July 13, 2009

next steps

So, quick snapshot of the last week and a bit...

I've been so exhausted that I can barely function. I get to work, wake up by 9:30, and by 2pm, I can barely move or think. I would come home, sleep for 3-4 hours, then go to bed, and wake up still tired. I don't fit into any of my clothes.

Last Sunday night, I broke down. I told Adam that I wanted to go home. To just quit, to give up. I was so tired of being tired that I couldn't even drive home. I took Monday off, and that afternoon, went to the walk-in. I told the Doctor (Dr. Senior, for those who are wondering) about how I felt. He asked about my job and I told him. He raised an eyebrow and told me that it was probably stress, but that he would run a full battery of blood/urine tests, as he would for any person who came in exhausted. He didn't expect to find anything.

Fast forward to tonight, when I went back to the clinic to review my results. I sat by the computer with Dr. Senior as he went through the list... Not pregnant, not anemic, excellent cholesterol, no risk of heart disease... then he said "Oh, well, you proved me wrong, my dear!".

Hypothyroidism, a severe UTI and deficient in B12.

So, here's where it starts, I guess. I start antibiotics tomorrow, as well as a low dose of medication for my thyroid. If it works, I'll be on it for the rest of my life, but I'll be less tired, the weight should start to slowly come back down. The aches and the whole-body tired, the brain fog, should all start to lift. I've read that the headaches will start to go too.

But it's not just drugs and fixed. In order for the weight to come down, I'll have to start a low-fat, high fiber diet with minimal sugars. Once the UTI is gone, to get it to stop coming back, I'll have to start drinking more water, probably adding some cranberry juice and some blueberries. For the B12, it's either the shot, the suppliment or lots more B12 rich foods (which should provide an energy boost).

I re-read some of Skinny Bitch last night... The book gets a bad wrap. It's just about sucking it up and using your head. A clear sign of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results, and this book is like a slap in the face for that.

I'm going to have to actually put effort into doing something for exercise, probably 30 minutes of walking 5x per week to see results, but they should come easier than the usual first few weeks.

and I'm going to have to keep up my sleeping pattern, which I'm going to work on.

Right now, actually. :)

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