Driver, Runner, Bestie
Hi Cheryl: I'm torn about posting an update because I am inbetween blood draw checks and have nothing concrete to go on, so it's like whining for whining's sake. I continue to struggle with fatigue that follows me around all day. Not only does it effect my running, which is slow and sluggy (even though I still actually like to run), but effects everything else I do. I am much more snappy and irritable with the family. Basic things at work become more tiresome just to get done.
I am trying to push through this for my HM May 2nd, but I am concerned that my time will be disappointing. So, its been a frustrating time. I can run, but it feels so slow and with effort. I haven't been able to get my long runs either, because it feels like to much to do. Also, other commitments with the family have taken priority--which I generally don't mind--and provides me a convenient excuse for doing 6 miles instead of 12 miles.
I am sorry to hear about the drop in your T3--what causes that? Is it a medication issue or is there another reason for it? And with all that snow, you must be stuck on the dreadmill and that is certainly--well--dreadful running in my opinion. I hope you can outside soon. Where is the race?
I am still struggling with the running - my endurance for sustained running is kaput - I am at least 2 min/mile slower than I was 2 years ago. Last year was a mess for me with running. I've finally adopted the attitude that whatever I can do, I do. I still want to improve, but I have to accept and work with the body I have today. What I mainly focus on is time on my feet. I have started on picking up the pace and cadence a little. This half is pretty low key for me, my goal race is not until August, and it's still way too early to tell if that will be a half or a full.
Waterloo Half
No one knows why my thyroid levels fluctuate so much - 4 years later, and no thyroid to interfere with the medication, and I just shouldn't be bouncing around the way I do. The longest I have ever gone with levels in my sweet zone has been 3 months. It is obvious to me that some other hormone imbalance is interfering - we just can't identify it. I really empathize with how you are feeling about your running. I am so glad that you are not giving up and that you are making yourself get out there!
On a positive note, my last DEXA scan showed that I actually gained a little bone mass in my spine. That despite the fact that I have never been on any osteoporosis meds, and my TSH has been .01 for close to 4 years. Apparently that low TSH is not affecting my bones....
Which half are you running on the 2nd?
Hang in there - wouldn't surprise me if your next labs merited you a dose increase.
Fingers crossed.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away...(unkown) • Go With The Flow • Thyroid Support Group
Hello ladies,
For starters, a follow-up to the dermatologist brought good news that she now doesn't think I have scleroderma. Whew! dodged a bullet there. The lump responded to heavy duty steroid ointment and and she said that "chilblains can cause these kind of lumps in the fingers." But she said to watch the Raynauds closely and try to prevent it because it can lead to bone loss in the fingers - yikes!
I'm not due for my lab test for another week or so. It will probably be in the normal range, but I'm sure noticing a drop in my endurance. I had worked up to a 10 mile long run about a month ago - once - and have not been able to repeat it. I work hard to complete 8 miles and have lots of muscle tightness. I'm working on stretching and massage, but not making much difference.
I signed up for a hilly 12K mid-May...wondering if I'll be up for it now...we'll see. My diet has gone to hell in a handbasket in recent weeks, which doesn't help, and I thought today that perhaps I'll resume an iron supplement for a few weeks and see if that makes any difference. Otherwise, it's one foot in front of the other..... ~Amy
Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.
Glad to hear that you don't have scleroderma - nice to get any good news! You have plenty of time till mid-May to get ready. You can do it!!!!
I'm tryng to be more consistent with getting my iron in. It's such a pain trying to space all these supplements out. I start taking stuff at noon, and then need to get split doses of calcium and the iron in.
My endo appointment went as expected, I'm back on 125, and we'll be checking labs again in 6 weeks. I'm changing the kind of HRT I'm taking - stopped the Bi-Est, and switching to Estradiol in an effort to get these hot flashes under control. I cannot sleep more than 2-4 hours at night. I realize that this is probably going to impact my thyroid meds, but I can't keep this up anymore. At times, I literally feel like my skin is burning - it feels just like a flame against the back of my neck.
In the meantime, I did manage a 9 mile run outside on Sunday (started getting tired at 5) - considering the windchill was in the mid-teens, I'm pretty pleased with that. Hoping to get to 10 this week - that will make it my longest run in like 6 months. Fingers crossed....
Thanks for the encouragement, Cheryl. Good job on completing a 9-miler. Let us know how your next long run goes too.
