Thyroid is dumb

I called my doctor today to get my levels for the antibodies or whatever they are to see if I legit have Hashimoto's.  They gave me the results and I spent a while trying to find what the normal levels were because I forgot to ask them. I kept thinking I was finding the wrong normal levels because my numbers were so high that it just seemed wrong.

So, dear readers, it turns out that not only do I very much have Hashimoto's, but I am also having a hard core hypothyroid flare right now. Which means that my body is attacking itself. I can't really think clearly enough to figure out what to do but it explains a lot of what's been going on with me lately.

I think going on that crazy restrictive hcg diet will really help with the antibodies things....

To leave on a positive note, I'll post a conversation I had with L, my 10 year old, on the way to school today.

L: I think the whole world started with 2 women and 2 men. Like Adam, Eve, and their best friends.
Me: Oh? Why do you think that?
L: Because the whole world can't be related. You can't marry your sister or brother! Ew!!!
Z, 4: Nuh UH! Cuz I'm gonna marry YOU L!!!!!

Hello interwebz!

My very first post! I'm going to try to post at least 2 or 3 times a week, but no promises!

I'm starting this blog mainly to chronicle my diet journey. It's more than a diet though. I'm doing something called the HCG Protocol.  My really awesome doctor (who is actually a PA), has helped thousands of patients lose a ton of weight in a safe and healthy way. So after bemoaning to him that I work my butt off at the gym and don't lose anything, he suggested this. I'm really feeling hopeful. You have to start the diet with 2 gorge days (eat yourself sick, I got that...I really got that...food is everything!) and then you eat 500 SPECIFIC calories for the next month ish.  I figure that food in western PA just aint where it's at. So I'm going to wait until we're in Baltimore to start gorge days. Because Baltimore does food right, hon! You also have to give yourself injections in your thigh. I'm not so crazy about that, but I'll try almost anything once.

I'm also going through a thyroid journey. My mother told me that when I was a teen I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's. Doing research online about hypothyroid issues and Hashi's, I found out that most doctors only medicate with synthroid.  Which is fine for some people, but really really not fine for most people with Hashi's. Did you know it's NOT NORMAL to wake up tired!? Or to have nails that chip? Or to gain weight from a dream about donuts? (mmmmm what a great dream that was....)  There's something with the T's and the numbers and synthroid is only one while NDT (natural desiccated thyroid - from a piggy) is all the T's. The research I've read says that many patients who are treated with just synthroid for long term often get diagnosed rapid cycling bipolar 2 because their bodies are insane. The thyroid controls EVERYTHING. Seriously. If you stub your toe, it's probably the damn thyroid. I had a doctor in Hopkins about 4 or 5 years ago and I tried to get him to give me NDT. His exact words were "It's not going to happen. It's WAY too hard to regulate."  Um....what? Reading bloodwork from a form is hard? Mmmmkay. We have this new dr though and he said he doesn't like prescribing synthroid. So he actually OFFERED me NDT. I seriously started crying. Unfortunately, thyroid meds take months to get the right does. So I'm feeling better every day, but I'm not a patient person and I want it NOW!

In addition to all that crazy stuff, my hubby recently decided he's not Jewish anymore. He is now on a journey to rediscover Christianity. This came around the same time that I really started feeling completely disenfranchised with all religious anything. We've had a lot of heart to hearts and I've come to a place where I definitely believe in God or a creator. Unfortunately for other people, I don't feel like I can slap a label on myself or my beliefs so I have to use the word agnostic, even though I don't really think it fits me.  Hubs went to a church in Baltimore last week and LOVED it. If I can get over my religious-services-anxiety (otherwise known as abject TERROR!) I definitely want to go with him. I have a LOT of baggage from years of Judaism and I need to figure out where I stand on anything.  Christianity is so foreign to me. Not bad. Just completely different mentally, culturally, and spiritually. I used to think it was pretty similar. It's really really not.

So there we are! Those are probably the main topics that are gonna be floating around here the next few months! A journey of self discovery, weight loss, and physical/mental health! Bring it on, baby!