I can't seem to catch a break!

It has been almost a year since I had my stroke and open-heart surgery. In this past year I have not only endured those events, but the insertion of a pacemaker, intense stroke and cardiac rehabilitation, coughing up blood (investigated with two scopes being shoved down my throat) and now a new issue: overt hyperthyroidism. It is such a small issue compared to what I've been through I just feel like I can't catch a break!

I spend a large portion of my time at specialists either for myself or for Noah. Noah himself recently had his 5 year well-child checkup at the paediatrician, his cardiac appointment (which thankfully went very well!), and a thrombosis appointment (he developed a femoral clot after his first surgery and the thrombosis team follows his recovery). For myself I have: pacemaker clinic twice a year, cardiologist, respirologist, psychiatrist (PTSD anyone?), gynaecologist, gastroenterologist (did I mention I also have pre-cancerous polyps?!), and now an endocrinologist. I have more specialists than my elderly grandmother!

I am being referred to an endocrinologist but here is my theory: the amiodarone. While I have been off it for 8 months, in the 2 months I was on it I received two major IV bolus' (one was over 24 hours, the other was in emergency right before cardioversion) and oral doses daily. When I took the oral doses, you take it three times a day for one week, two times a day for two weeks and then once a day until you are off it. Here is the kicker with amiodarone: it's half life is 100 days. Which means it sticks around a LONG time. I am talking a really long time. Well over a year. So it is entirely possible that it is the amiodarone (at least to me...we will see what the endocrinologist thinks). Does that mean this is reversible? I have no clue. I had my thyroid antibodies checked and they were negative, which means it isn't caused by an autoimmune disease such as Graves disease. Or at least that is how I interpret my own bloodwork, which I have been analyzing while waiting to hear from the specialist.

So it is no wonder I feel awful lately: I've had heart palpitations (which I was just going to mention at pacemaker clinic since they can look at my rhythm when they upload the past 6 months from my pacemaker and tell me what the arrythmias actually were), I've had a very hard time with my weight (which is the opposite to what is supposed to happen with hyperthyroid), I am also, to put it mildly, freaking exhausted. I am not talking slightly tired....I can't stay awake to save my life. I fall asleep on the train to and from work guarenteed. But I am also falling asleep when I am charting on my patient's at work! At least I haven't started falling asleep when counselling patients! I have also noticed since training for the 5K that my thigh muscles feel very weak. I assumed it was de-conditioning, but now I realize it is probably my thyroid. Not to mention the fact that I just can't seem to get my exercise tolerance up! I am sure my list of complaints could go on and on.

Suffice it to say, I just haven't felt "myself" since before my surgery. I felt so healthy and well before it! I want to feel well again. I want to not feel like a sickly elderly person. I want to not have to deal with my collapsed lower lobe of my right lung. I want to be able to fully run the 5K next month. I want to not fall asleep when putting my kids to bed. I want to read on the train again.

So we shall see what the endo says. I am truly hoping we can avoid any meds that will make me gain weight, such as steroids. I also want to avoid the CT scan to diagnose the source of the thyroid problems. I don't need a fourth CT scan this year! I am a difficult patient but I am a health care professional...and we all know they make the worst patients!