My doc requested one more test during my last visit. She (and my HMO PC) had previously requested that I take a bone density scan. I didn't want a test to tell me what I already knew ... that I lost bone (actually height) during those years my PCP and many other misdiagnosed my celiac symptoms as IBS and/or an eating disorder. My naturopath believed I might still be losing bone, because I was past menopause and never took any hormone replacement. I told her I consume calcium rich foods, take daily vitamin D and magnesium, do weight bearing exercise and lift weights daily. So I'm doing everything I can to keep my bones strong, short of taking HRT. My ND told me I could take the N-Teleopeptite test, which would indicate whether I'm losing excessive calcium or bone ingredients through my urine. I thought that was much easier than subjecting myself to unnecessary radiation (via bone density scan). So I agreed, order the test from my HMO lab and did the test.
Amazingly (to my ND) my results were mid normal range, which says I'm not excreting bone. Whatever I'm doing seems to be working. I believe the eating gluten (which blocked calcium absorption) and having low stomach acid prevented calcium, magnesium and vitamin D absorption. Once I resolved all that (stopped eating gluten and starting taking betaine HCl), I stopped whatever bone loss I experienced during my years of undiagnosed celiac disease.
Anyway, I'm glad my results were normal. I hope that my ND won't need any more tests to show I don't need HRT. If my HMO PCP pesters me again about getting a bone scan, I'll refer her to my N-Teleopeptide test results, which are in my HMO medical file.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Eating Disorder or Gastrointestinal Disorder
I just posted a comment on a blog in response to a 'guest post' by an eating disorder specialist. She recognized that food allergies may play a role in eating disorders, but she focussed on the emotional consequences of those food allergies, which she presumed cause the emotional/mental eating disorder. Nowhere did she consider that PAIN, DISCOMFORT or INDIGESTION could influence 'eating disorder' habits. Of course most ED specialists say that those symptoms are caused by ED habits. I think the causes of gastro symptoms PRECEDED ED habit, that ED habits are a solution, albeit ineffective solution, to gastrointestinal problems which cause those symptoms. Here's what I said in my comment:
Like "IBS" terms like anorexia, bulimia, etc. are just labels for sets of symptoms. Like "IBS" those labels do nothing to explain cause or suggest effective treatment. Like "IBS" those terms allow medical 'experts' who can't explain the cause of anorexia, bulimia, etc. to suggest that those are 'mental/emotional' diseases. Like "IBS" that 'mental/emotional' explanation does nothing to treat physical causes of those symptoms.
When I had 'eating disorder' symptoms, I talked to my traditional physician, who suggested I see a therapist. So I told my therapist that eating caused me pain and bloating, that vomiting relieved the pain and constant reflux after meals, and that I never felt physically satisfied no matter how much I ate, although I felt painfully full after eating even small amounts. That therapist told me to talk to my doctor. My doctor gave me the 'IBS' label. My therapist gave me the "anorexia/bulimia" label. Neither of those labels explained the causes of my symptoms or suggested an effective treatment.
26 years later I learned I had celiac disease and 6 other delayed reaction food allergies. Eating any of those allergens caused me cramping pain, bloating and nausea.
Abstaining from the allergens didn't eliminate the overly full feeling after eating small amounts or resolve the reflux. After more tests I learned that I had hypochloridia and needed supplemental betaine hydrochloride to digest normally (as well as absorb nutrients). Taking those supplements with meals allowed me to feel satisfied (rather than painfully full, but dissatisfied) after meals. My bloating also completely disapppeared. I was the same size before and after eating.
Finally I learned that my symptoms of fatigue and low core body temperature (as well as irregularity) were caused by autoimmune Hashimoto's hypothyroidism NOT low body weight (or anorexia as I had been previously told).
Today I weigh about the same as I weighed in my 20s when I was told I had anorexia. I eat anything I want EXCEPT my food allergens, and feel satisfied but not painfully full after eating. I'm warm, energetic and 'regular'.
I also wonder how many others who were given the 'eating disorder' really have gastrointestinal disorders, like celiac disease or food allergies, or even hypochloridia or hypothyroidism. I wonder how many therapists even consider physical causes for symptoms included in the eating disorders label.
Like "IBS" terms like anorexia, bulimia, etc. are just labels for sets of symptoms. Like "IBS" those labels do nothing to explain cause or suggest effective treatment. Like "IBS" those terms allow medical 'experts' who can't explain the cause of anorexia, bulimia, etc. to suggest that those are 'mental/emotional' diseases. Like "IBS" that 'mental/emotional' explanation does nothing to treat physical causes of those symptoms.
When I had 'eating disorder' symptoms, I talked to my traditional physician, who suggested I see a therapist. So I told my therapist that eating caused me pain and bloating, that vomiting relieved the pain and constant reflux after meals, and that I never felt physically satisfied no matter how much I ate, although I felt painfully full after eating even small amounts. That therapist told me to talk to my doctor. My doctor gave me the 'IBS' label. My therapist gave me the "anorexia/bulimia" label. Neither of those labels explained the causes of my symptoms or suggested an effective treatment.
26 years later I learned I had celiac disease and 6 other delayed reaction food allergies. Eating any of those allergens caused me cramping pain, bloating and nausea.
Abstaining from the allergens didn't eliminate the overly full feeling after eating small amounts or resolve the reflux. After more tests I learned that I had hypochloridia and needed supplemental betaine hydrochloride to digest normally (as well as absorb nutrients). Taking those supplements with meals allowed me to feel satisfied (rather than painfully full, but dissatisfied) after meals. My bloating also completely disapppeared. I was the same size before and after eating.
Finally I learned that my symptoms of fatigue and low core body temperature (as well as irregularity) were caused by autoimmune Hashimoto's hypothyroidism NOT low body weight (or anorexia as I had been previously told).
Today I weigh about the same as I weighed in my 20s when I was told I had anorexia. I eat anything I want EXCEPT my food allergens, and feel satisfied but not painfully full after eating. I'm warm, energetic and 'regular'.
I also wonder how many others who were given the 'eating disorder' really have gastrointestinal disorders, like celiac disease or food allergies, or even hypochloridia or hypothyroidism. I wonder how many therapists even consider physical causes for symptoms included in the eating disorders label.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Soyed By Labelling Error
A week ago I bought a deli item at my local, organic grocery coop. I've eaten their other deli items,which were labeled free of my allergies, and never had reactions. However a week ago, I saw an item which was originally free of soy (tamari or gluten free soy sauce). However, the deli began adding tamari to their recipe and correctly labeled that ingredient on their ingredients card. So I didn't eat it as long as I saw soy on the label. Nevertheless, during my last visit I saw that item with ingredients free of soy. I read the label twice and asked my husband to verify that he didn't see soy either. Then I asked the deli counter person if the label was correct and she said it was. So I bought a pound of the vegan rice casserole and mixed it with a few other vegies and sunflower seeds for 2 meals' worth.
As I ate some that night, I felt the need to recheck the label on the carton. To my horror, soy (tamari) was plainly listed in the 2nd line of the ingredients. I was absolutely certain that the deli case label had omitted the soy ingredient. So I called the deli department of that deli. The person who answered the phone said the they always use tamari in that recipe. Then I asked why that ingredient wasn't included in the deli counter label. The person in the deli department checked the counter label and sure enough that sign had omitted tamari (soy). Of course I learned all that AFTER I had eaten about 1/3-1/2 cup of the soy laced casserole.
Next I talked to the manager who told me to come in the next day so that they could refund my money. She also wanted to offer me a gift certificate to compensate me for the pain and suffering I would endure, because I'm very allergic to soy. I was so angry at the point that I asked her if chewing and swallowing the gift certificate was supposed to relieve my pain. GRRRRR!!! My husband later told me that the gift certificate was all they could offer me. I told him that made THEM feel better, but not me. What I needed was a guarantee that their labels would always be accurate. Instead I decided that I will never again buy food from their deli department.
One week later I'm still suffering soy reaction symptoms. For the first few days I had more and more cramping intestinal pain and bloating. By the 5th day I had loose stools which turned into outright diarrhea for the past 2 days preceded by excruciating gut cramps and bloating each night. This was my first soy consumption incident in about 5 years or so. The longer someone abstains from a delayed reaction allergen (soy is an IgA mediated allergen for me), the stronger (more intense) and longer lasting reaction symptoms will be. That's exactly what I've experienced. I've been reacting to soy for over a week now. I hope it ends soon. I used to spend 5-7 days reacting to soy. The past 2 days (6 and 7) were the worst. Usually my symptoms are most intense in the middle of the reaction period and then taper off toward the end. So I may spend the next few days still reacting. I hope not!!
The good news is the DHEA seems to be working to improve my immunity (or all the T-cells activated by soy are attacking cold viruses LOL). I've had less sleep lately (because cramping gut pain keeps me awake), but I haven't had any cold symptoms, despite being out in public, touching and possibly picking up germs, for the past week. I'm still taking a tiny bit of arabinogalactin (less than one teaspoonful each night), but that amount previously did not prevent cold symptoms. Also my hair doesn't seem to get so dry between shampoo/conditioning treatments.
I've developed a rhythm to taking my daily sublingual DHEA dose each morning. I wait about 15-30 minutes after taking my thyroid supplements so that I'm fully alert to measure out the 2.5 mcg dose in the oral hypo. After taking that dose I wait 10-15 minutes until I no longer taste the cherry flavored solution (under my tongue) before drink or eat anything. So I know I have absorbed as much as possible.
I hope I can enjoy my improved immunity after I stop reacting to the soy. SIGH
As I ate some that night, I felt the need to recheck the label on the carton. To my horror, soy (tamari) was plainly listed in the 2nd line of the ingredients. I was absolutely certain that the deli case label had omitted the soy ingredient. So I called the deli department of that deli. The person who answered the phone said the they always use tamari in that recipe. Then I asked why that ingredient wasn't included in the deli counter label. The person in the deli department checked the counter label and sure enough that sign had omitted tamari (soy). Of course I learned all that AFTER I had eaten about 1/3-1/2 cup of the soy laced casserole.
Next I talked to the manager who told me to come in the next day so that they could refund my money. She also wanted to offer me a gift certificate to compensate me for the pain and suffering I would endure, because I'm very allergic to soy. I was so angry at the point that I asked her if chewing and swallowing the gift certificate was supposed to relieve my pain. GRRRRR!!! My husband later told me that the gift certificate was all they could offer me. I told him that made THEM feel better, but not me. What I needed was a guarantee that their labels would always be accurate. Instead I decided that I will never again buy food from their deli department.
One week later I'm still suffering soy reaction symptoms. For the first few days I had more and more cramping intestinal pain and bloating. By the 5th day I had loose stools which turned into outright diarrhea for the past 2 days preceded by excruciating gut cramps and bloating each night. This was my first soy consumption incident in about 5 years or so. The longer someone abstains from a delayed reaction allergen (soy is an IgA mediated allergen for me), the stronger (more intense) and longer lasting reaction symptoms will be. That's exactly what I've experienced. I've been reacting to soy for over a week now. I hope it ends soon. I used to spend 5-7 days reacting to soy. The past 2 days (6 and 7) were the worst. Usually my symptoms are most intense in the middle of the reaction period and then taper off toward the end. So I may spend the next few days still reacting. I hope not!!
The good news is the DHEA seems to be working to improve my immunity (or all the T-cells activated by soy are attacking cold viruses LOL). I've had less sleep lately (because cramping gut pain keeps me awake), but I haven't had any cold symptoms, despite being out in public, touching and possibly picking up germs, for the past week. I'm still taking a tiny bit of arabinogalactin (less than one teaspoonful each night), but that amount previously did not prevent cold symptoms. Also my hair doesn't seem to get so dry between shampoo/conditioning treatments.
I've developed a rhythm to taking my daily sublingual DHEA dose each morning. I wait about 15-30 minutes after taking my thyroid supplements so that I'm fully alert to measure out the 2.5 mcg dose in the oral hypo. After taking that dose I wait 10-15 minutes until I no longer taste the cherry flavored solution (under my tongue) before drink or eat anything. So I know I have absorbed as much as possible.
I hope I can enjoy my improved immunity after I stop reacting to the soy. SIGH
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Natural Thyroid Supplement Comments
I mentioned this before, but I've received several more 'replies' to really old posts which mentioned thyroid supplements. Those 'replies' all included links to advertisements for 'natural thyroid' (dessicated bovine thyroid). So I'll say this again:
I'm not interested in 'natural thyroid'. I need to adjust my T3 and T4, because I don't easily convert T4 to T3. 'Natural thyroid' has a fixed proportion of T4 to T3 (I believe that's 4 to 1). I take more T3 than T4.
My point is: If you post a reply mentioning a link to 'natural thyroid' advertisements, I WILL CLASSIFY YOUR REPLY AS SPAM AND DELETE YOUR POST. IN THE FUTURE, YOUR POSTS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE CATEGORIZED AS SPAM AND NEVER APPEAR ON MY BLOG.
I'm not interested in 'natural thyroid'. I need to adjust my T3 and T4, because I don't easily convert T4 to T3. 'Natural thyroid' has a fixed proportion of T4 to T3 (I believe that's 4 to 1). I take more T3 than T4.
My point is: If you post a reply mentioning a link to 'natural thyroid' advertisements, I WILL CLASSIFY YOUR REPLY AS SPAM AND DELETE YOUR POST. IN THE FUTURE, YOUR POSTS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE CATEGORIZED AS SPAM AND NEVER APPEAR ON MY BLOG.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Test Results and Baking Obsession
I finally received the results of my 24 hour urine collection test for adrenal steroids and enyme activity. My doc had suspected that I had 'adrenal fatigue', which made me more vulnerable to respiratory infections. I also seem to need more and more thyroid supplement (mostly T3, because my body doesn't easily convert T4 to T3) to eliminate my hypothyroid symptoms. My test results showed I was low in DHEA, androsterone and etiocholanolone. I tried to research the relationship between low DHEA and hypothyroidism, but I couldn't really find much. So I definitely need to book an appointment to talk to my doctor next week. I hope she understands what those results mean and whether that explains my challenged immunity and thryoid problems.
Meanwhile I've been enjoying 2 new allergy free baking books I discovered at my local library. Both books include recipes that are free of 4 and sometimes 5 of my diagnosed allergens (gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and cane sugar). However, I can easily subsitute beet sugar for granulated white sugar and coconut palm sugar for brown sugar in recipes. I can also substitute allspice for nutmeg in other recipes. I liked those books so well that I ordered them on Amazon.com. I've received one, but I'm still using the library copy of the other book. My purchased copy of that book must have been slowed by holiday orders.
However, reading those cookbooks reminded me that my portable mixer is 30? years old and very weak. The lower speeds don't work at all and the beaters make noise at the higher speeds. Also my blender was almost worthless. I can only use one low speed, without getting power deficits. (The blender doesn't run smoothly.) It also 'walks' across the counter. LOL
So we found a great deal on a 'Ninja' blender which is powerful enough to easily crush ice and make peanut butter. I need to cruch cashews for my homemade (allergy free) mayonnaise and ice creams). My husband will take my old blender to work, where his fellow employees only make fruit smoothees. I hope they only need the 'stir' speed on my old blender. LOL
However, finding a great stand mixer took much longer. I didn't want the 'all-purpose' Kitchen Aid with the possibility of all those attachments. I already have a a food processer, a blender, and an ice cream maker (which are all Kitchen Aid attachments). I don't want to make pasta or grind meat (other attachments). So why pay more for possibilties that I don't need? I found online a great mixer with glass bowls (a little heavier, but you can see whether stuff is stuck to the bottom or sides of a glass bowl, unlike a stainless steel bowl) and 3 different mixer blades. It also has some features which the Kitchen Aid lacks. Unfortunately I had to order it online to get exactly what I want. So my great stand mixer won't arrive for another week even though I ordered it a week ago. SIGH
Nevertheless, I've been using my old mixer (before it completely dies?) to make date nut bread and my husband's birthday cake (a lemon poppy seed bundt cake). That was my FIRST bundt cake and a gluten, dairy, egg, soy, cane sugar, vanilla and nutmeg free cake at that! LOL My husband loved it and I'm so proud of my creation. I also liked the taste and texture. However, I'm looking forward to tasting my 'impossible' pumpkin pie. After making a birthday cake the day before, I didn't want to make a pie crust AND filling for a pumptin pie yesterday. So I found a great allergy pumpkin pie recipe that makes it own crust. I hope to eat some for dessert after our Thanksgiving dinner in about 2 hours.
I kinda gave up on baking before I found those 2 allergy free cookbooks. I previously bought cookbooks which were free of gluten, but still used dairy, eggs, cane sugar, vanilla, soy and nutmeg. So I had to make all those allergy free substitutions all the time. I never did find a decent substitution for brown sugar (derived from cane sugar) UNTIL I met that baker in Maui who custom made some peanut butter cookies for me using coconut palm sugar. I loved those cookies so much I'm STILL eating them. I have 6 left, luckly because my husband didn't like them so well. Since we got home from Maui he already made 3 dozen chcolate chip cookies, which he consumed in less than a week. Ive had my peanut butter cookies for over a month now. I eat about a half cooky a day on days that I want a cooky. I have so many other desserts (that date nut bread, ice cream, candied ginger (which I eat daily), maple sugar candy, etc. So I don't need to eat everything everyday.
