Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Julie, Thank you for asking...........

Hi Julie and All,

Thank you for asking. Well, I had good news and bad news. Based on my blood work, I'd gotten worse with the subacute thyroiditis. It's been upgraded to Acute! I knew that from how I felt. The antibodies levels were even higher, some of the highest he'd ever seen, and the goiter was bigger and more inflamed. The good news is that I've gone back to the "hypo" stage (again, I knew that from almost a pound weight gain per day despite no caloric increase) and so can start on meds again, but at a low dose, increased weekly. Ordered NOT to exercise, not even yoga, just do mild stretches, and stay down as much as I can. (Shoot, I only have a 2 hr. window of feeling good in the morning as it is. �and a thermostat? Forget it, I'm always to hot or to cold.) Today when I went to go get the new meds, I noticed the last season of Sex and the City was out so stopped by the video store to rent it��that ought to keep me down for a good 6 hrs��.lol.

Anyway, we discussed the headaches---oh those D* headaches��seems it's more the inflammation pressing on everything in the neck area, but YES like Jen said, they can be considered migraines since so constant. I discussed all the options of meds you told me about�the Imitrex (his fav) and the Feldene. I'd researched them the night before and to tell you the truth the Triptan drugs scared me since they were so hard on the heart as a side affect. Remember, I'd gone thru 3 weeks of arrhythmias and THOSE scared me so much I NEVER want to have that happen again. Also the Feldene does a number gastro wise, so was a little leery of that too. He too, hates the way the Feldene ripes your gut up. He'd written me a script for any or all of them if I'd wanted but we settled on codene for right now��Vicodine, and in a low dose so I could add as I needed. Also, the cold packs.

He reinforced all you had said about the cold on the place of pain and heat below it�� Darn, you're smart!!!
Here I'd been under the impression you needed to OPEN the blood vessels, not constrict them. Never having had to deal with constant headaches before, what did I know?

What was interesting is this doc knew very well, all about fibro, and how to test the pressure points. He takes fibro very seriously. He did a few of the upper body pressure point tests on me and boy did they hurt. Said when the thyroid settled down that he would test all of them plus he wants to test for Epstine Barr (sp?). I told him I had an appt. with the Endo in a few weeks and wanted to know what to reject or accept in the way of tests��.he confirmed some of my suspicions about ones that I would have thought twice about having anyway, like the RAI, Radioactive Iodine Uptake test�.He is so good, could just feel the 2 sides of the goiter and tell how large they were IN numbers!�(double what they should be BTW)..ordered a scan (ultrasound) to be done at his office next week, then I'll see him again the following week, after being on new meds a while�..still another appt. with him before the initial Endo appt.

I wish you ALL could have this doc��he will spend 2 hrs. with you listening, if you need it�..and he's almost 80 years OLD. Has been a general surgeon at one time, and is now, besides practicing at the clinic I go to, twice a week, is Director at a Woman's clinic (http://www.pmstreatmentclinic.com/) who's patients have recently been on Oprah. Has worked closely with Wilson, the guy that discovered Wilson's Syndrome, another thyroid disorder like Gaves, etc. Geez, wish I could tuck this doc in my purse and drag him out when I need help. He promised to get me to feeling better within a month��.but eventually wants my meds to be customized at a compounding pharmacy to tailor to my needs.

He said, and this I find interesting, is that I could have had this thryoiditis for a long, long time��.and it just never flared up. This stuff is sorta acts like the virus that creates shingles when one gets older., except it's more rare. What is it (?), chicken pox, measles or something like that, that you have as a kid, the virus lays dormant and then can flare up again in the form of shingles later in life. Anyway, he said, this, the THYROIDITIS could have brought on the IBS. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm???
He also know all about the fibro/thyroid connection and feels one should be tested for all the ones that are related.

So, although I feel (and look) like crap, my mind was relieved that we can get to the bottom of this, and get a positive diagnosis of all I have��.and go from there.

Hmmm, you weren't asking for a novel��..sorry I went on and on��.

Now, What about YOU Julie? What is this asthma control you talk about? What do you mean you needed to do something about it, and take your own advise? Oh my, I wish I could remember something I just read about asthma and a food relationship��IS there foods, besides the IBS triggers that you are supposed to avoid? How about exercise��you said you were at the gym��..do you NEED to exercise more or less, or what?

Kandee

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