Tag Archives: Weight Loss

My Perfect Christmas Gift

24 Dec
annie1

Baby Annie
Born 12/4/13
1:47 p.m.
7 lbs. 12 oz.
19 3/4 inches

I received my Christmas gift three weeks ago when my perfect Anna (Annie) was born. The last month of my pregnancy was rocky…I had prodormal labor, and went to the hospital three times during my last two weeks. I caught a nasty respiratory virus over Thanksgiving, and I really thought I couldn’t take it anymore. But little Annie waited until the time was exactly right…my water broke at 4:30 a.m. on December 4, and she made her grand entrance (after about an hour and a half of real pain) at 1:47 p.m. When they put her on my chest, she didn’t make a peep. She just stared at me with her peaceful little face.

My recovery has been so good, and Annie is such a good baby, that I kept waiting for some bad news to arrive. But there is none. Annie is a little angel – a perfect Christmas gift. As for my thyroidless pregnancy and birth experience, here is the list of my worries, paired with my final outcomes.

  • Ability to conceive – no issues
  • Excessive weight gain – gained 27 pounds (the least I have ever gained with a pregnancy)
  • Inability to control hormone levels – had to stay organized and get tested frequently, but leveled out with no problem by week 25
  • Difficult labor and delivery – it was no picnic, but unrelated to my thyroid!
  • Cancer recurrence – I checked out “cancer-free” in July, and will follow up again in April
  • Birth defects – Annie is BEYOND perfect!
  • Congenial hypothyroidism – I felt like I couldn’t breathe easy until Annie’s own thyroid levels were checked. Again, she is perfect!
  • Hormone crash post-delivery – This still might happen, but so far, I am the LEAST hormonal that I have ever been post-delivery. No tears, no temper tantrums, and so far, no hypo- OR hyperthyroid symptoms. My body may have adjusted to the new higher dose of medication, or I may need to adjust in a few months. I will have follow-up testing next month.
  • Breastfeeding issues – Annie is a champion breastfeeder, and my thyroidlessness has had zero effect on my milk supply. This has by far been my easiest transition into breastfeeding.
  • Weight loss post-delivery – I gained 27 pounds, and after three weeks, I have 7 left to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I am struggling to celebrate this milestone, because my natural reaction is to compare myself to my wedding photos, and say that I really need to lose 20 pounds. I have to remind myself that I believed having another baby might mean I would NEVER lose the pregnancy weight, and that is obviously not true. My pre-pregnancy jeans (though a little snug) even zip all the way!

It’s hard to imagine a better Christmas gift than Annie. She is the perfect addition to my family, whom I love so much. I am humbled and grateful and so very happy. Merry Christmas to all of you, and the best of health and happiness in 2014!

 

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Tips for a Healthy Hypothyroid Pregnancy

28 Oct

ForTwoFitness-AmbassadorSeal_200

I was featured on the For Two Fitness Blog! Link below and here is the full text:

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY HYPOTHYROID PREGNANCY

After my second daughter was born, I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. My chances for survival were very good – more than 95% – but my chances for a permanently decreased metabolism, altered quality of life and infertility were also very high. Two years after my cancer treatment, I became pregnant for the third time, and I celebrated my good fortune. But then I immediately got to work on a plan for a healthy pregnancy.

Nearly 10% of the female population has some sort of thyroid disease, and uncontrolled hypothyroidism can cause serious pregnancy complications. I was personally very concerned that my thyroidlessness would magnify the already difficult challenges pregnancy poses on health and fitness. As I enter my 35th week of pregnancy, I am happy to report that I feel and look great, and so does my baby! Here are my top tips for a healthy hypothyroid pregnancy.

MANAGE YOUR STRESS AND FATIGUE

I work full-time, have two young children and live a go-go-go lifestyle. It was important to me that during this pregnancy, I had enough quiet time to listen to my body. Make a list of your weekly activities, and ask yourself which ones are critical, and which could take a backseat for a season. Ask for help where you can. Rely on friends, family and neighbors. Give yourself permission to say no when you need to, and prioritize rest and rejuvenation.