Before my new mixer arrives, I'll probably begin making Christmas cookies. I'll need to hide some (from my husband) in the downstairs freezer, if I hope to have any of those near Christmas time. He's a big fan of my baking. Fortunately we now have his birthday cake, another loaf of pumpkin date bread (which I hid in the freezer) and Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. So maybe I can distract him from the Christmas cookies, while he still has cake and pie in the kitchen.
Meanwhile I've been enjoying 2 new allergy free baking books I discovered at my local library. Both books include recipes that are free of 4 and sometimes 5 of my diagnosed allergens (gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and cane sugar). However, I can easily subsitute beet sugar for granulated white sugar and coconut palm sugar for brown sugar in recipes. I can also substitute allspice for nutmeg in other recipes. I liked those books so well that I ordered them on Amazon.com. I've received one, but I'm still using the library copy of the other book. My purchased copy of that book must have been slowed by holiday orders.
However, reading those cookbooks reminded me that my portable mixer is 30? years old and very weak. The lower speeds don't work at all and the beaters make noise at the higher speeds. Also my blender was almost worthless. I can only use one low speed, without getting power deficits. (The blender doesn't run smoothly.) It also 'walks' across the counter. LOL
So we found a great deal on a 'Ninja' blender which is powerful enough to easily crush ice and make peanut butter. I need to cruch cashews for my homemade (allergy free) mayonnaise and ice creams). My husband will take my old blender to work, where his fellow employees only make fruit smoothees. I hope they only need the 'stir' speed on my old blender. LOL
However, finding a great stand mixer took much longer. I didn't want the 'all-purpose' Kitchen Aid with the possibility of all those attachments. I already have a a food processer, a blender, and an ice cream maker (which are all Kitchen Aid attachments). I don't want to make pasta or grind meat (other attachments). So why pay more for possibilties that I don't need? I found online a great mixer with glass bowls (a little heavier, but you can see whether stuff is stuck to the bottom or sides of a glass bowl, unlike a stainless steel bowl) and 3 different mixer blades. It also has some features which the Kitchen Aid lacks. Unfortunately I had to order it online to get exactly what I want. So my great stand mixer won't arrive for another week even though I ordered it a week ago. SIGH
Nevertheless, I've been using my old mixer (before it completely dies?) to make date nut bread and my husband's birthday cake (a lemon poppy seed bundt cake). That was my FIRST bundt cake and a gluten, dairy, egg, soy, cane sugar, vanilla and nutmeg free cake at that! LOL My husband loved it and I'm so proud of my creation. I also liked the taste and texture. However, I'm looking forward to tasting my 'impossible' pumpkin pie. After making a birthday cake the day before, I didn't want to make a pie crust AND filling for a pumptin pie yesterday. So I found a great allergy pumpkin pie recipe that makes it own crust. I hope to eat some for dessert after our Thanksgiving dinner in about 2 hours.
I kinda gave up on baking before I found those 2 allergy free cookbooks. I previously bought cookbooks which were free of gluten, but still used dairy, eggs, cane sugar, vanilla, soy and nutmeg. So I had to make all those allergy free substitutions all the time. I never did find a decent substitution for brown sugar (derived from cane sugar) UNTIL I met that baker in Maui who custom made some peanut butter cookies for me using coconut palm sugar. I loved those cookies so much I'm STILL eating them. I have 6 left, luckly because my husband didn't like them so well. Since we got home from Maui he already made 3 dozen chcolate chip cookies, which he consumed in less than a week. Ive had my peanut butter cookies for over a month now. I eat about a half cooky a day on days that I want a cooky. I have so many other desserts (that date nut bread, ice cream, candied ginger (which I eat daily), maple sugar candy, etc. So I don't need to eat everything everyday.
Before my new mixer arrives, I'll probably begin making Christmas cookies. I'll need to hide some (from my husband) in the downstairs freezer, if I hope to have any of those near Christmas time. He's a big fan of my baking. Fortunately we now have his birthday cake, another loaf of pumpkin date bread (which I hid in the freezer) and Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. So maybe I can distract him from the Christmas cookies, while he still has cake and pie in the kitchen.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
November Update
WOW! I returned from Maui 10 days ago and still haven't updated this blog. I had a great vacation, bought too many clothes again SIGH, and came home tan and tired. I'll post more about my vacation, if/when anyone asks. However, for now I'm facing/dreading another test to determine why my immunity is still challenged. (I can avoid colds if I take my arabinogalactin daily and get plenty of sleep. I'm also obsessive about washing my hands. My doc talked me into taking a 24 hour urine sample test for adrenal function. She thinks adrenal deficiency may influence my tendency to get frequent colds and need more and more thyroid hormone.
Usually people who lead stressful lifes deplete their adrenals. My life has not been stressful during the past few years. Nevertheless, my childhood with a very abusive parent and first marriage with a controlling, abusive man could have fatigued my adrenals. However, I don't have many 'adrenal fatigue' symptoms (listed on the test questionnaire). Maybe thyroid supplements have resolved those symptoms. Yet I seem to need more and more thyroid to resolve those hypothyroid syptoms (esp. fatigue and irregularity).
On a somewhat related topic, I've received many reply comments to this blog from people suggesting I try 'natural thyroid' (often Armour brand with a T4/T3 proportion of 4/1). My husband takes that brand and does well, because he easily converts T4 to T3. I don't easily convert T4 to T3. So I need separate T4/T3 products to increase my T4/T3 proportion to about 5/3 or a bit more than 2/1. So if any of you reading this blog wants to post their reply about 'natural thyroid', be advised that I will designate your post as 'scam'. That means your post will never appear on this blog, because I moderate every 'reply' post that I receive. If those reply posts are automatically generated, I've just wasted this paragraph (and time). Nevertheless I'm getting very perturbed by those freqent spammy posts!!
That's all I have time or inclination to post for now. At least my few readers will know I returned from my vacation happy and healthy (for now). More later ...
Usually people who lead stressful lifes deplete their adrenals. My life has not been stressful during the past few years. Nevertheless, my childhood with a very abusive parent and first marriage with a controlling, abusive man could have fatigued my adrenals. However, I don't have many 'adrenal fatigue' symptoms (listed on the test questionnaire). Maybe thyroid supplements have resolved those symptoms. Yet I seem to need more and more thyroid to resolve those hypothyroid syptoms (esp. fatigue and irregularity).
On a somewhat related topic, I've received many reply comments to this blog from people suggesting I try 'natural thyroid' (often Armour brand with a T4/T3 proportion of 4/1). My husband takes that brand and does well, because he easily converts T4 to T3. I don't easily convert T4 to T3. So I need separate T4/T3 products to increase my T4/T3 proportion to about 5/3 or a bit more than 2/1. So if any of you reading this blog wants to post their reply about 'natural thyroid', be advised that I will designate your post as 'scam'. That means your post will never appear on this blog, because I moderate every 'reply' post that I receive. If those reply posts are automatically generated, I've just wasted this paragraph (and time). Nevertheless I'm getting very perturbed by those freqent spammy posts!!
That's all I have time or inclination to post for now. At least my few readers will know I returned from my vacation happy and healthy (for now). More later ...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
August Update
Over another month passed since my last post. I've been busy sewing, harvesting garden fruits and vegies, playing tennis, walking daily and enjoying opera and musicals. We've had season tickets to Seattle's 5th Avenue theatre for a few years and enjoy most of the musicals there. However, Seattle Opera offered us a trial subscription (3 operas of our choice) for a reasonable price. Since my husband doesn't understand opera, we chose the most famous operas (Porgy and Bess, Madame Butterfly and Carmen). I was very impressed with Porgy and Bess and hope the other 2operas will also be outstanding.
Healthwise, I've done well on the increased thyroid supplement dosage (25mcg of T3 in 2 divided daily doses and one 50mcg dose of T4). However, I noticed more hypothyroid symptoms when I don't wait long enough after taking my thyroid before taking magnesium supplements. My doc warned me to wait 4 hours, but I've read that 3 hours is okay. I've noticed that I need to wait 3-1/2 to 4 hours to get the full affect of my thyroid dose.
I got tired of sewing skirts and moved onto dress patterns. I only completely the muslin on the first pattern. I had so much difficulty fitting the linen dress from that pattern that I gave up. I realized the linen was too stiff, I added too much extra 'ease' to the pattern and I moved the front dart incorrectly. Of course I realized all that AFTER I wasted the linen and lining fabric. SIGH However, I really needed some summer dresses, because we're having really warm August weather. So I moved onto the next pattern and made the first attempt from an inexpensive cotton, which I could wear if it fit or put in my charity bag if it didn't fit. Fortunately, I recognized and corrected fitting problems before I completed the garment. So the first attempt is 'wearable'. Nevertheless, I learned how I need to alter the pattern before making my second garment from that pattern.
Since I stopped taking the LDN, I did well with no cold symptoms while taking arabinogalactin daily. Even one teaspoon daily is enough to stop slight symptoms (like sore throat) before I develop a cold. However, when I ran out of the effective brand of arabinogalactin (IAG), I tried taking a cheaper brand, which causes more gas, bloating and pain (from the FOS prebiotics). So recently I've not taken any arabinogalactin at night, but continue to take vitamin D and get some sunshine daily. (Vitamin D also fights infections.) I seem to be doing well (no actual colds) without any IAG, when I get enough vitamin D. Nevertheless, I also snack on cantaloupe (which is high in both vitamin A and C, which both fight infections).
After my last post I tried a new hair stylist. A new salon opened 2 blocks from my house. I was really tired of trying to communicate with my former hair stylist. She was Vietnamese and didn't always understand what I told her. She was VERY skilled at cutting hair, However, she couldn't understand that I didn't want a cut exactly like the pictures I showed her. I would tell her that I liked the bangs from one picture, the length on another picture and the angles on another picture. She just didn't get that I didn't want a cut exactly like the picture. She kept telling me I couldn't get that cut until my hair grew 3 more inches (6 more months). So I finally decided to try a new stylist. I showed the new stylist the same pictures. She 'got it' and gave me a great cut. She's also close enough that I can pop in for free bang trims or neck shaves. (My hair grows down my neck in 2 places.) While I still have a short 'inverted' bob (shorter in back, longer in front), I need to keep the back trim (and shaved). Almost a month after my cut with the new stylist I love the style even more. However, I'll wait another month before my next cut to precede my trip to Maui.
I'm looking forward to our Maui vacation, especially now that we have temperatures in the low 80s in Seattle. We usually have mid 80s in Maui. So I'm ready for more warm weather. However, my husband tells me that I will experience Maui very differently this year. Taking thyroid supplements has finally increased my core body temperature. I used to easily tolerate 80 degree weather, because I wsa sooooo cold all the time. Now I sweat when the weather is in the low 70s. I wear sundresses or tank tops and shorts when my husband wears long sleeved shirts and slacks. I only get cold just before I need to take my second T3 dose. T3 has an 8 hour half life. So when I take my first T3 at 5:30-6 am, by 3pm I have an energy and temperature 'crash'. I have to wait 1 hour after lunch before taking my T3. If I don't get my lunch until after 2pm (which often occurs), I suffer the energy 'crash'. I just get too busy sewing and don't want to stop to eat. So I don't eat until I'm starving and then have to wait longer for my T3 dose.
I need to go out now to harvest more brocolli, blueberries and strawberries. Our grapes won't be ripe for another week or so. Hopefully, the berries will finhish ripening by then. So much to harvest, so little time. Actually too much sewing ... LOL
Healthwise, I've done well on the increased thyroid supplement dosage (25mcg of T3 in 2 divided daily doses and one 50mcg dose of T4). However, I noticed more hypothyroid symptoms when I don't wait long enough after taking my thyroid before taking magnesium supplements. My doc warned me to wait 4 hours, but I've read that 3 hours is okay. I've noticed that I need to wait 3-1/2 to 4 hours to get the full affect of my thyroid dose.
I got tired of sewing skirts and moved onto dress patterns. I only completely the muslin on the first pattern. I had so much difficulty fitting the linen dress from that pattern that I gave up. I realized the linen was too stiff, I added too much extra 'ease' to the pattern and I moved the front dart incorrectly. Of course I realized all that AFTER I wasted the linen and lining fabric. SIGH However, I really needed some summer dresses, because we're having really warm August weather. So I moved onto the next pattern and made the first attempt from an inexpensive cotton, which I could wear if it fit or put in my charity bag if it didn't fit. Fortunately, I recognized and corrected fitting problems before I completed the garment. So the first attempt is 'wearable'. Nevertheless, I learned how I need to alter the pattern before making my second garment from that pattern.
Since I stopped taking the LDN, I did well with no cold symptoms while taking arabinogalactin daily. Even one teaspoon daily is enough to stop slight symptoms (like sore throat) before I develop a cold. However, when I ran out of the effective brand of arabinogalactin (IAG), I tried taking a cheaper brand, which causes more gas, bloating and pain (from the FOS prebiotics). So recently I've not taken any arabinogalactin at night, but continue to take vitamin D and get some sunshine daily. (Vitamin D also fights infections.) I seem to be doing well (no actual colds) without any IAG, when I get enough vitamin D. Nevertheless, I also snack on cantaloupe (which is high in both vitamin A and C, which both fight infections).
After my last post I tried a new hair stylist. A new salon opened 2 blocks from my house. I was really tired of trying to communicate with my former hair stylist. She was Vietnamese and didn't always understand what I told her. She was VERY skilled at cutting hair, However, she couldn't understand that I didn't want a cut exactly like the pictures I showed her. I would tell her that I liked the bangs from one picture, the length on another picture and the angles on another picture. She just didn't get that I didn't want a cut exactly like the picture. She kept telling me I couldn't get that cut until my hair grew 3 more inches (6 more months). So I finally decided to try a new stylist. I showed the new stylist the same pictures. She 'got it' and gave me a great cut. She's also close enough that I can pop in for free bang trims or neck shaves. (My hair grows down my neck in 2 places.) While I still have a short 'inverted' bob (shorter in back, longer in front), I need to keep the back trim (and shaved). Almost a month after my cut with the new stylist I love the style even more. However, I'll wait another month before my next cut to precede my trip to Maui.
I'm looking forward to our Maui vacation, especially now that we have temperatures in the low 80s in Seattle. We usually have mid 80s in Maui. So I'm ready for more warm weather. However, my husband tells me that I will experience Maui very differently this year. Taking thyroid supplements has finally increased my core body temperature. I used to easily tolerate 80 degree weather, because I wsa sooooo cold all the time. Now I sweat when the weather is in the low 70s. I wear sundresses or tank tops and shorts when my husband wears long sleeved shirts and slacks. I only get cold just before I need to take my second T3 dose. T3 has an 8 hour half life. So when I take my first T3 at 5:30-6 am, by 3pm I have an energy and temperature 'crash'. I have to wait 1 hour after lunch before taking my T3. If I don't get my lunch until after 2pm (which often occurs), I suffer the energy 'crash'. I just get too busy sewing and don't want to stop to eat. So I don't eat until I'm starving and then have to wait longer for my T3 dose.
I need to go out now to harvest more brocolli, blueberries and strawberries. Our grapes won't be ripe for another week or so. Hopefully, the berries will finhish ripening by then. So much to harvest, so little time. Actually too much sewing ... LOL
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Summer Update
I haven't posted here for almost 2 months. I need to add an update. I've been busy sewing skirts (mostly lined, cotton or linen A-line and pencil). Our garden is flourishing. I'm picking strawberries, raspberries and brocolli now. My husband picks the lettuce and sugar snap peas. Also we play tennis at least once a week. Our usual biketrail is partially closed for renovations. So we decided to focus on tennis and improve our skills before we go to Maui in October. We have free courts near our Lahaina condo. So we take our rackets and play frequently even in hot Maui weather.
Healthwise I'm doing well. I haven't had a real cold since April (3 months ago). Whenever I get symptoms, I just get to bed ontime and get enough sleep. The next morning I feel fine with no symptoms. I will finish my last prescription of low dose naltrexone (to increase my immunity) in a few days. My last CBC showed my white blood cells were in the normal range. However, I opted to continue LDN for another 3 months, because I still had frequent colds. During my second 3 months of LDN, I had no colds.
I will pick up my new prescriptions for thyroid supplements today. I asked my doc to increase my T3 (liothyronine) dose from 5mcg 2x daily (total 10mcg) to 25 mcg (1/2 dose 2x daily for a total of 25). Perhaps as my body adjusted to LDN, I didn't get quite the effect of thyroid supplements as I did when I began LDN. (LDN initially exacerbates the effect of thyroid supps and can cause hyper symptoms.) I'll stay on my same initial dose of T3 (Levoxyl), which is 50mcg 1x daily. I don't convert T4 to T3 easily. So I really don't know how much actual useable T3 I get from those 50mcg of T4. I wish there was a T4/T3 conversion test. However, my doc wants to see my T4 in a normal range. So I'll keep taking that T4 supplement.
Before I requested that increased T3 dosage, I did a trial increase with my current 5mcg prescription. Rather than just taking 5mcg 2x daily, I took 10mcg 2x daily to increase my total to 20mcg daily. I did well (no afternoon energy crash, normal body temperature, normal regularity) and didn't get any hyperthyroid symptoms (like heart palpitations or diarrhea). So I'm ready to begin the new prescription with 25mcg of T3 daily after I finish my 'trial' increase from my old prescription (20mcg daily). I don't think that 5 extra mcg will make much difference. If I get hyper symptoms, I can decrease my afternoon dose.
