OH HAI !!! It’s such a gorgeous day here and the sun feels so warm to my easily cold hands and feet! TODAY – it has been a week since I started the generic Cytomel. I have felt a slight difference, but know what has made an even bigger difference?! UPPING my daily iron dosage. I researched it and I think my low iron caused the interruption of my body’s conversion of T4 into T3, which makes sense because iron helps with blood oxygen levels and energy and I’ve had major major problems with all of that. I tried taking iron back in late 2010 and into 2011 and it did make me feel amazing… at first, but back then I didn’t have the correct foods, vitamins, or the extra T3 like I have now, so that is why the amazing feeling did not last or continue on. I’m so grateful I’m starting to feel bit-by-bit better. I felt SO AMAZING yesterday after I ate dinner, did my light workout, and ate my post-workout lemon protein bar and I know it’s because I had taken the extra iron. I felt so good last night that I had trouble going to sleep, lol. I seem to be going to the bathroom more, in both areas! I have felt good today, except for this morning. I might start taking iron when I get up, but I just don’t want it to interfere with the thyroid meds but I notice I do feel better/WARMERRRR after the iron digests/absorbs. My body is starting to feel lighter too. WOOOOO TO THE HOOO.

I read that the proper amount of iron in the body helps the thyroid hormones ignite! Sounds awesome to me. According to the articles I read about iron levels – my levels need a pretty significant boost because they are low. My iron saturation is only 16% and it needs to atleast be 35, and 45 would be excellent, so you can see that it’s low. IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER! *squee* Best part? I noticed for the last few years certain foods would interfere with my weight going up or down and now it doesn’t! I have been enjoying a lot more foods this week, including a gluten free AWESOME bean & rice burrito. I’m in heaven. I’m not hard to please when it comes to food – I just want healthy. I also picked up a bottle of Jarrow’s special B vitamin complex capsules, since my MD suggested that would assist with energy/thyroid as well.

What else? Echo, our baby ferret, is doing great. She is so funny to watch… Brad and I were cracking up last night watching her play and flop around in her cage, rofl. She gets pretty hyped up and crazy if we get her out and play with her, but that’s how they are haha. I’ve got this week and next week left of my (2nd) Accounting class and it’s been a pretty confusing class, but then again Accounting tends to do that. Brad and I are better than ever, really. I love him lots! I’m glad he’s getting back into a gym routine and I’m just still sticking to my very light workouts, until I feel like my body can handle anything more. Speaking of the gym – the CEO of our fitness centers is gonna be on Friday’s episode of Undercover Boss!! I must see it! Katie is doing well too, just being a typical 4 1/2 year old… gotta start buying up pressies and such for her upcoming birthday in May. My goodness… she will be 5 years old.

I just want to say that I am so grateful for my life and everything I have. Count your blessings and let them bring you peace and joy!!!

First, I just want to say that I recently watched Forks over Knives and LOVED IT – then last night I watched Food Matters and LOVED IT. I dunno if I mentioned this already or not, but I am going to attempt to decrease the amount of animal protein in my diet and focus mostly on a plant-based diet. I’ve already faced enough health issues as it is in my life and sticking to a high plant-based food intake is only going to benefit my body and LIFE. =) I’m so, so, so, so passionate about health!

Alright, so I was hoping that I would be able to get my Cytomel prescription filled Friday evening (like I last posted about), but then I didn’t hear from my holistic counselor until late Friday. I asked if the labs had come back and she emailed me at almost 10pm Friday and said that yes, the blood work had come back and that my T3 levels were even LOWER than in December, so the low T3 is deffo my issue. She said she was waiting to hear back from her MD. So….. waited Saturday. I cleaned house, worked worked worked for hours on my (very confusing) accounting homework, and then was also distracted because I was waiting to hear back from my holistic counselor. Nope. We get up and go to church Sunday, for the first time in… 2 weeks? I think? We were sick one Sunday then the next Sunday was our church conference, so we didn’t have normal meetings. Anyway, church went well and we came home. I had sent an email back my holistic counselor Saturday afternoon asking if she thought she would hear back today or if it would be Monday. Well, when I got out of church Sunday I had an email from her saying it would be Monday. Baaaaaah. I told myself I waited 3 years to get the answers, so just have to wait a little longer to get the prescription. Thankfully, she emailed me around 11AM Monday with an email copy of my new thyroid blood lab results and said that the MD said to go ahead with the 5mcg per day of the Cytomel. WOOHOOOO.

