I know I posted about this on my blog Facebook page and so
you probably already know this. But still I am going to do a short recap and
catch every up to speed and then fill you in on the details. On Monday I met
with my doctor for my semi-annual checkup. You know normal, routine
maintenance. Once a year she sends me for blood work and this was the visit in
which we reviewed the results. Here is the skinny…
The Good
Cholesterol: 142
HDL: 66 (good cholesterol - normal is >46)
Triglycerides: 96 (normal is <150)
LDL: 57 (bad cholesterol - normal is <130)
Glucose: 77 (normal range 65-99)
Vitamin D: 48 (optimal is >=30)
*She always comments on how healthy I am and how great my numbers are which makes me happy :)
The Not
So Good
Vitamin B12: 305 (down from 327 in May and 658 last year)
TSH levels: 4.58 (normal range is .40-4.20 so just
slightly elevated but it is a jump from last year's 1.53)
So let’s start first with the TSH because this
is a quick recap. She said the jump could be an anomaly or it could be a sign
of Hashimoto’s. She sent me for additional blood work (a T3, T4 and another TSH
screening) and the results all came back normal. My TSH was down to 3 and my T3
and T4 were right in the midst of the normal range. Her recommendation is
additional blood work screenings every 6 months for the TSH levels and that is it for now. Glad
to know that everything checked out good on Monday. Also glad she did additional testing first before prescribing me any (unnecessary, clearly) meds.
However,
the B12 is kind of a big issue. Not because it dropped so much over a year but
because it dropped since May. See, back in May (after I came back from Ragnar)
I was a mess. I was so tired and so sick for a few days that I ended up at
urgent care and my doctor’s just to make sure everything was ok. It was ok.
Well, everything except my B12 so the doc had me start taking a high dose
supplement which I did so regularly. I was adamant about it. I maybe missed it two
times over the past 8ish weeks. I wanted to feel better.
But I
never did. I just stayed like a zombie. Life was difficult. I was tired all the
time. And even though I was still able to make (most days) fitness and healthy
eating my priority it was a struggle. I just was not myself and it was taking
its toll.
Fast
forward to Monday’s checkup and the realization that my levels dropped even
while taking a supplement and the doc said I needed to either go on injections
or a nasal spray B12 because my body was not absorbing it. I opted for the
injections and my first was that morning. My second was yesterday. And today…..
Well
today I feel like the fog is finally lifting.
You have no idea guys…I feel like
a new person. Or actually I just feel like my old self. Today was the first day
in two months that I actually woke up when my alarm went off and was awake. For
two months I have been a zombie, I don't know a better way to describe it. No amount of sleep was never enough. And
because I was always tired I was also super moody. I couldn’t focus at work. I
was super irritable. It was not fun. I was not fun.
But
today, today I feel like the tide has finally shifted and I might finally be on
the way back to the person I was a few months ago and I am freaking ecstatic.
You guys, I just can’t believe it. I guess I got so accustomed to feeling
crappy all the time that I didn’t even realize how bad it was….until it wasn’t
anymore.
I am so
thankful that I go for semi-annual checkups and try to stay on top of my
health. Because if I didn't I would still be feeling like crap and that would suck. My health is my top priority and so I need to make sure I am doing things in
my life that reflect that and regular screenings is one of those things. Anyway,
this is all just to show that this is why it is important to get regular checkups.
Even when you feel healthy. I go every 6 months and now will be getting blood
work checks every 6 months as well, to monitor both the TSH levels and the
Vitamin B12 levels.
The more
you know, right?
Thanks NBC
(this
has been your daily public service announcement)
Love and hugs,
Dacia
xoxoxoxo
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