I've also noticed that my trial increased afternoon dose of 10mcg (formerly 5mcg) didn't affect my sleep, even if I take that as late as 5:45pm. My doc told me to take the afternoon dose no later than 4pm, because that might keep me awake. Amazingly I haven't noticed sleep problems, even when I took that increased dose at 5:45pm. I prefer to take that between 2 and 4pm, but I don't get the energy crash. So I sometimes forget to take the afternoon dose exactly one hour after lunch.
Despite the increased T3 dose my weight stayed in my usual 3 pound range. When I don't drink enough fluids and eat a salty dinner (usually salad with dressing, because I don't like dry, salty foods like chips), I weigh more. When I eat more fruit, sweat more while playing tennis, or drink enough fluids my weight is down. Nevertheless, I'm happy with my body. I've lost an inch in my waist by doing waist exercises. I've also firmed up my former underarm flab flaps by lifting weights and doing other upper arm exercises. So I often wear sleeveless tops during warm weather.
I also wear skirts more often, because I've made so many. After 2 more skirts, I will start making dresses. I have several summer dress patterns which I want to try. I'm addicted to sewing. So I'm shopping less and prefer sweaters (because I don't knit) or shoes, when I do buy garments.
I plan to get a maintenance check on my sewing machine and serger while I'm in Maui. I'll take those to the shop just before I leave. I'm so addicted to sewing that I need those 2 machines every day before my vacation. I have such a stash of fabric, which I purchased from a local discount fabric shop before they closed, that I can keep sewing for years without needing to purchase more than thread, blades for my rotary cutter and occasional lining fabric. Fortunately I consider sewing a 'healthy' addiction!
Healthwise I'm doing well. I haven't had a real cold since April (3 months ago). Whenever I get symptoms, I just get to bed ontime and get enough sleep. The next morning I feel fine with no symptoms. I will finish my last prescription of low dose naltrexone (to increase my immunity) in a few days. My last CBC showed my white blood cells were in the normal range. However, I opted to continue LDN for another 3 months, because I still had frequent colds. During my second 3 months of LDN, I had no colds.
I will pick up my new prescriptions for thyroid supplements today. I asked my doc to increase my T3 (liothyronine) dose from 5mcg 2x daily (total 10mcg) to 25 mcg (1/2 dose 2x daily for a total of 25). Perhaps as my body adjusted to LDN, I didn't get quite the effect of thyroid supplements as I did when I began LDN. (LDN initially exacerbates the effect of thyroid supps and can cause hyper symptoms.) I'll stay on my same initial dose of T3 (Levoxyl), which is 50mcg 1x daily. I don't convert T4 to T3 easily. So I really don't know how much actual useable T3 I get from those 50mcg of T4. I wish there was a T4/T3 conversion test. However, my doc wants to see my T4 in a normal range. So I'll keep taking that T4 supplement.
Before I requested that increased T3 dosage, I did a trial increase with my current 5mcg prescription. Rather than just taking 5mcg 2x daily, I took 10mcg 2x daily to increase my total to 20mcg daily. I did well (no afternoon energy crash, normal body temperature, normal regularity) and didn't get any hyperthyroid symptoms (like heart palpitations or diarrhea). So I'm ready to begin the new prescription with 25mcg of T3 daily after I finish my 'trial' increase from my old prescription (20mcg daily). I don't think that 5 extra mcg will make much difference. If I get hyper symptoms, I can decrease my afternoon dose.
I've also noticed that my trial increased afternoon dose of 10mcg (formerly 5mcg) didn't affect my sleep, even if I take that as late as 5:45pm. My doc told me to take the afternoon dose no later than 4pm, because that might keep me awake. Amazingly I haven't noticed sleep problems, even when I took that increased dose at 5:45pm. I prefer to take that between 2 and 4pm, but I don't get the energy crash. So I sometimes forget to take the afternoon dose exactly one hour after lunch.
Despite the increased T3 dose my weight stayed in my usual 3 pound range. When I don't drink enough fluids and eat a salty dinner (usually salad with dressing, because I don't like dry, salty foods like chips), I weigh more. When I eat more fruit, sweat more while playing tennis, or drink enough fluids my weight is down. Nevertheless, I'm happy with my body. I've lost an inch in my waist by doing waist exercises. I've also firmed up my former underarm flab flaps by lifting weights and doing other upper arm exercises. So I often wear sleeveless tops during warm weather.
I also wear skirts more often, because I've made so many. After 2 more skirts, I will start making dresses. I have several summer dress patterns which I want to try. I'm addicted to sewing. So I'm shopping less and prefer sweaters (because I don't knit) or shoes, when I do buy garments.
I plan to get a maintenance check on my sewing machine and serger while I'm in Maui. I'll take those to the shop just before I leave. I'm so addicted to sewing that I need those 2 machines every day before my vacation. I have such a stash of fabric, which I purchased from a local discount fabric shop before they closed, that I can keep sewing for years without needing to purchase more than thread, blades for my rotary cutter and occasional lining fabric. Fortunately I consider sewing a 'healthy' addiction!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Restaurant Food Got Me!
10 days ago I began to experience cramping, bloating, some diarrhea and nausea. Because I ate at a local restaurant before I had those symptoms. I suspected bacteria (or other bugs) or allergens (maybe cross-contamination) from the restaurant food caused my symptoms. However, I had eaten the same entree at that restaurant many previous times and had NO reaction. So I was really puzzled.
However, I put away (froze) 2 meals from my leftovers before I got those symptoms. I decided to wait until I recovered from the symptoms to eat one of those (frozen leftover) meals. If I again experienced those (cramping, bloating, nausea) symptoms after eating the lefotver meal, I would know something in the food caused my symptoms.
Friday night (2 days ago) I felt well and decided to try the restuarant leftovers again. Saturday morning I began having the same (but more intense) symptoms of bloating, nausea, diarrhea andd cramping pain. So I know for sure that resturant meal caused my symptoms. Last week I didn't know whether a foodborn bacteria (or parasite) in the food caused my symptoms or whether I was reacting to an allergen. This week my symptoms seem more like previous allergen reactions, maybe because the symptoms are more intense. (I remembered my reactions to gluten, dairy and soy being more painful.)
Today I visited that resturant and talked to the waitress who often serves me the same entree I always eat. She reassured me that the dish containined none of my allergens. However, since we visited the restaurant on a very busy night, I suspect cross-contamination. Perhaps one of the cooks used hastily washed utensils or pans to prepare my dish. That utensil or dish could have been contaminated with wheat (from flour tortillas) or dairy (from cheese or sour cream) from other previously prepared dishes. The waitress told me that the cooks are very careful, but my body says it was exposed to an allergen.
I won't return to that restaurant again very soon. However, when I do want to eat there again, I'll go at a slower time when the staff isn't so busy. I can't risk cross-contamination. Even though I eventually recover (symptoms disappear), allergen antibodies damage my intestines and make me more susceptible to new allergies or other autoimmune diaeases. I already have celiac disease, 6 other delayed reaction food allergies, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and Sjogren's disease. I don't want more autoimmune conditions. SIGH
However, I put away (froze) 2 meals from my leftovers before I got those symptoms. I decided to wait until I recovered from the symptoms to eat one of those (frozen leftover) meals. If I again experienced those (cramping, bloating, nausea) symptoms after eating the lefotver meal, I would know something in the food caused my symptoms.
Friday night (2 days ago) I felt well and decided to try the restuarant leftovers again. Saturday morning I began having the same (but more intense) symptoms of bloating, nausea, diarrhea andd cramping pain. So I know for sure that resturant meal caused my symptoms. Last week I didn't know whether a foodborn bacteria (or parasite) in the food caused my symptoms or whether I was reacting to an allergen. This week my symptoms seem more like previous allergen reactions, maybe because the symptoms are more intense. (I remembered my reactions to gluten, dairy and soy being more painful.)
Today I visited that resturant and talked to the waitress who often serves me the same entree I always eat. She reassured me that the dish containined none of my allergens. However, since we visited the restaurant on a very busy night, I suspect cross-contamination. Perhaps one of the cooks used hastily washed utensils or pans to prepare my dish. That utensil or dish could have been contaminated with wheat (from flour tortillas) or dairy (from cheese or sour cream) from other previously prepared dishes. The waitress told me that the cooks are very careful, but my body says it was exposed to an allergen.
I won't return to that restaurant again very soon. However, when I do want to eat there again, I'll go at a slower time when the staff isn't so busy. I can't risk cross-contamination. Even though I eventually recover (symptoms disappear), allergen antibodies damage my intestines and make me more susceptible to new allergies or other autoimmune diaeases. I already have celiac disease, 6 other delayed reaction food allergies, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and Sjogren's disease. I don't want more autoimmune conditions. SIGH
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Better But Still Puzzled
Those intestinal cramping symptoms gradually decreased over the past 3 days. However, I still don't know what caused the symptoms. Perhaps taking extra probiotics (2 capsules for daily 100 billion live cells vs. my usual daily 50 billion) helped fight off a possible gut bug infection. Perhaps eating coconut ice cream (not just coconut milk, but actual coconut bits) helped calm my gut. I've read that coconut helps decrease diarrhea. I didn't actually have diarrhea, but I had all the urgency and cramps that accompany diarrhea. I also decreased my magnesium supplement consumption. So maybe that helped.
Possibly I contracted a bacteria or reacted to an allergen from the restaurant meal, which I consumed last Saturday night. If so, I will get the same gut symptoms when I eat my restaurant meal leftovers. I hope not, because I always order that same dish and look forward to my 2 meals from leftovers. Nevertheless, I visited that restaurant on a sunny Saturday evening. We got the last open table before a line formed outside. I've never seen that restaurant so crowded. Perhaps someone in the kitchen accidentally contaminated my entree?? However, my recent symptoms didn't feel like an allergy reaction. They did feel like a gut bug. Maybe my gut is healthy enough to rid itself of bad bugs now. I don't know what I had, but I'm glad it's gone ... at least until I thaw, heat and eat my restaurant leftovers. SIGH
Possibly I contracted a bacteria or reacted to an allergen from the restaurant meal, which I consumed last Saturday night. If so, I will get the same gut symptoms when I eat my restaurant meal leftovers. I hope not, because I always order that same dish and look forward to my 2 meals from leftovers. Nevertheless, I visited that restaurant on a sunny Saturday evening. We got the last open table before a line formed outside. I've never seen that restaurant so crowded. Perhaps someone in the kitchen accidentally contaminated my entree?? However, my recent symptoms didn't feel like an allergy reaction. They did feel like a gut bug. Maybe my gut is healthy enough to rid itself of bad bugs now. I don't know what I had, but I'm glad it's gone ... at least until I thaw, heat and eat my restaurant leftovers. SIGH
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Puzzling Intestinal Cramps, Etc.
I had been doing very well physically for over a month. I had no new respiratory infections. I was tolerating well my 50mcg dose of T4 plus two 5mcg )divided) doses of T3 supplements. So my hypothyroid symptoms (fatigue, low body temp and irregularity) continued to decrease until I felt almost 'normal' playing tennis on Saturday. I had all the energy I needed to play an hour of tennis, walk around the lake for another 1-1/4 hours and then walk to a local restaurant for dinner (another 60 minute round trip walk) that day. However, I awoke the next morning with intestinal cramps and almost diarrhea. My gut felt like I would have diarrhea (cramps, queasiness, nausea), but I didn't actually have diarrhea. Maybe my gut's good bacteria level is high enough to fight off whatever caused those symptoms.
However, I still have those symptoms today. So I wonder whether (1) I consumed an allergen during the restaurant dinner (although I ordered the same entree, which I always eat without problems) or (2) I contracted some kind of intestinal bacteria (which could cause cramping pain and bloating--I've had some of that) or (3) my T4 supplement finally raised my thyroid hormone levels high enough to cause hyperthyroid symptoms (diarrhea and cramping intestinal pain can be hyperthyroid symptoms). However, I don't have any other hyper symptoms (like palpitations or overheating). So I really don't know what caused these cramping gut pains.
Meanwhile I will reduce my daily magnesium supplement, which can cause diarrhea and can also prevent thyroid absorption if taken too close to thyroid doses. Maybe some peppermint tea could relax my intestines. (I usually avoid peppermint tea, because it also relaxes the lower esophageal valve and can thereby cause reflux.) I experienced slightly less cramping pain today (or maybe I'm just accustomed to that symptom after 2 days). I really hope I don't have another gut bacteria ... been there, done that too many times already. Nevertheless, if these symptoms continue, I need to take yet another stool test for bacteria, parasites and/or yeast.
Spring finally arrived in Seattle. We had our first 70 degree day on Saturday. I plan to plant squash seed in hills on the next sunny day (hopefully Tuesday). My tomato seedlings are flourishing in my studio (south facing) window. However, I won't put those into the garden for a few more weeks. (Everything will be late this year, because we had such a cold spring.) My husband is anxious to plant green beans. We're planting some crops so late that we may be in Maui when our vegies (and grapes) are ripe enough to pick. I certainly won't stay home to harvest. LOL
I've also sewed several A-line skirts (5?) and one pencil skirt during this rainy spring. I plan to make more pencil skirts, but need to alter some old denim shorts (which are too long and too wide) and a pair of white trousers. (I'll make skinny pants from trousers which have stretch.)
I haven't done much serious computer shopping, but I decided I prefer a smaller screen (13-14 inch) notebook rather than a really small (10 inch screen) netbook (which is lighter, but difficult to see). I don't actually need a laptop until October (when we go to Maui for 16 days). I can decide later.
Last (but not least LOL) my hairstyle finally looks like a short bob with bangs (from the front). However the sideview shows that I'm growing out my 'pixie' cut, because the shortest hair is near the ears, while in front and in back of my ears I have longer hair. I'm still uncertain about whether I want a shorter in back, longer in front tapered bob or a precision arched extended bang cut (hair is shorter around my face and longer in the back). I like the precision arched style, but I may want hair off my face during hot weather. I also may want to wear a ponytail during hot weather, which I can't do with the arched extended bang style. So I'll just wait to see how I feel when my hair is longer and the weather is hotter.
However, I still have those symptoms today. So I wonder whether (1) I consumed an allergen during the restaurant dinner (although I ordered the same entree, which I always eat without problems) or (2) I contracted some kind of intestinal bacteria (which could cause cramping pain and bloating--I've had some of that) or (3) my T4 supplement finally raised my thyroid hormone levels high enough to cause hyperthyroid symptoms (diarrhea and cramping intestinal pain can be hyperthyroid symptoms). However, I don't have any other hyper symptoms (like palpitations or overheating). So I really don't know what caused these cramping gut pains.
Meanwhile I will reduce my daily magnesium supplement, which can cause diarrhea and can also prevent thyroid absorption if taken too close to thyroid doses. Maybe some peppermint tea could relax my intestines. (I usually avoid peppermint tea, because it also relaxes the lower esophageal valve and can thereby cause reflux.) I experienced slightly less cramping pain today (or maybe I'm just accustomed to that symptom after 2 days). I really hope I don't have another gut bacteria ... been there, done that too many times already. Nevertheless, if these symptoms continue, I need to take yet another stool test for bacteria, parasites and/or yeast.
Spring finally arrived in Seattle. We had our first 70 degree day on Saturday. I plan to plant squash seed in hills on the next sunny day (hopefully Tuesday). My tomato seedlings are flourishing in my studio (south facing) window. However, I won't put those into the garden for a few more weeks. (Everything will be late this year, because we had such a cold spring.) My husband is anxious to plant green beans. We're planting some crops so late that we may be in Maui when our vegies (and grapes) are ripe enough to pick. I certainly won't stay home to harvest. LOL
I've also sewed several A-line skirts (5?) and one pencil skirt during this rainy spring. I plan to make more pencil skirts, but need to alter some old denim shorts (which are too long and too wide) and a pair of white trousers. (I'll make skinny pants from trousers which have stretch.)
I haven't done much serious computer shopping, but I decided I prefer a smaller screen (13-14 inch) notebook rather than a really small (10 inch screen) netbook (which is lighter, but difficult to see). I don't actually need a laptop until October (when we go to Maui for 16 days). I can decide later.
Last (but not least LOL) my hairstyle finally looks like a short bob with bangs (from the front). However the sideview shows that I'm growing out my 'pixie' cut, because the shortest hair is near the ears, while in front and in back of my ears I have longer hair. I'm still uncertain about whether I want a shorter in back, longer in front tapered bob or a precision arched extended bang cut (hair is shorter around my face and longer in the back). I like the precision arched style, but I may want hair off my face during hot weather. I also may want to wear a ponytail during hot weather, which I can't do with the arched extended bang style. So I'll just wait to see how I feel when my hair is longer and the weather is hotter.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Short Health Update
I've taken 50 mcg of T4 and 10 mcg of T3 (divided dose) for 8 days now. During the previous week I took 25 mcg of T4 and 12 mcg of T3 for 7 days. However, I got tired of splitting pills. So I tried whole tablets of both drugs. I notice a little more palpitation after exercise, but my husband assures me that's normal. I'm warmer, more energetic and absolutely 'regular' (no more bleeding hemorrhoids YAAAYY!!!). I still notice slight energy deficit before and after I take my afternoon T3 dose. I can't call that an energy 'crash' now. I can push through the urge to veg, while my T3 takes effect.