In December 2012 my T3 was 89 and my Free T3 (which is the level in my blood) was 2.5
Well, this time, [April 2013] my T3 is 60 and my Free T3 is now 1.8 – so I desperately need the prescription T3 to help my body!!!

After I got the email yesterday I went over to my neighbor’s to see if she would take me to drop off the prescription and then Brad and I would pick it up AFTER THE GYM that evening! Heh. Well, my neighbor’s friend was over so we talked talked talked and then it was already lunch time, so me and Katie went home to eat then my neighbor drove me to drop off the prescription and came back home then put Katie down for her nap! Got various things done, my lovie came home, ate half of my dinner, Katie went to my neighbor’s and WE WERE OFF TO THE GYM! My first time going since January! I got to talk to one of the main girls that works there, who has become a good friend to me and Brad and she said she could totally tell a difference with my weight loss and that she liked my hair! I went and got on the sit down elliptical and did a really light 20ish minute workout then bought some new tanning lotion and a new UNDER ARMOUR workout shirt, woot woot – cause all the shop items in the gym are 50% off until Sunday! Tanned, Brad got a protein shake, then we were off to Wal-Mart! I ate the rest of my dinner on the way there then we went in and both had to pee, lol. I got my MEDS, picked up a few other things, including MOREEEEEEE steamable butternut squash, sugar snap peas, and BLUEBERRIES! Brad bought 2 nice new button up shirts and a new pair of workout shorts! I was gonna buy new workout pants and a bra, but needed more time to dig around for what I wanted soooooo will do it soon! I tried on my current workout bra yesterday and it’s way too big now, lol and my black workout pants are a bit too baggy now too. After eating my dinner and little “dessert” last night? I FELT AMAZING. The food really made me feel awesome.

This morning I got up and took my first dose of 5mcg of the generic Cytomel. I felt a *tiny* difference, so I can’t wait to see how I feel in a few days, in a week, or in a few weeks! I know I will only get better and better now that my body is gonna have what it needs and I KNOW I’M COVERING ALL MY BASES because I’m taking lots of natural supplements, vitamins, minerals, and now the main thing I have needed – that extra T3!

CHEERS TO GOOD HEALTH! I can’t wait to build up my tan again, build up my fitness, feel great energy again, RUN AGAIN, build more muscle, get really lean, and get to my goal weight. I will do it. I’m soooooooooooooo very thankful. I have so much to be grateful for and I owe everything I am and ever shall be to my Heavenly Father.

I also just want to say my prayers and heart continues to go out to those that were involved in the Boston Marathon incident yesterday.

*SQUEE* Hubby took off work today so he could drive me to my Naturalist appointment. We left around 12:40pm and got there right on time. I had to wait anyway because my Naturalist was super busy. I went back to see her and asked questions about suggestions on food, servings per day of this or that, number of calories, and then she weighed me. She was super happy that I had lost even more weight. I bought more of my Total Vegan protein powder, got my “reset” drops that I start tomorrow (just helps with appetite, etc), liquid multi, protein bars, and then waited to see her MD. This is the first time seeing the MD that heads over my Naturalist and she was super nice. She went ahead and wrote me a prescription for Cytomel (it’s T3 to help with my low T3 thyroid levels) and said that I needed to go have my thyroid labs done again since it had been 4 months and she needed to check them again, so she could give me the right dosing of the Cytomel. She also said that my iron levels were on the low side and I needed to take it twice a day for 6 weeks then down to just once a day. After it was all done, we went to LabCorp to get my blood drawn. My Naturalist said she’ll have the results tomorrow, let the MD know, and then she will email me what dosing i will be taking so I can go fill the prescription tomorrow evening. After my appointments, we drove over to Trader Joe’s to poke around – then over a few roads to a reallllllllly HUGE Whole Foods. Got a handful of goodies! It POURED on us on the way home and we’re getting rain/thunder/lightning this evening.

