Reintroductions post-AIP, revisited

[clevermanka]

After getting my blood test results back from Dr. Burt's office (finally), I'm reconsidering my earlier decision to stay on the AIP for another month. Here are the numbers.

Free T4: .8 (range .8 to 1.8)
Free T3: 2.3 (range 2.3 to 4.2)
TSH: 6.14 (range .4 to 4.5)
TPO: 381 (should be less than 35)

So my T4 and T3 are barely in range, but at least they're in range. Take a gander at those Thyroid Stimulating Hormones and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies, though. Whoa. I am off the fucking charts, especially in regards to the antibodies. This means my autoimmune issues are not even close to being managed well. So the even-stricter-than-Whole30-strict eating for autoimmune issues isn't doing squat. For reference, back when I got this tested in 2011, my number was 323. The slightly higher current number might be due to lack of thyroid hormones (when I got the test, it had been a week since my last dose), but I don't know that the lack of levothyroxine in my system necessarily correlates to increased antibodies.

In any case, the number is sure as hell not better, and that was the goal of the AIP. So I'm bidding adieu to it. It was a good experiment, and I gained some fantastic stuff (learning to cook differently, transitioned to all-organic food, more conscious eating in general, proof that I can eat Whole30-compliant all the time, I will be a really cheap date for a while), but as far as a way to manage my autoimmune issues, it wasn't successful.

I'll be purchasing some sweet potatoes at the grocery store tomorrow. When my parents visit next week maybe I'll have a glass of wine with my mom. OH THE INDULGENCE.

The possible inclusion of sweet potatoes makes me happy for another reason besides just the fact that I like and miss sweet potatoes. The daily banana/date habit has become problematic. I'm starting to get sweet cravings and I've been eating far too much fruit. If I get my glucose requirements from a sweet potato instead of fruit, I can kiss those issues goodbye (again), and that will be a big relief. Also, I think the bananas were causing me some GI problems.

Lastly, briefly, the cortisol report: I'm not sure how to read this one, since I'm not as familiar with the science. My morning cortisol count was 13.0 (range 4.0 to 22.0). My evening count was 5.2 (range 3.0 to 17.0). So I'm in range, but I don't know what that means. Since the blood test uses a different measure than the saliva test I took in 2011, I don't have a clue how my current numbers compare. I'll ask Dr. Khosh about it Friday.

Next major experiment: Reintroducing (moderately) vigorous exercise! That will start as soon as I have the money (for real this time) to hire Andrew for a training session or two. Did I mention I had to cancel that appointment because it turned out that after paying my bills I had $45 left in my account the day after payday? Yeah. I'm looking at next month for that, now. Possibly as early as April 6 if my reimbursement from the Flexible Spending Account comes through by then.

Comments

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Yikes. That TSH level would have me running for more synthroid. The last time I had a number like that, I couldn't function.

Sounds like the right decision to me.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I mentioned to a friend in an email about that exact thing:

Tell me about it. I saw those and I thought How in the hell am I still upright and not, like, curled up sobbing in a hole someplace? I mean, honestly, I feel pretty good! A little weak and fatigued most of the time, but not as bad as I could be. Not nearly as bad as I've been in the past.

I think it speaks volumes in regards to the impact of quality food and sleep, and contentment with one's life in general.

[tama-grey.livejournal.com]

=0.o= Whoa. Good luck w/ the thyroid... stuff.

Well, hooray for sweet potatoes, anyway! Delicious, nom-y, skrumdiddlyumptious sweet potatoes!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

=0.o= Whoa. Good luck w/ the thyroid... stuff.

I know, right?



I'm really looking forward to having a sweet potato with dinner on Friday night.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Well, that's a disappointing result after all that tedious work to stay on the regimen!

It's funny; I can eat just about any fruit, and have no problems with them, but bananas? I eat a plain banana, and within a day or two, I've got a yeast infection flaring up. I never have figured out why....

