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!