Symptoms today

Had a better day today. Tom agreed to take the phones in the mornings for me, the afternoons the kids did independent study/reading. I am tired, not used to being up so early, but it did help to get more accomplished during the day. Hoping I sleep better tonight.

Let's see, an update on symptoms...
*My anxiety/breathing was better during the morning, worsening through the afternoon and is pretty bad again tonight.
*Back pain is pretty much gone.
*Constipation has been much better for a couple weeks now.
*Cycle - felt a bit crampy in the belly and legs today, but nothing so far...
*Exercise - have been pretty consistent for 2 weeks now with some form of daily exercise, woo hoo!
*Food - vacation was pretty bad, just ate more frequently, though not horrible foods.
*Joint pain - not too bad right now.
*Migraine - none since last bout.
*Sleep - was doing pretty well until anxiety started, now tossing and turning but once I get to sleep I seem to do fine.
*Supplements - taking daily per list
*Throat - still get a bit hoarse and feel some tightness upon swallowing.
*Tonsil stones - greatly decreased, what has helped is more frequent brushing, including tongue and gargling with mouth was once a day.
*Water - working on drinking more, got down probably 48 oz today?
*Weight - uggh.... working on that, I started today with my strict diet again! :-)

There we go, a good run-down. Off to bed now.

Just want a deep breath!

I am struggling the last few days... to just breathe. Uggh! I think it is anxiety. Got much worse on Friday on our drive home from our vacation and has been an issue all weekend. I just canNOT get a good deep breath and I feel like I need to yawn all the time, but I can't. My heart is racing some too. I have to work hard not to focus on it, or I get panicky and it gets worse. I am better right when I wake up, but once my thoughts start racing, I start struggling. I feel like I am not getting enough oxygen - though I am sure I am, as I am not light-headed or turning blue or anything serious.

I am guessing that it stems from a big week coming up... and I am anxious about being able to handle it. Tom had a big meeting with the road assoc on Saturday at the same time that Will had his first soccer practice. Tomorrow morning I go back to running the office, and we start school for the year. We are implementing a new chore schedule, If/Then consequence chart, and daily routine with the beginning of school. Also working on healthy eating and exercise again. Tuesday I have to compile a food co-op order. Friday we start our co-op classes up again. Saturday my brother and his girl are in for brunch. All of this is great, fun stuff but I feel a lot of pressure to get things ready and be sure I have the energy to do it. I also feel myself dreading the migraine/depression that I anticipate in the next week or two with my cycle. I know I shouldn't expect it, should cover it in prayer and let go... but I just can't seem to do that. Please pray for/with me in the next couple weeks, that my health would dramatically improve and I would have better coping skills with that. Thank you!

A sad day

Word came today that a dear friend passed away. I am so sad. Nothing else seems important enough to say right now and I am completely wiped out, so that's all for now.

Symptoms today

Today was not a bad day. We went to church and stayed just for morning worship, came home and grilled out for lunch before Mom and Oscar left. It was so yummy! I laid down and slept on the couch for a while after they headed out - yep, it was close to 4 and I was beat. I got up at some point and moved to my bed and slept until about 7. The most bothersome symptoms are my lower back and the constipation right now. AF is still hanging around. I took my supplements before bed since I had forgotten earlier. My tonsil stones seem a tad better, though I still was clearing my throat due to the feeling that something was down there. I feel hoarse, and I remember during my nap waking and feeling like there was some stabbing pain around my thyroid. It didn't last long, maybe it was a dream, I don't know? I am looking forward to starting exercise tomorrow.

Symptoms today

Today we slept in until 9am - the whole house! Nice :) My mom and her hubby are visiting, so I have been eating things I shouldn't but I am enjoying the time with them. We had a brief outing to the library and local shop for a few groceries but otherwise were home. I was able to sit and close my eyes for a few moments when my 3pm slump hit. We did not stay up too late.

I am still very constipated, af is still here, tonsil stones were bothersome, joints achey - esp wrist, no headache, lots of lower back pain. I did take my supplements and drank a couple glasses of water.

Symptoms today

Today I could not get out of bed - E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D... so, finally got moving and left the house for some groceries. I was on the verge of a headache all day and found my sunglasses to be a necessity. At lunch I felt like I was going to throw up - I mean seriously, not just a little nauseous - I was looking for a bag. Ends up, the reason I am so tired and was nauseous was that AF decided to stop by again. Uggh, uggh, uggh... only been 2 weeks? Visited with our friends for the afternoon and that was nice as always. Got home from a long day and am heading for bed now. My mom and Oscar are visiting over the weekend and I hope to enjoy some time relaxing. My back is very, very sore and it's hard to walk. Some heart palpitations this evening. I also feel quite hoarse and my tongue is enlarged. Tonsil stones continue. Eyes are burning, time to go close them.

