T3 & Food Sensitivity Testing Questions and Advice Needed

Hi ladies,

Sorry I've been absent this week.  I have several posts floating around in my head, but I just haven't made them a reality yet.  It's been a busy week.  I had an appointment with my Napro doctor this week, and that is usually a half day affair.  So in between preparing lesson plans for a sub for the time I missed at work, preparing questions for my appointment, and then the travel time and appointment, it's been a busy couple of days.

I love my Napro doctor, but sometimes I feel like a 45 minute appointment isn't enough time to discuss all of my issues. Ever feel like that?  And considering I drive 80 miles one way to see him, I wish I did have more time.  I always have so many questions and concerns for him as we continue to try to get to the bottom of my health issues.  This appointment was one where I definitely left feeling like I have more questions then answers.

The main focus was to discuss my thyroid results. I posted about them back here.  He did agree that my Reverse T3 ratio was too high and agreed to start me on Dr. H's T3 regime.  I know some of you are already doing this, so I'm interested especially in your experiences with T3.  The problem is he doesn't have much experience working with the thyroid as his area of expertise is fertility and family medicine.  He's also a researcher and spends a lot of time with current trends, so he's very aware of what Dr. H is doing with T3, but hasn't done it himself. I didn't want to ask, but I think I might be his first patient doing the T3 protocol, and my Dr. has been doing Napro for several years.

All of this makes me a little nervous.  Do I try working with him for a month or two and see if the T3 makes a difference?  He did say I need to monitor it closely, so things don't turn toxic.  The toxic part freaks me out a litle bit. Right now the plan is to start with 7.5 mg of T3 two times a day (taken 12 hours apart). I have to check my temperatures and pulses 4 times a day and send him that information weekly and he will adjust the dosage accordingly.

I guess it's just something new, so I'm nervous.  I want to get to the bottom of this cold sensitively and extreme fatigue.  I keep thinking that there's no way I could be a mother with as tired as I am every day all day, so perhaps this is the answer, right?  I still feel strongly that I need to get to the bottom of my health issues before I'm really gung-ho about trying to conceive again, so this could be a step in that direction.

Barbie, at Pray, Hope, Don't Worry, gave me the name of a thyroid doctor in my state, but he's 2+ hours away from me.  I'm hesitant to go and see another doctor if my Napro one is willing to work with me.  What do you ladies think??

Also, Barbie recommended that I do a 24 hour cortisol test from this place.  I asked my doctor about this, and he said he wasn't sure how to test the cortisol since I'm on 5mg of it already.  Is this something you think I should go ahead and test on my own?  I think the test is only $100 and it's done over a 24 hour period with saliva testing. I've heard this method is more accurate than the blood test in the morning, which is the only cortisol test I've had done.  Or should I just wait and see what happens with the T3 before doing more with the cortisol levels?  Are T3 and adrenal issues connected or do they function separately?  That is, could I have an issue with both the thyroid and adrenals, or would they be connected issues?

The good news is my D3 is up to 67 (range 30-80) now.  It was March 2010 that I first had my levels tested and they were 21.  I still wonder if that low level was one of the factors for my 1st miscarrage.  I had my B12 tested for the first time and it was 746 (range 239-931).  I asked about testing ferritin, but he said those results wouldn't change the course of treatment with the T3 that he was recommending.

The other thing I need to look in to is food sensitivity testing.  It's something I've wanted to check out for awhile because of my fatigue.  If the fatigue is not caused by thyroid issues, then I think it's either food related or endometriosis.  Endo is the last option to explore because we have gotten pregnant twice before and because there's not a great Napro surgeon nearby.  So I'm exploring the other options before deciding if laproscopy is something to persue.  And ultimately, I know God is the one who creates life, so while I continue to advocate for my overall health, I realize a healthy pregnancy will come in His perfect timing.

Do any of you have experience with a food panel testing?  I remember TCIE saying she had this done through Metametrix.  My doctor said I could look into US Biotek.  Basically, this is not something he's done a lot of either, but he's willing to.  I need to get the info and research different prices and then he'll send the orders for the kit, if that's needed.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as well.

Thanks in advance, ladies.  It's nice to have a network of informed, experienced women to ask my questions to.

4th Memory Verse

Since it's the 15th of the month already, it's time for another memory verse.  The one I picked this time is a reminder I need for myself, and a humbling of my being as well.

From Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Ever since sister-in-law's pregnancy announcement, I've had a really hard time.  My thoughts show that I think I know more than God, and I really need a humbling of attitude right now and a reminder that I am not God and cannot fully understand Him or His ways.  God's ways and thoughts are so much larger than my measly human thoughts on what I think He should be doing in my life right now.  There is comfort in the God of the heavens whose ways and thoughts are higher than my own.

Meeting The Pioneer Woman

Recently, I had the chance to meet Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman!  I was so excited when I heard she was doing a 2nd book tour and coming to the big city closest to me.  I missed seeing her when she did her cookbook tour the first time around, and I wasn't going to miss her this time.  If you don't know who I'm talking about, it's time to check her out.  She writes about life on the ranch along with photography tips, and her amazing recipes.

Her book signing was held at a public library since the crowd expected was larger than what the bookstore could hold.  Here's the outside of the library, pretty cool, huh?  An episode from "The Amazing Race" was also filmed here awhile ago.



We arrived a little bit early and were surprised to see that the auditorium still had plenty of seats.  I told the hubs to practice his picture taking skills while we waited since he had to get a good picture of Ree and me.  Here he is practicing on me.

Ree arrived with her family in tow- her two daughters, Missy (pesky Tim's wife), Missy's daughter, and PW's mother-in-law (Marlboro Man's mom).  It was so cool to see them in real life after following their family adventures online for such a long time.  It was like we were meeting friends.  Such a strange feeling.  I'd show you the pictures I took of them, but my camera is horrible and none of them were clear.  A digital SLR has been on my wish list for awhile.  It's now at the top of my list!

  

Ree talked just for a short time and then opened things up for questions from the audience.  Here she is answering a question.  Crappy camera, right?  The hubs was such a good sport.  Out of the approximately 250 people in the auditorium, 8 others were men.  Yes, that's right.  We were able to count all of the men in attendance on two hands.  Incredible. 

We then opted to wait in the signing line to actually meet her.  We were in the 6th group, so we didn't think we'd have to wait long, but it actually ended up being an hour!  Good thing we weren't in the last group (#22).  I'm not sure we would have waited since we had a bit of a drive home. 

She was so nice and friendly.  She was wearing a cross necklace and I really wanted to comment on it as I think her faith is extremely important in her life, though she only occasionally  mentions it on her blog, but I chickened out.  I got a little star struck and wasn't able to say a whole lot of anything special, but at least the hubs got a picture of me with the Pioneer Woman. 

The Body of Christ

Thanks, everyone, for your stories of similar situations you've been in, your empathy for my situation, and most of all your prayers and words of encouragement.  I am amazed at the online Christian community.  Here I am- new to blogging and relatively unknown here, and yet, I am blessed through your Christ-centered words.  And that is the beauty of the body of Christ.

Once I got over the initial anger and shock I was feeling, and I returned to spending time with God and listening, He spoke to me through His Word over and over again this week.  Here's just some of the verses that have come up in my daily devotions or Bible study the past 3 days.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:18

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3

Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:5-6

It's so clear that God knows my hurt and pain.  I mean seriously, any one of the verses would have been good, but three in three days?  I get the picture, God.  And yet, the verses give me hope that God will heal my broken heart.  I already feel like I have a better perspective (a God-perspective) on the issue with the pregnant sister-in-law.

The last verse that spoke to me is 2 Corinthians 1:3-5   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also Christ through our comfort overflows. 

Thank you for overflowing your comfort on me this week!  I know the tables will be turned at some point and I'll be able to comfort others in "trouble" just as I have been this week.  That is the greatness of the body of believers found in Christ.

Punched in the Gut ***updated

Ever feel like you've been punched in the gut and had the wind knocked out of you over a pregnancy announcement?  Well, that was me on Friday.  I've been processing the news this whole weekend.  I was so ticked off at God I could hardly read my devotions the past two days and I had no desire to journal and reflect on the news until today  It's good I didn't post about this on Friday because my words would not have been pretty.  My heart is in a much calmer place now, so I can write about my thoughts on it.

On Friday, the hub's sister sent him a text saying she was pregnant again.  The news literally sucked the life and joy right out of me.  I could not believe God would bless them with the miracle of pregnancy again.  This is the 25-year old sister who already has a 3-year old from her deadbeat boyfriend that she's been living with for 4 years now and he has a 7-year old from a previous relationship.  They don't want any more kids and weren't even trying to get pregnant.  This is also the sister who has no valuable possessions because they've all been repossessed, they can't pay their bills, and are on welfare because the boyfriend can't keep a job or doesn't want to (we're not sure which it is).  Oh, and this is also the sister who drinks and smokes marijuana, she has at least one DUI that we are aware of, and drank and smoked through her first pregnancy.  The boyfriend is physicaly abusive, has hit her while she was pregnant, burned her things, and was the cause (we think) of her going into labor and delivering at 26 weeks.  This is the sister who would drop off breast milk in the NICU when she had been drinking and the nurses could smell alcohol on her.  Have I mentioned we called CPS based on things she would share with the hubs?

