Today was my 1month post-surgical check. He liked the way my scar was looking [much better than the 1st surgery] but said it will probably get pinker before it starts to fade. AOK with me - ‘tis turtleneck and sweater season after all! I told him about my experience with the RAI and he seems to be the only Dr that wasn’t surprised to hear of the “no side effects” side effects. I am scheduled for a whole body scan tomorrow morning and he said I can call him next week for the results. He also said I need to come back in another 6 weeks for a follow-up and another neck ultrasound and that we will check my labs again to make sure my meds are the correct dose. He also said I don’t have to keep taking my calcium supplements much longer. Right now I'm on 1 Tums twice a day. If you remember, I started out at 2 Tums 4 times a day after surgery because of injury to my parathyroids.
So then we turned to the topic of when I can go back to work. I said I was thinking that after 2 weeks of being back on my thyroid meds, I should be good to go. Dr seemed a bit hesitant and said I would still be exhausted and coming out of hypo hell at that point because my TSH is extremely high. I bargained with him and said I could work from home when I was feeling the exhaustion and he agreed to write me the note! So I'm set to return on October 19th as I originally planned!
Here comes the sigh…SIGH…
If you have seen me over the last year, you know that last year I worked very hard to lose 25-30lbs over the summer. I was feeling better than I had in a few years [aside from unexplained thyroid symptoms]. Over the holidays and such I had gained back 5-10lbs but still felt really good.
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| Before | After |
Well since the start of this whole thyroid cancer mess in May, I have successfully gained back all but 5-10 of those hard lost pounds. What really sucks is in just one week before my RAI, I gained 10lbs!!! Seriously?! At that point I was eating less than 1,000 calories a day. Basically my TSH went so high that my metabolism became non-existent and all of my body functions slowed to a ridiculous point. There were days when I didn’t even feel hungry because what I ate the day before was still there. Yes, some of it is water retention and swelling from surgery, hypo hell, and RAI and when my TSH gets back to "normal” my metabolism will return to “normal.” But you can bet your bippy the weight isn’t just going to magically fall off. [Another thing to liken to pregnancy?] I know that I can lose it again but I also know it is going to be a long, slow climb back to “normal.” Thank God I haven’t sold/donated any of my bigger clothes yet!
Yay for almost being done with Tums! I'm glad you can return to work as scheduled too! About the weight, it will come off with time. I know it will take more work this time, but hey I'm in the same boat. (Of course mine is due to baby #2) I guess we will be taking the journey together, again! LOL!
ReplyDeleteYay for being able to go back to work. Normally, that's not something I'd Yay!, but I know that you're climbing the walls with so few visitors to distract you. So I say Yay! because it will keep your mind active. Also, Yay! about almost being done with Tums. I must say, I wish I could also cut back on the Tums, but alas! My Tums intake is to suppress heartburn. ::sigh:: As for the weight: Not cool, thyroid! But at least you have Ashley there and you guys can work it off together. If you count spirit, I'll be right there with both of you, lol. Mostly, just glad to hear good news for you! Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't even want to get started on the weight issue that has come along with Thyca. I have 2 kids so I have gained my fair share of baby weight, and then managed to lose most of it without really trying. I probably kept on about 5 pounds after each pregnancy, but that was really the only weight I had gained since high school. Until cancer. In a one year period, starting a few months before diagnosis, I gained 25 pounds! YIKES! I was hoping once my meds got regulated that my metabolism would pick up and I would lose some of it. No such luck. I am still eating a lot less than I used to and I haven't lost even one pound. Very frustrating. I mentioned this at my last Dr appt and he has me keeping a food journal. I think he doesn't beleive me when I say that I am not eating a ton. I guess one of these days I am going to have to get down to business and work my ass off to lose it. Because I really am unhappy with how I feel when I am this heavy. But for some reason, I haven't felt motivated to do much about it. Cancer Sucks!
ReplyDelete-Kami
Maybe you will lose it on your 3 day walk!!