Samantha switched to an alternating dose of 100 3x a week and 88 4x week from April to June, but she is still off. Her TSH went even higher this time, somewhere around 8, where the normal is 4.
The pediatrician is concerned with moving too fast, so we moved to 100 4x a week and 88 3x a week. For me that seemed minuscule, but we'll try it his way first. Samantha is 9 so I'm not as worried about the discrepancy as I was when she was 15 months. The only new hypothyroid symptom has been constipation.
We'll retest in a few weeks and then see where we are. Typically we've always tested in September and never at the beginning of summer. Samantha has nearly always needed a dose change in September--ever since she started school.
We've also noticed that for the first time in five years Samantha has not had bronchitis or pneumonia after summer swim lessons. We're attributing that one to the adenoidectomy she had last year. They found an abnormal pocket of bacteria at the time.
She still suffers from acute bronchitis a few times a year. We're hoping that will change.
Showing posts with label synthroid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label synthroid. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Draw time and the difficulty with flow
Samantha had a blood draw today. We picked her up from camp and handed her a full water bottle with the instructions to drink. She had the 30 minute drive to the lab to get in as much as she could.
Samantha's never been a good bleeder, even as a baby. She's learned that the more the drinks the easier the draw. Now that she's 9, we don't have to argue about it--she equates more water with less pokes.
But today, Samantha wasn't a good bleeder. She drank a lot of water, but had expended most of it at camp. She tried to drink a lot until she felt too full to drink more.
I typically sit in the lobby of the lab while she goes back in the chair by herself. We've come to know our phlebotomist well. Samantha likes to do it by herself--it makes her feel grown up. While we were sitting in the lobby today, Samantha and the phlebotomist were giggling. They were laughing because the draw started out well and blood was flowing and the moment they mentioned it the flow stopped. It happened twice.
I'm so glad that it isn't a negative thing, these blood draws. And that Samantha can find humor in a somewhat sucky situation.
When she was a baby and I had to hold her down because she was screaming and squiggling during a heel stick. I never thought this would get any better, but it has. It has been at least two years since Samantha last cried at a draw. And now she takes it like a champ.
In May, when our school had an open house, Samantha had her autobiography displayed on the the third-grade wall. It said: "My name is Samantha. I was born in Gilroy. I was born without a thyroid. My parents were so happy that I was their daughter . . ." Of course we are!
Samantha's never been a good bleeder, even as a baby. She's learned that the more the drinks the easier the draw. Now that she's 9, we don't have to argue about it--she equates more water with less pokes.
But today, Samantha wasn't a good bleeder. She drank a lot of water, but had expended most of it at camp. She tried to drink a lot until she felt too full to drink more.
I typically sit in the lobby of the lab while she goes back in the chair by herself. We've come to know our phlebotomist well. Samantha likes to do it by herself--it makes her feel grown up. While we were sitting in the lobby today, Samantha and the phlebotomist were giggling. They were laughing because the draw started out well and blood was flowing and the moment they mentioned it the flow stopped. It happened twice.
I'm so glad that it isn't a negative thing, these blood draws. And that Samantha can find humor in a somewhat sucky situation.
When she was a baby and I had to hold her down because she was screaming and squiggling during a heel stick. I never thought this would get any better, but it has. It has been at least two years since Samantha last cried at a draw. And now she takes it like a champ.
~ ~ ~
In May, when our school had an open house, Samantha had her autobiography displayed on the the third-grade wall. It said: "My name is Samantha. I was born in Gilroy. I was born without a thyroid. My parents were so happy that I was their daughter . . ." Of course we are!
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Lungs and reflux
July 2013
Bug had a follow up with her pediatrician today to see how clear her lungs were. After a week on prednisone, doubled-up inhalers, and antibiotics she is still producing a lot of phlegm. Her nose lining was red too, which is indicative of either sinus problems or reflux. Since she's not had a runny or stuffy one, we can conclude reflux. It's difficult, however, because typically she'll tell me when she's refluxing. She'll said that it burns or tastes bad, but this time it's less noticeable. The doctor called it "non-acid reflux." I've yet to research it.