I FEEL SO HAPPY. I know that the combination of iron and Cytomel will help me feel super awesome again. I’ll start taking it Saturday morning! I might go to the gym Saturday and if not then deffo on MONDAY.

Such a great day. I feel so blessed! I’m getting my health back and it is so wonderful.

TODAY IS DAY 42 OF MY HCG PROGRAM and I just took my last dose of drops!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow and Thursday I’ll still be sticking with the same amount of calories then Friday will bump it up. The program has been an experience, but I am so happy I chose to do it. Can’t believe it’s already been 42 days. I’m so ready to bump up my calories though, but most of all I’M READY FOR MY THURSDAY APPOINTMENT.

I know that getting the right dose of Armour to bump up my T3 thyroid hormones will make every difference in the world for my health and body. It will boost my metabolism and everything. SO EAGER. This time THREE years ago is when it started to get really bad for me. Three years ago. Now, three years later I am finally getting my health straight. I just feel so blessed.

Tomorrow will make a year since we joined our gym!!!!!! I can’t wait to go back. I probably will either Saturday or this coming Monday. Time to feel as awesome (or even more so!!) than I did early 2010. =)

- beautiful sunny day! feels like 77, but not to me, thx to low thyroid
– echo ate foam and it came out both ends yesterday. thankfully she is OK!
– brad got hit with the same sickness me and Katie have had =/
– i still sound stuffed up, but i’m getting better!
– feeling more spiritual today =)
– yesterday brad and I bought discount dinosaur shaped Easter eggs for Katie then hid them in her room this morning lol. she had a blast finding them
– brad and I totally had fun playing with echo this morning
– 1 more college problem to complete for the week!!!
– we’re gonna go in a bit to the mall so I can get more blue raspberry amino energy!! then donate some clothes and go to Pet smart for toys/misc stuff for our echo =)
– brad is taking off Thursday to take me to my Naturalist appointment! SO EXCITED that he is gonna take me and be with me… I cannot WAIT for that appointment!!!!
– watched Forks Over Knives last night. LOVED IT. have decided I’m gonna lean mostly towards a whole foods plant-based diet, but still maybe eat fish or turkey a few times a week. all for it because I want to maximize my health.
– only 3 more days on the HCG drops! I’m on day 39 / 42, woot.

I feel so blessed. My Heavenly Father has given me SO MUCH. I’m thankful to be alive. Thankful for my struggles. It has been such a life lesson after all I have experienced the last few years, but I am stronger now. Be grateful for what you do have and pray for others. =) Wishing everyone a great weekend <3

Saturday we went to a pet place we LOVE to go to and I fell in love with….

A BABY GIRL FERRET! We named her Echo and I love her!!! She turned 12 weeks old yesterday and is so cute and fun.

On the down side, I’m sick….. AGAIN. Katie is finally starting to feel better, but now Brad and I are getting it. I don’t feel as bad as I did yesterday, but still rough. UGH I JUST GOT OVER GETTING SICK and now I’m sick again, great. It’s also making my weight loss stall again, but eh what can ya do. Only 8 more days on the HCG drops!!!

HAPPY APRIL – I can’t believe how super fast March went by. Today’s agenda: finish up college paper, wash Katie’s laundry, try to rest, wash/style my hair, and look over the material for my college class that starts tomorrow. Would LOVE to watch The Walking Dead season finale and Game of Thrones premiere tonight, but Brad has to do his college paper and has a long way to go… it’s due before midnight tonight, so think that’s what he will be doing this evening.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and an awesome start to APRIL!!!!!!!!