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Interesting about the banana thing. Huh. Here's an even stranger thing about my banana reaction--it only happens with the organic bananas. On two occasions I ate mckitterick's commercially-grown (and cheap) bananas 'cos mine weren't ripe yet.

NO TUMMY TROUBLES. Weird, huh?

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

Well, on the one hand, here's a moderate amount of profanity that the diet change didn't have the desired effect:

BALLSACK ASS WANK TODGER BOLLOCKS BLOODY TROLLEYFROG

On the other hand, FUCK YEAH WINE AND SWEET POTATOES.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

FECK AND ARSE! WOMEN'S KNICKERS!

and

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

BALLSACK ASS WANK TODGER BOLLOCKS BLOODY TROLLEYFROG

Beautiful.

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

I'm glad the numbers came back before you committed to another month. And, have I told you how utterly I am impressed with your perserverence?!

I heart sweepos. yum.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

have I told you how utterly I am impressed with your perserverence?!

Hee! Thanks! After the first month it was pretty easy. Habits, you know.

NGL, though, I'm seriously looking forward to returning to plain-old basic paleo eating with the occasional glass of wine.

[grnvixen.livejournal.com]

WTF on the thyroid!!!! You are going to bump up the synthroid a bit, right? Especially if you are going to be increaseing your exercise (says she who needs to get her butt to her own Doc for her spring check :) ).

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I don't know what I'm going to do with the hormone therapy. I see Dr. Khosh this afternoon.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Yikes. That TSH level would have me running for more synthroid. The last time I had a number like that, I couldn't function.

Sounds like the right decision to me.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I mentioned to a friend in an email about that exact thing:

Tell me about it. I saw those and I thought How in the hell am I still upright and not, like, curled up sobbing in a hole someplace? I mean, honestly, I feel pretty good! A little weak and fatigued most of the time, but not as bad as I could be. Not nearly as bad as I've been in the past.

I think it speaks volumes in regards to the impact of quality food and sleep, and contentment with one's life in general.

[chalcedonygrey.livejournal.com]

=0.o= Whoa. Good luck w/ the thyroid... stuff.

Well, hooray for sweet potatoes, anyway! Delicious, nom-y, skrumdiddlyumptious sweet potatoes!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

=0.o= Whoa. Good luck w/ the thyroid... stuff.

I know, right?



I'm really looking forward to having a sweet potato with dinner on Friday night.

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

Well, that's a disappointing result after all that tedious work to stay on the regimen!

It's funny; I can eat just about any fruit, and have no problems with them, but bananas? I eat a plain banana, and within a day or two, I've got a yeast infection flaring up. I never have figured out why....

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Interesting about the banana thing. Huh. Here's an even stranger thing about my banana reaction--it only happens with the organic bananas. On two occasions I ate mckitterick's commercially-grown (and cheap) bananas 'cos mine weren't ripe yet.

NO TUMMY TROUBLES. Weird, huh?

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

Well, on the one hand, here's a moderate amount of profanity that the diet change didn't have the desired effect:

BALLSACK ASS WANK TODGER BOLLOCKS BLOODY TROLLEYFROG

On the other hand, FUCK YEAH WINE AND SWEET POTATOES.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

FECK AND ARSE! WOMEN'S KNICKERS!

and

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

BALLSACK ASS WANK TODGER BOLLOCKS BLOODY TROLLEYFROG

Beautiful.

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

I'm glad the numbers came back before you committed to another month. And, have I told you how utterly I am impressed with your perserverence?!

I heart sweepos. yum.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

have I told you how utterly I am impressed with your perserverence?!

Hee! Thanks! After the first month it was pretty easy. Habits, you know.

NGL, though, I'm seriously looking forward to returning to plain-old basic paleo eating with the occasional glass of wine.

[grnvixen.livejournal.com]

WTF on the thyroid!!!! You are going to bump up the synthroid a bit, right? Especially if you are going to be increaseing your exercise (says she who needs to get her butt to her own Doc for her spring check :) ).

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I don't know what I'm going to do with the hormone therapy. I see Dr. Khosh this afternoon.