MANAGE YOUR MEDICATION

A women’s thyroid hormone needs can increase as much as 60% during pregnancy. Unfortunately, most doctors take a reactive approach to medication management. Through my own experience and research, I worked out a schedule to track my own progress. I also found that most doctors primarily use thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) as a hormone marker, but my own symptoms are more closely linked to my free hormone levels – free T4 and free T3. I had my doctor check all three levels the day I had a positive pregnancy test, and then every 4 weeks after that. As my pregnancy progressed, I needed to increase my dose and am now taking 40% more medication than I was pre-pregnancy to keep my TSH in lower end of the normal range, and my free hormone levels in the mid- to upper-ranges. The lab I use provides an iPhone app for patients to save and track their own results, but you can also do this in your own spreadsheet. The important thing is to take ownership and partner with your doctor to stay on top of your hormone needs and give both you and your baby what he/she needs.

MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT GAIN

Most non-pregnant hypothyroid women struggle to control their weight. In my experience, the slightest variation in thyroid hormone levels can result in 10 pounds that I have to work extra hard to lose. Naturally I was nervous about what a pregnancy with fluctuations in hormone needs would mean for me. To make matters more challenging, I rely on very high-impact activities to manage my weight when I am not pregnant, like TurboKick and running. During my first trimester, I continued these activities, but I definitely needed to modify my fitness plan as my body changed and my belly grew. Now I enjoy walking and Tracy Anderson’s The Pregnancy Project videos to keep me as fit as possible, and I focus on eating frequent, smaller, protein-packed meals. I use the Pregnancy Pounds iPhone app to watch for any big jumps in weight gain (which could indicate an issue with my medication dosage). I give myself small treats instead of big splurges to control my cravings, and I drink a lot of water. As I enter my last month of pregnancy, I have gained about 20 pounds, which is healthy for my body type, and actually less than I gained with my other pregnancies.

Generally speaking, hypothyroid women can have happy, healthy pregnancies too. Listen to your body, make modifications when you need to, stay fueled and hydrated, own your treatment plan, watch for major weight fluctuations, and treat yourself once in awhile!

http://fortwofitness.com/blog/2013/10/tips-for-a-healthy-hypothyroid-pregnancy/

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Finding Normal

26 Dec

I have been waiting for three years to write this blog. As we close the year, I am celebrating FINALLY achieving the New Year’s Resolution that I have had since 2009. I have achieved normal.

After my thyroidectomy, I tried everything to relieve my hypothyroid symptoms. Based on all my research, I believed natural thyroid hormone replacement would be the answer I was looking for. For a majority of people, Armour Thyroid or NatureThroid is all it takes to resolve the symptoms of weight gain, dry hair that falls out, exhaustion, depression…(the list goes on). I had the opposite experience. Coming off of my stable dose of Synthroid put me in an uncontrollable tailspin. A year later, once I finally gave up control and went back on 125 mcg Synthroid + 5 mcg Cytomel (as my endocrinologist prescribed), I stopped the tailspin. But could I ever recover the “normal” that I lost so long ago?

Over the course of my journey, I have tried many weight loss strategies, including strict calorie counting, vigorous exercise, the elimination of wheat and the elimination of dairy. Absolutely nothing worked. Imagine my devastation as I found myself 20 pounds heavier from all of my medication changes. Even after stabilizing on Synthroid/Cytomel, starving and working out like a crazy person, the best I could do was a 3 pound weight loss over 8 weeks. I believed I was doomed to live a life avoiding pictures and mirrors. I would never feel comfortable again. I would not be able to shop in my favorite clothing stores, and I would never be excited for a dressed-up event ever again. I started every morning on the scale, filled with shame and dread. I went to see my holistic doctor one last time in desperation.

She prescribed the HCG diet. It’s controversial, it’s really hard, and it probably isn’t a good idea for someone who wasn’t already committed to doing whatever it takes. But it literally changed my life in just one month.

