Thyroid update and a bit whiny

Sorry, this is going to be a totally self indulgent whine. I'm waiting for a week of injections, blood tests and scans to determine if the radio iodine treatment I had in January has worked. It's coming up next week, and frankly I'm terrified of what they might find. Work has been pretty quiet so every time I have nothing to do my mind has been drifting to what's coming up. I ended up making loads of stupid mistakes and forgettng to double check what I have done, so I've had my manager on my back, yelling across the office at me and on one occasion across the main corridor. I was on my mobile to the hospital trying to sort appointment dates and put it down the second a customer came in the shop.

I'm struggling to make simple decisions (what to make for tea, what colours to use in a quilt, what to wear for a run) and panicking about stupid things. Because I've been so scared about what they might find and that I might have to go through radio again, it's been coming out as anger, and I've been veering between bursting into tears and snapping people's heads off. I eventually went to see my GP who has signed me off with stress for a couple of weeks which has given me a breathing space, and I'm going to see him again this afternoon to see if he'll extend it till after next week's tests. I'm also going to ask about anti depressants. Hubby phoned the nuclear medicine to check how long I'd be waiting for the results, and it seems that I should get the in the middle of the week after.

Some photos to make up for the whine, I've been following the Carol Doak scenic block of the month, here's some of the blocks so far.

Thyroid update

Sorry no nice photos for this one. I really should get some done of my neck scars to illustrate these posts!

It was my first three monthly check up on Thursday. My bloods have come back well within expected limits, although she didn't explain how they'd fallen from what they were a month ago. I'm guessing it's because I've increased my activity levels, but I've not found anything scientific to support this. Anyway, she poked my neck - they all do, but at least she didn't get me to repeatedly dry swallow which I hate - and pronounced it fine.

I asked her about my lack of taste (not my clothes or husband!) and it seems there's no clear cut answer, I'll start getting taste back slowly. I knew this as I can taste things like blue cheese and other strongly flavoured foods.

Bit of a bombshell that the nuclear medicine consultant wants me to have a repeat scan. Mike insists I was told this in January, but I really don't remember it. I asked about coming off thyroxine and she said something about injections but they'd have to be at Derriford. I was getting confused, and she was making moves that she needed to go, so we left to come home.

Big session of googling later and I was more confused than ever. Thank goodness for nuclear medicine! Mike phoned as I had to get to work, and once the consultant was free, he phoned back and spent quite some time discussing everything with Mike. How cool is that?? We've now got a much clearer picture of what needs to happen, and why.

Regime is Day 1: injection at Derriford, bring ampoule of stuff home & keep in fridge. D2: injection at GP to save me having to get back to Derriford. D3: RAI injection at nuclear medicine. D4: scan. D5: Back to GP for blood test. I'll need to be on the low iodine diet for a month. No fish enriched olive oil this time, honest!! I'll also need to stop my thyroxine tablets for the week, but the injections will counter the effect of that.

I'm waiting for a letter from nuclear med with all the info and dates in. He said he's happy for us to change dates if they clash with "important family things". I've checked with work, and the very end of June is looking good for staffing levels, and by amazing coincidence it also fits in well with Half marathons (June 21st) and starting training for the full one I'm planning in October. I just want to clarify how long the hypo effdects will last afterwards, as obviously I don't want to be sleepy for the Boston trip.

I'm planning a buying trip to La Senza for new scanties ready for the injections! ;¬)

Much too long without a post

2 months without posting...what was I thinking about??? So in brief, I went to hospital and had my radioiodine, felt sick, had a scan on day 2 that the consultant looked concerned about, went home, panicked on day 5 when i realised I'd made a mess of a simple diet. The only things he'd told me not to eat was fish and fish oils. Just imagine how I felt on the Saturday when I spotted the olive oil I'd been using was enriched with fish oil!!

Anyway the good news is I had my repeat scan on the following Monday and it was fine, great and all clear. I know this because I made the poor doctor repeat it about 5 times. How embarrassing is that?

I'm struggling now because I'm back in work and slowly trying to increase my activity levels after I've started on thyroxine tablets. Typically though I'm ending up doing waaayy too much and then crashing at weekends. I'm not used to my body letting me down and I hate it. I've been back to work 4 weeks, but only on shrt hours, then they moved me to work in the factory shop and clean it but I ended up sleeping over 10 hours a night then sleeping in the afternoons at weekends as well. I've been signed off for another 2 weeks, and so far have spent most of today yawning!

No-one tells you what "taking it easy" actually is! Do I slob out on the sofa all day, or only run once a week?