I'll continue to monitor side effects of the T4, because I'm also taking full dose (3 mg) of LDN. I may need to reduce the T4 back to 25 mcg after it reaches full potential in my body. That usually takes 1-4 weeks. Above all, I haven't experienced cold symptoms for over a week. So I'm gradually reducing the Arabinogalactin. I also resumed taking vitamin D (because I no longer have constipation problems), but I only take 1000 IU of D3 daily. I eat enough vitamin D rich foods. So I don't want to OD on vitamin D3 again. Perhaps my body can finally fight off viral infections before they develop into full blown 'colds'. Only time will tell, but I feel well now.
I'll continue to monitor side effects of the T4, because I'm also taking full dose (3 mg) of LDN. I may need to reduce the T4 back to 25 mcg after it reaches full potential in my body. That usually takes 1-4 weeks. Above all, I haven't experienced cold symptoms for over a week. So I'm gradually reducing the Arabinogalactin. I also resumed taking vitamin D (because I no longer have constipation problems), but I only take 1000 IU of D3 daily. I eat enough vitamin D rich foods. So I don't want to OD on vitamin D3 again. Perhaps my body can finally fight off viral infections before they develop into full blown 'colds'. Only time will tell, but I feel well now.
Decreased Internet Activity
For some time I've realized that I spend waaaaay too much time online. I regret the time I waste reading other people's blogs, checking online support groups, and even shopping at sites of stores which I can visit locally. I've tried to limit my time to once a day. However, I noticed that when I'm too tired to do anything else, need a break or want to procrastinate doing something which I fear failing or not doing perfectly, I wander into my office and turn on my computer. An hour later I realized I could have finished whatever I procrastinated, that I didn't need such a long 'break', or that I didn't get any more energy from sitting and staring at this screen.
Luckily, when my husband tried to install a security software update, my computer crashed. Nothing worked! He felt very guilty. I was relieved. I had a great way to prevent myself from wasting online time.
My husband took my computer to work and asked a techie friend to repair my computer, which involved deleting and reloading everything except, of course, my 'favorites'. Those 'favorites' included other people's blogs, shopping sites and information about medical treatments. He brought my computer home after a few days and told me it was much faster. However, I did not want him to reconnect my computer on my office desk. I wanted an enforced computer vacation.
So during the past 9 days I was online for about an hour. I observed that I can clear my emails and junk mail in about 5 minutes, answer 1-2 emails and even post on a blog within 30 minutes once every few days. During the past week I've spent much more time sewing (my true passion). I've also gotten much more rest.
When my computer first crashed, my husband and I discussed a replacement. He offered to buy me a new computer many previous times. So I took him up on his offer. I want a laptop with a docking station in my office. However, I have yet to shop for a laptop. I just don't want to spend more time either shopping for or working on a computer. So I still have my old computer, which works a little faster now.
I now realize I can ignore my computer for days and spent more time on other things. Right now I'm soaking my toenails in Listerine (a toenail fungus treatment) while I'm online. However, I just noticed I've spent 30 minutes, which is all I need for my toenails.
Luckily, when my husband tried to install a security software update, my computer crashed. Nothing worked! He felt very guilty. I was relieved. I had a great way to prevent myself from wasting online time.
My husband took my computer to work and asked a techie friend to repair my computer, which involved deleting and reloading everything except, of course, my 'favorites'. Those 'favorites' included other people's blogs, shopping sites and information about medical treatments. He brought my computer home after a few days and told me it was much faster. However, I did not want him to reconnect my computer on my office desk. I wanted an enforced computer vacation.
So during the past 9 days I was online for about an hour. I observed that I can clear my emails and junk mail in about 5 minutes, answer 1-2 emails and even post on a blog within 30 minutes once every few days. During the past week I've spent much more time sewing (my true passion). I've also gotten much more rest.
When my computer first crashed, my husband and I discussed a replacement. He offered to buy me a new computer many previous times. So I took him up on his offer. I want a laptop with a docking station in my office. However, I have yet to shop for a laptop. I just don't want to spend more time either shopping for or working on a computer. So I still have my old computer, which works a little faster now.
I now realize I can ignore my computer for days and spent more time on other things. Right now I'm soaking my toenails in Listerine (a toenail fungus treatment) while I'm online. However, I just noticed I've spent 30 minutes, which is all I need for my toenails.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
FT3 Result
I never did see my Free T3 test result posted on my HMO website. So I didn't think they ran that test. However, I received in the mail today the paper copy printout of all my recent blood test results, which included the free T3 result. I have mixed emotions about that result. I'm glad I finally got the result. However, my recent FT3of 2.3 (normal 2.4-4.4) was even lower than my last result of 2.7. (Before I began taking supplemental T3 last November my FT3 was 2.0.) So how did my FT3 levels DECREASE while I wsa taking 10-12 mcg of Liothyronine (T3) daily???
Perhaps I do need the T4 (Levoxyl) supplement to get enough T3, even though I don't easily convert T4 to T3. At least taking Levoxyl could prevent the afternoon energy drain, because T4 rises slowly ans decreases slowly. (The half-life for T4 is 8 days vs. the half-life of T3, which is 8 hours.)
I also suspect I haven't been as careful as I should be with my dose schedule. I'm supposed to take my thyroid supps 1 hour before food and 3-4 hours before taking magnesium supplements. However, I take Mg supps with breakfast lunch and dinner so that I don't get a big dose of Mg all at once. Large amounts of Mg can cause gas and bloating, which I don't like. I used to get up and take my thyroid supps and then go back to bed for another hour or so. Then by the time I had breakfast 3 hours later, 4hours would have passed between my thyroid supps and my Mg dose. However, I've gotten a little careless with my morning dose. Sometimes I eat, rather than just drink juice less than an hour after I take my T3 dose. Sometimes I eat breakfast and take Mg less than 3 hours after my T3 dose. Both food and Mg interfere with thyroid supplement absorption. So I get some of the thyroid, but not all.
Whatever ... my low T3 level explains why I've had more regularity problems lately despite taking thyroid supps. So I'll resume my earlier habit of getting up when I first wake up in the am, rather than rolling over and going back to sleep. I can take my thyroid supps with arabinogalactan and THEN go back to bed for an hour or so. LOL
I took my first LDN (full 3 mg dose) last night. I noticed the difference immediately. I slept well, but I woke up remembering vivid dreams. I missed those during the week I was off LDN. I only had one scary dream previously while on LDN, but that was after watching a disturbing movie. Also I noticed that I didn't feel the pain from my current cold (sore throat and chest pain), maybe because LDN stimulates endorphin production. More endorphins means less pain sensation. This cold seems to have progressed to my chest. So I cough (both productive and nonproductive) continually. Hopefully resuming LDN and vitamin D3 supplements (which I began to today at 1000mg) will help me recover more quickly from this cold.
I long for the day when my WBCs are high enough that no longer get every cold that comes along. Actually I suspect my husband brought me this cold from his office, where a coworker has the same symptoms as I have. Oh well, another 3 months on LDN should improve my immunity even more.
Perhaps I do need the T4 (Levoxyl) supplement to get enough T3, even though I don't easily convert T4 to T3. At least taking Levoxyl could prevent the afternoon energy drain, because T4 rises slowly ans decreases slowly. (The half-life for T4 is 8 days vs. the half-life of T3, which is 8 hours.)
I also suspect I haven't been as careful as I should be with my dose schedule. I'm supposed to take my thyroid supps 1 hour before food and 3-4 hours before taking magnesium supplements. However, I take Mg supps with breakfast lunch and dinner so that I don't get a big dose of Mg all at once. Large amounts of Mg can cause gas and bloating, which I don't like. I used to get up and take my thyroid supps and then go back to bed for another hour or so. Then by the time I had breakfast 3 hours later, 4hours would have passed between my thyroid supps and my Mg dose. However, I've gotten a little careless with my morning dose. Sometimes I eat, rather than just drink juice less than an hour after I take my T3 dose. Sometimes I eat breakfast and take Mg less than 3 hours after my T3 dose. Both food and Mg interfere with thyroid supplement absorption. So I get some of the thyroid, but not all.
Whatever ... my low T3 level explains why I've had more regularity problems lately despite taking thyroid supps. So I'll resume my earlier habit of getting up when I first wake up in the am, rather than rolling over and going back to sleep. I can take my thyroid supps with arabinogalactan and THEN go back to bed for an hour or so. LOL
I took my first LDN (full 3 mg dose) last night. I noticed the difference immediately. I slept well, but I woke up remembering vivid dreams. I missed those during the week I was off LDN. I only had one scary dream previously while on LDN, but that was after watching a disturbing movie. Also I noticed that I didn't feel the pain from my current cold (sore throat and chest pain), maybe because LDN stimulates endorphin production. More endorphins means less pain sensation. This cold seems to have progressed to my chest. So I cough (both productive and nonproductive) continually. Hopefully resuming LDN and vitamin D3 supplements (which I began to today at 1000mg) will help me recover more quickly from this cold.
I long for the day when my WBCs are high enough that no longer get every cold that comes along. Actually I suspect my husband brought me this cold from his office, where a coworker has the same symptoms as I have. Oh well, another 3 months on LDN should improve my immunity even more.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
TPOab Result and No Charge Visit
I received another blood test result today. My TPOab (Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies or Hashimoto's antibodies) was 37. Last November that number was 53. After 6 weeks on LDN (low dose naltrexone) that number was 47. My lastest TPOab result of 37 was after 4-1/2 months on LDN. That and my improved WBC (white blood cell) result convinced me to resume taking LDN. If I still get colds easily, I can certainly improve my immunity even more. I'll resume LDN after I get my prescription tomorrow.
Today I saw my doc. She had not received all my blood test results, because my HMO only sends those to my 'outside provider' (doc unaffiliated with my HMO) AFTER all the results are in. However, I can access my results as they appear on my HMO's website. So I just printed out everything I received (CBCs, TSH, FT4, TPOab and Vitamin D3 levels) and took those to my appointment with my doc. While she was looking at the results I asked her if I could resume LDN, Levoxyl (my T4 supplement) and vitamin D3 at 1000IU daily. She concurred with all those ideas. She was also very pleased to see my WBC levels were finally in the midnormal range and my TPOab had decreased even more. So we're both excited to see how much more improvement I'll experience by continuing the LDN another 3 months or so.
My doc was so impressed by my questions and understanding of my blood test results that she didn't charge me for an appointment. She said she couldn't offer me anything, because I figured it out myself. So we just talked about gardening and fashion for the rest of my appointment time. I promised to bring my old Oprah, Bazaar, Living Without and Lucky magazines for their clinic waiting room the next time I needed to buy more arabinogalactan from their clinic.
Maybe I should have just booked a phone consult, but I like to get regular blood pressure, weight, pulse and body temperature assessment. As usual my weight was exactly the same as it was for the previous 5 visits, but my core body temp was low, probably because I'm fighting yet another cold. Oh well, all the more reason to resume taking LDN.
Today I saw my doc. She had not received all my blood test results, because my HMO only sends those to my 'outside provider' (doc unaffiliated with my HMO) AFTER all the results are in. However, I can access my results as they appear on my HMO's website. So I just printed out everything I received (CBCs, TSH, FT4, TPOab and Vitamin D3 levels) and took those to my appointment with my doc. While she was looking at the results I asked her if I could resume LDN, Levoxyl (my T4 supplement) and vitamin D3 at 1000IU daily. She concurred with all those ideas. She was also very pleased to see my WBC levels were finally in the midnormal range and my TPOab had decreased even more. So we're both excited to see how much more improvement I'll experience by continuing the LDN another 3 months or so.
My doc was so impressed by my questions and understanding of my blood test results that she didn't charge me for an appointment. She said she couldn't offer me anything, because I figured it out myself. So we just talked about gardening and fashion for the rest of my appointment time. I promised to bring my old Oprah, Bazaar, Living Without and Lucky magazines for their clinic waiting room the next time I needed to buy more arabinogalactan from their clinic.
Maybe I should have just booked a phone consult, but I like to get regular blood pressure, weight, pulse and body temperature assessment. As usual my weight was exactly the same as it was for the previous 5 visits, but my core body temp was low, probably because I'm fighting yet another cold. Oh well, all the more reason to resume taking LDN.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Post LDN Symptoms and Blood Tests
I took my last LDN (low dose naltrexone) capsule 6 days ago. After 36 hours I awoke with what felt like a hangover, but I haven't consumed alcohol for at least 2 years. I was nauseas and had a headache, but no respiratory symptoms (which could indicate another cold). The next day I felt less nausea and no headache. So I suspect I was 'withdrawing' from LDN.
However 3 days after finishing LDN I developed slight cold (respiratory infection) symptoms. The next day I definitely had another bad cold, which I'm still fighting 2 days later. I had a brief (2 week) break from cold symptoms after my 3 week battle with a sinus infection during March, while I took my initially prescribed dose (3 mg daily) of LDN. However, 4 days after I stopped taking LDN I developed another bad cold.
Nevertheless, I did a blood draw on Monday (the day I woke up with severe cold symptoms). I suspected the cold would lower my white blood cell count, even if that had increased. So I was pleasantly surprised by my CBC results, which I received the same day:
WBC (total white blood cell count) 6.2 (normal range 4.0-10.7) vs. 3.4 on January 28;
Absolute Neutrophils were 4.49 (normal range 2.0-7.3) vs. 1.93 (below normal) on 1/28;
Absolute Lymphocytes were 1.01 (normal range 1.0-3.4), which is consistent with active viral infections (another cold), vs. 1.06 on 1/28;
MCHC was 33 (normal range 33-37) vs. 32 on 1/28.
The WBC and Neutrophil level improvements tell me that the LDN worked!
I also received 2 of the 4 thyroid hormone tests:
TSH was 1.69 vs. 1.72 on 1/13/11 (normal range 0.3-3.0);
Free T4 was 0.52 vs. 0.67 on 1/13 (normal range ).9-1.8), which were low because I didn't take a T4 supplement while taking LDN to avoid hyperthyroid sympoms.
My vitamin D3 level was 40 (normal range 30-80) vs. 93 (higher than normal) on 1/13. So I finally got that down to normal level. I had severe constipation while I had the higher level. So I abstained from vitamin D for 3 months. I may resume taking a lower daily dose (1000 IU) of D3. My doc originally prescribed D3 to help fight respiratory infections. However, my infections were just as frequent and severe when I had high vitamin D levels as when I had low vitamin D levels. So I'm not convinced that vitamin D fights viral infections. I also learned that I consume many high vitamin D containing foods, while I tried to abstain from vitamin D. 2 of the highest vitamin D sources are canned salmon and sesame seeds. I eat a salad with canned salmon and sesame seeds at least 2x a week. I also frequently eat many other high Vitamin D foods.
I'm still awaiting my free T3 and TPOab (Hashimoto's antibodies) blood test results. Hopefully I'll get those before my appointment with my doctor tomorrow. I will ask her whether I should: (1) resume taking LDN (because I didn't get colds when I took the recommended dose) and (2) resume taking a T4 supplement (maybe 25 mcg daily of Levoxyl?) in addition to my T3 supplement (11-12 mcg of liothyronine). I stopped taking T4 because the LDN exacerbated the effect of that hormone and caused hyperthyroid symptoms (palpitations). However, I experience daily a daily low energy (crash) between T3 doses. So maybe a T4 supplement (which has a longer half-life than T3) will keep my energy levels higher. Nevertheless, if I resume taking LDN, I'll have to keep the T4 dose low enough to prevent hyper symptoms and high enough to prevent the pm energy crash. Oh well, I'm used to juggling my thyroid hormone doses. SIGH
However 3 days after finishing LDN I developed slight cold (respiratory infection) symptoms. The next day I definitely had another bad cold, which I'm still fighting 2 days later. I had a brief (2 week) break from cold symptoms after my 3 week battle with a sinus infection during March, while I took my initially prescribed dose (3 mg daily) of LDN. However, 4 days after I stopped taking LDN I developed another bad cold.
Nevertheless, I did a blood draw on Monday (the day I woke up with severe cold symptoms). I suspected the cold would lower my white blood cell count, even if that had increased. So I was pleasantly surprised by my CBC results, which I received the same day:
WBC (total white blood cell count) 6.2 (normal range 4.0-10.7) vs. 3.4 on January 28;
Absolute Neutrophils were 4.49 (normal range 2.0-7.3) vs. 1.93 (below normal) on 1/28;
Absolute Lymphocytes were 1.01 (normal range 1.0-3.4), which is consistent with active viral infections (another cold), vs. 1.06 on 1/28;
MCHC was 33 (normal range 33-37) vs. 32 on 1/28.
The WBC and Neutrophil level improvements tell me that the LDN worked!
I also received 2 of the 4 thyroid hormone tests:
TSH was 1.69 vs. 1.72 on 1/13/11 (normal range 0.3-3.0);
Free T4 was 0.52 vs. 0.67 on 1/13 (normal range ).9-1.8), which were low because I didn't take a T4 supplement while taking LDN to avoid hyperthyroid sympoms.
My vitamin D3 level was 40 (normal range 30-80) vs. 93 (higher than normal) on 1/13. So I finally got that down to normal level. I had severe constipation while I had the higher level. So I abstained from vitamin D for 3 months. I may resume taking a lower daily dose (1000 IU) of D3. My doc originally prescribed D3 to help fight respiratory infections. However, my infections were just as frequent and severe when I had high vitamin D levels as when I had low vitamin D levels. So I'm not convinced that vitamin D fights viral infections. I also learned that I consume many high vitamin D containing foods, while I tried to abstain from vitamin D. 2 of the highest vitamin D sources are canned salmon and sesame seeds. I eat a salad with canned salmon and sesame seeds at least 2x a week. I also frequently eat many other high Vitamin D foods.
