This is just a health update! first some stressful/negative point form notes yay lol then some explanation and a bit of good news too.
Things I already knew:
- I have hyothyroidism
- I have Intracranial Hypertension
- My iron is low
- I need to lose weight in order to fix the second one (which is difficult with the first one and being an emotional eater)
Things that I now know after numerous doctor appointments:
- All the above are still accurate
- I've now been diagnosed with chronic anemia
- my spleen is enlarged
- my liver is enlarged, and not working well
- there are fatty deposits on my liver but no lesions (so no wound, ulcer, abscess or tumor)
- my blood is breaking down too quickly; my blood cells are not living as long as they should.
- i have an upcoming ultrasound to check for uterus cysts and to check my ovaries.
- the reason my face has been going numb could be because of the low iron or anxiety attacks; I am leaning toward a combo but it definitely seemed anxiety related (this is a new level of anxiety for me.. that's a whole 'nother blog post)
My doctor thinks most of these things are caused by the low iron and the hypothyroidism. She is hoping that by taking iron, losing weight and continuing my current dosage of meds that my body should figure itself out for the most part.
She is referring me to an Internal Medicine Doctor and testing me for some autoimmune diseases. Hopefully that's just to rule out the major things. They also want to figure out why my liver is enlarged.
To say I'm a bit freaked out would be accurate. I don't enjoy going to the doctor or having blood tests done and it's basically all I've done the last couple of weeks, with more to come. I just want to be better and to be healthy. I want to focus on my family and enjoy my motherhood. I want to go to the doctor and hear some good news.
But most of all, i just want to be at peace.. not matter what the circumstances. Working on that through prayer and some very real conversations with the Father today. <3
My symptoms are all over the map. Exhaustion, muscle spasms, sharp pains, liver pain, nausea, headaches, anger, hot flashes, chills, mood swings, anxiety attacks, 16 day periods, did i mention exhaustion? lol
HOWEVER.. I have been working on myself. About 1.5 weeks before my appointment that told me all of these things (around Aug 16), I noticed a shift. I have mostly stopped stress eating. My exercises and advice from my counselor were working without me noticing. We then went on a week long trip with gas station food and fast food.. then came home and it was chaos and kids and dr appts and now it's today. And somehow I've only stress eaten three times in the last month. This is insane for me. And one time was with an apple so it was great for me ha I have lost 9 pounds and my mind and my insides already feel better.
I have been drinking iron right out of the bottle and taking multivitamins, vitamin D and a liver cleanse pill. I can actually get out of bed in the morning almost right away and when the kids go down for a nap I don't sit the entire time. Things are changing for me.. it feels like in the right direction.
This makes my thought processes a little more complicated as I am noticing some improvements but know that I still have impending specialist, ultrasound and blood test appointments. I'm anxious but I'm hopeful. I'm afraid but I feel like maybe I don't need to be or maybe I should be more. It's confusing guys. lol
I'm basically just updating you all as a number of people have been asking me lately how I've been doing. And it actually feels good to have it all typed out instead of just thinking it all and having it fly around my head.
In order to be able to stay off medication for the pressure surrounding my brain, I have to lose another 17 pounds by the beginning of December . Those pills are something I never want to be on again due to the side effects I felt after using them for only 6 days. I have noticed a shift in how quickly I'm losing weight and it's definitely a mix of the fact that I'm eating healthier options (altho I've done this before with almost no results) and no stress eating and my blood tests showed that for the first time my thyroid levels are perfect (on medication, so we got my dose right this time yay!). I am extremely grateful for this. The rest is up to me and I finally feel like I'm doing my part. The rest of the rest is up to my body and Jesus.
I would 100% love to ask you for your prayers. Specifically that I am able to have the energy to keep on working on myself, that I will be able to keep the fear and anxiety under control and of course for healing. Thanks for being with me.
I am still tired. But I am moving forward.
<3
love you guys.
I came accross an article on the Twinversity FB page. I hate that you are going through so much and I am sending prayers and goodvibes your way! It's almost a year past this post so I hope all is well! I've got a lot going on and a lot to figure out and your story sounds so familiar...
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to share, input and/or advice is welcomed.
I got pregnant with twin girls at 37 and I've not been the same since. Granted, I have never been an over the top health nut or even in that great off shape but my weight never went over the top and I always had decent energy and felt pretty good most days.... But, after my first initial pregnancy blood work I was told by my OB that my thyroid was slighty under active and she started me on 25 mcg of Levothyroxin, testing me regularly to see if the meds needed adjusted and each time they said everything tested normal and I would continue the dose I was on. Then I had my girls via c-section at 34 weeks, due to preeclampsia (which I had with my first born as well). And let me also note that I had my tubes removed all in the same surgery; being 38 with 3 children, I was done. I ended up hemorrhaging the day before my girls were graduating from the NICU (22 days old) and had to have an emergency D&C and an over night in the hospital; it was due to "residual tissue" that was left behind during the c-section. Anyway, I was released, my girls were released, and home as a family we all went. From about the 4 month post-natal time, I feel like crap, I'm extremely tired all of the time (and its not just from caring for the girls, it feels more than that), my body is sore, sometimes it feels like the pain is in my bones, for example holding the phone to my ear for any length of time, the bones in my hand, wrist, and arm just ache, driving and holding the steering wheel, I feel the same pain, sitting for any length of time, my tailbone and all of my leg bones ache.... My vision is getting fuzzy, my migraines seem to be more intense, my BP has been around 142/91 and a little higher (it normally runs 120/70), I have gained 20 or more pounds (and I dont eat crap or even large portions...?), I could only partially breastfeed for about 6 months because my supply just wouldn't increase even with the help of medication and all of the supply tricks. I just felt like something was off. I spoke to my family doctor about it who felt a nodule on my thyroid and requested an ultrasound and a full blood workup. They found several fluid filled cysts, but said there was nothing of concern and my blood work showed me at all normal levels (with my thyroid). He asked me how I felt and I explained it all and he decided to double my Levothyroxin dose to 50 mcg. I go back in 6 weeks for another blood workup and we will see where to go from there. I'm a tough, strong, stubborn, independent woman with an 8 yr very energetic boy and 13 month old twin girls and I absolutely hate feeling like this everyday! Hopefully we are on the right track in finding myself again. I have posted my lab results for reference, I'm new to all of this so if there is any advice on what to try, look into, ask my doctor about, etc. I would appreciate it. TIA