Ok I have no clue what my right adrenal gland's name should be but today in honor of her starting to perk up...we will call her Susie. As in Wake up Little Susie...now the rest of you can sing this all day. (You're welcome.)
Alrighty, welcome back for a long awaited (or not) health update. Had a visit with the endocrinologist today after blood work on Tuesday of this week. The good news is that my Cortisol level is approx. 4. Normal is around 9-15 with some people topping out at higher (mine used to be 30+). 4 is much better than 0 which is what it was 2 months ago. This means that my remaining adrenal gland is starting to "wake up".
In the meantime though I have been actually feeling worse since decreasing my hydrocortisone two and a half weeks ago to 10mg (from 13). Work, both physical and metal, drain me to the point of dizziness and confusion. She said it was probably a combination of too low of a dose of the hydro plus some pretty cruddy nutrition blood work feedback in other areas. Low iron, low protein, low blood sugar-it is sort of a bad merry go-round because I feel bad so I don't eat, so I don't have enough good nutrition in my body and then I feel worse. So...some more vitamins, possibly some supplements (including B12) and try to eat a little better or do some protein shakes (esp if I am trying to exercise.) She added that some of the other "weird" symptoms I'm currently having, like sore feet and numb hands-could be vitamin deficiencies. She is also keeping me on the prescription potassium.
So I'm upping my hydrocortisone for the next couple weeks, trying to eat a little more and a little more balanced. My blood pressure is perfect and I am off of all of my blood pressure medication.
I'm down 30+ pounds which is great but some areas are still acting stubborn-bra shopping today was like trying to wrangle two toddlers. Why please are big bras so ugly?
Ok...back to topic. Thanks everyone for the continued thoughts, prayers, messages, phone calls, cards etc. I'm on my way to being a normal person again. Well I don't think I was ever normal but I'm enjoying figuring out who I really am again!
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Great update Janet, I can hear the smile in your words.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can start having a better appetite again. That stinks when you just don't feel like eating but the eating may help you feel better. Vicious circle.
HUGS!
Your version of normal is just right. Here's to toddler wranglin'. And to Susie.
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