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6937. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 12:14:19 AM My mother has it as well, and my dad's doesn't work any more at all, so it's not all that surprising, though I wasn't thinking about it being a possibility.
And I'm typing this on my WildBlue internet using my new router.
When I get my meds, I should become as zippy as my computer. They have to do more bloodwork first. 6938. judithathome - 4/13/2007 12:17:41 AM Low sodium V8 tastes as briny as seawater to me.
Well, fresh tomatoes taste salty to me...do you think it's better to get 880mgs in the regulare V8 or to get 80mgs in the low salt V8? And I know you abhor juices but sometimes, people want the juice and I'd rather have the low salt V8 than the regular.
I'd be willing to put my numbers with regard to cholesterol, HDL, LDL, blood sugar, and my blood pressure up against yours anyday...and I will be 64 next month.
6939. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 3:57:45 AM I meant to mention that I also started my allergy shots back today. Now I get two (divided dose according to the allergy), one in each arm, and it's MUCH better. No more sore punk-knots and bruises. At least not until they start going up on the dosage. Between that and treating the thyroid issue, I'm hoping to feel LOTS better by the time I finish school at the end of June. I was on allergy shots for a year, and though they take a long time to work, they made my sinuses better than they've been since I moved to AR when I was 12. Now they're pretty much back like they were before I started the shots, which were the worst they'd been since I'd moved here. I also brought an air purifier to work and put one in my bedroom along with my dehumidifier, and that's helped a whole lot more than I thought it would.
If anyone has any personal knowledge or experience with hypothyroidism, I'm very interested. The rest of what I've been doing, especially diet-wise, is going well. I also understand why I could hardly do anything the first exercise day, though after my surgery (just two years ago today, which I wouldn't remember, but Mazie was born the day I had my hysterectomy) once I was able I could fairly easily do 30 minutes of exercise with the Basic Training tapes. And I did lose a pound. My doctor--who's great--said go ahead and exercise and change my diet, but I won't feel very good until I get the right dosage of meds. Bottom line, I'm going to keep plugging on the program without expecting to up my exercise until I get my thyroid under control, and look forward to feeling better than I have in years. The hysterectomy began that, the allergy shots continued it, and this will top it all off. I'm glad to finally know what's been causing me to not want to move for the last year or so, at least. I've always been something of a slug, but this past year has been very noticeably different, which I attributed to too heavy a school/work load.
Thoughtful, I know you have Graves disease, which causes the opposite (right?) wrt thyroid. Any other issues with that or ways of dealing with it? 6940. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 4:00:09 AM I meant I did lose a pound this week, not two years ago. Then I lost around 10 with surgery alone, and now I'm back to that pre-surgery weight (and look). 6941. betty - 4/13/2007 4:03:36 AM I have a friend who developed hypothyroid in her late 30's. Once it got treated things got better for her. This is probably good news. best with this. 6942. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 4:10:49 AM That's what my doctor said. Did I mention she's great?
You weren't posting when I posted here that my doctor, whom I'd gone to off and on since we moved to AR when I was 12, died suddenly of a heart attack at age 75 early this fall. This woman, a former math student of my husband's, was scheduled to work with him, and now she's the only doctor in the office. My doctor was fantastic, old-school, and knew me and all my fears and idiosyncracies so well. He agreed to deliver my daughter long after he'd quit delivering babies. I went into panic mode when he died, because I was under huge stress from graduate school and a full load at work, among other things. Now Mose and virtually all of Bob's family who lives here--including his mother, whose previous doctor sucked--goes to her. 6943. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 4:12:42 AM Not to sound like a selfish clod, I cried when he died, too. Still do when I think about it. The first time I called for an appointment, several weeks later, I choked up on the phone, but so did his receptionist. 6944. concerned - 4/13/2007 5:57:18 AM I just took my first pill to control hypertension today (20mg lisinopril). In the doctor's office before it was prescribed, I measured 180/112. Several hours after I took it and ran 3 1/2 miles, I measured myself at 122/63. One pill, seven hours. 6945. clydefo - 4/13/2007 7:05:38 AM judithathome, I'm too smart to bet my fitness numbers against a swimmer. Average BP this evening, 117 / 70. Resting heart rate high 40's to low 50's. No cholesterol test in several years but last time the Doctor said it was just fine. 65 years old this Fall.