  • Phase 1 (2 days): Daily HCG injections and eating a “loading” amount of high calories and fat
  • Phase 2 (23-30 days): Daily HCG injections and eating only 500 calories a day…no sugar, no starch, no dairy, NO DIET SODA
  • Phase 3 (21 days): No HCG injections, 1500 calories a day, no sugar, no starch
  • Phase 4 (life): Slowly add back starch and sugar

I lost 9 pounds my first week. I am currently in Phase 3, and I am down 18 pounds and 14 inches. It was pretty hard, especially during the holiday season. But the quick results made it much easier to adhere to to the strict diet. The HCG reduces hunger and weakness, but I did have to temporarily postpone my workouts. I did a few TurboKick sessions that made me feel like I was going to pass out. That was really the only “con.” Critics say that anyone would lose weight by eating 500 calories a day. However, I was literally burning more calories than I was consuming during my low-iodine diet, and I didn’t have any noticeable weight loss at all. As for regaining my lost weight, I am confident that I will maintain, because I was already in the habit of watching my calories and exercising.

Before: My heaviest weight ever, exhausted and riddled with hypothyroid symptoms. After: Lower than my pre-surgery weight, happy and healthy!

Before: My heaviest weight ever, exhausted and riddled with hypothyroid symptoms. After: Lower than my pre-surgery weight, healthy and happy!

Because my thyroid medication is now stable, I feel very normal. My hair and skin look better than ever. I sleep great and I have plenty of energy to get through the day. Before my thyroid cancer diagnosis, I would not be happy with my size 8 pants. I would still be beating myself up and trying to fit into my wedding dress from 2002. Not this time. Today, I celebrate my healthy BMI, my comfortable jeans and my favorite Coldplay T-shirt. This Christmas, I posed for as many pictures with my family as my children would tolerate. I found normal. And I am never going back.

Christmas 2012 - enjoying my normal hair, my comfortable clothes and my wonderful family

Christmas 2012 – enjoying my normal hair, my comfortable clothes and my wonderful family

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LID: Week Two

13 Jul

Here I am – Day 12 of 19! By this time next week, I will be able to eat whatever I want. Surprisingly, I am finally starting to get into a groove and I don’t feel achy and starving anymore. I have also gotten a lot more creative since Week One.

Strawberry-Banana Smoothies – my new breakfast! I make my own, but also have found that the Tropical Smoothie Jetty Punch is LID-safe.

Hummus is one of my favorite foods…and I learned to make my own! I used dried garbanzo beans, imported tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic.

What’s hummus without homemade whole wheat pita?

I even borrowed my mother-in-law’s breadmaker and made some french bread! It came out pretty well…I use it for natural unsalted peanut butter sandwiches.

I am still using MyFitnessPal to make sure I don’t overeat. Since I feel so deprived, I am worried that I will binge out on the foods I can have. This is the best I have ever eaten in my life. Here is what my food intake looks like:

Week One: I was right at an average of 1200 calories a day.

Week Two: I am averaging well under 1200 calories a day. In the old days, I would be so skinny!

I have lost two pounds, but I feel like they could come back at any moment, so I don’t know if I should count them yet. I also got my pre-scan bloodwork back and it is as follows:

  • TSH: 0.04 (I am sure Dr. E will try to take me off of Cytomel)
  • FT4: 1.1 (I would like it to be a little higher)
  • Thyroglobulin (tumor marker): <0.02 (I think that counts as undetectable, which is good!)

I see Dr. E on July 24 to get my scan results. I am preparing myself for the “you are on too much Synthroid” conversation. I may need to meditate on the drive down so I don’t scream at her. I have decided that if I clear this scan, I am going to have my holistic doctor, Dr. L, manage my thyroid replacement medication. Dr. L already started me on monster iron pills (Ferrex) and B-12 injections that have made a huge difference. My only remaining struggle is losing weight, and I will try ANYTHING to make that happen. If that means staying off dairy even after my low-iodine diet is over, then hold the cheese, please!

