Oh One More Part!

Part of the screening for ADD/ADHD that my doctor did was a blood panel. Checked my vitamin B levels, my general WBC/RBC and some other blood components counts, and my thyroid. Any of those things being off can cause concentration issues. 

And ta da! I have subclinical hypothyroidism. Which can either mean I'm on the way to hypothyroidism which I will need to medicate. Or it will resolve itself within a few months and go back to fine. So we will retest at my normal August check up and see where I stand then. 

The normal side effects are high blood pressure, weight gain, tiredness, trouble concentrating, and constipation. Or basically all of the side effects of being over 55 as well. Or at least a lot of the same ones. 

The funny thing, odd thing, now makes sense thing, is that last week when she took my vitals my blood pressure was high. My blood pressure is never high. It's almost comically low most of the time. I wrote it off to standing up right before she took it and also being super uncomfortable talking about possibly having ADD. Then yesterday they took my blood pressure at the dentist and it was high again. And that was before she starting the cleaning. Which if it had been after I wouldn't have been shocked. It was a brutal cleaning.

But I thought, well, they do the weird wrist measurement and I had just walked in so maybe it wasn't resting levels?

But it looks like it's a side effect of the SH. 

The scary side effects are higher potential for heart attacks, congestive heart failure and stroke. So yeah, I'll be keeping an eye on it. 

But when the levels came back high I did think, are you fucking kidding me? Every single thing in my life comes with weight gain as a side effect. Menopause: one of the most common thing that happens is weight gain. Estrogen to mitigate the other side effects from menopause: the side effect is weight gain. Aging in general: weight gain. And now I get a thyroid that is if not giving up the ghost at least taking a little rest break. 

It's not helping my trying to not focus on my weight thing I can tell you that much. 

And now here is where I admit that if the medication would make me lose this extra 6 pounds that I've gained this year FOR NO REASON (oh wait, maybe there is a reason) then I'd like to just start it now. I'm at the point where I'm looking at my closet and wondering how many things I'm going to have to get rid of because they just don't fit anymore. 

It's also a big draw for the Ritalin. That is the one medication that's been on my potential list that doesn't have weight gain as a side effect. It has potential weight loss. But not for everyone. Which is the potential part. And you just know if I do decide to use it I will be in the portion that does not get that side effect but the increased appetite side effect which as you know leads to weight gain... Good thing if I do decide to take it, it won't be for the potential weight loss.

So for right now I wait and tell myself that this extra bump of weight is probably due to the thyroid either crapping out or at least taking a nap and that in a few months I'll be able to hopefully drop some of it. 

If not I guess I will have a closet full of clothes for anyone who wants them?

Ugh...