ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME??

My latest doctor I first saw about five years ago. She loaded me up with pills and I had bad reactions, of course. This time I spent almost an hour explaining in detail how I seem to have an intolerance to drugs of any kind. Did she listen? She seemed to get it, and we talked at length about alternative dietary treatments, but she also slipped in a few drugs just for the fun of it. I should have stood up and screamed immediately:

ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? 

But I didn't. I looked at the new drug, Low Dose Naltrexone (for inflammation) and with much anticipation for a miracle cure said, "YES! Let's try it!" I have realized this is how I contribute to the problem. They don't take me seriously because I give them conflicting messages.

However, this time I didn't jump on the drug bandwagon quite as enthusiastically as I have in the past. I AM learning! I ordered only two weeks worth of the LDN, just as a sample. On the third day I started having side effects: hip pain, neck pain, weird dreams, sleep problems, nausea, sweating, migraines and BRAIN DEATH. I lost all short term memory capabilities. And I was taking only one third of the recommended dosage. That stopped immediately.

Next I thought I'd try the Siberian ginseng from her list. This is to support the adrenals as the new doctor seems to think I'm having drug reactions because of adrenal fatigue. It is a common theory in the world of hypothyroidism that if your adrenals aren't working optimally, the thyroid drugs won't either or might cause problems. Still, I wasn't buying that adrenal fatigue was the cause of my drug intolerance.  First, I've treated any adrenal fatigue problem I might have before and it doesn't stop the drug intolerance problems nor does it make a difference with anything. Second, it's not just thyroid medication I have problems with. Third, I'm chemically sensitive and I am intolerant to drugs. Fourth, my DNA testing showed I have a gene mutation that causes detoxification issues which contributes to chemical sensitivity. The interpretation of my gene mutation clearly states I have a problem detoxing pharmaceuticals as does my latest gastrointestinal test. This seems clear to me. I can read these test results. Why can't she? I tried to explain this to the new doctor. Her response was, "I'm not sold on all this DNA testing." Again, I should have stood up and screamed:

ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

Still, like the brain-dead patient I am (due to previous drugs), I dove right in and decided it's a good idea to poison myself again. However, I AM learning. I didn't buy pills. Instead I found an herbal shop that sold the real root for tea. I wasn't sold on the Siberian ginseng, but what I didn't realize is I have notes from taking it a few years ago. In my (faulty) recollection, I thought I didn't have a problem with ginseng. However, on the third day I had slight neck pain. Didn't think anything of it. The next day unexplained fatigue followed by slight depression, but again, I passed that off as minor as could have been caused by anything. I am my worse nightmare. I don't even listen to myself! I ended up running out of tea only to buy more and start again. The fatigue became unbearable with headaches, weird dreams, and extreme dizziness if rising too fast while gardening. Finally, I found my Siberian ginseng notes from a few years ago...same reactions then, right down to the bizarre gardening-induced vertigo.

I emailed the new doctor and explained AGAIN about my intolerance to drugs of any kind. She suggested when I come in for the next appointment she'll have to tweak the prescription and we'll experiment how best to take it because, hell or high water, she will make sure I'm taking drugs! Again, I wanted to scream:

ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

Next on the list: thyroid. I am of the belief all my issues from foot/leg pain to kidney damage is related to my untreated thyroid issues. My previous doctor, the crazy one, was also treated to a lengthy description on my bad reaction to dessicated thyroid. Her response was, "OK, I"ll give you a prescription for dessicated thyroid." I should have stood up and screamed:

ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

I went into great deal with my new doctor about the last four thyroid prescriptions and how they all nearly killed me, especially the dessicated thyroid. Again, I repeated my descriptions of drug intolerance. Her response was, "OK, I'll give you a prescription for dessicated thyroid." Again, I should have stood up and screamed:

ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

Instead, I calmly explained AGAIN I had very bad reactions to dessicated thyroid and called attention to the fact every thyroid drug I've taken has had one thing in common, besides my horrible intolerance to them, they all have T3. Is it possible I am reacting badly to T3? Also, my T4 labs are low. Not my T3 labs. I also explained AGAIN Dr. Kharrazian's theory of hypopituitary caused by over medication. My side effects are exactly as he described and if I'm not detoxing the drug, I am being over medicated because my body is hoarding it.