A few times a month I might mix a small glass of soda water/concord grape juice, or OJ, 50/50, to drink with a sandwich or salad, very rarely by itself. I would enjoy unsalted V8. Except for small amounts when cooking cornbread and beans, I avoid salt. I like the lighter stride and the leaner look now that I have acquired it in the past year.
thoughtful, I still have a shelf full of supplements but I've stopped buying them. I occasionally pop a D or folic acid or calcium tab on impulse "just in case", but also out of superstition. No more E and I've never taken A. I'm convinced they are needed only by people with diagnosed deficiencies.
With the daily exercise, low-fat blood and carrying 30 fewer pounds of fat and water I've never felt better and more energetic. I quit the beer and don't miss it. Insomnia totally gone.
My diet a year ago was similar to that in 6931, just a little too much of it. 6946. Ulgine Barrows - 4/13/2007 8:46:52 AM I am really liking the Isagenix grape flavor energy drink.
Tried a few brands... does anybody want to buy my leftover Advocare Spark?
Feeling fat & ugly, I dragged my sorry ass to the gym today. The steam room at the end of it all, felt great. 6947. Ulgine Barrows - 4/13/2007 9:02:07 AM ooopsie....6945. clydefo.........'too smart to bet my fitness numbers against a swimmer'
Almost forgot why I wanted to post here.
We made the kid take swimming Tues/Thurs because he was getting the man titties, at twelve. Ick, icky poo. That was back in January.
Well, that is all behind us. Tuesday there was bad weather and the 6th graders had to stay inside for recess. The boys did arm wrestling, and MY SON WON! Hee hee, they were chanting his name so loud the teacher made them all stop.
Also he has an uncle that was on a wrestling team who gave him tips on arm wrestling, but still....he is learning the benefits of regular exercise.
And yeah, I know it, too.
Just been lazy lately, but summertime pool time is approaching.
My son delights in lifting me up, now. He is almost taller than me. He looks so grown up, but he is only 12. Eight hairs on his chin - he was in a charitable mood when he let me count them.
We had a nap together with the cat a few days ago on the floor, these sort of days are numbered. I treasure them. 6948. Ulgine Barrows - 4/13/2007 9:20:55 AM I highly recommend a siesta/nap as part of any health routine.
6949. thoughtful - 4/13/2007 2:35:08 PM clydefo,
There's been lots of new stuff on the benefits of vit d and the difficulty in getting adequate amounts, though if you drink as much milk with supplements, you're probably ok.
If you're feeling well, that's good. My only suggestion would be to do a fasting cholesterol/blood sugar check. Those are important numbers to watch, especially annually at your age. Probably should get a regular blood test at the same time where they can check liver, kidney function, white blood and red blood cells and signs of inflammation. Throwing in a psa couldn't hurt.
6950. wonkers2 - 4/13/2007 2:39:40 PM The Cap'n sez, "Ulgine's right about the nap, and try to have sex at least once a day." 6951. thoughtful - 4/13/2007 2:52:10 PM arky, so sorry you've joined the ranks of the thyroid patients, but so glad you found it and can now fix it. The important thing to understand about the thyroid is that it is the body clock. It controls the speed of everything in the body. It affects every body system from hair growth to digestion to reproduction to heart rate. When you are hypothyroid, you are prone to gaining weight, feeling sluggish with low energy levels. You can have slow pulse, low blood pressure and high cholesterol. You can have dry hair and even significant hair loss. You can have edema. Post hysterectomy it won't matter, but if you were still menstruating, it can cause your periods to be frequent, long and heavy.
