Basking in the thrill of being cancer free for a whole six weeks now, I continue to be tired. I hate tired. It sounds like whining...it sounds weak. People give you blank looks when you say, "I'm tired." And yet, most days I could, and sometimes do, climb in my bed about 6 PM for a nap or at least some vegitating.It all feels like a never-ending circle since last summer...major cancer surgery is sure to make you exhausted. Your body has to recover. It never really did as two weeks post-surgery, I'm on this amazingly horrible low-iodine diet in preparation for thyroid cancer treatment and taken off of all thyroid meds. Then treatment....then continued recovery and adjusting thyroid meds. A mere three months later, more cancer...more surgery...more tired.
But now, I am through with cancer (rockin' the positive attitude here), and the tiredness lingers. I mentioned this to my family doc on a routine visit lately, and she did some blood work (everyone wants my blood these days...) to discover that I have a Vitamin D deficiency. A friend told me how her lack of Vit. D solved her energy problem so I thought, "Ah ha! There it is...mystery solved."
Six weeks after starting special Vitamin D supplements, I'm still tired. Like some days wanting to go to bed shortly after getting out of bed tired. Other days, it catches up to me by the end of the day.
I should get out and walk, you know, exercise...but I'm truly too tired. I'm afraid I would have to call Mackenzie or Chris to come pick me up as I'm curled around a stop sign on Lawyers Road (Vienna reference...sorry non-Vienna folks).
So I guess I'll blame my lack-o-thyroid just because blaming it on something makes me feel better. But really, I just want it to stop. I don't want to be "too tired" and miss Morgan scoring a goal or miss a performance (vocal, dance, or otherwise) of Mackenzie's.
My endo, whom I really like, is actually dropping my thyroid medication in the direction that would make me more tired because my #s aren't right. (Program note: When they surgically remove your thyroid, you are forever on daily medication to replace what your thyroid does, which is maintain energy and metabolism. It's a constant battle to get these medication levels right.)
So it's multiple choice: lazy, exhausted, or thyroid...and I don't even know the correct answer.
Did they check your iron levels too? Since I have anemia, I am tired all the time too.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought: does Vitamin D interact with anything negatively? I know I have to be very careful and avoid taking my iron suppliments with any calcium or they cancel each other out.
You can come nap with me anytime until they get you figured out -- now that I am on bedrest, I would love the company :)
jennifer
This past weekend I was a guest on a cancer radio show about thyroid cancer in young adults. In preparation I was reading up on a recent article written by endos and oncologists at MD Anderson. They said that thyroid cancer patients report fatigue 50% more than any other kind of cancer survivor. All this to say, you are not alone honey!
ReplyDeleteFor me succumbing to the exhaustion worked better than trying to fight it, which only took more energy. Easy to say - I don't have kids!
Best,
Kairol
blog - http://everythingchangesbook.com/
Another contributing factor could be that you switched your work hours and are going in an hour or two earlier then you used to .. not that you're getting up earlier but perhaps your body is missing that hour or two of morning leisure it used to have.
ReplyDeleteAnd hey! It's ok to be lazy, exhausted, tired, whiney, and a whole host of other things so no worries :-)
I love you my sleepy wife
I'd pick you up on Lawyers :)
ReplyDeleteHey Charlcie,
ReplyDeleteI just came across your blog on Dear Thyroid. Try not to get too frustrated by being so tired; especially after two surgeries in a year, and with them still fiddling around with your meds! I don't even remember the summer after my second surgery... I slept all the time, woke up for dinner, and went back to bed. Then one day I just sort of snapped out of it. I'm still a bit off, but things have gotten better!
-robin
I had a slow metabolism, my family physician put me on a well balanced diet and recommended I try desiccated bovine thyroid to help me speed up my metabolism. I have lost weight AND it increased my vitality. I haven't felt this good in a very long time. I am thankful for my doctors advice.
ReplyDelete