Another installment of my health story

After a doctor visit yesterday, I'm taking a new thyroid med. It's called Tirosint. Anyone heard of it? I hadn't.  From what I have gathered, from my doctor and online, it's simply Synthroid without any binders or fillers. It's a gel capsule.
I was hoping that my blood-work was going to show an issue that would explain the symptoms I've been having, but nothing had changed from a month ago. In fact, the results were all mid range, better than ever. My pulse is really good, my blood pressure perfect. So I explained to my doctor that the lightheadedness, muscle weakness, heart palps, and anxiety were not something I was willing to ignore. He was surprisingly agreeable (I have doctor issues.) and said that treatment for thyroid disease is highly subjective to how well the patient is feeling. HA. this is new for me. Anyways, he said that I have several options and it was up to me to choose based on what made me feel good. The T3 in the Armour Thyroid was likely what was causing me to feel anxious, antsy and have trouble drinking caffeine. And the dr said that my body may not tolerate the Armour even though it is technically doing it's job. So my options:

1. Stay on Armour and tough it out
2. Go back to the generic of Synthroid
3. Try Tirosint
4. And if the Tirosint doesn't do it's job on it own, add Cytomel (T3)

I'm not ready to go back to Synthroid. It feels like giving up on finding a better option. On Synthroid, I slept 10-11 hrs a night to feel rested and still enjoyed afternoon naps occasionally. I don't want to waste my life away sleeping that much. That is the biggest reason I'm trying to find something else to treat my thyroid disease. So we'll see how it goes. 

Keeping my health in balance

For the last week or so I've had some symptoms that I haven't seen in awhile. Every time that's happened, I go through a list in my head:

1. Am I taking all of my medicines? at the right times?
2. Am I drinking enough liquids?
3. Am I overexerting myself without stress dosing with Hydrocortisone?
4. Has anything changed in my schedule, meds, emotional health, surroundings, etc?

I'm so used to guessing at what might be causing issues that it's becoming second nature. Not getting upset and adjusting things has become more and more natural. Most people don't have to be too aware of what's going on in their own bodies, but for people with chronic illnesses that require daily maintenance being aware is so important.

Lately, I've been noticing being lightheaded in the morning, some muscle weakness, an impatient feeling when walking or standing, and low cortisol feelings in the evening. I haven't struggled with being lightheaded for several years. And the impatient feeling when I'm on my feet is just like I used to feel when I would search for a place to sit because I didn't have any stamina after a few moments.

I feel far from an Addison's crisis, but these things tend to make me even more watchful of how I feel. In the next few days I'm going to work really hard to take my meds on-time. I've been skipping my afternoon 5mg dose of Hydrocortisone a lot lately because I forget and to me, that means I don't need it. However... I did make a big change lately in my thyroid meds- from Synthroid to Armour Thyroid, and that might have changed my steroid needs. After being really, really careful for a week, hopefully I'll see a difference. If  I don't it'll show me that I need to get some blood work done.

Sometimes all this back and forth feels depressing. I mean, am I going to be doing this all my life? The answer is probably, yes. "Why can't it ever be easy?" my Addison's friends and I ask each other. Well, I wish  dealing with disease was easier, but it's ok. I'm thankful that I do have medicine to make me feel well, and a support system to help bear the weight when it gets tough. Plus, I've had this weird, awful-but-wonderful, life experience that I can share with others.

It's ok to not be ok

I absolutely love this post on In(Courage). It speaks to where I am emotionally right now. I hope it blesses you too. Here is an excerpt:

Are you looking at that overflowing to do list and feeling bad about yourself?
Are you thinking of the week ahead and wondering how you will handle all of it?
Are you watching the news with your heart breaking and wondering how to take it all in, when your own daily life is so overwhelming already?
Here’s the thing: It’s ok to not be ok.
Right now?
Where you are at is ok.

It might not feel like it, and it might not look like it to the rest of the world, but I can tell you confidently that you are ok. And not because you have anything pulled together.
Let me tell you why.
Because Jesus says you are worthy.

Read the rest of this post here on in(courage)

Free Printable Vintage Posters

Thanks to Honey and Fitz I'm sharing this great website where you can print free vintage posters! Go to freevintageposters.com and you will find a treasure chest of free art. I fell in love with vintage travel posters awhile ago, and I'm loooving that I can print some at home for free.