Symptoms today

Feeling a lot better than yesterday, mind more clear, headache lingered a bit and then left by the end of the day. My throat is bothering me - harder to swallow, feels like the tonsil stones are gathering and I am coughing up a good bit. I feel hoarse, my tongue feels very fat. I have some shoulder pain. No heart palpitations. I only took 1 of the thyro-complex tablets instead of 2, going to experiment with that. Still constipated though stomach pain is better. Spotting a little?

Calendar above

I am adding a calendar which will show details about how I am feeling.

Here I will record my...
- supplements
- how I slept
- foods I ate
- how much water I drank
- exercise
- how I was feeling/ changes in symptoms

Hoping if I track symptoms and other details that more of a pattern will emerge and help me with figuring out changes I should make, what is and is not helping, etc...

Symptoms today

Horrible migraine started suddenly mid-day. Very constipated and some stomach pains. I had flashy lights in my vision, mostly left eye - almost completely obstructed vision on that side. Pain was quite bad and after some sleep seemed relieved but returned due to a short trip out of bedroom into the lights. I did a water enema, skin brushing and salt water bath, felt some better but not completely. I was nauseous and finally gave in and took some tylenol. It took at least a good hour until I could sit up and then was able to eat dinner and visit as long as it was dark in the room. Around 11pm, I got up and turned off most of the lights around the house and then worked on office work until around 4am when I went back to bed and slept until 7:30. Another symptom I had was my heart was racing and I was jumpy all day. I was wondering if it was too much of the glandular support, but it started before that.

Food Considerations

From the book Thyroid Power: 10 Steps to Total Health

Things to Avoid
- caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and sugar / impair conversion of T3 from T4
- large quantities of walnuts, almonds, sorghum, peanuts, pine nuts, millet, and cassava (tapioca) / contain goitrogens
- high intake of (esp uncooked) brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, turnips, mustard greens, spinach, and rutabaga / contain goitrogens
- soy products / estrogenic and goitrogens
- flouridated water and toothpaste
- iodine from fast food, canned food, prepackaged food ****
- aspartame

**** Iodine controversy: According to this book, "...most people believe that (iodine) is good for thyroid function. Iodine is indeed a major constituent of thyroid hormone. In fact, worldwide, the enormous problem of low thyroid is basically one of iodine deficiency, though this is hardly the case in the United States. ... "

"Iodine is a double-edged sword for throid sufferers. More than adequate amounts (i.e. anything more than the standard 150 micrograms in a multivitamin mineral combination), may further irritate and inflame an already ailing thyroid gland. ..."

"How does excess iodine harm the thyroid system? A high amount of iodine in the body becomes concentrated in the thyroid gland, in the hormone precursor protein called thyroglobulin. A high amount of iodinated thryglobulin triggers the autoimmune response. ...

"In fact, some scientists suggest that part of the reason for the present epidemic of low thyroid in the United States may be the high amount of iodine in many people's diets. Not surprisingly, we may have gone too far in attempting to eliminate goiters in small regions by adding iodine to the entire country's salt."

They recommend avoiding iodized table salt, fast food, canned food, prepackaged foods. I already do most of that and we love our Redmond's Real Salt, but I am confused by which way is the right way to go on this. Angstrom's Iodine is supposed to be good for hypothyroid, and I have taken it in the past. I will research it some more and decide whether to try small doses and see how I feel.

Recommended Supplements

From the book Thyroid Power: 10 Steps to Total Health

VITAMINS
- Vit A, 10,000-20,000 IU (never take more than 25,000 IU daily) / antioxidant
- Vit C, at least 1,000 mg daily / antioxidant
- Vit E, 400 IU daily / antioxidant
- B Complex, 50mg of each, but make B6 100 mg
- The Bioflavonoids quercitin((250-500mg) and pygnogenol (100-150mg) / reduce inflammation

MINERALS
- Copper (1mg), Zinc (25mg) and Selenium (100 mcg) / especially crucial to formation and utlization of thyroid hormone
- Chromium, 100-200 mcg / carb metabolism, normalize blood sugar fluctuations
- Manganese, 10-20 mg
- Calcium, 1200 mg
- Magnesium, 400 mg
* adding sea vegetables is a great way to get these essential minerals in. Kelp, dulse, nori, etc...

FATS
- EFAs from fish, flaxseed, primrose, or borage
- avoid transfats
- easy way to get both GLA and EPA is in 2 tsp flaxseed oil daily, or grind up 2 Tbsp flaxseeds and sprinkle in food

AMINO ACIDS
- Tyrosine is the basis for both kids of thyroid hormone,a s well as for adrenaline and noradrenaline
- Glutamine is also recommended for brain function and better digestion

** A morning shake can be a good way to get many of these minerals, fats and amino acids... milk, protein powder, tyrosine, kelp, flaxseed oil with some cocoa powder would be a good idea.

