December, time for a new thread!
 

Getting ready to go to a music and merryment fundraiser. I will be the designated driver for my girl friend who never gets to drink escorted. So she is excited. there will be 3 houses on display, a trolley shuttling us from house to house with different set of music in each house. Hubby is playing jazz in one of the houses with a trio, chorus singers in another house and other musicians in the third house. Hubby got us complimentary tickets $75 dollars a piece because he is playing.
I am wearing a wine red with crushed black velvet trim shirt, fancy costume jewelry I am wearing a cotton undershirt that covers my chest as it is going to get a bit windy and I did not want to wear a coat so that put a damper on my elegant outfit. oh well. I am wearing black pants and brown shoe boots with a heel and very comfortable. WE will be there the 3 hours so I wanted to be comfortable.
I did not sleep well last night at all. So was tired this morning.(missed a shower) My girl friend and I went for a hike at the local park then to subway for lunch, I had the meatball marinara decadent and unknown meat content but delicious none the less), I came home and took a 2 hour nap. I feel much better.
I will pick her up shortly.
So far, I have had 4 AF days this month then one cider on the 5th then last night had 4 pints of cider so that was too much. Going to be AF tonight.
This really needs to be a better month than last month!
I will make it so.
bizi

Bizi,


Have a good time! :)

I love the description of your outfit. :D


Mari

Had a good time at the music and merriment fundraiser. It was fun talking and getting caught up with my girl friend. She looked "hot" and I told her so. That tickled her.:)
There was a ton of food there and I sampled most of it...(to be honest it was ok food). I am so full.
Hubbies band sounded good. The singers were jolly and the student horn quintet sounded like they needed to practice A LOT more. lol
All 3 homes were amazing!~
This fundraiser was a success. They raise monies for the school of music students scholarships. They are called "the friends of music". And this is their sole mission to raise monies for the students.
Jeff is out having a beer with a friend of his, don't know how late he will be.
I will take a look at the days work load for tomorrow and maybe do some paper work before bed.
Thank you for your support and for taking the time to read my thread.
bizi

It sounds as if you had a really enjoyable night bizi.
That's great to hear.

:hug:

Oh, Bizi,

What a delightful evening. I am glad you had a good time.

The kids playing horns will be better next year --- with one more year of study under them.

Take care.

Mari

have not been sleeping well can't fall asleep till hours later than when I went to bed. have taken a couple of klonipin a few nights last week. should not do this as I may have to continue to do this to sleep. went back to my 1mg last night and could not sleep.
work today long day then my girlfriends student recital. she is a strings instructor. They are serving gumbo( dark thickish soup)afterward sounds yummy. jeff is working late so may just came late.
Can't remember if I told you that I had my mammo adn ultra sound screening last week. yuck the lotion was so cold and she just plopped it on my breast. brrrr!!!!!!! and then it took forever and hurt my shoulder and breast bone. hated it.That will be the last one of those that I will have done in a long time.
geeesh!
have a great day!
bizi

Bizi,

Exercise early-ish in the day (Or late afternoon) helps with sleep.
So does some sunshine.
I hope that the sleep issue resolves. :heartthrob:


The mammo is not supposed to hurt like that ! :eek:
Sorry to hear about that.

I have never made gumbo but I remember watching some one make it . Most cooks make a roux (mixture of flour and oil to make it thick)
You have a delicious evening a head of you. :):):)

Mari

hi mari,
it was the breast ultra sound that hurt. I wanted to be sure that my insurance covered it. and that I got one this year as my clients wife got a clear mammogram then had the screening ultra sound and they found cancer. so just the mammo is not enough! she had surgery radiation and chemo.:(
sigh
here we have roux premade in a jar. it is like almost burnt flour and it thickens the gumbo. I like chicken and sausage best. Others prefer the seafood kind and others like the okra.
The kids concert was ok, they are beginning students.... the advanced class was enjoyable!
And the gumbo was spicy and hot so it was good. IT was served over rice.
again it was so good!!!:)
bizi

Bizi,

Sorry about the Sono gram. I had two or three after they found mammos that were not clear or that showed something that they did not like.
The ultra sounds did not feel good but they did not exactly hurt. I could see what the tech was up to and recognized that it was necessary.

I like those gels -- nice and yucky . …had them on my feet too and at other times when there was an issue or other . . .
then I spend time getting it off at the clinic or when I get home.

It is very good that you are getting your stuff taken care of while you have decent insurance.
You are doing great taking care of yourself.

Mari

I think what hurt was the holding of my arm up and away with my shoulder stretched up and back as well. then the machine rested on my shoulder and breast bone...at least now I know what to expect. And it took 3 times the amount of time, I just felt sort of violated.
sorry done whining.
thanks for your support.
bizi

Bizi, :hug::hug::hug:

Yeah. Those things are uncomfortable mostly because we do not want to be there. You did great by following through with the sono gram and getting it done and being patient with the tech and with yourself.

M

Hope it all came out okay for you. I don't like them either.

