Friday, March 16, 2012

Thyroid?

I've always got something going on in my ageing body. With lupus, you never know from one day to the next, how you're going to feel.
So I think I'm having a mild flare, since I'm running a bit of a fever. Maybe, maybe not. And it may or may not be related to the suspected flare, but I am also shaking a bit.
I'm not taking any prednisone; I usually do feel shaky while I'm taking even the least amount of pred. So I'm wondering if it might be my thyroid?
Years ago, I had the best energy I've ever had.....I was up all night, I lost weight while eating like the proverbial horse, and there was nothing I couldn't do. Until my PCP, during a routine office visit, asked me bluntly, "Are you taking speed?" Of course not. But I was in danger of having a stroke, he said. So he sent me to an endocrinologist, who said my thyroid was overactive and we needed to do a radioactive iodine to dissolve it. Hmmm. The word radioactive gave me a bit of a pause, but what the heck.....if that's going to take care of this situation, I'll go for, I it.
So I drank the Magic Potion, went home and planned for my family trip to Aspen. Lovely place, lots of things to do, great restaurants, and what did I do for two weeks?
I slept. Nearly all the time. Didn't want to eat. And when we got home, I discovered I had gained 10 pounds.
Egads.....So it was time to take a thyroid supplement. Take once each day, and I would be okay. This was, oh, about 20 years ago. Every morning, I take that little pill. Without fail.
Occasionally, my PCP will check my THS level, but it always comes back as good. No adjustments needed.
But it might be the right time to adjust this med. Why else would I shake? But, OTOH, I'm not losing any weight. Darn it.
So when I go see my PCP on Monday about my strange dizziness, nausea and clammy sweating and little pains under my left shoulder blade, maybe I should ask her about my thyroid.
Never a dull moment with lupus, eh?

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