arg. so, here's the deal. i've been so distracted lately. i was having these odd symptoms and i couldn't figure out what was going on. it started back in february of last year, mildly at first but was getting worse and worse as the months went on. at least now i have part of the answer. let me tell you what was going on.

the first symptom i developed was this awful rash, like eensy weensy hives all over my face. i'd been bitten by my poor diabetic cat who was having a seizure (note to self-giving honey to a diabetic cat when she is having a seizure is the right thing to do. using your finger to deliver said honey is not), and she seized on my finger. i had to go to the doctor for antibiotics. the next day i broke out in this rash and my doctor told me to go to the ER. they assumed it was the antibiotics. but, i've had it 6 or 7 times since then.

about the same time, i developed what i thought was a massive anxiety problem. when i would lay down to go to bed at night, my heart would just start racing. some nights i wouldn't get to sleep at all. this started happening more and more frequently over the next few months, until it was pretty constant by october, along with skipped heartbeats, tightness in my chest, and fatigue. i was a bit freaked out, so i went to the doctor. he couldn't find anything wrong, my bp, cholesterol and holter monitor test were fine, and i'm only 32. my b-12 was okay, if a little on the low side. he assumed it was anxiety and so prescribed an antidepressant and xanax. knowing i had a thyroid problem though (been on levothyroxine for 13 years) he decided to check my levels. my thyroid looked fine but for some reason i was pumping out massive amounts of antithyroid antibodies. so, he sent me off to the endocrinologist.

after a number of tests and visits, the endo decided that i'm suffering from what he called "an undermedication over-reaction". essentially, since my body is still pumping out a looot of antithyroid antibodies, the dosage of thyroid medication i was on was not sufficient. this was causing the small portion of my thyroid that was still working to pump out one particular kind of thyroid hormone. the result was that i was hyper and hypothyroid at the same time. he also believed that i wasn't tolerating the generic version of synthroid that my old doctor had put me on and switched me to synthroid (and he was right).

based on hair loss and physical symptoms (along with lab numbers), we can assume that i've been in this state for almost 4 years. 4 YEARS. i am so angry that my old doctor didn't catch this. i'd told her about my hair loss over three years ago. i won't even go into that right now. i'm too mad.

anyway, i'm starting to recover slowly. i didn't realize how bad i'd gotten. my appetite and digestion were just shot. i was retaining a lot of fluid and i'd lost muscle mass (along with copious amounts of my mostly-damn those greys-auburn hair). the heart stuff has calmed a bit, as has the anxiety/depression. i've noticed that it gets much worse if i don't take my magnesium, b complex, b-12 and multivitamins. hopefully i'll be fully recovered soon. it may take as long as 6 months. the rash is still occurring, but i'll take it as it comes.

that's the physical stuff. i won't even go into the emotional crap, this isn't really the place for it. but, it's been a rough year.

just a heads up. i'm sorry that i just stopped posting, but i've been dealing with some health, and personal problems and have not felt up to it. i'll get back to it asap.

cg

blech