Saturday, March 30, 2013

TMI

Sometimes too much information is not a good thing.  I got impatient and got a copy of the labs that are back from the rheumatologist.  My ANA was still abnormal, this time it was speckled as well.  My sed rate was slightly high and my CH50 was abnormally high.  So chronic inflammation is what I understand of it.  Great.  Now I wait till the 18th till I can see a doctor and figure out what to do next.  I am having a really hard time sitting out this month.  I just can't do it.  So I think I'm going to talk to Dudley about taking some baby aspirin.  I may just take it on my own.  Why is having babies so much easier for my patients?

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

A Visit with the Rheumatologist

Today was finally my appointment with Dr M.  I actually liked him.  He was very straight forward, but not in a rude way.  Though he asked what my OB thought was causing the MCs and I said bad luck, he said that was the best scenario.  I don't agree.  A simple fix would be the best scenario.  But I digress.

He started off the appointment looking at all the labs I already had drawn.  He asked if Dr H has mentioned putting me on prednisone and when I said no that was kind of the end of it.  I'm going to bring it up to Dr H next time I am able to talk to him at work.  He tested all my joints and my strength, which I did fine of.  The only other symptom I have that matches lupus besides the ANA is a sore on the roof of my mouth.  He ordered a bunch of labs, some that already were drawn, to rule out an auto immune problem.  He also said sometimes normals with come back as abnormal or vice versa which multiple draws, so I'm curious to see if anything else shows up.  Still hoping irrationally for that simple fix.  He said I don't fit the typical mold of a lupus patient, which I already knew. 

The cool thing about his office is that they have a lab right there so I was able to get drawn right after my appointment.  My name was messed up so hopefully I don't have to deal with lost tubes again.  He told me 3 weeks wait for results, but the tech said 10 days.  I like 10 days a lot better.  He did say he would call me if anything funky showed up.  But I doubt he would unless it was something huge like my PT/INR was messed up.  So 15 tubes of blood later, I'm sitting here eating some broccoli and rice with no more answers than I had when I woke up today.  TTA is starting to really suck.  Hopefully we will get some answers between this next appointment and when I see Dr S on the 24th.

ETA:  In case I want to look back....this is what he ordered. 
CMP, RPR, CBC, CRP, ESR, FREE T4, TSH, ALDOLASE, CPK, PT/INR, PTT, ANA PANEL 9, CHROMATIN AB, ANTI NUCLEAR AB, ANA BY IFA, RHEUMATOID FACTOR, CCP, CH50, C3, C4, THRYOGLOBULIN AB, MICROSOMAL AB, LUPUS ANTICOAG, BETA 2 GLYCOPROTEIN, ANTI CARDIOLIPIN AB

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Skinny Minny

For some reason the year I turned 22, it was like my metabolism stopped.  I never had to work out, I was just naturally thin.  I could eat whatever I wanted and never had to worry about gaining weight.  One thing I did do, was if I was really upset, I just wouldn't eat.  Oh how I miss those days.  I recently started a Biggest Loser contest with some fellow Feb12 mamas.  Week one I'm in last freaking place.  LAST PLACE!  So since last Friday I've become a woman on a mission.  I've worked out every day, I decreased pop to almost nothing (gasp) and have been trying to eat around a 1400 calorie diet.  I've lost that pound I gained and hopefully will lose more by Friday, the next weigh in.  I have all those jeans from when I was thin that are just sitting there waiting for me.  I figured I could use this blog to track my progress in that as well.  Its a blog of many names I guess.  So starting March 1st I was 149.6 pounds.  Currently I am 149.4.  Not a loss to be proud of, but I had gained some in there.  My first goal is to be 140 lbs.  But my major goal is 130.  And here's some before pictures to encourage myself.


Friday, March 8, 2013

A Step in the Right Direction

Well....I missed two doses of my Zoloft and ended up crying in the bathtub last night.  I hate that I need these meds to function.  I have already gone from bad mood to good mood to bad mood again in the four hours I've been awake.  Awesomesauce.

I did finally make some progress though this week.  I ran to lab when I was working on Wednesday and asked for the to look for my protein C results.  They still said pending so Nikki (my fave lab tech) said she would look into it.  Turns out that Cleveland Clinic lost it.  Um come again?  So I ended up getting redrawn that evening.  She said I would have results in 1-3 days.  So hopefully by Monday. 

I also called and left a message asking if he made the appointment with and MFM for me like he said he would.  Nope he didn't (big surprise).  He said he talked to the MFM and Dr Hnat said I wasn't an appropriate patient for an MFM and to see a RE.  So ever since this third loss I have been pushing for that, but he keeps trying to talk me out of it.  He even mentioned in the voicemail he left me how insurance wouldn't cover anything.  I had Mike call our insurance and visits will be covered.  We have to call and get approved for any labs or tests.  So take that and shove it.  I called this morning and the earliest they could get me in to see the RE is April 24th.  :(  I'm trying to focus on that this will give me more time to focus on me getting better emotionally.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Admitting Defeat

After a long "conversation" with Mike on Saturday night.  I started taking my Abilify and the lowest dose of Zoloft.  Its amazing how in one little day my mood can completely change.  I'm still losing my temper too easily, but I'm not angry at the world today.  Part of me feels like I failed.  That I couldn't give our future child that chance of a life because I can't go off my meds.  However, what's the point of having another child if Mike and I get divorced?  I started my birth control.  Hopefully I will be able to get myself to a good place while we're waiting for the rheumatologist appointment.

Its funny the way my mind works.  Most people would probably be freaking out about the possibility of having an auto immune disorder.  I don't even care, because that would mean I would have an answer.  A concrete reason why we've lost so much instead of just "bad luck".  Maybe even a reason why I am always so tired and sore.  That its not in my head.

At the beginning of the month I started a weight loss competition with some fellow February moms.  If I actually get off my butt I have a chance of winning 250 bucks.  Getting to a size four has got to make me feel better about myself right?  Now I just need to convince Mike to go with me to work out.