But my cancer was found very early thanks to one.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

donna, I forget did you have to go thru radiation/chem besides the surgery??
bizi

Just radiation.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

My clients wife whom I just saw today. Is the reason I got one done. Her mammo gram was clear but the ultrasound picked up her nodules. there were 2 of them that were cancerous. She is in the throws of chemo, post surgery and awaiting radiation. I asked her why she was having to have radiation if she had chemo, she was going to ask.
bless her and you donna.
bizi

12-1 AF
12-2 AF
12-3 AF
12-4 AF
12-5 Mod 1 cider
12-6 DD 4 pints of cider (walked there and back)
12-7 AF
12-8 AF
12-9 Mod 1 glass of wine
12-10 AF
12-11 AF

bizi
This is what my month looks like so far this December, pretty good!

Bizi,

December is looking like a very good month. :)

Mari

What a great report, Bizi! :cool::)

Bizi

I love your month so far.

I know some others that had a higher level cancer than I that had to
do both. I was just lucky not to be one of them.

Thanks for good wishes.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I mistakenly have been posting on the november thread....:o
bump for future use.
bizi

well, you weren't alone posting on Nov thread.
I hadn't noticed either :winky:

:hug:

a sunny day today!
need to be focused and productive. the tomato salad came out great yesterday.
December and we are having fresh tomatoes!
The party was fun too much to drink oh well, no harm done(except to my brain cells)
bizi

I think I forgot to tell you that jeff is going to china over the break. He will be joining an orchestra and playing a solo piece with them on his classical guitar making it sound like a pippa. they will be gone 11 days. I will be visiting family and friends.
bizi

Dear bizi,
Wishing Jeff a wonderful trip to China. What he's doing sounds amazing. I only got to mainland China for a day and that was back in the 80s when I was in Hong Kong. Are you heading north for your holidays? Thinking of you. :hug:

I had noticed, just thought you had things to say for November.

So posted and listened there.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I was a bit into a tizzy today.
my gp wanted me to go on 2 different meds after my lab results came in.
my chol was 240
but my hdl was 130 ldl was 114 so I was not concerned and told the nurse this.
then she wants to start me on synthroid for an elevated tsh high normal being 5 mine was 5.6. I don't have any symptoms.
So she is going to have me draw blood again in the morning for t3 and t4.
she was going to start me on 25mcg (a half dose) and have me retested in 2 months.
I told her I was bipolar to remind her and that I run hypomanic...this to her nurse so she spoke with my gp.They will call me the results on friday.
I have already said to myself that I would not start any new meds away from home...so if I have to start synthroid then it will be next year.
Not what I needed to get worked up about today.
bizi

Bizi, they really should just retest all three parameters (TSH, FT4, FT3) together in a couple months. A single lab draw (and a partial one at that) with one parameter slightly off and NO symptoms does not sound like grounds to start therapy! :(
:confused::mad:

Please ask her for a referral to an endocrinologist. Even a good internist could handle it but endocrinologist is exactly the "right" specialist.

FT4 (free T4) is usually tested because it is what the body can use. Even if T4 is normal, part of it can be bound by pathogens or other substances that essentially render it unusable. The free fraction might still be low. If repeat testing shows TSH is persistenly elevated AND Free T4 persistently low, then a hypothyroid condition is present. Also useful/common is a test for Hashimoto antibodies -- if positive, thyroid parameters must be rechecked periodically and eventually you'd need supplements.

You can also have a complete thyroid panel out of pocket for about $50 through an independent lab if they won't script it or insurance gives you a hassle. Not sure if that would cover Hashimotos.

I've had T4 low before but it was transient. I think I had TSH high once but also transient (and T4 was fine). I was given Synthroid (T4) and Cytomel (T3) when my values dropped due to Carbamazepine. My TSH was fine. My internist made a written note to the doctor who prescribed the thyroid meds, saying that she felt it was dangerous to supplement, because it risked eventually shutting off my thyroid. The endocrinologist I saw said there was no reason to supplement -- reference ranges are statistical, if a person is slightly off but symptom-free, the only recommendation was to retest.

The other side of the coin/my pdoc's perspective. Subtle symptoms can include mood-cycling. My pdoc felt supplementation could help my cycling. That approach is however controversial. No way to tell if it did help or not, either, as I was taking gobs of psych meds.

waves

Excessive alcohol affects so much stuff, it's probably easier to list the things it does NOT affect.

As far as your HDL. 240 is preposterously high. the upper reference range is about 80 and I've heard of people with 100. Are you sure you don't have the HDL/LDL switched around? -- edited to say I misread. I see that 240 is total, 130 is HDL... ok, high but not scary high. ;):o:o I will leave the rest in just FYI....

YOu know that they've found there's different kinds of HDL. Too much of that if it is compromised quality in fact be bad. I had found a better article at one point, but this is the best I can do right now:

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/i...be_bad_fo.html

"Hazen’s research shows that in people with heart disease, about 1 in 5 HDL particles in the artery wall -- where the particle’s function is to remove cholesterol-- is dysfunctional. People who have more of this dysfunctional HDL are at higher risk of heart disease, independent of traditional risk factors such as age, diabetes, smoking, and blood pressure. "

Is there any way your tests could have been thrown off? Is your HDL measured or calculated? What are your Triglycerides like?

