My Experience with MyMedLab.com

After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism last year, after being dismissed from my doctor because I had a severe reaction to the synthroid thyroid medication she prescribed for me and because I asked for an alternative such as an armour medication, after studying and researching everything about the condition I could possibly find, a friend introduced me to MyMedLab.com.

MyMedLab.com allows us, the consumer, the patient, to take control of their own journey.  It puts the power back into our hands.  MyMedLab connects you with a confidential medical laboratory in your town, and allows you to pay for reasonable laboratory work up.  So, you want a full thyroid panel done and your doctor says "it isn't necessary" but you believe it is - you can order one.  And you get the results quickly!  It took me about 48 hours to get my results.

The results are also easy for you to read.  It gives you the normal ranges, and it gives you your numbers so you are able to see where you are low, where you are in range and if you are over the range.  And while you personally may not be able to interrupt these results, or if you want a second opinion from someone other then your physician, they help you interpret them as well through a group of experts who will answer your questions, identify risk factors and help create a plan WITH you on how to move forward with your physician.

After hearing my story and sensing my frustration with my thyroid journey, David - the founder and creator of MyMedLab suggested that I request a full panel from his company.  After meeting with him personally and learning more about why he created MyMedLab and why he was passionate about the average everyday consumer knowing their baselines and taking ownership of their health, I decided that this was the right process for me.  We talked in depth about what my results may show and he really put my mind at ease of the unknown.  The unknown, of course was about to be revealed.

My blood was drawn and I impatiently waited for results.  Which were quickly delivered to my account I had created at MyMedLab.com.  But what exactly was I looking at?  It looked like all my numbers were in the range that was allowable, albeit it very low - like 1 or 2 points over the lowest number that was deemed acceptable.  So was my thyroid inactive or active?  So many questions -

David reached out to me when he noticed that my lab results came in and reviewed them with me.  Indeed, my numbers were all in range, and thus when my dr. prescribed the synthroid, I had an adverse reaction because it was then creating too much thyroid!  So what numbers did my dr. see that made her think it was low?  Of course, we couldn't answer that question because I had never received a copy of the lab results - another important reason to use MyMedLab - you get a copy of your lab results so there are no unanswered questions. 

With a new revelation that my thyroid indeed was in working order, it brought on the questions of:

SO why is my hair falling out in huge amounts?
Why so much weight gain in such a short amount of time?
Why am I so fatigued all the time?
Why am I so emotional at odd times and yet so disinterested at other times?
Why is my skin so insanely dry all of a sudden?
Why does it seem like I have 99% of hypothyroid symptoms but yet, my numbers say I don't have it?
Where do I go from here?

David advised me to go ahead and get a full, fasted blood draw so we could look at my baselines and maybe, there, in my bloodwork, we would find some of the answers.

So my next step - was...a fasted blood draw at my local lab.  I put in my request for it to be done at MyMedLab and went in a few days later for my fasted blood draw.  This time, I encouraged my husband to get his done as well.  He has battle chronic pain for years, and I thought this might be a good time to get his baseline as well.  Baselines are important because they may or may not change through the years and can reveal all sorts of information about your health.

I spoke with a couple of nurse friends about my experience.  They had never heard of a patient being able to request specific blood work without a doctors' order and even commented that it made them sad "thinking that our medical professionals have let down their patients that the patients know have to advocate for themselves" .  Others thought it was great that patients are wanting to take ownership of their health and were being empowered in such a unique way.

Are you wanting some answers to your health questions?  Do you suffer from a low thyroid or overactive one?  Just want to know your baseline?  Create your account now and order your lab work thru MyMedLab.com.  I'd love to hear back about your experience with them.

Running With Hypothyroidisn

This year I turned 52.  And apparently for me, that brings some changes.  Some more welcome then others.   I like to think that as an athlete I am pretty well in tune with my body.  I rarely have ever gotten sick (I can't even think of the last time I had the flu and I've never taken a flu shot).  But this year, I noticed some changes that I didn't think were good.

It started with my hair.  Most women love their hair.  It is our crowning glory.  When I was younger I had amazing thick hair.   And then I had 3 children.  And so it thinned.  Which is so very common after giving birth.  Now my children have super thick hair.  But now I was losing it.  By the handfuls. After I showered, I'd seen a ton of it in the drain.  After I brushed my hair, I'd see a ton of it in the sink.  I would get out of the car and have long strands all over my clothes.

Then I noticed a kind of overall sadness.  Not depression but just sadness.  No Mojo.  No desire.  No wanting to do much of anything.  And the fatigue.  O M G.  The Fatigue.  I'd sleep 10 hours and be exchausted after being awake for 2 hours.  So I'd nap.

Then the running just got all crazy.  I knew I would have to rebuild to the longer distances slowly so I started smart - with intervals.  But after 30 seconds I'd be exhausted.  So I pushed even harder - after all I have a half marathon in a few months to run!  So now, I've managed to work myself up to 1 1/2 miles before having to take a very long walking break.  It's a struggle to get 4 miles, a challenge to make it to 5.

Let's not forget about the numbness in my fingers, followed by tingling.  And my body thermostat was reeking havoc -   No, things were not normal at all in my body. Let's also not forget that I was having conversations I couldn't remember, asking the same question a dozen times without remembering the answer, watching movies I couldn't remember.

So I started doing some research.  Yes, I googled my symptoms.  I knew it had to by my thyroid or maybe even my testosterone levels.  So I set an appointment with my doctor.  Recited to her all my symptoms since I was tracking them and making notes on my iPhone.

Pretty much a checklist for thyroid issues.  Yet, I felt that I was being dismissed when she said, "You probably just need sleep" and then wrote me a script for Ambien.  After I persisted and insisted that she do some blood work, she finally sent me to the lab for a T4 and TSH.  

3 days later, she called and said that indeed my T4 was low and proceeded to call in a script for levothyroxine.  1 pill, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, eat one hour later.  
 So I did just that and began researching some more.  I am one of those who wants to know symptoms, side effects, nutritional impact and the such.  That's when I learned that was a lot more to a blood work up for Thyroid then the two she ran.

The medication I am on is currently not working so I am off to an endocrinologist to get a full load of thyroid blood work done.  What I have found in the meantime about running with Hypothyroidism is that it can indeed be done.  But I just have to be smarter about it.  I can't always push myself.  I will have to listen my body and respect it.  There's a really great article about athletes and hypothyroidism here

I've also learned that Hypothyroid could actually be Hashimoto's, an autoimmune deficiency.  I also learned that their are foods that will help my thyroid such as Brazilian nuts (because of their selenium) seaweed, Omega 3 Fatty Acids (which can be found in wild caught fish and salmon).

I am not a dr and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn, but if you listen to your body and think you might have a thyroid issue to talk to your doctor about it.  Don't let yourself be dismissed but instead, insist on them exploring the possibility.

There's some great online resources - currently I am loving HypothyroidMom.com - she is a doctor with low thyroid so she gets it.  You can find her blog at http://hypothyroidmom.com.

Another great resource regarding nutrition and your low thyroid can be found here.

Are you running with hypothyroidism?  Got any tips you want to pass along?