I'm still awaiting my free T3 and TPOab (Hashimoto's antibodies) blood test results. Hopefully I'll get those before my appointment with my doctor tomorrow. I will ask her whether I should: (1) resume taking LDN (because I didn't get colds when I took the recommended dose) and (2) resume taking a T4 supplement (maybe 25 mcg daily of Levoxyl?) in addition to my T3 supplement (11-12 mcg of liothyronine). I stopped taking T4 because the LDN exacerbated the effect of that hormone and caused hyperthyroid symptoms (palpitations). However, I experience daily a daily low energy (crash) between T3 doses. So maybe a T4 supplement (which has a longer half-life than T3) will keep my energy levels higher. Nevertheless, if I resume taking LDN, I'll have to keep the T4 dose low enough to prevent hyper symptoms and high enough to prevent the pm energy crash. Oh well, I'm used to juggling my thyroid hormone doses. SIGH
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Juggling Thyroid Hormones
After many years of hypothyroid symptoms, I finally found a doctor who tested more than my TSH levels. However, those had been higher than normal since the TSH normal scale was revised downward in 2003. Unfortunately, my HMO neglected to advise their docs to revise their TSH normal scale. So my hypothyroid symptoms progressively increased along with my TSH level during the past 10 years. I felt progressively more fatigued, I felt very sensitive to cold temperatures and I needed 900 mg of magnesium to stay somewhat 'regular'. However for me 'regular' meant a daily bowel movement, which was harder than normal, with frequent inflamed and/or bleeding hemorrhoids. (I had hemorrhoid surgery in 1999, but more hemorrhoids developed during the past 10 years.) My daily fatigue crisis usually occurred in late afternoon. So I often craved and binged on sweets in my attempt to get some energy to function for a few more hours. I also lost the outer third of my eyebrows, which I later learned was a hypothyroid symptom.
However, last June I saw a new naturopath who tested me for anything that could have influenced my 8 gastrointestinal infections during the previous 4 year period. One test for thyroid hormones showed the my TSH was higher than normal and my free T4 was low normal. So she prescribed a T4 supplement. I chose Levoxyl, because it didn't contain any of my allergens. However after 3 months on Levoxyl I still did not notice much decreased hypothyroid symptoms. I still felt cold, tired and constipated. So my doc told me to increase my dosage from 50 to 75 mcg daily. That increased dose caused hyperthyroid symptoms of tachycardia, palpitations, sweating and diarrhea. I didn't mind the diarrhea, but I certainly worried about tachycardia. So I abstained from thyroid supplements until those hyper symptoms disappeared and returned to my original 50 mcg dose and my hypothyroid symptoms.
My experiences with T4 (all or nothing symptoms) made me wonder whether I had difficulty converting T4 to T3. T4 is the 'carrier' hormone, but T3 is the 'worker' hormone which controls various metabolic functions. Because T4 is converted to T3, the body usually makes less T3 than T4. However, if people can't convert T4 to T3, T4supplements won't resolve their hypothyroid symptoms. So I asked my doc to request blood tests for free T3, total T3, free T4, total T4, TSH and TPOab (Hashimoto's antibodies). Those tests showed that my free T3 was very low, my T4 was normal, my TSH was low normal (good) and Hashimoto's antibodies were high normal.
So my doc prescribed a T3 supplement, generic Liothyronine, which was free of my allergens. The combination of 10 mcg of Liothyronine and 50 mcg of Levoxyl resolved all my hypothyroid symptoms. I was 'regular', warm and energetic.
I did well for a few weeks on the T3/T4 therapy UNTIL I began taking LDN (low dose naltrexone) to increase my white blood cells (immunity). LDN positively affects all autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis. So within 3 days of starting LDN I again experienced hyperthyroid symptoms (overheating, palpitations and diarrhea). LDN had decreased my need for so much thyroid supplement by decreasing Hashimoto's antibodies (which damage the thyroid and decrease its production of hormones).
Because I needed the LDN to treat mild neutropenia, I decided to abstain from the T4 supplements, because I don't easily convert that anyway. That immediately resolved my hyperthyroid symptoms. I returned to my normal 'warm, energetic and regular'.
However, another blood test showed that my vitamin D levels were higher than normal. One of the results of vitamin D overdose is constipation, because vitamin D uses magnesium. Because magnesium keeps the stools soft, I take daily magnesium. Nevertheless, I noticed I became progressively more constipated, before I saw the vitamin D overdose test results. So I immediately abstained from vitamin D supplements. Yet the severe constipation continued and my hemorrhoids bled daily.
So I took more magnesium and a bit more T3. (I cut my liothyronine tablets into small pieces so that I could take 1-2 mcg more than my original prescription.) About that time I got a very bad sinus infection. So I also took more vitamin C. All those extra supplements helped resolved the constipation. However, I had to just wait for the excess vitamin D to leave my body, which stores extra vitamin D in the muscles.
For 2 months I juggled extra supplements (T3, C and Mg) to counteract the constipating effect of excess Vitamin D. Then I began to notice softer and softer stools. So I cut back on the C and Mg and still had normal stools. I believe that I finally have normal levels of vitamin D in my body. However, I won't take any supplemental vitamin D until I see the results of my next blood test, which I'll take after I finish my LDN prescription.
Now I'm enjoying the effects of just enough T3 (feeling consistently warm, energetic and regular). However, I take T3 twice daily, because it has such a short half life (8 hours). I need to take the first dose when I wake up, but can't eat breakfast for at least an hour after that dose. Then I need to wait 3 hours after the T3 dose before I can take Magnesium supplements. Because I take Mg with breakfast, I had to wait 3 hours to have breakfast, until I realized I could just take the Mg after breakfast.
Nevertheless, I still 'crash' before my afternoon T3 dose takes effect. I usually don't get hungry for lunch until 4 hours after breakfast. Then I have to wait an hour after eating, before I can take my afternoon T3 dose. By that time 8 hours have passed since my morning dose. However, I don't feel the effect of the second T3 dose until 2-3 hours pass. That causes me to 'crash' with low energey and feeling cold until the second dose increases my thyroid hormone levels. I'm working at getting my breakfast earlier (and taking Mg after breakfast) so that I can get lunch earlier so that I can take that 2nd thyroid dose before I totally crash. Nevertheless, I still 'crash' every afternoon. At least I now understand the cause of the crash so that I don't believe bingeing on sweets will resolve my energy crisis. So I plan relaxing activity (like checking emails) during my low energy time.
After I finish the LDN (about 2 more weeks), I may ask my doc for another Levoxyl prescription, but at a lower dose. Even though I don't easily convert T4 to T3, I do convert some. Since T4 levels rise slowly and decrease slowly, I didn't begin to get the afternoon energy crash until after I abstained from T4. So perhaps a lower dose (25 mcg) T4 combined with my current T3 or maybe a higher T3 morning dose could prevent my afternoon energy crisis.
However, last June I saw a new naturopath who tested me for anything that could have influenced my 8 gastrointestinal infections during the previous 4 year period. One test for thyroid hormones showed the my TSH was higher than normal and my free T4 was low normal. So she prescribed a T4 supplement. I chose Levoxyl, because it didn't contain any of my allergens. However after 3 months on Levoxyl I still did not notice much decreased hypothyroid symptoms. I still felt cold, tired and constipated. So my doc told me to increase my dosage from 50 to 75 mcg daily. That increased dose caused hyperthyroid symptoms of tachycardia, palpitations, sweating and diarrhea. I didn't mind the diarrhea, but I certainly worried about tachycardia. So I abstained from thyroid supplements until those hyper symptoms disappeared and returned to my original 50 mcg dose and my hypothyroid symptoms.
My experiences with T4 (all or nothing symptoms) made me wonder whether I had difficulty converting T4 to T3. T4 is the 'carrier' hormone, but T3 is the 'worker' hormone which controls various metabolic functions. Because T4 is converted to T3, the body usually makes less T3 than T4. However, if people can't convert T4 to T3, T4supplements won't resolve their hypothyroid symptoms. So I asked my doc to request blood tests for free T3, total T3, free T4, total T4, TSH and TPOab (Hashimoto's antibodies). Those tests showed that my free T3 was very low, my T4 was normal, my TSH was low normal (good) and Hashimoto's antibodies were high normal.
So my doc prescribed a T3 supplement, generic Liothyronine, which was free of my allergens. The combination of 10 mcg of Liothyronine and 50 mcg of Levoxyl resolved all my hypothyroid symptoms. I was 'regular', warm and energetic.
I did well for a few weeks on the T3/T4 therapy UNTIL I began taking LDN (low dose naltrexone) to increase my white blood cells (immunity). LDN positively affects all autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis. So within 3 days of starting LDN I again experienced hyperthyroid symptoms (overheating, palpitations and diarrhea). LDN had decreased my need for so much thyroid supplement by decreasing Hashimoto's antibodies (which damage the thyroid and decrease its production of hormones).
Because I needed the LDN to treat mild neutropenia, I decided to abstain from the T4 supplements, because I don't easily convert that anyway. That immediately resolved my hyperthyroid symptoms. I returned to my normal 'warm, energetic and regular'.
However, another blood test showed that my vitamin D levels were higher than normal. One of the results of vitamin D overdose is constipation, because vitamin D uses magnesium. Because magnesium keeps the stools soft, I take daily magnesium. Nevertheless, I noticed I became progressively more constipated, before I saw the vitamin D overdose test results. So I immediately abstained from vitamin D supplements. Yet the severe constipation continued and my hemorrhoids bled daily.
So I took more magnesium and a bit more T3. (I cut my liothyronine tablets into small pieces so that I could take 1-2 mcg more than my original prescription.) About that time I got a very bad sinus infection. So I also took more vitamin C. All those extra supplements helped resolved the constipation. However, I had to just wait for the excess vitamin D to leave my body, which stores extra vitamin D in the muscles.
For 2 months I juggled extra supplements (T3, C and Mg) to counteract the constipating effect of excess Vitamin D. Then I began to notice softer and softer stools. So I cut back on the C and Mg and still had normal stools. I believe that I finally have normal levels of vitamin D in my body. However, I won't take any supplemental vitamin D until I see the results of my next blood test, which I'll take after I finish my LDN prescription.
Now I'm enjoying the effects of just enough T3 (feeling consistently warm, energetic and regular). However, I take T3 twice daily, because it has such a short half life (8 hours). I need to take the first dose when I wake up, but can't eat breakfast for at least an hour after that dose. Then I need to wait 3 hours after the T3 dose before I can take Magnesium supplements. Because I take Mg with breakfast, I had to wait 3 hours to have breakfast, until I realized I could just take the Mg after breakfast.
Nevertheless, I still 'crash' before my afternoon T3 dose takes effect. I usually don't get hungry for lunch until 4 hours after breakfast. Then I have to wait an hour after eating, before I can take my afternoon T3 dose. By that time 8 hours have passed since my morning dose. However, I don't feel the effect of the second T3 dose until 2-3 hours pass. That causes me to 'crash' with low energey and feeling cold until the second dose increases my thyroid hormone levels. I'm working at getting my breakfast earlier (and taking Mg after breakfast) so that I can get lunch earlier so that I can take that 2nd thyroid dose before I totally crash. Nevertheless, I still 'crash' every afternoon. At least I now understand the cause of the crash so that I don't believe bingeing on sweets will resolve my energy crisis. So I plan relaxing activity (like checking emails) during my low energy time.
After I finish the LDN (about 2 more weeks), I may ask my doc for another Levoxyl prescription, but at a lower dose. Even though I don't easily convert T4 to T3, I do convert some. Since T4 levels rise slowly and decrease slowly, I didn't begin to get the afternoon energy crash until after I abstained from T4. So perhaps a lower dose (25 mcg) T4 combined with my current T3 or maybe a higher T3 morning dose could prevent my afternoon energy crisis.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
I LOVE Spring!!
Last Saturday we had warm, sunny weather after a long dreary, rainy spell. So my husband planted peas, carrots and lettuce. I planted kale seeds and brocolli starts. I was still struggling with that sinus infection. So I didn't stay outside very long that day.
However, today we have 60+ degree weather. I'm wearing sandals, boot cut khakis and one of the many boatneck knit tops I made from a favorite pattern earlier this year. (Once I get a pattern altered to fit, I tend to use it over and over.) I believe I made 5 tops from different colors and patterns of knit fabric from that pattern. I also made matching A-line skirts for 2 of those tops. I'm so glad to have weather warm enough to shed heavy sweaters, skinny jeans, thick sock and running shoes.
I plan to plant new parsley and clean out my herb garden (deck pots) this afternoon. Then I will prune the blueberry bushes and all the roses damaged by last winter's cold weather. I'll wait to plant tomato seeds, because I can't really set out the plants until May. Also I need to wait until May or so to plant green beans and crookneck squash. I hope we have a few warm days this month so that I can clean out the strawberry beds and topdress them with organic mulch.
Best of all I'm almost recovered from that awful sinus infection. I still have a tiny bit of congestion, but don't feel like I have an infection any more. I also suspect the excess vitamin D in my body (which caused constipation) has finally decreased to a normal level, because I no longer need extra magnesium and/or vitamin C for regularity. I'm just taking a normal (for me) amount of vitamin C and magnesium and my regular thyroid (T3) dose 2x daily. I'm trying to change my daily schedule to enjoy as much daylight as possible by getting up earlier and eating meals earlier. That also allows me to take my afternoon T3 dose earlier. Eventually I'll be able to take that afternoon thyroid dose BEFORE I crash. LOL
Finally I will resume full dose LDN (3mg) tonight. I tried that 2 nights ago and slept okay. So I took my last 2/3 LDN dose last night. I will take the rest of my full dose LDN capsules nightly for the next 16 days. After I finish that prescription I'll need to have another blood draw to test my white blood cell (esp. neutrophils) level to verify whether LDN actually improved my immmunity. At this point I really don't know, because I still got that awful sinus infection after almost 4 months of LDN. I'll also requests tests for vitamin D and thyroid hormone levels (T3, T4, TSH and Hashimoto's antibodies) from that blood draw. Of course, my doc will actually have to request the blood draw order from my HMO clinic.
However, today we have 60+ degree weather. I'm wearing sandals, boot cut khakis and one of the many boatneck knit tops I made from a favorite pattern earlier this year. (Once I get a pattern altered to fit, I tend to use it over and over.) I believe I made 5 tops from different colors and patterns of knit fabric from that pattern. I also made matching A-line skirts for 2 of those tops. I'm so glad to have weather warm enough to shed heavy sweaters, skinny jeans, thick sock and running shoes.
I plan to plant new parsley and clean out my herb garden (deck pots) this afternoon. Then I will prune the blueberry bushes and all the roses damaged by last winter's cold weather. I'll wait to plant tomato seeds, because I can't really set out the plants until May. Also I need to wait until May or so to plant green beans and crookneck squash. I hope we have a few warm days this month so that I can clean out the strawberry beds and topdress them with organic mulch.
Best of all I'm almost recovered from that awful sinus infection. I still have a tiny bit of congestion, but don't feel like I have an infection any more. I also suspect the excess vitamin D in my body (which caused constipation) has finally decreased to a normal level, because I no longer need extra magnesium and/or vitamin C for regularity. I'm just taking a normal (for me) amount of vitamin C and magnesium and my regular thyroid (T3) dose 2x daily. I'm trying to change my daily schedule to enjoy as much daylight as possible by getting up earlier and eating meals earlier. That also allows me to take my afternoon T3 dose earlier. Eventually I'll be able to take that afternoon thyroid dose BEFORE I crash. LOL
Finally I will resume full dose LDN (3mg) tonight. I tried that 2 nights ago and slept okay. So I took my last 2/3 LDN dose last night. I will take the rest of my full dose LDN capsules nightly for the next 16 days. After I finish that prescription I'll need to have another blood draw to test my white blood cell (esp. neutrophils) level to verify whether LDN actually improved my immmunity. At this point I really don't know, because I still got that awful sinus infection after almost 4 months of LDN. I'll also requests tests for vitamin D and thyroid hormone levels (T3, T4, TSH and Hashimoto's antibodies) from that blood draw. Of course, my doc will actually have to request the blood draw order from my HMO clinic.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Recovery??
I finally recovered from that cold/sinus infection after almost 10 days of symptoms. Getting that respiratory infection makes me really wonder whether the LDN improved my immunity and raised my neutrophils. I have one 2mg capsule and 15 3mg capsules remaining of my 3 months LDN prescription. Because I divided those capsules into smaller doses (from 3mg to 2 or even 1.75 mg), my prescription lasted more than 3 months. However, I really won't know whether LDN improved my white blood cell level (and immunity) until I take another blood test after I finish my prescription. Meanwhile I plan to begin taking 3mg capsules tomorrow night. I also will try to take my afternoon T3 dose before 4pm, since both T3 and LDN can disturb sleep. If I take the T3 early enough, I may still sleep soundly, despite increased LDN.