Even though I am obsessively focused on the way thyroid cancer has affected my appearance, I am also anxious to get the “all clear” from my scan next week. The last thing I want is more surgery or the dreaded radiation treatment. I really appreciate your prayers! I will update you after my week-long U of M “vacation.”

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LID: Week One

5 Jul

My first whole-body scan for thyroid cancer is scheduled for the week of July 16. It’s five-day party at U of M. What a great summer vacation!

Day 1: Thyrogen injection to artificially raise my TSH

Day 2: Second Thyrogen injection

Day 3: Drink tracer dose of radioactive iodine

Day 4: First hour-long body scan (pass the Xanax!)

Day 5: Second hour-long body scan (pass the Xanax again!)

In preparation for my scans, I have to be on a low-iodine diet (LID), which began on July 2. Four days down, 15 more to go. It sucks. Really, really bad. Those of you who know me know that I am an extremely picky eater. And all my core foods are now forbidden. As a reminder, the crappy low-iodine diet rules are:

  • No dairy at all (cheese is all I think about).
  • No bread unless I bake it myself with no-iodine salt (that’s not happening).
  • No soy (so no protein shakes).
  • No restaurant food at all (I get takeout A LOT).
  • Very small amount of meat, and no seafood.
  • Nothing that has natural iodine content, like the skins of potatoes and spinach.

Here is how I am surviving:

Breakfast: Cream of Wheat and black coffee. Never thought I could miss half and half so much! I do get to put sugar in the Cream of Wheat, so that helps.

Lunch: Salad with homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing and grilled chicken. Still get to have my Coke Zero. Hooray!

Dinner: Imjadara. Thank you to my mom for making me this Lebanese dish! It looks gross, but it is awesome. Lentils, onions and wheat. I even listed it as my favorite food when I was in kindergarten! Just wish I could have some pita along with it.

Snack: I love movies, and therefore love popcorn. Fortunately, I have never been a big fan of butter on my popcorn. So when I air-pop and add kosher salt, it doesn’t taste too bad!

I can also eat fresh fruit and vegetables, so I snack on those too. I am logging everything I eat into MyFitnessPal, and I am consuming about 1200-1400 calories a day, which is pretty typical for me. However, the food I am eating is just not very satisfying, so I am still hungry all day long. I am still running and obsessively weighing myself, because I figure if I still don’t lose weight doing this diet, than my endocrinologist can’t argue with me, right? I can’t do any medication changes until I am done with this experience, so this is truly my last hope to dump the extra pounds before my upcoming thyroidectomy anniversary. I have heard good things about eliminating dairy and bread as a way to lose weight, so I am hopeful. It’s the only thing that keeps me going!

In the meantime, please don’t eat pizza or enjoy Starbucks within 20 feet of me. You may get pounced.

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Still Bargaining…

21 Feb

Finally! Something to celebrate!

I just got a call from U of M, so I thought I would do a lunch hour post to share some news.

First, my ultrasound showed no abnormalities and my thyroglobulin (cancer tumor marker in the bloodstream) level is still undetectable.

The rest of my numbers are as follows:

  • B12: 490 (normal, and way better than before)
  • Vitamin D: 31 (normal, but could be higher)
  • TSH: 1.55 (I think that’s high – Dr. E likes it)
  • T4: 0.97 (I think that’s low – Dr. E likes it)
  • T3: 2.4 (that’s just about perfect, and that is while taking Cytomel)

So what does all this mean? It means I FINALLY get to go back on 125 mcg of Synthroid. Dr. E wants me to drop the Cytomel, but I begged to stay on it. We’ll see what she says.

