The Doc Approves

Yesterday afternoon, I left work early to handle a few medical things. First up... another blood draw to confirm the high TSH reading that was found last time. "My Angel" (aka my dear phlebotomist) found a vein on the first try! Heavens, she is brilliant. I adore her! I managed to take a good photo of her yesterday too.


She told me that her 11-year old daughter reads this blog (*waves*) and she laughed with me about being invited to my baby shower when hubby and I get lucky. That's a promise! I can certainly do that and I'd be pleased to do that too! Given all that she has done for me already, it'd be entirely my pleasure to have her there.

I went from the lab over to my GP's office. Four items there to discuss:

1. The flu shot -- finally got my shot. I'd put it off before the holidays because we were going away and all, but I know I needed to get my shot, because if the flu hits me, it hits me hard.

2. TERRIBLY dry skin -- I suspected a patch of eczema actually, but she indicated that it's just a few spots of really dry skin, so much so that it's peeling. I'm awfully OCD when it comes to handwashing so I've likely overdone it with a spot or two. She recommended a type of cream that's thicker than my usual hand cream to help clear it up.

3. Torn calf muscle -- last Tuesday night, I felt it pop, like a rubber band that had broken. I buckled down on my knees, in sheer and utter pain and thought, "Oh God... how am I going to drive home!?" I made it. Eventually. I took two days off work, iced it, kept it up, etc. (it swelled and bruised horribly) but it's on the mend. She figured another 2-3 weeks will heal it up well enough to get back to the elliptical or treadmill. Until then, the recumbent bike it'll have to be. *sighs* Oh well.

4. High TSH -- Given my plethora of symptoms and of course, now the bloodwork results to back it up, she's prescribed a low dose of Levothyroxine to help with the Hypothyroidism. We'll check levels in a couple of months and see how it's going. I'm crossing my fingers we see something in that time.


Hubby and I are looking forward to our appointment in Montreal. We've made plans to get together with my friend T who lives there; we'll have dinner with her before we return to Ottawa that same evening. It'll be good to see her too! And Ms. C? I know you're up there too. If I need anything before then, can I holler at you? :)

And how's everyone else doing?

High TSH

The last bloodwork results are in. It's the TSH that's high...

My TSH = 5.02
Normal TSH = 0.30–4.70

And somewhere I've read that optimal TSH for pregnancy is under 3.0.

If my TSH is high, it could indicate hypothyroidism, which is something my family physicians all my life have wondered about and often tested for. Before this, my readings came back in the normal range, but usually high within the normal range.

Very interesting indeed. I have the requisition to redo the bloodwork so I'll go this week. I want to get to the bottom of this!