juice 24c.
3:42 -> 186 Poor planning of my meal, I drank the juice because I felt low because the yams hadn't finished cooking yet. Took 5L.
April 11, 2012
11:06 -> 100 Better. Took 2P and 1N w/cereal 140c, pb toast 19c.
4:52 -> 63 Took 4P w/ Black Eyed Peas and kale 180c, then apple 18c, kiwi 10c, pumpkin seeds and peanuts 8c. At 9:30 had apple 18c.
12:25 -> 63 Took 3N w/salad 30c, squash 40c, yams 60c, carrots 30c, potato 40c and just about exploded from a stupid amount of starchy foods.
4:00 -> 140 Took 5L.
April 12, 2012 - First day of Hydrocortizone
10:37 -> 95 Took 2P and 1N w/cereal 140c, apple 18c. At 2:30 had Larabar 331c and grapefruit 24c.
5:17 -> 70 Took 3P w/brussels sprouts 18c, rice 40c, fish, apple 18c, peanuts and pumpkin seeds 10c, apple 18c and kiwi 20c.
12:15 -> 89 Feel weak and nauseous, took a hydrocortizone and 2N w/dumplings 100c, b sprouts 25c and salad 20c.
5:45 -> 102 (don't judge me) Took 5L w/carrot 8c.
April 13, 2012
12:35 -> 98 Good, consistent. One more # like this and I'll go up to 6L at night. Took 2P w/cereal 130c, then apple 18c then kiwi 10c.
4:55 -> 72 Took 1P w/PUR-BIRD 1/2 chicken 5c and roasted cauliflower 15c, pb and banana 58c and two homemade gluten free bacon bourbon chocolate chip cookies 37c.
12:25 -> 89 Took 1P and 1N w/ indian veg 20c, quinoa 60c and kale 6c.
2:25 -> 114 Pretty dang good, had a carrot 8c and took 5L.
Day 115
HYPOTHYROIDISM
The tempest began with a visit to my favorite endocrinologist who told me my thyroid has more or less failed and therefore prescribed a daily dose of thyroid hormone to take orally every morning. We guessed on the dosage, she said she could start me super low (.25) but was pretty sure I'd eventually need more (.5 or .75). I told her she might as well give me the bigger dose already (bigger relatively, some people take up to 3mg I think) and so I've started on .5mg of Levothyroxine every morning. As she suspected taking this pill had pretty visible affects in my energy and mood. I found myself able to survive a whole day of rehearsals and shows without the usual moodiness, at least for the first day or two. By the third day, however, I found myself feeling a bit dodgy again. I'd find myself getting lightheaded whenever I stood up too fast, my muscles felt achy just from climbing stairs, I felt weak and then late at night I started feeling very nauseous, which is a sign of...
ADDISON'S DISEASE
My endocrinologist warned me that taking the thyroid pill, though necessary, may speed up the progression of the Addison's disease which has been present in each of the blood tests I've done over the last several months. Up until now, however, my adrenal function has remained fairly normal considering the insane amount of antibodies present in my blood. But inexplicable nausea (especially considering my blood sugar was fine) was a big red flag for me. She said if I experienced any such symptoms to immediately take an oral hydrocortisone pill. I did, and almost immediately my nausea went away and my energy returned in force (along with an abundantly good mood I left somewhere in last September).
(did you know that when you have both Hashimoto Thyroiditis and Addison's disease it's called Schmidt syndrome?)
What does this have to do with veganism???
Well, to quote wikipedia:
"To form cortisol, the adrenal gland requires cholesterol."
Cholesterol comes from animal products. My adrenal gland isn't dead, it's just not working very well, and I'm not helping it by starving it to death.
"You need to start eating meat again."
"Okay."
So my 40 or so days of veganism has come to an end. I've had fish thrice, yogurt twice, and a half a chicken since the appointment (the chicken made me a bit ill). I won't forget what I learned though... although I may save it for another post.
The past few days:
April 10, 2012 - First day of Thyroid pills
9:30 -> 142 Way to f***ing high! Took 2P and 2N w/cereal 140c, chips 10c, banana 27c. Took thyroid pill at 1:00. At 3:00 had Larabar 26c.
4:34 -> 108 Had apple then went on 2 mile run (knee hurt) then took 4P w/ CHIPOTLE burrito bowl 110c.
6:54 -> 112 This is good! It means the Prandin is still doing something despite my C-Peptite being at an all time low of .48 during my most recent blood test. At 8:30 had grapefruit 25c and peanuts 5c.
10:55 -> 66 Took 1P and 2N w/greens 18c, squash 30c, salad 30c, yams 90c and Juice 24c.
3:42 -> 186 Poor planning of my meal, I drank the juice because I felt low because the yams hadn't finished cooking yet. Took 5L.
April 11, 2012
11:06 -> 100 Better. Took 2P and 1N w/cereal 140c, pb toast 19c.
4:52 -> 63 Took 4P w/ Black Eyed Peas and kale 180c, then apple 18c, kiwi 10c, pumpkin seeds and peanuts 8c. At 9:30 had apple 18c.
12:25 -> 63 Took 3N w/salad 30c, squash 40c, yams 60c, carrots 30c, potato 40c and just about exploded from a stupid amount of starchy foods.
4:00 -> 140 Took 5L.
April 12, 2012 - First day of Hydrocortizone
10:37 -> 95 Took 2P and 1N w/cereal 140c, apple 18c. At 2:30 had Larabar 331c and grapefruit 24c.
5:17 -> 70 Took 3P w/brussels sprouts 18c, rice 40c, fish, apple 18c, peanuts and pumpkin seeds 10c, apple 18c and kiwi 20c.
12:15 -> 89 Feel weak and nauseous, took a hydrocortizone and 2N w/dumplings 100c, b sprouts 25c and salad 20c.
5:45 -> 102 (don't judge me) Took 5L w/carrot 8c.
April 13, 2012
12:35 -> 98 Good, consistent. One more # like this and I'll go up to 6L at night. Took 2P w/cereal 130c, then apple 18c then kiwi 10c.
4:55 -> 72 Took 1P w/PUR-BIRD 1/2 chicken 5c and roasted cauliflower 15c, pb and banana 58c and two homemade gluten free bacon bourbon chocolate chip cookies 37c.
12:25 -> 89 Took 1P and 1N w/ indian veg 20c, quinoa 60c and kale 6c.
2:25 -> 114 Pretty dang good, had a carrot 8c and took 5L.
Day 115
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