MTA on 3/23: Tomorrow I go in for my lab draw....don't know what to hope for...I'm really really tired and put on a couple lbs since not running as much in the last few weeks due to tight muscles, muscle cramps, and tiredness..stopped working out with the hand weights too which I'd resumed at New Years...too tired. On the other hand, I've been sleeping better - for what little good that's doing me. We'll see what the test shows. I guess if it's normal, I'll start drinking coffee in the afternoon to keep afloat - which will keep me awake at night - so I'll be back where I was, yay!
Amy: Let us know about the lab report when you get the details. I hope it provides some answers. I know exactly how hard it is to get through the afternoon and I find myself caffeine loading too. I hope you can get back to running soon.
I have two more weeks to go until lab work. I had to cut a scheduled 7 mile run back to 5 miles this morning. Probably not a big deal in the overall picture, but it still feels defeating.
I am glad that Spring weather is here. Loving that during my runs I can hear the birds sing and see little green blossoms pushing through the earth.
Lab result is normal, so I guess I'm tired for some other reason that I'll have to figure out.
Sometimes it's just Life.
Top 'O the World!
a busy life is a good thing! Glad the labs were normal.
I should be checking in again soon (still doing labs every 2 mos) .... Other than that: am getting pretty ready for ski season to be over & shift routines back a bit...not getting very many runs in for a bit has gotten my system pretty offline & sluggish...
Finished the Illinois Marathon Saturday--ran the Half. This year I was about 1 1/2 minutes slower with a race time of 2:13:22--kind of bummed me out, but not too much. It was harder conditions with wind and humidity. Plus, I ran it as hard as I could. I left nothing in the tank and had to walk several times. So there was nothing more to give. I can be proud of the effort, but still disappointed with the time, if that makes sense.
I knew the time would be off. This Spring has been a difficult training cycle. Just no energy for a long runs. I think I only got 3 10 mile runs in before the race, nothing longer. Not sure what is going on. I had a TSH result of 5.52 on 2/4/10, then I was switched from a generic medication to actual Synthroid and had a TSH result of .85 on 3/30/10. No increase in dosage, just the brand switch.
But I still feel off, numbness, twingling throughout the body and no, zero, zip energy. Although, frankly, I am even tiring myself out talking with my doctor about it, so I am not sure what to do. I feel like I have the same non specific complaints/symptoms, so maybe this is just how my body is going to operate and I have to deal with it.
My legs are still sore from the race, so I will probably take one more day off and then hit my favorite runs--slow and easy 5 to 6 milers for a while.
I may or may not run the Effingham Half Marathon in September, another race I usually like to hit.
Any other Spring racers? How is everyone else doing?
Kate, congratulations on running the Illinois HM. You can be justifiably proud of yourself!
I'm not surprised at the change in your TSH from generic to brand name Synthroid. The generic doesn't work for me either. I'm amazed at the mileage you put in and your pace, given you have "zero energy." I wish I could do as well when I have energy!
It may just take a while longer for you to feel better. I was surprised at how long it took me to feel better after my own recent dose adjustment - way longer than the usual 6-week mark. However I finally do feel better and am happy at my dose.
I don't know what to make of your numb / tingly symptoms - never had that. Are you on any other meds that could affect circulation or nerve sensations? Is it a generalized feeling and/or does it ever localize to a specific body part?
Could it be from female hormonal changes?
As far as "spring racing," while ll I can't claim to actually race anyone, I've signed up for a local 12K on May 16. I've never done it, but hear it's hilly. So I expect my time to be slow. I've always had a standard for myself that I would complete all my races no slower than 10 mpm. Sadly, I don't think I'll do that with this one. I've been having so much trouble with muscle spasms and tight muscles and I think a pinched nerve in my low back - all of which is aggravated when I try to run faster. I'm making very gradual improvement, and hope to regain a faster pace some day. I'm also going to participate in a local unofficial HM on June 5. I think only a handful of people are interested right now. My longest run so far has been 11; so I have some training still to do. I tried to run 12 last Saturday, but had to stop at 11 when my legs just got too cramped up...I think due to lack of sleep the night before. I'm not sure whether to give it another try next weekend - which would be one week before the 12K. I'm leaning towards just doing 8 or 9, so I'm a little fresher for the "race." So that's my status.
Anyone else?
Kate - congrats on your half! I have been so impressed with you keeping up with your mileage under difficult circumstances. I think switching from generic to Synthroid may take a little longer adjustment like Amy said. It's a hard call to say if things will get better or not - all we can do is keep trying and see what happens. I do believe that any running we does more help than harm, even when our energy levels are low.