I also wonder whether my vitamin D level has decreased enough to be in the 'normal range' and not cause overdose related constipation. I stopped taking extra Vitamin C and/or magnesium a few days ago, after I felt more recovered from my respiratory infection. I took Vitamin C for that infection, but extra vitamin C also helped with regularity. Also I continue to take 1-2 mcg extra T3 with my morning dose, because thyroid supplement also helped resolve irregularity when I had too much vitamin D in my system. However, I still feel bloated and crampy, like I take too much magnesium or maybe too much T3. Nevertheless, I'll wait and see what happens during the next few days before I reduce my T3 any more.
I also wonder whether my vitamin D level has decreased enough to be in the 'normal range' and not cause overdose related constipation. I stopped taking extra Vitamin C and/or magnesium a few days ago, after I felt more recovered from my respiratory infection. I took Vitamin C for that infection, but extra vitamin C also helped with regularity. Also I continue to take 1-2 mcg extra T3 with my morning dose, because thyroid supplement also helped resolve irregularity when I had too much vitamin D in my system. However, I still feel bloated and crampy, like I take too much magnesium or maybe too much T3. Nevertheless, I'll wait and see what happens during the next few days before I reduce my T3 any more.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Another Bad Cold/Sinus Infection
For awhile I seemed to control cold symptoms with my arabinogalactin (Biotiks IAG). I would get symptoms, take my IAG and then experience no symptoms for 12 hours or so. During a couple of days I didn't have any cold symptoms. However, once again I have a really bad cold and/or sinus infection. I really needed sleep last night. I expected to just sleep in, because we set the clocks forward, making daylight later.
After tossing and turning for about 30 minutes to find a position where I could breathe with my stuffy nose, I awoke 5 hours later at 4:30am, because my sinuses were so congested that I could hardly breathe. Eventually I got up, took my arabinogalactin, which clears my sinuses within 30 minutes, and began breathing more easily. However, my sinuses were so inflamed from this infection that every breath was painful. So I couldn't get back to sleep.
An hour later I decided to take some Tylenol for the sinus pain so that I could sleep. Eventually (30 minutes later) I could breathe without pain and went back to sleep. However the light woke me up again after about an hour of sleep. As tired as I was, I gave up, got up and hoped that being upright would reduce my congestion.
When I got up, I felt really hungry. So I went downstairs and ate an orange, which I always crave when I have cold. 2 hours later I had a regular breakfast of blueberries and peanut butter on an English muffin half. Hopefully blueberries will improve immunity.
Now I feel exhausted and sick, but I don't want to go back to bed. Being horizontal prevents me from breathing, because my congestion worsens. So I'm in another vicious cycle situation. I need sleep to overcome this cold, but my sinuses are so congested that I can't breathe when I lay down. I suspect I'll fall asleep sitting up during the sermon at church tonight. I've been sick so often during the past 9 months that I haven't heard many entire sermons. SIGH
After tossing and turning for about 30 minutes to find a position where I could breathe with my stuffy nose, I awoke 5 hours later at 4:30am, because my sinuses were so congested that I could hardly breathe. Eventually I got up, took my arabinogalactin, which clears my sinuses within 30 minutes, and began breathing more easily. However, my sinuses were so inflamed from this infection that every breath was painful. So I couldn't get back to sleep.
An hour later I decided to take some Tylenol for the sinus pain so that I could sleep. Eventually (30 minutes later) I could breathe without pain and went back to sleep. However the light woke me up again after about an hour of sleep. As tired as I was, I gave up, got up and hoped that being upright would reduce my congestion.
When I got up, I felt really hungry. So I went downstairs and ate an orange, which I always crave when I have cold. 2 hours later I had a regular breakfast of blueberries and peanut butter on an English muffin half. Hopefully blueberries will improve immunity.
Now I feel exhausted and sick, but I don't want to go back to bed. Being horizontal prevents me from breathing, because my congestion worsens. So I'm in another vicious cycle situation. I need sleep to overcome this cold, but my sinuses are so congested that I can't breathe when I lay down. I suspect I'll fall asleep sitting up during the sermon at church tonight. I've been sick so often during the past 9 months that I haven't heard many entire sermons. SIGH
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Still Need Extra T3 and Mg
I'm still taking extra T3 (liothyronine) and sometimes extra magnesium to prevent constipation. (When I cut back, the constipation returns.) I only need about 1-2 mcg more T3 for a total of 11-12 mcg daily (vs. my original 10 mcg). I sometimes take a little more (150 mg) magnesium (in addition to my normal 900 mg daily). If I have a bad cold, I take more vitamin C. However all those additions can cause intestinal cramps. So I suspect I still have higher than normal levels of vitamin D, which causes constipation. Nevertheless, even 12 mcg of T3 is much less than I took before I started LDN. I was doing well with 50 mcg of T4 (Levoxyl) and 10mcg of liothyronine, before LDN enhanced the effects of my thyroid supplements and cause hyperthyroid symptoms. Since I have difficulty converting T4 to T3, I opted to just drop the T4. My doc didn't mind my T4 levels being low, because my hypothyroid symptoms were controlled by the T3 ... UNTIL I overdosed on vitamin D.
So I still get constipated if I don't take extra T3 and magnesium. I wonder how long vitamin D can stay stored in my muscles?? My doc said reducing Vitamin D to normal levels can take months. I've abstained from vitamin D less than 2 months now. Oh well, I don't need to waste $$ on vitamin D supplements, because I have soooo much extra in my body. That doesn't seem to help my immunity much. With ongoing neutropenia, I still get frequent respiratory infections. So I'm also still taking LDN and hoping that will improve my immunity.
So I still get constipated if I don't take extra T3 and magnesium. I wonder how long vitamin D can stay stored in my muscles?? My doc said reducing Vitamin D to normal levels can take months. I've abstained from vitamin D less than 2 months now. Oh well, I don't need to waste $$ on vitamin D supplements, because I have soooo much extra in my body. That doesn't seem to help my immunity much. With ongoing neutropenia, I still get frequent respiratory infections. So I'm also still taking LDN and hoping that will improve my immunity.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
D3, T3, IAG, LDN Update
I'm still struggling with the side effect of Vitamin D3 overdose (constipation). For awhile I did really well with adding 150mg extra magnesium (for a total of over 1000 mg daily magnesium) to metabolize the vitamin D and adding extra T3 (1/3-1/2 of a 5 mcg pill). Both extra Mg and T3 resolved my regularity problem.
However, after I experienced some hyperthyroid symptoms (palpitations), I decided to cut back on the extra T3. BIG MISTAKE!! The constipation returned with a vengence (bleeding hemorrhoids). So I'm back on extra T3 and extra Mg and have normal regularity. However, I'm still dealing with bleeding hemorrhoids. So I'm using 1-2 daily (10 minute) sitzbath sessions to relieve hemorrhoidal swelling and hopefully heal the bleeding hemorrhoids. Preventing constipation is the best thing I can do to prevent hemorrhoids. Nevertheless, I know from experience that bleeding hemorrhoids heal rather slowly.
At my last appointment my doc expressed some concern about taking IAG (arabinogalactan) longterm (more than 6 months). Because I already took IAG for almost 5 months, I asked my doc what she learned about longterm side effects of arabinogalactans. She told me 'joint pain', but she didn't know the physiology of that side effect (or what specifically caused that reaction). So I did some online research and read that IAG is sometimes used for autoimmune diseases.
I know that many autoimmune diseases are highly correlated with (or even caused by) gluten intolerance (gluten antibody damage). Also joint pain is often a symptom of gluten intolerance. So I need to see studies which show that joint pain is actually the result of IAG, rather than untreated gluten intolerance. In other words, perhaps subjects who experienced joint pain were not on a gluten free diet. So the gluten, rather than the IAG, caused the joint symptom. Nevertheless, I plan use IAG only when I have cold symptoms and taper off slowly over the next month or so.
Meanwhile, I counted my remaining low dose Naltrexone capsules and calculated that I have a months' worth left. I divide the contents of my 3mg capsules into capsules containing 1.75-2mg. So I have enough to continue taking that nightly for over a month. I started LDN in late November. So by the end of March, I will have taken LDN for 4 months. That should be long enough to raise my white blood cell (specifically neutrophil) level to a normal range.
However, after I experienced some hyperthyroid symptoms (palpitations), I decided to cut back on the extra T3. BIG MISTAKE!! The constipation returned with a vengence (bleeding hemorrhoids). So I'm back on extra T3 and extra Mg and have normal regularity. However, I'm still dealing with bleeding hemorrhoids. So I'm using 1-2 daily (10 minute) sitzbath sessions to relieve hemorrhoidal swelling and hopefully heal the bleeding hemorrhoids. Preventing constipation is the best thing I can do to prevent hemorrhoids. Nevertheless, I know from experience that bleeding hemorrhoids heal rather slowly.
At my last appointment my doc expressed some concern about taking IAG (arabinogalactan) longterm (more than 6 months). Because I already took IAG for almost 5 months, I asked my doc what she learned about longterm side effects of arabinogalactans. She told me 'joint pain', but she didn't know the physiology of that side effect (or what specifically caused that reaction). So I did some online research and read that IAG is sometimes used for autoimmune diseases.
I know that many autoimmune diseases are highly correlated with (or even caused by) gluten intolerance (gluten antibody damage). Also joint pain is often a symptom of gluten intolerance. So I need to see studies which show that joint pain is actually the result of IAG, rather than untreated gluten intolerance. In other words, perhaps subjects who experienced joint pain were not on a gluten free diet. So the gluten, rather than the IAG, caused the joint symptom. Nevertheless, I plan use IAG only when I have cold symptoms and taper off slowly over the next month or so.
Meanwhile, I counted my remaining low dose Naltrexone capsules and calculated that I have a months' worth left. I divide the contents of my 3mg capsules into capsules containing 1.75-2mg. So I have enough to continue taking that nightly for over a month. I started LDN in late November. So by the end of March, I will have taken LDN for 4 months. That should be long enough to raise my white blood cell (specifically neutrophil) level to a normal range.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Increased T3 Morning Dose
After I saw my mid January blood tests, I realized my worsening constipation was caused by having too much vitamin D in my body. (My vitamin D level was 93 with a normal range of 30-80.) So for the past 3 weeks I've taken extra magnesium (which vitamin D uses) and sometimes extra vitamin C (because I was fighting yet another cold). I also added a teaspoon of flaxmeal to my cereal. All that worked to improved regularity, but also caused extra gas, bloating and cramping pain. (Bloating often causes cramping pain for me, even without any gastro infections.)
So yesterday morning I tried adding a bit more T3 (liothyronine) to my morning dose. Yesterday I added about 2/3 of a pill, because my pill splitter doesn't evenly divide tablets. I felt a little weird, with very mild palpitations. So I took a little less than a full dose in the afternoon and slept well last night. As I expected, the extra T3 resolved my constipation. So this morning I added less than 1/2 of a T3 tablet to my morning dose for a total of about 7, rather than my usual 5 mcg. I had no cramping pain or bloating, because I didn't take extra Magnesium or vitamin C, but I had normal regularity again this morning.
I hope the vitamin D levels decrease enough within the next few weeks, because I usually don't need more than 10 mcg of T3 daily (total of morning and afternoon dose). In fact I did well (normal regularity) when I only took 7.5 mcg of T3, BEFORE my vitamin D levels got too high after taking 6000IU daily for a few months. Right now I'm abstaining from vitamin D until I notice normal regularity. I plan to just add very small amounts (1/4-1/3 of my 5mcg tablet) to my morning dose for a few days and then return to my prescribed 5mcg 2x daily T3 dose.
For anyone who reads this blog, I don't need suggestions about constipation cures. I follow all the usual anti-constipation suggestions, including lots of fiber, fluid, exercise, magnesium, vitamin C, etc., everything EXCEPT laxatives, which I will NOT use. Most laxatives contain either senna or sorbitol, which both cause painful intestinal cramps for me. Others just contain magnesium, which I already take. I prefer to use natural remedies. However, despite following all those 'regularity' rules, liothyronine (T3 thyroid hormone) is the only thing that gave me consistent normal regularity, because my problem was 'low motility' caused by hypothyroiditis, rather than lack of fiber, fluid, etc. So once my D3 levels return to normal (after a period of abstention), I should only need to take my prescribed amount of T3 (or less) to maintain normal regularity.
So yesterday morning I tried adding a bit more T3 (liothyronine) to my morning dose. Yesterday I added about 2/3 of a pill, because my pill splitter doesn't evenly divide tablets. I felt a little weird, with very mild palpitations. So I took a little less than a full dose in the afternoon and slept well last night. As I expected, the extra T3 resolved my constipation. So this morning I added less than 1/2 of a T3 tablet to my morning dose for a total of about 7, rather than my usual 5 mcg. I had no cramping pain or bloating, because I didn't take extra Magnesium or vitamin C, but I had normal regularity again this morning.
I hope the vitamin D levels decrease enough within the next few weeks, because I usually don't need more than 10 mcg of T3 daily (total of morning and afternoon dose). In fact I did well (normal regularity) when I only took 7.5 mcg of T3, BEFORE my vitamin D levels got too high after taking 6000IU daily for a few months. Right now I'm abstaining from vitamin D until I notice normal regularity. I plan to just add very small amounts (1/4-1/3 of my 5mcg tablet) to my morning dose for a few days and then return to my prescribed 5mcg 2x daily T3 dose.
For anyone who reads this blog, I don't need suggestions about constipation cures. I follow all the usual anti-constipation suggestions, including lots of fiber, fluid, exercise, magnesium, vitamin C, etc., everything EXCEPT laxatives, which I will NOT use. Most laxatives contain either senna or sorbitol, which both cause painful intestinal cramps for me. Others just contain magnesium, which I already take. I prefer to use natural remedies. However, despite following all those 'regularity' rules, liothyronine (T3 thyroid hormone) is the only thing that gave me consistent normal regularity, because my problem was 'low motility' caused by hypothyroiditis, rather than lack of fiber, fluid, etc. So once my D3 levels return to normal (after a period of abstention), I should only need to take my prescribed amount of T3 (or less) to maintain normal regularity.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Doctor Appointment and Birthday
I saw my doc the day before my birthday. We discussed my latest WBC differential results. Because my most recent WBC result increased (from 3.0 to 3.4) and my Hashimoto's antibodies decreased, I decided to continue the LDN at 1.5-1.75mg, which still helps immunity w/o disturbing my sleep. I'll try to take my T3 before 4:30 so that I get tired earlier in the evening. Since the T4 only gives me palpitations and overheating, which disturb my sleep, but doesn't help regularity, we decided to discontinue T4 (Levoxyl) and continue T3 (liothyronine) at my current dose of 5mcg 2x daily. Also I'll continue to abstain from vitamin D (and take more magnesium) until my vitamin D blood levels return to normal symptoms. Unfortunately that could take weeks or even months. SIGH
My doc called in a 3 month supply of my T3 supplement so that I don't have to pick up cold germs when I visit my HMO clinic pharmacy. My doc also recommended I continue taking B12 (1000 mcg daily) and begin taking 1000 mcg of folate daily, because my low WBC could also be related to low levels of those two vitamins. So I'll continue T3, arabinogalactin, B12 and LDN, but add folate for the next 2+ months and then retest after I've taken LDN for 3+ months (or finished my prescription).
The next day I celebrated my birthday by seeing "Black Swan" (for which Natalie Portman won the Golden Globe Best Actress award). That was a dark, disturbing movie, but Portman's acting was outstanding and well worth the award. After the movie I went to get a 'grow out' haircut. I'm growing my hair from a pixie to a short bob. So my stylist had to shorten the back and the bangs (which were in my eyes) and barely skim everything else. I like the overall look of my 'growout' cut, but I don't plan to get another cut for about 3 months. My stylist promised free bang trims when I couldn't stand the length of my bangs. So I can let the rest of my hair grow. After my haircut we visited my local HMO clinic pharmacy to pick up my 3 months' supply of T3 and then went home. I enjoyed my "Tacos Guymos" (favorite Mexican restaurant) leftovers for dinner.
For my birthday, my husband bought me 5 pound weights. I'd been using 3.5 pound weights for years and noticed those were not helping anymore. The 5 pound weights were difficult at first, but I quickly noticed the difference in my arm muscle tone. He also bought me a package of new socks after my feet got wet on my birthday and some facial moisturizer (Clinique). So all in all I enjoyed my birthday.
We planned to continue birthday celebrations with another movie ('No Strings Attached'), clothes shopping and dinner at PF Chang's. However, on the way to the movie, I realized I left my afternoon T3 dose at home. So we decided to just see the movie and go home. Since I was struggling with yet another cold (and feeling really tired), I was happy to go home early and miss the evening rainstorm.
My doc called in a 3 month supply of my T3 supplement so that I don't have to pick up cold germs when I visit my HMO clinic pharmacy. My doc also recommended I continue taking B12 (1000 mcg daily) and begin taking 1000 mcg of folate daily, because my low WBC could also be related to low levels of those two vitamins. So I'll continue T3, arabinogalactin, B12 and LDN, but add folate for the next 2+ months and then retest after I've taken LDN for 3+ months (or finished my prescription).