OTHER NEWS:

  • I continue to live flour-free, and I think I am happy with the choice. I feel healthier overall, so it’s worth it. I never thought I could win the battle over bread, but I did! I don’t even crave it anymore.
  • I added back my iodine supplement (Iodoral) and started taking Selenium. It’s been 4 days, and I have lost 3 pounds. It’s hard to attribute the weight loss to any one thing, but whatever, I’ll take it. I am researching and closely monitoring my response to iodine, and will post separately about my findings.
  • I am feeling really good. I always forget to reflect on the improvements in my health. My energy level is almost normal, my hair totally stopped falling out and looks normal, my skin is not as dry, and I don’t feel as depressed as I did before. What’s changed? Cytomel? Flour elimination? Added estrogen? The fact that I have been exercising a little bit more? There’s no way to know, so I will just keep doing what I’m doing!

Cheers to being cancer-free, and to a higher dose of Synthroid!

***THIS JUST IN***

 I get to stay on 5 mcg of Cytomel with the new increased dose of 125 mcg Synthroid. It’s what I have been pulling for all along! I am seriously jumping for joy!

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The Flourless Experiment

15 Feb

I made it through 21 days of no flour. I incorporated Ezekiel bread into my breakfast. I ate more fruit, vegetables and lean meat. I skipped the quick airport and meeting snacks when I traveled to Florida last week. I even ordered salad at Disneyland. And what were the final results?

-0.8 pounds

That’s right, my initial weight loss kinda rebounded back, and I basically have nothing to show for my suffering. It’s true, I didn’t gain anything over the past three weeks, which is positive. And my digestion, brain fog and energy level have maintained their improvements. But what’s the use if I am still overweight? Today at lunch I ate 4 croutons in my salad and I had some vegetable dumplings. And boy, did I regret it. My stomach ballooned out and I almost fell asleep at my desk at 2:00 p.m. I have ruined my favorite food forever, and I am still fat!

So, here we are in My Journey…

DENIAL: I will be fine. This is the best cancer to get!

ANGER: I am NOT going to be one of those people who get really fat and have permanently hoarse voices!

BARGAINING: Okay, maybe if I try Armour. Or adding Cytomel to my Synthroid. Or giving up flour. Maybe then I can have my old life back.

DEPRESSION: Why do I even bother? Now the best I can hope for is never eating white bread or noodles again and still being overweight! Why did this have to happen to me??

I guess the next step is ACCEPTANCE. But can I go there after I have one more round of bloodwork this Friday? After all, I did start on birth control pills. Maybe the added estrogen is interfering with the thyroid meds. Maybe a magical dose increase will make me normal again?

Oh wait, now I’m back to bargaining.

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9 Down…12 To Go?

4 Feb

I have been officially “flourless” for 9 whole days. And as I sit here in my recliner, enjoying a glass of Pinot Noir from Oregon, I gotta tell you…it ain’t that bad!

For the first 3 days, I had an awful headache and felt like I was coming off of drugs. Then in the last few days the fog began to clear. My watch and my rings got a little looser. I’ve started thinking clearly. The only way I could describe it is like putting your glasses on in the morning…the world is suddenly in focus. I can think straight. Oh yeah…now I remember! I used to be smart! I used to be able to get through my work day without feeling confused and overwhelmed! I used to be able to work out and still walk the next day!

I feel pretty good. Some of this might be attributed to the Cytomel finally kicking in. Whatever it is – I’ll take it. The biggest change I have made is the elimination of flour. I replaced my sugary morning cereal with a slice of Ezekiel flourless toast. I still eat rice with my stir fry. I still eat sugar…it’s in my salad dressing and my occasional handful of Hershey’s Kisses.  I don’t even feel that deprived anymore. And believe me, I would tell you if I did.

I was listening to Coldplay’s new album this morning – Mylo Xyloto. Those of you who know me know that Coldplay is my all-time favorite band. And there is nothing I love more than one of their live shows. As I cranked up “Charlie Brown,” I imagined myself at the concert, singing, screaming, jumping around. And in my head, I am my normal-sized, cancer-free self.

Coldplay releases butterfly confetti during In My Place. How thyroid-appropriate!

Tickets go one sale tomorrow for the August 1 concert. And mark my words…I am going to make that vision come true. And if I have to pass on the bread basket for the rest of my life, I’ll do it.