We do think she has turned her life around some since having her daughter, but she definitely still has issues in her relationship and has still not had her daughter baptized because the boyfriend doesn't want it.

Did I mention God blessed her/them with a pregnancy again?

I was furious with God when I heard the news.  I felt like He had just slapped me in the face.  Now I know He doesn't do that, but that's just what my feeling was.  Hurt, shock, and anger that here we sit childless while we have the means financially, spiritually, and emotionally to raise a child up in a loving home and to know Christ, while someone who can't even support the family she has gets to increase her family?!?  It makes no sense to me.  I just don't get it and I'm hurt and offended by God.  My husband says that's exactly what grace is- receiving something we don't deserve.  I know he's right, but I don't like it.

And then I've been struggling this weekend with my reaction to the news.  It probably doesn't help that I'm PMSing either.  But still, it's a new life, a new miracle from God.  I should be excited that she's choosing life for this child, right?  Instead, I see all of my sinfulness coming out in my thoughts of greed and envy.  How can I say that I'm a Christian when I have so much sin inside of me and I'm so judgmental of others?  I need grace from God just as much as the unwed, pregnant mother does.

So where do I go from here?  I'm still angry at God, yet I feel like I'm acting like a little kid who didn't get his or her way and is throwing a temper-tantrum.  Is that really who I am?  Why does IF turn me into a monster sometimes?  Anyone else been here, or is it just me?

***updated: our devotional reading last night focused on Psalm 34:18- The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  It's hard not to miss the obvious readings God keeps giving to us/me in our devotional book each night.  It's like He's reminding me that He knows where I'm at, yet challenging me to continue to grow.  Perhaps I just don't like the challenge to grow at the moment and am wrestling with Him over that and the fact that I still have lots of room to grow to become more like Christ.

Chinese New Year and Bible Verse #3

Tonight the hubs and I celebrated Chinese New Year with takeout Chinese food- not exactly your authentic cuisine, but it was still good.  Ever since I lived in China, I've thought of the holiday and celebrated with Chinese food and sometimes Chinese clothing (I did wear a traditional Chinese shirt to work today and the students loved it).  My all time favorite Chinese New Year memory was when the hubs (then he was the boyfriend) came to visit- his first trip overseas- and we went to Hong Kong for the holiday.  We had friends staying on one of the top floors of the Peninsula Hotel- right on the harbor- and saw the most amazing fireworks in my life.  All of the buildings in the harbor were lit with lights and the fireworks came in all shapes and sizes- from numbers for the year to Chinese characters and more.  It was incredible.  I'd post pictures if I didn't have to scan them first:-)  Xin Nian Kuai Le (Happy New Year in Mandarin)!

On a different note, I realized that I didn't post my next Bible verse for memorization on Feb. 1st.  For the 2 verses in January, I really felt God had clearly put them before me to meditate on for two weeks.  This time around, I had a hard time picking one I felt I was being led to, so I had the hubs help.  Here's what I picked:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."  Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV

Now I realize this is three verses and not one, but I'm not going for extra points.  The passage was just too good to separate.  I love how it focuses on God and and His love and mercies, and then I love the idea of our soul talking.  How cool is that?!?

And as my husband shared some of the context with me, Jeremiah was lamenting as he was watching all of Jerusalem and Israel be conquered and marched off into exile.  And he speaks these beautiful words about God and His mercy, when his people are being conquered.  What amazing faith he had and what a great example for us.  I'll be meditating on those words for the next two weeks.

God's Beauty

Most of the nation seems to be covered under ice and snow.  For whatever reason, we are not.  It's cold temperatures but brown grass for us.  At least the skies are blue and serve as a perfect background to the mountains.

I was driving home from work earlier in the week and had to stop and take a picture of the mountains.  They looked so beautiful with the sun setting behind them and the rays shining through the clouds.  It's hard to see in the picture, but it was a beautiful display of God's splendor and power in creation.   I never tire of looking at the mountains.  They are such an amazing display of God's power.  I am but a speck compared to 10,000 feet of mountain.  And to think that mountains are just one element of God's amazing beauty.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Psalm 19:1