Medical Malady? Call the Doctor Immediately!

Those following my blog know that I have a thyroid disorder. I'm not sure if I told you what kind: I have Graves Disease. My thyroid started growing at an alarming pace in my early 30s. I began to have heart palpitations, was exhausted all the time, and my eyes began protruding (a key sign of Graves). I was suffering from hyperthyroidism. Fortunately, it was caught in time and I swallowed a radioactive pill designed to "shrink" my thyroid closer to the normal size. As is common, it shrunk too much, putting me into hypothyroidism. Subsequently, I take a certain dosage of the medication Synthroid to keep my thyroid levels normal.

With any significant shift in weight -- either a gain or a loss -- the Synthroid needs to be adjusted. Upward if you gain weight, downward if you lose weight. And wouldn't you know. I have lost close to 60 lbs. and I am still on the same dosage I was on when I started Optifast! Of course I am feeling really terrible now. Absolutely exhausted and damn near bed-ridden. Remember last weekend when I felt so sick and thought it was a missed shake that caused it? Well, something quite different might be going on because it's a week later and I've been feeling worse and worse as each day passes.

So today I did what I want each one of you with thyroid disorders to do: I called my specialist -- my endocrinologist -- and explained all of my symptoms and then just let him do all the talking. He immediately ordered me to the lab for a blood draw. He is checking T-levels, liver, kidneys, sugar, and maybe a few other things. I am to call him Sunday -- yes, on a Sunday! -- to discuss the results. We are not messing around with this, and frankly I'm a little angry with myself for not touching base with him over the summer. He knows I'm on Optifast and I did see him in May. But I should have been dutifully following up with him as I went along.

I know some of you are doing this program without medical supervision. But I'm here to tell you if you have a thyroid disorder, you might really be headed for trouble. You need to touch base with your thyroid doctor before, during and after the program. Or you are going to wind up very sick. I don't mean to scare anyone here, but we need to call in the experts when it comes to medical conditions.

So right now I am trying to rest up over the weekend. Take it very easy. I'll know more soon and will keep you informed. Thanks to all for your concern and support!