Update!

[clevermanka]

A whole week without posting. I'm out of practice.

I wanted to get some things down before I forgot about them. Just more tracking for my own health records and for anyone still playing along at home.

Another nasty period kept me home from work on Monday, and I had some serious emotional issues. Like, sobbing-at-the-dinner-table-for-no-reason issues. I was uncomfortably swollen, achey, fatigued, couldn't concentrate, experienced serious brain fog, and was basically just a big old mess. Luckily, I had acupuncture Monday afternoon. Kiva stuck about thirty needles in me and I left significantly less swollen. I'm still amazed at how much acupuncture diminishes my visible inflammation.

While I was resting with the needles, Kiva researched all the symptoms I'd been complaining about. She said that while she didn't discount the thyroid/immune response problems as triggers, all my current symptoms could also be related to my cycle. We have a new course of action now: On the weeks I'm ovulating and the weeks I'm bleeding, we'll address menstrual issues. On the in-between weeks, we'll address the auto-immune and thyroid issues.

I'm also scheduled to see my PCP next week to talk about getting on Modafinil. It was developed for narcolepsy patients, but is being used off-label to treat a bunch of other fatigue-related symptoms in people with depression, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a few other (more serious) diseases. I hope very much that he is willing to give it a go for a month or two. Even if it helps relieve only one symptom, that would be one symptom I wouldn't have to worry about. And let's be honest--crushing fatigue is a pretty fucking major symptom.

The physical therapy for the non-sciatica is going well. On Wednesday, I had my last visit before he leaves for vacation. He wants to see me again sometime the week of August 8 to evaluate how I'm doing, and then I might be done. Yay!

In other news, I've found a new favorite sewing blog. I love it.

Comments

[tama-grey.livejournal.com]

You have all my sympathies re: crushing fatigue. [shudder]

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'll let you know if I get a prescription for the Modafinil and how it works for me. Perhaps you could talk to your doctor about it, too.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I've cycled right along with you... I went for my exam for the Cetification with brain fog and the emotional crap along for the ride.
Ugh. Hope things have looked up now.

That blog.. that fabric for the cocktail dress!
And do you think that's his real name? Classic!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Poor baby! I hope you did well on the test.

I really hope that's his real name.

[e4q.livejournal.com]

hmmm... i see the quack on thursday, and now that i am off the antidepressants i am at LIBERTY to try other stuff. he's not snotty about off label use, either. i will ask him about this modafinil.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Good luck!

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

Neat to hear that acupuncture is working for some people. Hope they get a handle on some of your other symptoms.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thansk. I'm not sure where else to go about the Hashimoto's stuff. I just can't bring myself to make the call to the naturopath docs in town. I'm just crossing my fingers that my PCP is on board with trying the Modafinil. Eliminating the fatigue issues would be huge.