The next day I celebrated my birthday by seeing "Black Swan" (for which Natalie Portman won the Golden Globe Best Actress award). That was a dark, disturbing movie, but Portman's acting was outstanding and well worth the award. After the movie I went to get a 'grow out' haircut. I'm growing my hair from a pixie to a short bob. So my stylist had to shorten the back and the bangs (which were in my eyes) and barely skim everything else. I like the overall look of my 'growout' cut, but I don't plan to get another cut for about 3 months. My stylist promised free bang trims when I couldn't stand the length of my bangs. So I can let the rest of my hair grow. After my haircut we visited my local HMO clinic pharmacy to pick up my 3 months' supply of T3 and then went home. I enjoyed my "Tacos Guymos" (favorite Mexican restaurant) leftovers for dinner.
For my birthday, my husband bought me 5 pound weights. I'd been using 3.5 pound weights for years and noticed those were not helping anymore. The 5 pound weights were difficult at first, but I quickly noticed the difference in my arm muscle tone. He also bought me a package of new socks after my feet got wet on my birthday and some facial moisturizer (Clinique). So all in all I enjoyed my birthday.
We planned to continue birthday celebrations with another movie ('No Strings Attached'), clothes shopping and dinner at PF Chang's. However, on the way to the movie, I realized I left my afternoon T3 dose at home. So we decided to just see the movie and go home. Since I was struggling with yet another cold (and feeling really tired), I was happy to go home early and miss the evening rainstorm.
Monday, January 31, 2011
WBC Differential Results
My WBC Differential blood test showed an overall increase, from 3.0 over two weeks ago to 3.4 three days ago. I suspect that WBC score varies from day to day. However, any increase tells me the Low Dose Naltrexone helped improve my immunity. Because I doubted whether LDN was helping, I abstained from taking that for one night. I STILL slept poorly. Since LDN does not have a lasting effect, abstaining for one night prevents any LDN side affects. So I realized that my afternoon T3 dose (and possibly my longer lasting T4 dose) were affecting my sleep, not the LDN.
My neutrophils were the only form of white blood cells which were below the normal range. My neutrophils (absolute) were 1.93, whereas the standard range is 2.00 to 7.30. That's considered mild neutropenia. My monocytes were in the mid normal range. All the other white blood cell differential scores were in the low normal. That included lymphocytes (1.06 vs. a 1.0-3.4 normal range), eosinophils (0.03 vs. a 0.0-0.5 normal range), basophils (0.01 vs. a 0.0-0.2 range).
I researched causes of neutropenia and found that taking antibiotics frequently lowered white blood cells and especially neutrophils. One website listed antibiotics which usually caused neutropenia. Vancomycin (which I took for 6 months during 2009) was near the top of the list. Metrodiazonale (Flagyl), which I took for 17 days before I started Vancomycin, is lower on that same list.
My neutrophils were the only form of white blood cells which were below the normal range. My neutrophils (absolute) were 1.93, whereas the standard range is 2.00 to 7.30. That's considered mild neutropenia. My monocytes were in the mid normal range. All the other white blood cell differential scores were in the low normal. That included lymphocytes (1.06 vs. a 1.0-3.4 normal range), eosinophils (0.03 vs. a 0.0-0.5 normal range), basophils (0.01 vs. a 0.0-0.2 range).
I researched causes of neutropenia and found that taking antibiotics frequently lowered white blood cells and especially neutrophils. One website listed antibiotics which usually caused neutropenia. Vancomycin (which I took for 6 months during 2009) was near the top of the list. Metrodiazonale (Flagyl), which I took for 17 days before I started Vancomycin, is lower on that same list.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Letter to My Doctor
Here's what I wrote to my doctor, after receiving her request for more blood tests (WBC differential), just before our scheduled appointment to discuss my previous blood tests. I do not want to pay for another appointment to discuss the new test, because I understand exactly what caused the abnormal results on the previous tests. So I explained to her what happened which influenced those abnormal results in the following email:
Today I received your Lab Order Request for WBC differential and will have that done at my local Group Health Clinic tomorrow. I'll ask GHC when you (and I) should receive those results. Then I'll reschedule our appointment to discuss those results as well as my other January test results. However, I may need new prescriptions for both the T3 and T4 before our next appointment. I'll run out of the T4 in 4 days. I'll run out of the T3 in 10 days.
I received the results of all my recent blood tests over a week ago. I was disappointed to see that my white blood cell count remained low after taking LDN for over 6 weeks. The other abnormal test results (low T4, increased TSH, high Vitamin D and possibly low MCHC) reflect what I did during the past 2 months (1) to avoid the side effects of LDN. which interacted with my thyroid hormones to cause hyperthyroid symptoms, and (2) to fight chronic cold symptoms (with vitamin D).
As I previously mentioned, I experienced hyperthyroid symptoms (overheating and palpitations which prevented and/or disrupted sleep) soon after beginning the LDN. So I initially reduced my thyroid supplements so I could continue the prescribed dose of LDN without hyper symptoms. Then I got severe constipation, an impacted stool and bleeding hemorrhoids, all hypothyroid symptoms. So I increased the T3, which had previously improved regularity, and abstained from T4, which did nothing for regularity, while I decreased the LDN dose to 1.5-2.0 mg. However, even the lower doses of LDN continued to disrupt my sleep.
I took the arabinogalactin and 6000IU of Vitamin D daily for 2 months, because I experienced cold symptoms (sinus pain, sore throats, runny nose) between arabinogalactin doses (4-6 hours after taking IAG). I usually get colds when I don't get enough sleep. So I suspect insufficient sleep caused by the LDN negatively affected my immunity. Although I had normal regularity while I took just T3 supplements, I again developed increasingly severe constipation (about a month after the impacted stool incident) before I saw the high vitamin D results and decreased my vitamin D supplments. I'm now slowly returning to normal regularity, but still have bleeding hemorrhoids.
Despite continuing to eat high iron content foods, my MCHC decreased. I wonder whether daily bleeding hemorrhoids could have affected that number.
I hope the WBC differential tests will give you more information my low leukocyte results. I think the LDN caused more problems than it resolved. I believe abstaining from the LDN and getting a few weeks of solid sleep while taking my thyroid hormones and arabinogalactin could improve my imunity.
Today I received your Lab Order Request for WBC differential and will have that done at my local Group Health Clinic tomorrow. I'll ask GHC when you (and I) should receive those results. Then I'll reschedule our appointment to discuss those results as well as my other January test results. However, I may need new prescriptions for both the T3 and T4 before our next appointment. I'll run out of the T4 in 4 days. I'll run out of the T3 in 10 days.
I received the results of all my recent blood tests over a week ago. I was disappointed to see that my white blood cell count remained low after taking LDN for over 6 weeks. The other abnormal test results (low T4, increased TSH, high Vitamin D and possibly low MCHC) reflect what I did during the past 2 months (1) to avoid the side effects of LDN. which interacted with my thyroid hormones to cause hyperthyroid symptoms, and (2) to fight chronic cold symptoms (with vitamin D).
As I previously mentioned, I experienced hyperthyroid symptoms (overheating and palpitations which prevented and/or disrupted sleep) soon after beginning the LDN. So I initially reduced my thyroid supplements so I could continue the prescribed dose of LDN without hyper symptoms. Then I got severe constipation, an impacted stool and bleeding hemorrhoids, all hypothyroid symptoms. So I increased the T3, which had previously improved regularity, and abstained from T4, which did nothing for regularity, while I decreased the LDN dose to 1.5-2.0 mg. However, even the lower doses of LDN continued to disrupt my sleep.
I took the arabinogalactin and 6000IU of Vitamin D daily for 2 months, because I experienced cold symptoms (sinus pain, sore throats, runny nose) between arabinogalactin doses (4-6 hours after taking IAG). I usually get colds when I don't get enough sleep. So I suspect insufficient sleep caused by the LDN negatively affected my immunity. Although I had normal regularity while I took just T3 supplements, I again developed increasingly severe constipation (about a month after the impacted stool incident) before I saw the high vitamin D results and decreased my vitamin D supplments. I'm now slowly returning to normal regularity, but still have bleeding hemorrhoids.
Despite continuing to eat high iron content foods, my MCHC decreased. I wonder whether daily bleeding hemorrhoids could have affected that number.
I hope the WBC differential tests will give you more information my low leukocyte results. I think the LDN caused more problems than it resolved. I believe abstaining from the LDN and getting a few weeks of solid sleep while taking my thyroid hormones and arabinogalactin could improve my imunity.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
January Blood Test Results
My recent blood test results contained both good and bad news. Although I understand exactly how my other results changed, I don't know why my white blood cell count didn't increase after taking LDN for 6 weeks. Here are the latest results with my comments about differences current and previous test results:
CBCs: Everything was normal except Leukocyte count and MCHC, which were both low again.
Leukocyte (white blood cell) level remained at 3 (normal is 4.0-10.7). That did not increase despite taking Low Dose Naltrexone and arabinogalactin to fight viral infections for over 6 weeks. I don't know why the LDN didn't improve my immunity and raise my white blood cells. However, I haven't slept well very often since I started taking LDN. As mentioned, LDN interacted with my thyroid supplements so that I awoke overheated with heart palpitations. Those symptoms decreased when I abstained from thyroid, but then I got severely constipated (a hypothyroid symptom). So I decreased the LDN to minimum 1.5 mg dose and slept well for a few nights. When I took a higher LDN dose (1.75-2mg), I slept poorly.
MCHC decreased to 32 from a previous 33 (33-37 is normal) in November and 32 in September. I suspect the MCHC levels decreased again, because I've had bleeding hemorrhoids almost daily for the past 6 weeks. That began after an impacted stool episode which occurred after I decreased my thyroid supplements to prevent hyperthyroid symptoms caused by interaction between LDN and thyroid supplements.
THYROID HORMONE TESTS:
TSH increased from 0.797 in November to 1.72 in January (normal range is .3-3.0). Both those results are normal, but I suspect my doctor prefers a lower TSH score. Decreasing my T3 and T4 supplements to prevent hyperthyroid symptoms caused by interaction with LDN affected my TSH.
Free T3 increased from a previous 2.0 in November to 2.7 in January (normal range is 2.4-4.4). Because T3 decreased my hypothyroid symptoms (constipation, low energy, low body temp) more effectively than T4, I continued taking T3 while I eliminated T4 to avoid hyper symptoms. Despite having no improvement in hypo symptoms while taking only T4, I can more easily overdose on T4. So I cut T4 and continued T3.
Free T4 decreased from a previous 1.19 in November to 0.67 in January. Not taking T4 while continuing to take T3 could have caused that decrease. So I recently resumed taking 25 mcg (1/2 prescribed dose) daily.
Anti-TPO (Thyroid Peroxidase AB) decreased from 53 in November to 47 in January (normal range is 0.0-60). That decrease may have been the one positive effect of taking LDN.
Thyroglobulin Antibodies remained less than 0.9, as they were in November (normal range is 0.0-4.0).
Vitamin D3 (25 Hydroxy) increased from 33 in September to a higher than normal 93 in January (normal range is 30-80). I suspect taking 6000IU of D3 daily for 2 months increased my blood levels of D3 too much. However, I took the D3 to improve my immunity (ability to fight off viral respiratory infections), while my white blood cells were (are) low. That high Vitamin D level explained why I experienced increaseingly severe constipation (more bleeding hemorrhoids) during the week before I received that test result. Since then I've cut waaaay back on Vitamin D to let my blood levels decrease and restore regularity to let my hemorrhoid heal.
I received the last of those results at least a week ago. Then I made an appointment to see my doc to discuss what to do about those results. Actually I know how to resolve everything except the white blood cell levels. I can take more T4. I can take less vitamin D3 supplement. However, I also need new prescriptions for both my T3 and my T4 supplements. If I weren't taking the LDN I would request a compounded slow release T3 supplement to eliminate taking a second T4 pill one hour after lunch, which sometimes occurs rather late in the afternoon.
I didn't notice any benefit to taking the LDN. That did not increase my white blood cells, but it did disturb my sleep for many nights as well as cause hyper thyroid symptoms. Insufficient sleep can also lower immunity. (I notice I catch more colds when I don't get enough sleep.) Rather than start me at a low dose, my doc prescribed an LDN dose appropriate for my weight. Then I began waking up in the middle of the night feeling overheated and having palpitations. After I recognized those as hyperthyroid symptoms caused by interaction from the LDN, I decreased my thyroid. Then I got severe constipation with an impacted stool which caused bleeding hemorrhoids. So I resumed my thyroid supplements at a lower dose, which restored regularity UNTIL high levels of vitamin D again caused constipation and bleeding hemorrhoids. Decreasing the vitamin D eventually restored regularity, but I still have bleeding hemorrhoids. I suspect eliminating the LDN and increasing my thryoid supplements will help me sleep better and recover from bleeding hemorrhoids.
CBCs: Everything was normal except Leukocyte count and MCHC, which were both low again.
Leukocyte (white blood cell) level remained at 3 (normal is 4.0-10.7). That did not increase despite taking Low Dose Naltrexone and arabinogalactin to fight viral infections for over 6 weeks. I don't know why the LDN didn't improve my immunity and raise my white blood cells. However, I haven't slept well very often since I started taking LDN. As mentioned, LDN interacted with my thyroid supplements so that I awoke overheated with heart palpitations. Those symptoms decreased when I abstained from thyroid, but then I got severely constipated (a hypothyroid symptom). So I decreased the LDN to minimum 1.5 mg dose and slept well for a few nights. When I took a higher LDN dose (1.75-2mg), I slept poorly.
MCHC decreased to 32 from a previous 33 (33-37 is normal) in November and 32 in September. I suspect the MCHC levels decreased again, because I've had bleeding hemorrhoids almost daily for the past 6 weeks. That began after an impacted stool episode which occurred after I decreased my thyroid supplements to prevent hyperthyroid symptoms caused by interaction between LDN and thyroid supplements.
THYROID HORMONE TESTS:
TSH increased from 0.797 in November to 1.72 in January (normal range is .3-3.0). Both those results are normal, but I suspect my doctor prefers a lower TSH score. Decreasing my T3 and T4 supplements to prevent hyperthyroid symptoms caused by interaction with LDN affected my TSH.
Free T3 increased from a previous 2.0 in November to 2.7 in January (normal range is 2.4-4.4). Because T3 decreased my hypothyroid symptoms (constipation, low energy, low body temp) more effectively than T4, I continued taking T3 while I eliminated T4 to avoid hyper symptoms. Despite having no improvement in hypo symptoms while taking only T4, I can more easily overdose on T4. So I cut T4 and continued T3.
Free T4 decreased from a previous 1.19 in November to 0.67 in January. Not taking T4 while continuing to take T3 could have caused that decrease. So I recently resumed taking 25 mcg (1/2 prescribed dose) daily.
Anti-TPO (Thyroid Peroxidase AB) decreased from 53 in November to 47 in January (normal range is 0.0-60). That decrease may have been the one positive effect of taking LDN.
Thyroglobulin Antibodies remained less than 0.9, as they were in November (normal range is 0.0-4.0).
Vitamin D3 (25 Hydroxy) increased from 33 in September to a higher than normal 93 in January (normal range is 30-80). I suspect taking 6000IU of D3 daily for 2 months increased my blood levels of D3 too much. However, I took the D3 to improve my immunity (ability to fight off viral respiratory infections), while my white blood cells were (are) low. That high Vitamin D level explained why I experienced increaseingly severe constipation (more bleeding hemorrhoids) during the week before I received that test result. Since then I've cut waaaay back on Vitamin D to let my blood levels decrease and restore regularity to let my hemorrhoid heal.
I received the last of those results at least a week ago. Then I made an appointment to see my doc to discuss what to do about those results. Actually I know how to resolve everything except the white blood cell levels. I can take more T4. I can take less vitamin D3 supplement. However, I also need new prescriptions for both my T3 and my T4 supplements. If I weren't taking the LDN I would request a compounded slow release T3 supplement to eliminate taking a second T4 pill one hour after lunch, which sometimes occurs rather late in the afternoon.
I didn't notice any benefit to taking the LDN. That did not increase my white blood cells, but it did disturb my sleep for many nights as well as cause hyper thyroid symptoms. Insufficient sleep can also lower immunity. (I notice I catch more colds when I don't get enough sleep.) Rather than start me at a low dose, my doc prescribed an LDN dose appropriate for my weight. Then I began waking up in the middle of the night feeling overheated and having palpitations. After I recognized those as hyperthyroid symptoms caused by interaction from the LDN, I decreased my thyroid. Then I got severe constipation with an impacted stool which caused bleeding hemorrhoids. So I resumed my thyroid supplements at a lower dose, which restored regularity UNTIL high levels of vitamin D again caused constipation and bleeding hemorrhoids. Decreasing the vitamin D eventually restored regularity, but I still have bleeding hemorrhoids. I suspect eliminating the LDN and increasing my thryoid supplements will help me sleep better and recover from bleeding hemorrhoids.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Our Birds Are BACK!!
Perhaps because Seattle had warmer (and rainier) that usual weather in January, the Redwinged Blackbirds returned to their usual spot on Greenlake. Usually they migrate South (Mexico?) in early winter and don't return until February or March. So we were overjoyed to see (and hear) them when we passed the traditional RWB bush on Greenlake. For many years my husband and I (among many other Greenlake walkers) hand fed the Redwinged Blackbirds, who land on our outstretched hands to eat chopped peanuts or other seeds. (We just bring peanuts.)
In recent years some Blackcapped Chickadees had joined the feeding frenzy at the bush. Actually the BCCs approach us (land on our hands to eat) much sooner than the RWBs. Usually the RWBs watch us warily until the first of their flock bravely lands on our hand to take a peanut. The braver RWBs (or birds who remember us from previous years) will remain on our hands up to five minutes as they gorge on peanuts. Most Chickadees prefer to eat in private. So they take one peanut, fly off to eat and return often for more peanuts. more often bravely approachthan the RWBs.
