Prayer Request (jenn52)

(((((Hugs)))))  I hope that you will find a doctor who can help you get this under control.  I will say that hair will grow back, so even if you do lose your hair for a while, it will not be the end of the world.

I'll keep you in my thoughts & prayers.

I understand more than you might think -- both the rhumatoid arthritis and the psoriasis that I have are auto-immune (where the body 'destroys' itself). 

Periodically I have to suck it up *big time* and go have a course of immune-suppression drugs.  Last time I let it go too long and it was further 'back' to normal than I could handle taking the meds. 

Have they done immune-suppression drugs?  (it starts with prednisone and goes stronger from there)

 Acupuncture would only work if the doctor was experienced enough to know how to 'balance' the organs by stimulating some while helping others relax. 

Probably the best help for you that *I* know of would be homeopathy.  Finding a good one can be difficult but boy it can be *such* a help.  Homeopathy tends to excel in 'body balance' stuff and there are pretty good results with auto-immune stuff.  Email me if you want more information.

*hugs* I truly DO understand and I've had melt downs like that -- it's so difficult knowing your own body is doing this TO you for no reason.

But absolutely -- I will not just pray now, but you're going on a sticky on my printer!!  That means I think of you several times a day and can lift you up!

I know how upsetting hair loss can be!  I've got some issues that have caused mine to thin out a lot over the years and I go into a panic when I see it coming out more at certain times. 

Would a dermatologist know what drug might help your condition but also not cause hair loss or maybe be less likely to cause it?  I'm just throwing this idea out because they seem to work with hair as well as skin. 

I hope you feel better soon, we'll be praying and thinking of you.

Lori

So sorry to hear about all the health issues.  I know us women have a love/hate relationship with our hair but after having 2 friends lose theirs due to chemo - bald can be beautiful!  Believe it or not but there are some wigs that are comfortable you can wear until the situation straightens out.   Have you seen an endocrinologist? Or are you just using a family doctor? Finding a specialist may be worth the effort.   Good luck - prayers and healing vibes being sent. 

I'm sorry you're going thru this Jenn, but aren't there other thryoid meds that you could try? I was on thyroid meds  for about a year and then had a partial thyroidectomy a little over a year ago. I didn't have any problem with the thyroid meds but I realize everyone reacts differently. I just hate to see you give up on them. It's so important to keep those hormones balanced. My sister had to have her entire thyroid removed when she was in her 20s and when she stopped taking her medication a few years later, she went into a deep depression that lasted until she went back on them. I definitely agree that you need to find a good endocronoligist who will help you get this all straightened out. You're worth it, so don't give up. ((((HUGS))))

This is beyond rough I know !  Sometimes meds are more problem than they are worth aren't they ??   So let's take a different approach, losing your hair is a drag no doubt about that! Been there and with Chemo and Radiation  for two differnt cancers had to deal with a looooot of side effects. My darn hair which is really thick didn't fall out ...ohhhh nooooo instead it refused to take dye to cover the grey propery and it became hard to manage, think aboriginal hairdos some days! On a pale skined red head no less.

As a former Oncology nurse I was lucky to have patients who really sort of prepared me for my won dance with cancer.  Cancer and illness do not OWN you, they do not DEFINE you and they do not  destroy your inner stregnth they test the hell out of everything but they do not OWN you ... say this over and over until you know and believe it.

I would go for a shiney dome before I could handle regaining the 65 pounds put on me by meds!!   And swollen ankles  arrrgh they can hurt like the dickens!  So Go back on the meds.... the side effects and the healthy effects are a good balance. Wigs if you do not want to go bald work, and they have gotten soooo pretty !!   Shoot you could thrill a BF or DH by switching up from blonde to red to brunette as the mood hits your fancy!!  focus on getting your enegry back , on losing the weight and feeling stronger ! In the future you may well balance out and the loss will stop or worst case you lose it ALL and then learn how to wear scarfs and hats ,   That is a SMALL price in the long run isn't it??  If your beloved fur child was in the same place which would you choose for that pet??  If they can be healthy and happy on meds but will need extra sun block would you not think long and hard about getting over the hair issue and just feeling blessed for every day that soul was there with you?

