Possible Diagnosis

I blog a bunch in the beginning of the new year and it takes me nearly a month to get it together again to add another entry! In my defense, it has been pretty hectic around here. I cannot go into too much detail on some things yet, but I can in other areas at least.


If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know I have been having bad stomach issues since October of 2014. I had a sensitive stomach growing up, but it went way down hill then. I had my gall bladder removed, multiple tests at multiple doctors (primary ones, two gastroenterologists, and a rheumatologist) and still no answers. Medications helped some, but I was still having awful stomach attacks every four to six weeks with no explanation.


Well, we may finally have one.


My rheumatologist gave me some blood work results in November that he said he wasn't too concerned about but I should show to another doctor I was seeing just in case. Well, in December that doctor looked at it and went, "Um, no. Not normal. Definitely a problem." The possible verdict?


Subclinical Hypothyroidism.


My TSH (thyroid hormones) were at a 10.67 when the normal range is around 2-3. My thyroid antibodies were also super, super high. The norm is between 4 and 32.... mine were at 464. I was started on 100mcg of Synthroid within 24 hours and referred to an endocrinologist that day. My first appointment with the endocrinologist will be this Friday, so I am hoping we finally can fix this thing once and for all. I will most likely be on Synthroid the rest of my life, but hopefully we can lower the levels once my blood work balances out again.


The one doctor thinks that's why my stomach was so messed up, apparently metabolism and hormones and all sorts of other things can get screwy. It also adds to the tiredness, cold, and many other things. I did have to step away from Google, but fingers crossed we finally get somewhere with this.


The other goodish news is that I am transferring in my job. I currently work at the reference desk at the Main Library (which I do like don't get me wrong) but I will be moving over to the Research Library within the next month or so. The big perk to this will be a much more steady schedule and.... they're closed weekends! Hallelujah! As of right now I am working half and half (including some weekends), but once they hire another person I will be at the branch library permanently. It is also much quieter, a different sort of patron, and a definite change of pace I am looking forward too.


Hopefully I will be able to update with more shortly. Until then, thanks (as always) for sticking with me.

Not So Wordless Wednesday

On your birthday Starbucks gives you free drinks. The Starbucks on base doesn't use the app or whatever it is with the gift card reloadable thing (you can tell I do this a lot) but they still give you a free drink. I asked for a medium and the girl behind the counter told me to live a little, it was my birthday after all, so I ended up with a passion tea lemonade the size of my head! Plus they matched my new birthday present Ray Bans my mom found on major sale somewhere. So I took a rare selfie, especially since I had my hair curled, another rarity.

On 9/11 I didn't have work, so once Ryan came home we went to the 9/11 Memorial in Jacksonville. I am ashamed to say I didn't know it existed until that day and the base Facebook page posted about it, but I am glad we went. It is a piece of steel from the Twin Towers and you can see the notes and flowers people left throughout the day. We arrived just after it rained so it was just us for awhile in the evening sunlight. It was beautiful.

Football season started and I was super excited. Now both my teams are 0-2 and I want to bang my head on the wall. Sigh.

Last weekend my parents met us for lunch in New Bern and we tried a delicious restaurant called Persimmons, which we had never been to before. It was right on the waterfront and all of their food was made from fresh, local ingredients. Check out my fried green tomatoes (with regular tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles and balsamic reduction). Oh my gracious it was heavenly.

We walked around a bit then and just enjoyed the view and showing my dad New Bern since he hasn't been before. It was pretty hot so the breeze coming off the water was much appreciated.

I finally managed to snag something from The Enchanted Brush. I was way too excited and I already wore it! I ordered it Friday, it arrived Monday, and I wore it Tuesday. One day I will own a pair of her amazing shoes... when I can afford them!!!

I am back to the "Let's guess why your digestive system doesn't work game." with a new gastroenterologist. So far I like him, we have some ideas, but until I have an attack again they cannot do as many tests as they want. I am under instructions to go to the ER during my next attack and have a CT scan and blood work done... which should be fun. When I am in attack mode I can barely move or leave the bathroom let alone get myself to the ER in time, but we shall see. I cannot seem to go more than six weeks without an attack so maybe within a month we will know more. He did decide to test me for celiac's disease with a simple blood test after my appointment. I went to the lab and I told the young HN naval guy I have deep veins, just to give him a heads up. He felt around, said he found one and was good. He then stuck the needle in said, "Oh." and promptly pulled it out again. As blood trickled down my arm he went and grabbed someone else and said, "Can you tap her, I blew out her vein." Sigh. I warned you dude. Now I have a lovely bruise on my arm. The other arm where the other lady tapped me? Not even a mark. I also have a gastric emptying test scheduled for this Friday. I sincerely hope I get some answers anyway possible at this point. I am tired of these stomach issues... it has been nearly a year now! But I like this doctor and I feel like he actually listens to me, unlike the other one, so fingers crossed.

When I visited my mom over the weekend of my birthday I got a gel manicure that lasted me a full two weeks. My nails are never long so I wanted to keep it up if I could. I went to Target and got the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish since it was no light necessary. I really don't have the time to go get my nails done every few weeks so I was excited to try this. Sadly, it chipped in less than a day. My nails look a little extra ragged from when I removed the salon gels, but the chips weren't even in the same spots on some of my nails. So yea, kind of disappointed. I have done a touch up already and those have chipped too. Just in case you were wondering before you buy! It's a shame because the colors are gorgeous and they dry pretty quickly, but they sadly just do not last with me.

I am trying to get back to blogging regularly, so thanks for sticking with me and my random accumulation of thoughts... especially in this post in particular.

This is not a sponsored post in any way, all opinions here are my own in terms of restaurants, Etsy shops, and nail polish... just sharing what I experienced!

Not Done Yet

So since my stomach issues still seem to be unresolved I'm not done with doctors and testing yet. Although it isn't as bad as it was when I first got sick back in October it still isn't normal. 

I woke up on Saint Patrick's Day not feeling well. I had terrible pain in my back and felt nauseous. I ended up getting sick and forcing myself to get ready for work. On the way to work I was in so much pain I was sobbing on the phone to my mom. I knew once I stood up and got out of the car it would be better but that commute was utter hell. So I called the doctor again. I was done with this. 

I went back to the gastroenterologist on Thursday and they scheduled me for an endoscopy on Monday morning. They will put me under, insert a camera down my throat and take pictures plus a small biopsy in my stomach. Hopefully this will provide some answers. My doctor seems positive it is something we can resolve and I hope he's right. I'm tired of wondering if I'm randomly going to get nauseous and sick for no reason. 

So more tests. More medicine. Let's just hope I get some answers this time and I can be done with this once and for all. I can't believe it's been six months of this. Sometimes it feels like it will never end. God I hope that's not the case! Keep your fingers crossed for me please.