The important blood tests to get are the Free T3, Free T4 and the TSH. The TSH is the thyroid stimulating hormone which will tell you how much thyroid hormone your body is requesting. The T3 and T4 are the key thyroid hormones at work in your body. The reason why you want the 'free' test is that it measure how much is available for your body to actually use. These tests are key indicators for how you feel. Many people find it useful to keep a diary of sorts on how they feel when they get their blood tested so they learn their personal set points...what t levels make them feel their best. You also want to keep a record of the actual numbers and reference ranges of your blood work. Never accept the answer "your results are normal". Normal for a very wide reference range may not be normal for you. You should learn the symptoms of hyperthyroid too as, if you are oversupplemented, you will become hyperthyroid: tremors, rapid heart rate and palpitations, high blood pressure, nervousness, sleeplessness, and so on.
Be aware that the synthetic thyroid supplements only supplement the T4. It is believed that the body is able to make the other thyroid hormones out of this in sufficient quantities. Some have found that they do better on something like armour thyroid which is made from pigs and is a supplement for the T3 and T4.
There's a book by Dr. Rueben called 'thyroid for dummies' that is supposed to be very good. I would recommend the mediboard that I belong to, but unfortunately they are switching servers and have been out of commission for awhile now. If they get up and running again, I'll let you know. It's mostly of people who were hyperthyroid. But people who are hyper and have received radiation will be forced into being permanently hypothyroid so they are very familiar with supplementation and blood testing.
Like any chronic illness, the more you know and the closer you monitor your situation, the better outcome you will have.
The other place i'd suggest is to do a search on mary shomon. She runs a newsletter and has a website with lots of info the latest thinking on thyroid issues and she does a lot with weight loss when you're hypo and so on. You might find that helpful as well. 6952. thoughtful - 4/13/2007 2:52:54 PM ulgine (you finally posted something I can understand!) I agree wholeheartedly with the importance of sleep and napping. 6953. thoughtful - 4/13/2007 4:33:11 PM conc'd, so glad you found out about your bp and are treating it. High bp does a lot of damage and can't be caught and treated soon enough. 6954. thoughtful - 4/13/2007 8:01:39 PM Saw this:
A recent report linked high blood sugar levels with cancer in women. This highlighted again the problem of high blood sugar levels, even below the level found in diabetes, as they also increase peoplešs chances of getting heart disease and full-blown diabetes.
But how do we go about making sure we maintain healthy blood sugar levels?
Professor Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific Advisor for World Cancer Research Fund, gives his top five tips:
1. The most important thing is not to become overweight. If you are overweight, then you should lose weight. This can be done through having a general healthy diet and be regularly physically active.
2. Always go for the wholegrain option. Replace white rice with brown rice, and make sure your pasta is whole wheat.
3. Cut down or completely stop having sugary snacks like sugary fizzy drinks and cakes. Temptation can be hard to resist, but cutting these out of your diet is a great step towards maintaining healthy sugar levels.
4. Make sure you get as many vegetables into your diet as you can. Itšs particularly easy to get your vegetable quota by chopping vegetables up and putting them into sauces.
5. Be as physically active as possible - it doesn't have to be exercise at the gym, but even walking instead of driving, or taking the stairs instead of the lift, can really help."
6955. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 10:21:13 PM Thanks for all the info, Thoughtful! I'm very glad to get diagnosed rather than be frustrated that I'm trying to diet and exercise and nothing seems to be working, which is where I'd be a month from now if I hadn't gone in for a physical. Thyroid wouldn't have been on my radar. I will be very meticulous about medicine adjustment, because I have too much to do in the next month or so to feel too crappy either direction. I just hope I can get it adjusted fairly quickly.
My dr has ordered several other blood tests, and I will probably get the results on Monday. She will start my meds from there. Like I said, both my parents have thyroid problems--my mother's due to Lupus was hypo- at one time, and my dad's, once hyper-, doesn't work at all now. 6956. arkymalarky - 4/13/2007 10:22:28 PM I have a feeling I was getting a problem with my thyroid which led to me needing the hysterectomy in the first place.
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