Calm Before the Annoying Storm

It's been pretty quiet ever since I went public on Facebook with the blog, in terms of life events.  I've gotten tons of positive and supportive messages, which has been really nice.  Another side effect (which has been very nice and encouraging) is finding out about friends/family of people I know that have had PTC or other thyroid issues as well.  People are nice.

Adjusting to the new hormones has been OK.  Entering the fourth week after surgery, this is about the time you'd expect all of your natural thyroid hormone (from before the thyroid was removed) to fade away.  I went back to work on Monday, July 6th and started to feel a bit drowsy.  It was probably attributable to the fact that I was back at my desk job as an accountant, but it's also possible I might be slightly under on my thyroid medications.

In addition, I started to develop a problem with acid reflux.  I've never had a problem with this before, and is was resulting in chest pains, which were a bit scary for a thirty-year-old male like myself that had never had any heart/chest problems in the past.  An EKG test showed my heart was in good working order, so after a Prilosec prescription, things seem to start getting back to normal on that front.  I'm getting old.

I also started becoming aware of my own heartbeat when lying or sitting down.  Like I could feel and hear my own heartbeat more.  I suppose this qualifies as "palpitations," which can be a side-effect of an incorrect dosage level of thyroid hormone.  Or I could just be getting old.

I want to be just like Gran Torino Clint Eastwood when I grow up.

When a person's thyroid is removed, doctors have to make an estimate in terms of what dosage of synthetic thyroid hormone to give you.  Since it takes time for the body to adjust, you need to be on the same dosage level for about 4-6 weeks before you can draw blood, test the hormone levels, and adjust the prescription as necessary.  After contacting my endocrinologist, she asked me to come in this week to do an initial blood draw.  It's a little early, but she wants to start checking my blood to see if there are signs of a need for adjustment.

Thanks, Dr. Fry.

Other than that minor medical stuff, everything else has been good.  I spent much of the past weekend with Emily, having a nice brunch on the coast.

Catalina Island in the background.  Swordfish melt and lobster roll in the foreground.  Foreground wins.

Once Sunday hit, it was time for me to go grocery shopping.  But not just any kind of grocery shopping...I went went LOW IODINE grocery shopping.

I'll probably devote a whole entry to the Low Iodine Diet (LID) later on, most likely once I start it, but in summary, in anticipation of the radioactive iodine treatment I'll be receiving on July 31st, I have to spend two weeks on the LID.  The rationalization is this: if you starve the remaining thyroid cells in your body of iodine, then once you take the radioactive iodine it'll be more effective, and the chance that the remaining thyroid cells absorb it increases.

Stupid cells.  Stupid, gullible cells.

So, I went to Costco and Trader Joe's, buying various groceries that were low-iodine friendly.  Since it can be difficult to discern what processed foods or restaurant-prepared meals contain iodine, cooking for yourself becomes the norm on the LID...as does neurotically examining the nutrition and ingredients label on everything you buy.  As you can imagine, the LID can be pretty annoying.

I don't start the LID until Friday, July 17th, but I didn't really want to bother going to the grocery store this week.  Especially since I had BIG PLANS.   Before going on the LID, I decided it would be prudent to go on an HID.  HIGH Iodine Diet.  Hollah.

On Monday night, I will be going to the Boiling Crab with several of my friends.  Seafood is my favorite.  It is also strictly verboten on the LID.

F U, LID.

Then, this coming Wednesday, I will have my final (temporary) farewell to dining out with a visit to the friendly neighborhood meat factory, aka all you can eat Brazilian BBQ, aka Fogo de Chao.

When you play the Game of Meats, you win.  That's it.

Most people lose weight on the LID.  I figure all this eating will give me incentive to do that :)

Oh, also, the incision has healed quite nicely!  The incision is actually below my typical shirt collar, so it's not even visible unless I pull my collar down.

Graphic content ahead, viewer discretion is advised.

My second mouth.

-W