Alcohol (especially chronic over-use) throws off blood lipids BIG TIME, are you aware of that? Along with gGT's and other things.

waves

Merck Manual, re: HDL > 80
 

This might be more helpful:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professi...l?qt=&sc=&alt=

Quote:

Originally Posted by waves (Post 1113542) Bizi, they really should just retest all three parameters (TSH, FT4, FT3) together in a couple months. A single lab draw (and a partial one at that) with one parameter slightly off and NO symptoms does not sound like grounds to start therapy! :( :confused::mad:

'Right about the retesting. The single/ partial test yields very little actionable information.

M

Here it is
 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743356/

Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Jul-Aug; 17(4): 580–587.
Impact of alcohol use on thyroid function

thank you waves for your valuable input. I can always count on you to help me get the numbers straight or research. thank you , I mean that.
my triglycerides are 62 which is very good. My HDL has always been high usually over 100 but never this high.
my tsh was 2.6 last year. t3- was 30, free t4 was 1.07, t-4 6.6.
I will retest next year too not now as I have been drinking quite a bit. so will take it easy with the drinking over the next month.
biz
thanks mari for bringing up the site, your are so smart I don't even know how you did that! I know better to quote things just really flustered.

my pdoc reccomended that I see an endocrinologist.
I am thinking about getting a new gp.
my pdoc also wanted to double my lamictal from 200mg once a day to 200mg twice a day. I told her that I thought that lamictal was generally good more for its anti depressant qualities. She wants me to stop drinking. I told her that I would cut back and let her know how things went after the holidays. Then she said we could then consider adding a small dose of lamictal if we need to.
what do you guys think about increasing lamictal for elevated mood?
bizi

Bizi,

Everything is o.k. :heartthrob:

Mari

Bizi,

Re Lamictal:

1. Comparative efficacy and acceptability of antimanic drugs in acute mania: a multiple-treatments meta-analysis
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...40673611608738

2. http://jop.sagepub.com/content/25/10/1289.short
Lamotrigine: when and where does it act in affective disorders? A systematic review

I am taking three meds that are not supposed to work:
Verapamil
Lamictal
Gabapentin

It seems to be trial and error with drugs --either known to be effective or not.
Besides, you do do not have "acute" mania. You have some degree of mood elevation that I would not be able to define,
but you probably are aware if you want to lower your mood a little.

M

I got myself into trouble today.
I forgot to take my noon geodon. by 6;30pm I was a mess and did not realise that I had forgotten to take it till i was shaking and asked myself"what is wrong with me" it was like having a major hypoglycemic attack.....that is when it dawned on me.
sigh
We went to the concert and I came home and ate 500 calories of fat and took a geodon. Now am just waiting to feel better.
bizi:(

waves, are the ast alt liver function tests? and what is the thyroid stimulating hormone>?
thanks bizi:confused:

Liver function tests: ALT and AST
http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-gu...function-tests

Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
http://www.webmd.com/women/thyroid-s...ng-hormone-tsh


M

Wow. Good thing that you took care of yourself.

If I miss my Verapamil by a few hours I feel awful.

Mari

AST AND ALT are both liver enzymes used to break down nutrients. These are called transaminases because they move the amino ring out of certain amino acids. These are the standard liver function tests. In cases of liver malfunction, excesses of these can end up in the blood.

Isolated excess in the blood of one or the other or specific combinations of enzymes can indicate other types of conditions.

Some meds can cause elevated levels of some of these (and other) liver enzymes. This needs to be taken into account when interpreting lab findings, but high levels must always be monitored, and any offending drugs might need to be removed or reduced.

================

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. T4 is produced by the thyroid.

Here is a very simplistic explanation of how TSH and T4 are related. TSH is the pituitary's messenger to the thyroid, to stimulate the thyroid to make more T4. The pituitary "sees" what circulating levels of T4 are. If they are too low, the pituitary says, "Hey Thyroid, wake up, work harder!". It says this by making more TSH. If there is too much T4, the pituitary will make less TSH, telling the thyroid to slow down.

With a normally functioning thyroid and pituitary gland, this chemical dialog between them maintains a perpetual equilibrium, where both TSH and T4 remain within "reasonable" levels (expected clinical range).

In the case of a thyroid that is underactive, it can't meet the pituitary's "request" (TSH). So you end up with high TSH, but low T4 (output by thyroid). High TSH + Low T4 = hypothyroidism.

In the case of an overactive thyroid, which puts out too much T4, the pituitary downregulates its own output of TSH. This is like saying to the thyroid, "Hey, you're overdoing it! Slow down!" But the thyroid is manic, can't slow down, and keeps on pumping out T4. So then you have the opposite situation: low TSH + High T4 = hyperthyroidism. -- edited to corrrect


waves