Kiddo you can choose to be okay , honestly you can.  You need to give yourself permission to mourn the hairdoo then get over it. Adjusting is what makes you a winner not having fabulous hair.  we are all hear to walk with you through this battle , we will not love you less if you hunker down and get every thing buzzed off one day just to get rid of the patchy look.  we will love you more because you are showing everyone the grace and stregnth that being an incredible woman can manifest.

Write is all out, if you won't take a photo because your weight has become an issue than what would it matter that you had a lot of hair? If you can't walk and interact with family , friends and work again what difference would it make ?  The trade off for my cancer kids and patients who lost hair but stayed with us longer and stronger made me understand what real Beauty can be.

Holler when you need us , some one is always around!

Bonita of Bwana

There are really one two kinds of thyroid meds, synthetic and pig.  The different brands may have different fillers, but its the hormones I am reacting to.  I am seeing someone who is an awesome endocrinologist.  People come to him from all over the place.  Unfortunately, my body doesnt react like everyone else.  I'm super sensitive ( I take kids doses of most meds) and I seem to get all the non typtical side effects.  Most doctors I've been to get to a point where its like they are at a loss as to what to do with me.  Problem is when you're having endocrine problems, you cant just treat one, it has to be dealt with as a system and I think that's the part that most doctors and even myself have a hard time dealing with.  I think if I could treat my adrenals, I could take the thyroid meds without the side effects, but I don't know how to properly do that.  Most endocrinologists dont acknowlege adrenal problems.  I am going to my moms chinese herbalist tonite because my mom freaked when she saw my feet today and got me an appt. I'm sure I sound full of excuses but it's not like I haven't been trying things, I just feel like I keep hitting dead ends.  But I really appreciate all your prayers. 

jenn52

I'm sure I sound full of excuses but it's not like I haven't been trying things, I just feel like I keep hitting dead ends.

No, it doesn't sound like you're making excuses at all and I am 100% certain that you'd like to get better more than anything. I just worry that sometimes Dr's throw their hands up in the air and give up and/or we as patients get tired of working thru all the crap necessary to figure it all out. I'm lucky in that I respond textbook-like to meds and have been blessed with very few health problems, so I just want/expect it to be the same for others. I'm truly sorry for the frustration you must feel and you have every right to be tired of all of this and want to get healthy. I hope (and trust) that there's an answer for you, so please don't give up hope.

  Let us know how the visit with the herbalist goes. I hope that you find the right treatment soon and will be praying for you. Is the only side effect of the pig hormone the hair loss? If so and it were me, I would continue taking it until I found something better because the weight gain and swelling you're experiencing are obviously threats to your health. Many, many cyber hugs to you.

I go to an herbalist who also does acupuncture and it may help you a lot.  The porcine thyroid (which is a glandular, not a synthetic) has it's good points and bad ... and since Armour isn't making it any more, there's another company doing it but it IS different.  Billy seems to be doing ok on it since the switch.

But there are a ton of synthetics -- and they are all different -- I understand what you mean about reacting 'different' to meds.  I do as well -- which is why I'm into all the holistic stuff.  It's simply self-defense for me.  I was going to a dermatologist a few months ago for the psoriasis (the effects were jsut getting SO severe I couldn't live with it) and this woman put me on a big stiff steroid.  I tried to tell her the side effects I was getting but essentially she just plain ignored me.   But suddenly I was menstruating nearly 6 months after my last cycle (and I'm pretty well 'thru' menopause from that standpoint) and I was back to a menorrhagia situation again (cycle lasting 2+ weeks, unceasing, uncontrollable) and SUDDENLY this woman was listening.

Her answer?  She just plain stopped the treatments.  No 'wean off' nothing -- just stopped.  To say I have re-bounded is an understatment (and she promised I wouldn't) -- but essentially she told me she couldn't help me.  (and then she proceeded not to bother to submit my bill to the insurance company but just asked me to pay it ALL)

Sometimes you just have to go to yet another doctor -- again and again.  And yes, you also try the alternative stuff and see if you can find something that does work.  But you can't give up. 

And you keep trying and keep praying ... and we'll add our prayers too.                                  

 jenn; how are you doing; was the herbalist able to help? I hope you're doing better.