She thought about that for a minute and prescribed just T4. Finally I felt heard. But it's like pulling teeth.

What is it that makes doctors not want to listen to me? It's such a waste of time to go into such detail and I'm ignored constantly. I have to explain details repeatedly, emphasize lab results, point to what I think is very obvious data I've collected throughout my health history with evidence from books and websites, yet they persist in following their own agenda. How many times must I repeat myself and correct their assumptions in order to get viable medical attention? And I'm paying THEM for this. I may need to start screaming:

ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?

Still, I need a doctor. If I start screaming at them, no one will want to work with me. I legally can't prescribe my own drugs. I am convinced I am drug intolerant because I am chemically sensitive. I don't detox chemicals whether they be chemicals found in food, air, water, or drugs. I hoard the chemicals in my body creating overload consequently creating more misery. This was diagnosed by an environmental specialist years ago and recently supported by DNA testing that clearly suggests I have a detoxification mutation. Still, I need my thyroid issues treated, if only to see if they alleviate the foot/leg pain and rectify the kidney damage. Untreated thyroid can also cause heart failure. I don't want my organs to start failing. Something must be done and I seem to be the only one who can do it.

I realize I'm on my own. I'm treating myself. I'm hoping my theories are right. So my new plan is to try the T3, but not take it every day in order to avoid overload. We'll see...

DAY SEVEN!!!

As I've mentioned before, I have about a 2-4 day maximum load threshold with drugs, herbs or any supplements. Multi-vitamin pills make me ill on day two. Herbs usually day four. Some supplements make me mental while others make my body hurt.

I began my thyroid hormone replacement therapy with much hope and some trepidation. The DHEA was a short-lived experience so I wasn't even sure if my adrenals got a jump-start. Will this type of thyroid fail like all the others? When I say "fail" I don't mean will they not do what they should, I mean can I even tolerate them long enough to allow them to work? I've done everything possible to select the most natural, tolerable form possible: low-dose USP Thyroid from a pig, gelatin capsules, and rice flour filler. On the Dr. Kharazzian diet I'm not supposed to eat pork or rice. I wasn't associating these pills with food. Next time I'll opt for bovine (cow) thyroid and coconut flour filler. Sounds like the latest gourmet recipe...Yatna's Coconut Beef Goulash.

I'm also taking them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach as directed, but with twice as much water as recommended. I'm doing everything possible to be successful. I'm tired of being tired all the time.

Day one came and went, although I did feel slightly more energetic. Was it just wishful thinking? I think most drug effects are mental, or the placebo effect. We are so desperate for something to work, we imagine it. I need this to work.

On day two, three hours after taking the pill I felt a tinge of nausea...so I drank more water and ate more food and it went away. Some days my neck slightly hurts which is a common chemical exposure reaction for me, and other days I've experienced very slight itching of the back, another common reaction to something foreign. Most days I'm feeling more energetic to the point where I want something to do, but this new motivation is so strange I don't know what to do with myself. My muscles still feel weak and sore with late afternoon moments of slight fatigue, but it could be a physical reaction to new energy levels or when the pills are wearing off.

I know medications take time and I don't expect this very low dosage to create much of a difference. I even read minor nausea might go away after a week or two of adjustment as long as the nausea is tolerable. Adjustment is the key to making this work as I read not to get too impatient and raise the dosage to quickly. Slowly ease into it and give the body a chance to assimilate the drug and figure out what to do with it.

It's now day seven, three days past day four, and these pills are tolerable!!! For me this is a MEDICAL MIRACLE!!!

HOORAY!
(So far...)