Week 1 Results Recap:

  • Pounds lost – 2
  • Energy level – Good
  • Digestion – MUCH improved! I would even call myself normal!
  • Brain fog – Gone

Stay tuned!

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21 Days

25 Jan

I had my appointment at U of M today. I don’t know why I gear myself up for these appointments…they usually represent two steps on a 100-mile journey. And no matter how much I coach myself, I always end up emotional and whiny about my symptoms. In summary…

  • I am still on the very long waiting list for Thyrogen, and there is no telling when I will have my full body scan.
  • I need to do a neck ultrasound to make sure nothing obvious is going on with my lymph nodes…scheduled for February 17.
  • On that same day, I will have my blood drawn to test TSH, T3, T4, Thyroglubin (the tumor marker), and my vitamin B-12 and D. Until then, I keep doing what I’m doing with the Synthroid/Cytomel.
  • I already know the Cytomel is making me hyperthyroid because my body temperature was 99 degrees and my resting heart rate was 80. I gained back the three pounds I thought I had lost, so I don’t think it’s doing me any good anyway. My hope now is that after my bloodwork on February 17, Dr. E will let me go back to square one: 125 mcg Synthroid.
  • I did recently get back on birth control, so I hope that helps some of my symptoms…my OBGYN seemed to think it would at least level out the hormonal ups and downs. All these stupid hormones are connected, of course.

So what else can I do? I left U of M feeling hopeless. I checked my Facebook, and a friend posted this quote: “You can spend all day in the gym, but unless you eat clean, you are wasting your time.” It hit me like a ton of bricks.

I’ve thought a lot about giving up the love of my life (BREAD), but I haven’t actually ever done it. And I have to do something. I can’t just sit around and get fatter by the day. I LOVE bread. And noodles. And crackers. And all the wonders of white flour in general. But I don’t love them more than I hate being uncomfortable in my clothes. Maybe it’s time to face the fact that portion control doesn’t cut it post-thyroidectomy. I’ve been so devastated that my usual diet and exercise methods are failing me miserably, but let’s face it – there is nothing “usual” about me anymore.

It takes 21 days to break a bad habit. So maybe I don’t say goodbye to white flour forever…just for 21 days. What’s the worst that can happen? At least I will be able to look in the mirror and say “I TRIED EVERYTHING.” Tomorrow begins yet another leg of this journey. I am praying like crazy it’s the part where I finally crack the code.

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Kickstart my Heart

17 Jan

You’ll have to excuse me if this post is all over the place…my heart is racing and I have even more nervous energy than I usually do. Here’s a quick timeline of updates:

December 22 – Appointment with the nutritionist was a colossal waste of time that included going over the food pyramid. The best piece of advice I got: cut my lunch in half and bring it home for dinner to spread out my calories.

December 28 – Wiped out with fatigue and other hypothyroid symptoms, I went ahead and did my U of M bloodwork early. (I know, I know…I never take my own advice.)

January 4 – U of M confirms my worst fears…TSH is perfect at 0.6, T4 is 1.3 and T3 is 2.5. Since my T3 is at the low end of the normal spectrum, Dr. E actually complied with my request for Cytomel! I added a 5 mcg dose to my 112 mcg of Synthroid. It’s my last-ditch effort to get back to normal.

It’s been almost 2 weeks, and no change can be observed from the Cytomel except I did lose 2 pounds. I think. I am almost afraid to say it for fear of jinxing it.

Today – I have a cold, so I took my favorite drug in the world – Allegra-D 24-Hour. YOWZA! Either the Cytomel suddenly kicked in, or thyroid patients aren’t supposed to take pseudoephedrine. I feel like a little like Jessie Spano. “I’m So Excited! I’m So Excited! I’m So…Scared…”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c

I really hope it’s just the pseudoephedrine that’s causing these jitters. I was really hoping Cytomel was the answer. To be honest, I’d take a lifetime of heart palpitations if it meant I could drop a few lbs. I still have my follow-up at U of M next week. In the meantime, in the words of Breaking Bad‘s Walter White, NO PSEUDO.

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