Gluten Free

I have been on Armour Thyroid for about 8 months now, and about 4 months or so, I decided to go gluten free.  It has been a difficult change, but well worth it. Things are vastly impoving for me.  Now I should be totally honest and say that I didn't go whole hog, 100% gluten free.  I really couldn't afford to buy all new cookware, bakeware and appliances.  I know that I have read that to be truly gluten free, you have to use separate toasters, strainers, pots, pans, utensils..... I didn't do that. Everything that I have eaten though has been gluten free.  I found some really good things to eat, and some really awful things.  The bread was the biggest hurdle, until I discovered Canyon Bakehouse.  Their bread is amazing and the closest thing to conventional bread I have been able to find.  Udi's bread tasted horrible to me.  You HAVE to toast it to even make it edible.  I love peanut butter, and it just was never satisfying on Udi's bread. For pasta, Barilla recently came out with a new gluten free line, which to me is just as good as the conventional pasta.  The only thing that irks me is that you don't get a full pound of pasta, only 12 ounces.  The price is usually $2.69 for the gluten free in comparison to the $1.25 for conventional.  So it costs a lot more.  I just found the gluten free penne at BJ's for 3/$5.99, so I get it there, I hope that when it goes on sale at Stop and Shop, I will pick up a good deal of the other variations of pasta.

The good news with going gluten free is how I feel.  I used to have excruciating joint pain.  Plantar fasciitis so bad that I could barely step out of bed in the morning.  Literally, every joint on my body was sore and slightly swollen.  It's all gone!  I feel normal!  I feel like I did before this whole Hashi's nightmare.  The brain fog is gone! I can concentrate better.  The short temperedness has abated!  The best of all, I have lost almost 20 pounds!  I have not lost any weight in over 10 years.  I have gained 100 pounds over the past 10 years.  This is the first time I have actually lost anything.  I feel like something is finally working.

I have made a few mistakes along the way.  I went to the Cheesecake Factory, and I couldn't resist the Spicy Cashew Chicken... I had to have it, it's my favorite.  I was paying for it by the tme we got home. My hands were tingling, everything started to ache and it continued for about  2-3 days. I realized that a selenium supplement that I was taking before I went gluten free, then I lapsed taking, when I started to take it again, I noticed on the second day, that it had wheat in it.  I managed to go to the Vitamn Shoppe and find some gluten free selenium.  I was also making conventional pancakes for the kids and I accidentally licked the batter off of my hand.  I paid for that with really bad joint pain too.

Going out to eat has been less than fun, it's kind of more of a pain in the ass than a special treat.  There is one restaurant nearby that has an extensive gluten free menu, so I tend to go there alot.  Working at the hospital isn't good, the cafeteria doesn't have anything on offer as far as gluten free, unless I have a salad.

It's getting better though.  Between the armour and gluten free, I am going in the right direction.

Over a month on the Armour

and my mood has drastically improved.  I don't get angry as easily as before.  I felt like I would lose it, now I feel like I have better self control.  I haven't lost any weight, but I think the dose needs to increase and I can't see the Dr for a little while due to insurance issues. The good news is that in two weeks, I will have the best insurance that I have ever had, so I am going to take advantage of that!  I do like the Dr that I found and I do feel better on the Armour.  I need to remember to take the other hormones, I am sure they will help as well, I just lost my insurance for about 2 months and didn't want to "Splurge" on my medication. Which is a crappy train of thought...I should take care of myself better.

BioIdentical Hormones

Well, I went back to the Dr for the followup to my ton of blood work results and I am now the proud owner of some Bio-identical hormones.  It's a lotion that has testosterone and progesterone that I have to apply twice a day.  I also have a lot of supplements that I have to take too, I actually have to buy them.  Some things I have never heard of, but hopefully, all of this on top of the new Armour thyroid, will be what I need.

NDT here I come

I have finally been able to find a Dr. to prescribe Armour Thyroid medication.  It has been 3 days!  I can't say that I feel anything just yet, but I am hoping... I mean really hoping... that something is going to work out for me with this.  The Dr. also ordered a shit ton of blood work, mostly hormone things to make sure everything is in order there as well.  So I feel like he is being very thorough and I feel good about this.  The sad thing is that I have to pay put of pocket.  The first visit was $160 and each visit after is going to be $80, but if that is the price that I have to pay to have something positive result, then so be it.  I though that I was being so proactive when I decided upon seeing an endocrinologist a while back.  I should have known by the guys business cards to run the other way.  There were too many misuses of the word you're instead of your... and it made me crazy.  SO then I went to another endocrinologist, who I knew in my gut wouldn't work out.  When I called and asked if she prescribed Armour the receptionist gave me a runaround-ish answer rather than being direct and she wouldn't ask the Dr. before I made the appointment.  SO that was a waste of time and money as well. So here is to finally getting the prescription that I need and hoping that I can see significant changes in everything!

Armour Thyroid

Is there a reason that getting this medication is absolutely impossible?  I though that I would try to go to another endo, and guess what! It was a total waste of my time!  A total waste of my time.  She outright refused, decided to check my TSH, which of course was totally fine... and kept me on the Synthroid... that has done NOTHING for me!  I am up 100 pounds in the 7 years since diagnosis... fabulous!  I love it!  It's great!  I love clothes that don't fit, I love not being able to fit into a ride with my son... it's a great self confidence booster.  I love eating healthy and exercising and not seeing an ounce of improvement.  It's great!  I am going to make an appointment with one more Dr. who doesn't accept my insurance.... of course... BUT .. the nurse said that he absolutely prescribes Armour and she was shocked that I have had an impossible time getting it... so that leaves me hopeful.  I just have to remember to make the appointment and  have to make it before i go to school!

Tylenol

I am getting rid of all Tylenol from the house.  The more that I am learning, there really is no  need for this dangerous OTC drug to be in the house.  I used to take Tylenol all the time, for everything. I would take a lot too.  Sometimes over the recommended dosage in the hopes that whatever headache or cramps I had would be alleviated more quickly.  Little did I know that I was damaging one of the most important organs in my body!  Tylenol causes liver damage!  It says it on the bottle, although it says only if taken with alcohol..which I think is a crock of poo...

My liver is not converting the Synthroid (T4) into the active T3 hormone that my body is starving for....  I can't blame it all on Tylenol, but if I can remove one risk factor for my family that is an easy fix, then why shouldn't  I?  It  pisses me off that when you are pregnant they claim the only safe thing to take is Tylenol! That really makes me wonder. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I have full blown liver disease, but I definitely am suffering from some liver dysfunction.

So no more Tylenol in the house for me or the family.

Plantar fasciitis

I have no idea if this is a side effect of Hashi's, but I definitely have it!  It has gotten progressively worse too.  I think I am going to have to break down and make an appointment for the podiatrist.  Although I really don't think there is anything that can be done about it, I am sure that losing weight would help... I just feel so stuck.  I really hate what my life has become.  I never thought that I would be this way or feel this way.  I am just so unhappy.

I can hardly walk, it is just so painful!