Sometimes other people, who walk the Greenlake path, see us with birds eating on our outstretched hands and ask: "Is that your bird?" I always answer: "NO, but he thinks I'm his human." After many days of feeding and increased familiarity, a few male RWBs become very possessive of their human feeders. They definitely have a 'pecking order' and can scare lesser RWBs from our hands. Usually males dominate the pecking order. However, a few familiar females will watch and wait for the dominant male to finish feeding. Then the female will take her turn and feed for a long time.
I most enjoy feeding the RWBs when they are raising families. The male and female birds will individually approach me, take one peanut and fly back to their nestlings. Their feet are often wet, because they land on wet water lily pads to catch bugs to take to their nestlings between peanut feedings. One summer my favorite female RBW (whom we named 'Rita') visited me many times as I sat on the grassy shore along the lake. She flew to me, took a peanut and then returned to her nest to feed her babies. Then I would see her fly to the water, return to the nest and feed her babies again. I realized she was feeding insects to her babies, beause she landed on my hand and 'traded' a dead insect for peanuts. Maybe she was trying to take peanuts and insects to her nestling, but realized decided to leave the insect with me and return after feeding her baby a peanut.
Feeding the Redwing Blackbirds and Blackcapped Chickadees (who land on our outstretched hands), American Coots (who come running to me while madly flapping their wings to get peanuts) and Crows (who recognize me no matter what I wear) motivates me (and my husband on weekends) to walk 3 miles around the lake rain or shine from early spring to early winter every day. They are not really 'our' birds, but we are some of the humans who feed them every year and make Greenlake home for migrating RedWinged Blackbirds and Coots. (Crows follow us year round but Chickadees only approach us when they RedWinged Blackbirds return.)
In recent years some Blackcapped Chickadees had joined the feeding frenzy at the bush. Actually the BCCs approach us (land on our hands to eat) much sooner than the RWBs. Usually the RWBs watch us warily until the first of their flock bravely lands on our hand to take a peanut. The braver RWBs (or birds who remember us from previous years) will remain on our hands up to five minutes as they gorge on peanuts. Most Chickadees prefer to eat in private. So they take one peanut, fly off to eat and return often for more peanuts. more often bravely approachthan the RWBs.
Sometimes other people, who walk the Greenlake path, see us with birds eating on our outstretched hands and ask: "Is that your bird?" I always answer: "NO, but he thinks I'm his human." After many days of feeding and increased familiarity, a few male RWBs become very possessive of their human feeders. They definitely have a 'pecking order' and can scare lesser RWBs from our hands. Usually males dominate the pecking order. However, a few familiar females will watch and wait for the dominant male to finish feeding. Then the female will take her turn and feed for a long time.
I most enjoy feeding the RWBs when they are raising families. The male and female birds will individually approach me, take one peanut and fly back to their nestlings. Their feet are often wet, because they land on wet water lily pads to catch bugs to take to their nestlings between peanut feedings. One summer my favorite female RBW (whom we named 'Rita') visited me many times as I sat on the grassy shore along the lake. She flew to me, took a peanut and then returned to her nest to feed her babies. Then I would see her fly to the water, return to the nest and feed her babies again. I realized she was feeding insects to her babies, beause she landed on my hand and 'traded' a dead insect for peanuts. Maybe she was trying to take peanuts and insects to her nestling, but realized decided to leave the insect with me and return after feeding her baby a peanut.
Feeding the Redwing Blackbirds and Blackcapped Chickadees (who land on our outstretched hands), American Coots (who come running to me while madly flapping their wings to get peanuts) and Crows (who recognize me no matter what I wear) motivates me (and my husband on weekends) to walk 3 miles around the lake rain or shine from early spring to early winter every day. They are not really 'our' birds, but we are some of the humans who feed them every year and make Greenlake home for migrating RedWinged Blackbirds and Coots. (Crows follow us year round but Chickadees only approach us when they RedWinged Blackbirds return.)
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
6 Week LDN Blood Tests
I've taken low dose naltrexone daily for over 6 weeks. My doc prescribed LDN to improve my immunity and hopefully raise my white blood cell level. So this week I will get a blood test to check my CBCs (esp. WBC), thyroid hormones, and vitamin D. I really don't know whether my immunity improved, because I still catch colds very easily. I seem to develop new cold symptoms everytime I am with large crowds of strangers. Last week I went to my local HMO pharmacy to pick up my liothyronine (T3 hormone supplement). After 2 days I had obvious cold symptoms (sore throat, sinus pain, runny nose), despite taking arabinogalactin to fight viral infections.
Taking T3 permanently resolved my chronic irregularity. This is the first time I've had consistently normal regularity for over a month since I had daily diarrhea while taking vancomycin to fight C-diff. I suspect my daily probiotics (100 billion of live good bacteria cells) also improved my overall gut health. However, despite everything I previously did (probiotics, fiber, fluids, magnesium, etc.), I was constipated before taking enough T3.
However I'm still not as warm as I'd like to be or as energetic as I used to be. So I plan to increase my afternoon T3 dose from 2.5 mcg to 5 mcg (as my doc originally prescribed). I decreased my T3 from the orginal dose, because LDN enhanced my thyroid supplements to cause hyperthyroid symptoms and sleep problems. Now that I've taken LDN for over 6 weeks, I'll try increasing my T3 and see how I do. I'm still taking a little over half my originally prescribed LDN dose (1.5-1.75mg daily). That amount does not interfere with sleep. Nevertheless, I'm uncertain whether that amount increased my WBC count. Only blood tests will tell.
Taking T3 permanently resolved my chronic irregularity. This is the first time I've had consistently normal regularity for over a month since I had daily diarrhea while taking vancomycin to fight C-diff. I suspect my daily probiotics (100 billion of live good bacteria cells) also improved my overall gut health. However, despite everything I previously did (probiotics, fiber, fluids, magnesium, etc.), I was constipated before taking enough T3.
However I'm still not as warm as I'd like to be or as energetic as I used to be. So I plan to increase my afternoon T3 dose from 2.5 mcg to 5 mcg (as my doc originally prescribed). I decreased my T3 from the orginal dose, because LDN enhanced my thyroid supplements to cause hyperthyroid symptoms and sleep problems. Now that I've taken LDN for over 6 weeks, I'll try increasing my T3 and see how I do. I'm still taking a little over half my originally prescribed LDN dose (1.5-1.75mg daily). That amount does not interfere with sleep. Nevertheless, I'm uncertain whether that amount increased my WBC count. Only blood tests will tell.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Just One Resolution
My previous post described what I intend to continue doing (medications and stopping when full). Actually I intend to stop when I feel full more consistently at meals. If I overate at every meal, I'd probably be overweight. However, I didn't mention in that post one intention to change in 2011.
I intend to let my hair grow into a short bob with bangs. I'm sooooo tired of this pixie cut, which I've worn for 5? years. All too often I see myself (my pixie cut) coming and going in other people's hairstyles. I'm tired of having my hairstylist thin my healthy, thick (dense) hair to conform to a pixie. I'm tired of FREEZING after every cut, except on very hot days (which are rare in Seattle). I'm tired of worrying about whether my style deemphasizes my short forehead and larger than 'pixie' sized ears. So I intend to cover those features with longer bangs and longer sides. I may wear the bob shorter in the back and longer in the front, but I definitely want the bangs and front hair to frame my facial features (large eyes and prominent cheek bones).
With that intention I may suffer some 'grow out' discomfort as I let my current cut grow long enough to create some sort of bob for at least the next 2 cuts. Last Friday was 8 weeks since my last cut. If I can endure another 4-5 weeks of this cut, the shortest hair (originally above my ears) will almost reach my earlobes for a short bob style. Maybe I should call my hairstylist and book an appointment 4-5 weeks from now. So if I waiver in my 'growout' intention, I'll have to call and reschedule that appointment.
Perhaps I just like having something to look forward to or change. We didn't go to Maui last October. Likewise I don't imagine going to Maui in February, because I will still be on LDN treatment. Between the vitamins/minerals, thyroid, probiotics for good health, and LDN and arabinogalactin to improve my immunity, those are too many pills to schedule into a vacation. I want to at least wait until my WBCs are higher before I expose myself to airports, airplanes and other big crowds of people sharing their viral and bacterial infections. I wash my hands frequently during the day, but always feel worse after being with crowds of people at the mall. So I may still be susceptible to infection for another few months.
Sooooo ... I'm looking forward to a new hairstyle and a healthier 2011.
I intend to let my hair grow into a short bob with bangs. I'm sooooo tired of this pixie cut, which I've worn for 5? years. All too often I see myself (my pixie cut) coming and going in other people's hairstyles. I'm tired of having my hairstylist thin my healthy, thick (dense) hair to conform to a pixie. I'm tired of FREEZING after every cut, except on very hot days (which are rare in Seattle). I'm tired of worrying about whether my style deemphasizes my short forehead and larger than 'pixie' sized ears. So I intend to cover those features with longer bangs and longer sides. I may wear the bob shorter in the back and longer in the front, but I definitely want the bangs and front hair to frame my facial features (large eyes and prominent cheek bones).
With that intention I may suffer some 'grow out' discomfort as I let my current cut grow long enough to create some sort of bob for at least the next 2 cuts. Last Friday was 8 weeks since my last cut. If I can endure another 4-5 weeks of this cut, the shortest hair (originally above my ears) will almost reach my earlobes for a short bob style. Maybe I should call my hairstylist and book an appointment 4-5 weeks from now. So if I waiver in my 'growout' intention, I'll have to call and reschedule that appointment.
Perhaps I just like having something to look forward to or change. We didn't go to Maui last October. Likewise I don't imagine going to Maui in February, because I will still be on LDN treatment. Between the vitamins/minerals, thyroid, probiotics for good health, and LDN and arabinogalactin to improve my immunity, those are too many pills to schedule into a vacation. I want to at least wait until my WBCs are higher before I expose myself to airports, airplanes and other big crowds of people sharing their viral and bacterial infections. I wash my hands frequently during the day, but always feel worse after being with crowds of people at the mall. So I may still be susceptible to infection for another few months.
Sooooo ... I'm looking forward to a new hairstyle and a healthier 2011.
Doing What Works
I asked my husband what he intends to do in 20ll. He told me that he wants to continue taking the recently prescribed (late 2010) treatments that definitely work for him and closely monitor benefits vs. side effects of other treatments (which don't seem to make any difference). I recently convinced him to begin the thyroid supplement, which his doc recommended at the same time he prescribed other treatments. My husband initially wanted to just use supplements which improve his sleep. However, he still felt tired, even when he did sleep well. So he agreed to try the prescribed thyroid (Armour T3/T4 combo). Since he commenced using that supplement, he's felt more energetic and optimistic every day. So he's convinced that he needs a thyroid supplement.
Likewise I will continue to take my T3 supplements, which have given me more energy, increased core body warmth and normal regularity (for the first time in my life). I will continue my normal vitamin/minerals, esp. vitamin D, which helps immunity, and probiotics. I will also continue the arabinogalactin and low dose naltrexone, which stimulates my immunity (hopefully to raise my white blood cells).
However, after a week of taking 2.5mg LDN and experiencing interrupted sleep, I will lower that dose back to 1.75-2.0mg daily. At that previous dose, I had no sleep problems. My doc advised me to at least take 1.5mg of LDN daily. However, higher doses interrupt my sleep, which also challenges my immunity. So I'll resume the lower dose to get the benefit of LDN without losing sleep.
What doesn't work for me is my habit of eating past 'full'. I almost always eat when I'm hungry, foods which nourish my body. However, I regularly eat past comfortably full. Every year I vow to stop eating before I feel uncomfortably full. I don't need to lose weight, but I believe overeating and making myself uncomfortable is counterproductive. I've been uncomfortably full after many meals during the holidays!
I know exactly what thoughts persuade me to continue eating when I begin to feel full. I tell myself:
(1) The LDN affects my appetite and makes me feel full sooner than normal.
(2) If I don't eat everything on my plate, I'll feel starved before the next meal.
(3) I hate to throw out a tiny bit of food on my plate (if I stop eating now).
(4) I don't need to worry about weight, so it's okay to feel overly full sometimes.
However, those thoughts are not exactly true. Here's the truth:
(1) Amounts of LDN which affect appetite also affect sleep. An appropriate dosage will affect neither appetite nor sleep. So my stomach 'full' cues are accurate when I take the appropriate LDN dose.
(2) I determine mealtimes. I can eat breakfast and lunch anytime I feel hungry. If I need to delay a meal for any reason, I can always have a small snack or fruit juice or just drink herbal tea to save my appetite for the meal.
(3) I can save small bits of food in the freezer and add them to my own portions of soups or casseroles (which I freeze in individual servings).
(4) That 2-3 bits of extra food on my plate can make the difference between feeling comfortable after I leave the table and feeling miserable for the next 3-4 hours after I leave the table. I want to remember how miserable I felt after overeating last night after dinner. Although I don't have pancakes for dinner very often, I did freeze 7 meals' worth of pancakes for future meals.
Last night was not the last time I'll have pancakes ... maybe the last time during 2010, but I have 7 more pancake meals during 2011. After those are gone, I have another pancake mix. So I can make 8-9 more meals of delicious, syrupy pancakes. I tend to overeat the first time I have food which I haven't eaten in a long time (the 'Last Supper' Syndrome). I need to remind myself when I feel full and still have delicious food on my plate, that I can have that same food the next time I feel hungry and crave that food (the next meal, the next day, the next week or whenever).
I need to focus on physical comfort, more than 'nutrition' per se. I normally eat nutritious food. So I don't need to overeat to get enough nutrition. So I again intend to eat when I feel comfortably hungry and stop eating at the first sensation that tells me I'm 'full'.
Maybe the medications (like T3 and LDN) have affected my appetite somewhat. However, feeling miserably full also affects my energy level and mood. Taxing my body with unnecessary food also challenges my immunity. So eating for physical (not emotional) comfort, rather than nutritional guidelines, seems healthier for me.
Likewise I will continue to take my T3 supplements, which have given me more energy, increased core body warmth and normal regularity (for the first time in my life). I will continue my normal vitamin/minerals, esp. vitamin D, which helps immunity, and probiotics. I will also continue the arabinogalactin and low dose naltrexone, which stimulates my immunity (hopefully to raise my white blood cells).
However, after a week of taking 2.5mg LDN and experiencing interrupted sleep, I will lower that dose back to 1.75-2.0mg daily. At that previous dose, I had no sleep problems. My doc advised me to at least take 1.5mg of LDN daily. However, higher doses interrupt my sleep, which also challenges my immunity. So I'll resume the lower dose to get the benefit of LDN without losing sleep.
What doesn't work for me is my habit of eating past 'full'. I almost always eat when I'm hungry, foods which nourish my body. However, I regularly eat past comfortably full. Every year I vow to stop eating before I feel uncomfortably full. I don't need to lose weight, but I believe overeating and making myself uncomfortable is counterproductive. I've been uncomfortably full after many meals during the holidays!
I know exactly what thoughts persuade me to continue eating when I begin to feel full. I tell myself:
(1) The LDN affects my appetite and makes me feel full sooner than normal.
(2) If I don't eat everything on my plate, I'll feel starved before the next meal.
(3) I hate to throw out a tiny bit of food on my plate (if I stop eating now).
(4) I don't need to worry about weight, so it's okay to feel overly full sometimes.
However, those thoughts are not exactly true. Here's the truth:
(1) Amounts of LDN which affect appetite also affect sleep. An appropriate dosage will affect neither appetite nor sleep. So my stomach 'full' cues are accurate when I take the appropriate LDN dose.
(2) I determine mealtimes. I can eat breakfast and lunch anytime I feel hungry. If I need to delay a meal for any reason, I can always have a small snack or fruit juice or just drink herbal tea to save my appetite for the meal.
(3) I can save small bits of food in the freezer and add them to my own portions of soups or casseroles (which I freeze in individual servings).
(4) That 2-3 bits of extra food on my plate can make the difference between feeling comfortable after I leave the table and feeling miserable for the next 3-4 hours after I leave the table. I want to remember how miserable I felt after overeating last night after dinner. Although I don't have pancakes for dinner very often, I did freeze 7 meals' worth of pancakes for future meals.
Last night was not the last time I'll have pancakes ... maybe the last time during 2010, but I have 7 more pancake meals during 2011. After those are gone, I have another pancake mix. So I can make 8-9 more meals of delicious, syrupy pancakes. I tend to overeat the first time I have food which I haven't eaten in a long time (the 'Last Supper' Syndrome). I need to remind myself when I feel full and still have delicious food on my plate, that I can have that same food the next time I feel hungry and crave that food (the next meal, the next day, the next week or whenever).
I need to focus on physical comfort, more than 'nutrition' per se. I normally eat nutritious food. So I don't need to overeat to get enough nutrition. So I again intend to eat when I feel comfortably hungry and stop eating at the first sensation that tells me I'm 'full'.
Maybe the medications (like T3 and LDN) have affected my appetite somewhat. However, feeling miserably full also affects my energy level and mood. Taxing my body with unnecessary food also challenges my immunity. So eating for physical (not emotional) comfort, rather than nutritional guidelines, seems healthier for me.
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