Medical news is always fun
I’m sure I’ve posted about my ongoing thyroid issue in the past. After a year and a half or so, my levels are holding steady like a normal person.
You may also remember how I won a free membership to the gym in my building and eventually bought a membership. I have continued going just about every day, twice a day 5 days a week and taking a ballet class on Saturday.
I have not dropped a damn bit of weight during all of this. I also realized that I was due for my yearly physical. I had been unhappy with my old dr, mainly for not listening to me when i told her i had a thyroid problem, so i was on the hunt for a new one.
I found a new dr at King Plow, where we got married. She’s a more holistic dr, which I’m loving. She wants me to be hands on with my treatment and tries to treat naturally before prescribing drugs.
Well after they drew 10 vials of blood, did an EKG, and tested my body composition, she’s come to the conclusion that I have metabolic syndrome. In a twist that really enrages me, one of the causes of it is untreated subclinical hypothyroidism. thanks old dr!
What this means for me is that my iron, b12, and vitamin d are all low and my insulin is elevated. I’ve known about all of that for a while. My endo briefly put me on metformin for elevated insulin levels and ovary stuff (which i did not tolerate well AT ALL), and I have been on b12 injections and pretty hardcore vitamin d supplements for a while now. Even with all that my levels were still low.
So because my b12, d and iron are low, I don’t have as much energy as I should. Because my insulin is high, I haven’t been burning fat during the hours I’m at the gym every week. Apparently my muscle density is fantastic, it’s just covered in fat that won’t go away.
My dr wanted to try me on a noninflammatory foods diet to help with the malabsorption issues and with low sugars to keep the insulin in check until my body straightens itself out. If that doesn’t work, I get prescribed a fuckload of drugs.
So currently I’m eating basically a hybrid of a paleo and glycemic index diet. I cannot eat grains, starchy vegetables, legumes, dairy, soy, high glycemic index fruits, or processed sugar. When Cheryl at work was on gluten free we used to joke about her not being able to eat anything, but now i REALLY can’t eat anything.
I’ve been on this hell diet for a week as of today. After 4 days I stopped having sugar withdrawal headaches. I’m trying to eat at least 1200 calories a day (the lowest you’re supposed to eat without going into starvation mode), but it’s super hard. I don’t eat red meat, and chicken with vegetables just doesn’t have enough calories to reach 1200. I haven’t been going to the gym this past week either, because I have raging bronchitis. I can only imagine how hard eating enough is going to be when I’m burning some as well.
The good news is I’ve dropped 9lbs in 6 days, although I can’t really tell. Dropping weight means that I’ll get to start adding back in foods slowly next month, so I’m hoping it keeps up :)
edit: Also, I need to update my walking to Mordor ticker. I’m pretty close to Bilbo’s trolls in the Trollshaws now.
edit #2: Here it is!
Bag End: 1/13/12
Crickhollow: 2/17/12
Tom Bombadil 2/22/12
Prancing Pony 2/26/12
Weathertop 3/27/12
Next milestone: Bilbo’s Trolls (@ 393 miles)
crossposted from fuzzdecay.com.