I'm questioning if I'm boring my readers (both of them) with my medical crap, but it seems like the most interesting thing going on in my life these days. I haven't found the time to make adjustments to my wheel. I was going to tonight, but I think I'll turn in early instead.
Yesterday I spoke with my sleep doctor, and convinced him to redo the diagnostic sleep study, rather than going straight to the CPAP. That's a big load off my mind. I hope I actually sleep this time.
Today I got a call got back from the endocrinologist's office. They had my blood test results, but they wouldn't give them to me over the phone. Instead I had to come in and see a Clinical Nurse Specialist.
The office staff told me that they make everyone come in for test results, even when they are good. That made me think one of two things.
1) The office's policies are really that stupid, and they're going to make me go in for test results even when they are negative.
2) There's bad news, but they're lying to me because they can't tell me it's bad news.
I could have waited until Monday, but they had an appointment today. I was sick of waiting, so I took a long lunch and went in today.
It turns out the results won't so much bad, but complicated. I'm vitamin D deficient, and on the verge of being vitamin B12 deficient. This may be the cause of my fatigue, but I doubt it makes that much of a difference. I'm not anemic yet, but my iron stores are low, which means I'm on my way to being anemic. And my "sedimentation" rate is a little high. I have no idea what that means, but I have to go back to my family doctor to double check. *sigh*
So I now have prescription strength Vitamin D. The CNS suggested Vitamin B12 drops, but I just bought a supplement in pill form. I started taking fish oil recently in hopes of improving my mood. That plus getting back to a multivitamin means I have an entire course of supplements to take with dinner now. (Although I only have to take the vitamin D once a week.)
*sigh again*
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4 comments:
Sorry to hear about the Vitamin D thing. I'm deficient too and about to go for my 3rd retest.
I hate having to remember to take a lot of pills, myself, but that's way better than needing surgery or something. Keep us posted on whether that stuff actually makes you feel better or not.
Ok, so I wrote this long note about all the medical stuff, then went back over it and am going to give you the translation first: 1) I feel your pain about having to go BACK to the family doc, and I want to make it all better by telling you what I know about Sedimentation rate. 2) I feel very protective of you over the sleep study thing, and was all set to step in if you had asked me. Good for you for doing it yourself! 3) I am concerned about the quality of the supplements you are taking, and therefore want to do what I can to help you make them more worthwhile. I am very hopeful that doing these things will also help you start feeling more like yourself again. I'm looking forward to seeing your first wheel-spun yarn! I did also include the medical information, if you really want to know (think of the little kid who has discovered something really cool and desperately wants to tell someone, only she's too used to people not actually caring)
Sedimentation rate is just a really really nonspecific way of saying that there is some inflammatory process going on. Anything from Inflammatory Bowel disease to Lupus. It's also high if you have just a regular old infection. I wouldn't worry about that, honestly.
I am very glad you talked the sleep doctor into doing another diagnostic sleep study. I was all set for calling you doctor and demanding that he redo the diagnostic study based on something or other that Dr. Eskew had found.
As far as the Vit D, you can take all you want, but you HAVE to spend more time in the sun for it to be activated. UV light is what converts it into the active form in your skin. Yay! Lyndsey finally has a medical reason to talk someone into regular (if short) sun-bathing with her.
It's amazing what a little time in the sun can do for you. A 20-30 min walk outdoors will do wonders for your health, for your energy level, for your sleep. As soon as I start getting regular exercise I sleep much better and feel much better. Just don't forget to put on some sunscreen. :)
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