As for me, the half I ran in Waterloo was a disappointing 2:22 - but since the windchill was 37, there was a cold wind that averaged 18 MPH, and there was a moderate rain. I guess I'm happy I finished - with a mild case of hypothermia. I was seriously underdressed - but did not have the proper gear with me.
I'm still tired and struggling with my runs, but if I do run/walk intervals, I am able to get through the distances I want. Today, I ran with my camera and just really enjoyed the beauty of the trail I am fortunate enough to run on.
I had labs drawn on Friday, and I suspect that my FT3 has dropped despite the dose increase. Either that, or my ferritin levels have dropped, or maybe I'm being affected by the pollen. I'm having a difficult time staying awake!
In any case, after much thought, I decided to go ahead with the races I planned for this summer, although I'm looking at them more as opportunities to get long runs/tempo attempts in. I have a 4 miler on May 12th, and another half on May 29th - both with my running club so very low key.
Kate - I did experience numbness and weird "buzzing" down my legs, but only when my FT3 levels were down in the 250 range. That was a few years ago, when my levels came up, that stuff went away, and hasn't come back. Sometimes those symptoms can be from low B12 levels (although mine were just fine at 900!).
MTA: Great news for a change! My labs came back right where I wanted them to be - my FT3 is now at 340! Fingers crossed they stay that way - my next labs are end of June and then I meet with my endo in early July. The sleepiness started getting better yesterday and now I'm wondering if I had some kind of weird virus. I hope this means that I'll start seeing some progress with my running this summer, one can always hope....
Thought I'd share some of the pictures I took on Monday's run
I just love running on the Coastal trail
oooh great pics. I would love running the coastal trail too!
I'm glad your lab results were so promising. Here's hoping you have a great spring and summer running season.
This probably isn't thyroid-related or maybe it is....muddy waters. Anyway, since my dose change to "normal" I've been feeling more blue or sad over the challenges I've having with running (and aging) that I think I should just take in stride. I think it's a mindset of "I'm all alone in this" which is ridiculous of course. Running is so important to me when I feel like the rest of my life sucks, that struggling with it becomes the last straw and I feel upset. It's the feeling of being so upset that's new. I'm normally pretty calm and practical. When I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I was very "blue" and that resolved once I was treated. So that's why I wonder. Thyroid? midlife crisis? No magic answer except to just keep running.
((((((Amy)))) muddy waters - it is so hard to tell sometimes. I feel the same way, 2009 was such a struggle with running for me - it did color how I viewed other aspects of my life and made it harder to deal with all the other stuff. I am really starting to think that menopause affects thyroid balance more that previously suspected. I'm just past 4 years of that now, and hoping that as those hormone levels start becoming more consistent, there will be less interference with the thyroid meds. I've also started taking Selenium supplements on a regular basis - my multi has the RDA of selenium, but I've been taking an additional 200 mcg every other day. Honestly don't know if that's what is making the difference or not. All I know is that the last time I bumped up to 125 of Synthroid - my FT4 went high while my FT3 did not budge.
This book was recommended to me by a friend who also struggles with thyroid and adrenal issues- I'm going to wait for the new version to check it out.
Again - you are doing an awesome job keeping up with your mileage - it will pay off for you eventually. Just hang in there.
Thanks for the hug. Here's one for you (((Cheryl))). Sounds like we're on a somewhat similar track being the same age and menopause in 2005. Has the estradiol helped your hot flashes and sleeping? I'm on that too, although I'm not real regular about it. I'm sleeping fine now on the reduced Synthroid dose. I only have an occasional hot flash. Early on, I used a topical progesterone cream for about 2 years before and 2 years after menopause and I think that made a huge difference for me with all those symptoms. I never had all this thyroid fluctuation until menopause. I coasted along for 20 years with only a couple of stumble-steps. So I totally agree that all this hormonal fluctuation is linked.
As for my keeping up with my running - it's what keeps me sane for one thing. I always try and do what I can and usually it turns out to be more than I thought I could do. For another, in the back of my mind I always have the thought: "When things get better, I want to be ready!" Trust me, I know just how pathetic that sounds!
On a more positive note, I got NEW SHOES today!! fresh from the factory and what a dream come true they are. Had my fastest run in quite some time. They felt like cushy supportive pillows on my feet. (This after breaking out a different new pair of shoes this past week - that were a clearanced model - and they were torture - not worth the price break.) Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Rhody Run 12K on the 16th and hoping to have a good run.