Still waiting for those blood test results

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Which is a little worry-making, considering that I've always gotten them back within a week before. Yah...

But there does seem to be a difference with the brand name Synthroid. I'm not nearly as tired (the Triffid out back is almost cut down to size, I've got the bulk of the offcuts bagged and ready for the brush pickup, and I just cleaned the patio area in preparation for this weekend. I think I've been possessed by Martha Stewart), my head's a lot clearer, and Thumper has been behaving itself more reasonably (I'm still getting the occasional heart hiccup, but I'm also entertaining the Crimson Tide and that's the usual time for them)

Plus I'm still doing 31 laps a night, and I'm debating going to the gym tonight and hitting the iron. On one hand it would be a good thing, and then I could just come home and jump in the pool. On the other hand I still have to edit the podcast, and doing some of my own writing might be a nice thing. We shall see.

Iiinteresting...

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Did you know that generic levothyroxine (aka generic Synthroid) can be up to 30% less effective than the name brand stuff, and can show dramatic differences as to how it's taken up and distributed in the body?

Did you know that some of the side effects reported with generic levothyroxine include:

dizziness
heart palpitations
fatigue
depression
recurrent sinus infections
joint pain
brain fog
problems remembering things
edema

Did you know that I've been on generic levothyroxine for years, now, and have experienced:

dizziness
heart palpitations
fatigue
depression
recurrent sinus infections
joint pain
brain fog
problems remembering things
edema

With the dizziness, fatigue, heart palps and edema hitting really hard in the last six months.

I just turned in my renewed Synthroid scrip, and told the pharmacist that I want the name brand, NOT the generic. It may take a couple of days to see an effect, but believe me, I will be watching this.

Oh, by the way, 30 laps last night. Go me.

The weird thing is

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Even though I'm exhausted and all my muscles ache, I'm still able to swim every night. Go figure. Maybe the buoyancy is helping or something, I dunno, but I'm up to 25 laps, with a break every 10 laps. If I could get up to 50 laps, I would be a happy camper indeed.

After the doctor's visit

Monday, June 22, 2009

On the plus side, my blood pressure is 120 over 80 -- it just doesn't get better than that. And my EKG showed normal sinus rhythm, so everything looks good from a cardiac point of view. My lungs sound clear, and he didn't find anything wrong with my skin, joints or tummy -- all very good as well.

He was concerned about the edema, fatigue, dizziness and recurring heart hiccups, however, and sent me off to have some bloodwork done (CBC, sed rate, cholesterol, thyroid, and glucose), which required three test tubes of blood and three failed attempts at a venous puncture (and this is after I chugged a bottle of water) before the Pro from Dover was called in and nailed a vein in the back of my hand. Damn my tiny and painfully shy veins.

So now we wait. Whee...

I think I have an issue

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Well, I know I have an issue, but I'm getting it confirmed tomorrow (hopefully) during a doctor's appointment. For most of this year I've had problems with edema in my legs -- I've always retained water like a sponge and have looked 9 month's pregnant upon occasion due to the tummy bloat, but now my feet and ankles would swell up horribly, as well, which just ain't good.

And then there are the heart hiccups, as I like to call them. I've been having those since 2005 -- had them checked out by the doc, he pronounced them premature ventricular contractions and put me on beta blockers, which did absolutely nothing. They seem to come more frequently in the time between my fertile period and my period period, but could pop up at any time.

And then there's the fatigue that would crash over me like a tidal wave, leaving my ass bone tired and unable to muster the energy to do even the simplest things like do laundry or write, for God's sake. Oddly enough, I have been able to swim every night since the 12th, but I also know that I'm just not clearing the lactose buildup like I should and it knocks my ass right out.

And then there's the lightheadedness, which was the final straw when it happened all during Gay Days and left me wondering if I was going to pass out a couple of times. It's also been kind of hard at times to think straight, which is just not good in my line of work.

Usually, these symptoms indicate some degree of heart failure. And if that's what I have, then fine -- I want it diagnosed and I want a treatment plan. It's not curable, but it's treatable and maintainable, and there are things I can do to strengthen the heart muscle. But first I have to take some of the stress off it, which means ACE inhibitors and diuretics. And if it's something else, also fine -- I just need to know what the hell is going on.

So here we go.

Okay, so I have this pool...

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Which I'd kinda forgotten about until Friday, when I was massaging my aching Achilles bursa and wondering how I was going to get some aerobics in. And then I remembered, "Oh, yeah, that big blue thing in the ground out back -- that could help."

So I've been doing laps. Admittedly it's only been since Friday, but oh dear God I can feel the muscle use all over because everything pretty much HURTS until I down three ibuprofen and wait for them to kick in. Which is good for me, right?

Of course right. And the nice thing about the pool being in my own back yard is that I can toss on my bathing suit and not give a rat's ass if my legs are shaved or not because nobody can see into our back yard (well, except for one house across the street and maybe the next door neighbors, but only if we have the lights on).

Add this to the walking I did last weekend at WDW and there's been definite improvement in my leg muscles. Now if the pain will just go away...