But since Bug has not improved with the prednisone dosage, we're scheduling an appointment with her pediatric gastroenterologist. Bug last saw him in 2009, when we thought the adult dose of the Prevacid would keep the reflux under control.
I did find in my medical log (I keep very detailed notes for Bug) that she's had a lung infection every year the week after she has swim lessons. It doesn't matter the pool, it's the same cycle every year.
She's over it as was indicated by the rolling her eyes at the doctor. And I'd like to get her off all these meds.
Unfortunately we've done this enough to know when to give her which medicine so it doesn't interact or interfere with her synthroid or reflux medicine.
Bug had a follow up with her pediatrician today to see how clear her lungs were. After a week on prednisone, doubled-up inhalers, and antibiotics she is still producing a lot of phlegm. Her nose lining was red too, which is indicative of either sinus problems or reflux. Since she's not had a runny or stuffy one, we can conclude reflux. It's difficult, however, because typically she'll tell me when she's refluxing. She'll said that it burns or tastes bad, but this time it's less noticeable. The doctor called it "non-acid reflux." I've yet to research it.
But since Bug has not improved with the prednisone dosage, we're scheduling an appointment with her pediatric gastroenterologist. Bug last saw him in 2009, when we thought the adult dose of the Prevacid would keep the reflux under control.
I did find in my medical log (I keep very detailed notes for Bug) that she's had a lung infection every year the week after she has swim lessons. It doesn't matter the pool, it's the same cycle every year.
She's over it as was indicated by the rolling her eyes at the doctor. And I'd like to get her off all these meds.
Unfortunately we've done this enough to know when to give her which medicine so it doesn't interact or interfere with her synthroid or reflux medicine.
Stable . . . for now
June 2013
My daughter is now 8 and has been stable now for almost a year. Whew! And for the first time we've gone to 6 months blood draws.
She's been even healthier this year than she has her entire life. We had one bad bout of aspirated pneumonia when school started last August but have been healthy since.
I can't state the reason for sure, but we did manage to figure out a great system for the Synthroid. We bought a day-of-the-week pill case for Bug. Since she alters between 75 mcg and 88 mcg we figured that days that start with T would be our 75 days and the 88 days are all non-T days.
Bug wakes up, marches off to the kitchen and takes her levothyroxine with a glass of water. She doesn't eat anything for at least half an hour, but gets dressed, makes her bed, and does other pre-school related stuff. We make her wait 30 minutes so if she gets up late for school it can be an issue. Overall she's pretty good about it.
Bug did great when the LPCH pedi. endocrinologist quizzed her about her pills: what color was each dose? I never thought to ask her, but it's definitely important. She can tell me if I messed up a dose, which can happen after all.
On another note, I was recently told that I have an enlarged thyroid. I had blood testing earlier this week but no results yet. Most women in my family are diagnosed around menopause.
My daughter is now 8 and has been stable now for almost a year. Whew! And for the first time we've gone to 6 months blood draws.
She's been even healthier this year than she has her entire life. We had one bad bout of aspirated pneumonia when school started last August but have been healthy since.
I can't state the reason for sure, but we did manage to figure out a great system for the Synthroid. We bought a day-of-the-week pill case for Bug. Since she alters between 75 mcg and 88 mcg we figured that days that start with T would be our 75 days and the 88 days are all non-T days.
Bug wakes up, marches off to the kitchen and takes her levothyroxine with a glass of water. She doesn't eat anything for at least half an hour, but gets dressed, makes her bed, and does other pre-school related stuff. We make her wait 30 minutes so if she gets up late for school it can be an issue. Overall she's pretty good about it.
Bug did great when the LPCH pedi. endocrinologist quizzed her about her pills: what color was each dose? I never thought to ask her, but it's definitely important. She can tell me if I messed up a dose, which can happen after all.
On another note, I was recently told that I have an enlarged thyroid. I had blood testing earlier this week but no results yet. Most women in my family are diagnosed around menopause.
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