NATURAL GLANDULAR SUPPORT
- freeze dried, purified animal glands, with associated hormones removed, nutritional over-the-counter products that border on medicinal
- if it makes you feel "speedy" it is due to both cortisone and adrenaline being present and you may need only one, in which case pregnenolone or DHEA may be better choices
- Licorice root stimulates production and utilization of adrenal hormones
- Low thyroid sufferers who also need female hormone balance should consider glandular ovary or mexican yam products

HERBS
- Ashwagandha Withania somnifera can stimulate both T3 and T4
- Milk thistle, 300 mg daily / antioxidant

Snippets from reading

From Thyroid Power: 10 Steps to Total Health by Richard L. Shames, M.D. and Karilee Halo Shames, R.N., PhD

From chapter entitled "Reestablish Balance in Your Reproductive System"...
- too much estrogen opposes thyroid function, while natural progesterone is supportive of it
- natural progesterone cream can augment the benefits of thyroid replacement therapy
- proper diagnosis and treatment of low thyroid can generally improve the health of reproductive organs and sexual function
- specific problems with menstruation, libido, fertility, and miscarriage are frequently thyroid related
- rebalancing hormonal systems can frequently improve one's overall thyroid recovery

From the chapter entitled "Determine If Low Adrenal Should Also Be Treated"...
- major connection exists between low thyroid and low adrenal
- low adrenal can actually cause low thyroid to be much worse than it would be otherwise
- low doses of natural adrenal hormone (hydrocortisone) can bring adrenal function back to it's normal range (not to be confused with high-dose synthetic adrenal supplements, i.e. steroids)
- three stages of adrenal response are adaptation, alarm, and exhaustion
- in exhaustion the bodies ability to cope with stress is now depleted, adrenal hormones plummet from excessively high (alarm) to excessively low
- this exhaustion phase sometimes accompanies or is confused with low thyroid
- suggested dose of 5 mg of natural hydrocortisone 1-4 times per day
- symptoms of too much adrenal hormone are puffy face, weakened bones and skin, high blood pressure, water retention

Evaluation - Part 2, Diagnosis

Based on symptoms and past tests, I know that I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, I also am Hypothyroid and have Adrenal Insufficiency/Exhaustion.

When I was 9-10 years old I was hospitalized for about a week with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (an autoimmune disorder with low platelets). I was treated with steroids. When I was in high school I developed asthma for a time and used an inhaler that also contained steroids. The use of steroids has been cited as a cause of hypothyroidism, as have the hormones in oral birth control pills (I took them for a month when we were first married, before we knew of the abortifacient effects). The hormonal imbalances and hypothyroid, kidney problems, adrenal issues all go hand-in-hand. It has been interesting to find some connections and sources for the problems.

A book that I am currently reading and finding helpful is Thyroid Power: 10 Steps to Total Health. A self-assessment from that book and others showed that I have a vast majority of symptoms (see earlier post), and the basal temp and iodine patch test further confirm my suspicions. I have long suspected sluggish thyroid and after researching the various panels of testing done by doctors I have not been convinced that it would be helpful at this time (especially considering our threatened health care system reform) to go that route.

I will post further on some of the interesting things found in my reading and also the treatments I do plan to explore.

Evaluation, part 1 - Symptoms

Alright, I've been doing pretty poorly the last few weeks and so am re-evaluating where I am and what I should be doing to take care of myself.

Here are my current symptoms:
- achy joints, esp in the morning
- very difficult to wake up - can't think or speak for a while after rising
- bloating, constipation and stomach discomfort
- swollen tongue
- hoarseness
- tonsil stones (ick!)
- occasional hypoglycemic "sugar crash" feeling
- light-headed upon standing up
- scant, painful, irregular menses with no ovulation
- dry skin on face, elbows, feet
- rapid re-gain of all the weight I lost
- always feel tired, can fall asleep sitting esp around 3pm
- difficulty falling asleep, tired but "wired", time when I have most energy
- heart palpitations, hard thumping in chest
- frequent headaches and light sensitivity
- sensitivity to noise
- cold hands and feet
- depression, moodiness esp mid-cycle
- thirsty, but nauseous when drinking water
- kidney pain in lower back
- dark, sweet-smelling urine
- dry, coarse hair that falls out easily
- increased facial hair
- dry feet
- difficulty remembering facts, names, dates
- inability to concentrate/focus
- stressed and overwhelmed very easily
- puffy face, bags under eyes
- slow movement and slow/slurred speech
- difficulty in drawing a full breath
- dry/burning eyes
- low body temperature in the AM
- itchy face at times