# From 1 prescription to 5



## euphrosyne_rose (Apr 22, 2010)

I really need a place to vent/talk about my thoughts for a minute. I just turned 31 earlier this month and lately feel like my health is just going down the toilet and it's not even for anything major, just somewhat small things that I guess are "ganging" up on me.

Long story short, I have ulcerative colitis and have had that for about 8 years now. Just last week I had to have my second ever colonoscopy (and no, it's NOT fun AT ALL and I DESPISE having to do it) b/c I was seeing a new doctor and he wanted to see how bad my UC is or has gotten since my last colonoscopy. I also have a grandfather who died from colon cancer and once you've had UC for 10 years, your chance of colon cancer goes up like 20% or so. That being said, I will have to start having colonoscopies yearly in about 2 years. Blah. I am on a new medication for it which has helped alot and is also great b/c I don't have to worry about taking it more than once a day.

Back in August, I went to see an endocrinologist b/c I was tired all the time and I actually used to work for this same doctor so I knew that more than likely it was a thyroid issue. My maternal grandmother, mother and sister all have thyroid problems. Sure enough, I was tested and he found that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which is basically what comes before being hypothyroid. I was put on Synthroid and I am checked every 3-4 months to see where my levels are. For awhile the Synthroid really seemed to be helping and I had more energy, I wasn't ready to collapse into a nap when I got home and I was seeing less hair falling out and dry skin. For probably the past 2 months, I've been tired again and yet my thyroid levels are fine according to my doctor so I stay on the same dosage of my medicine for it. I had a yearly appointment with my regular doctor last week and he did routine bloodwork. Well, as luck would have it, I was found to be both anemic (which I've had issues with in the past) and also deficient in folate so he prescribed me both iron and folic acid to take twice a day. 

Yesterday was my yearly gyno appointment and I LOVE my doctor. If I could see her for everything, I would. She seemed concerned about my anemia and said that I looked tired but she didn't want to assume that my absorption issue with the iron and folate was due to my UC. I wasn't the least bit offended that she commented on me looking tired b/c I AM tired. I can sleep for 8 hours and still feel tired and it's hard for me to get up in the mornings. I've thought about the depression factor but I really don't think that's it b/c I don't feel like I'm a depressed person and I am generally a cheerful, upbeat person. I do feel like sometimes doctors jump to the depression diagnosis for the fatigue symptom without really checking out other things that might be wrong so I'm glad she mentioned some other possibilities to me. She also said that sometimes the issues you have are caused by other factors and not the ones you think. She asked me to have my regular doctor fax her copies of my bloodwork b/c she wanted to see it and depending on what she finds, she may have me do some other bloodwork. From the way the conversation went, it seemed like she thought possibly I had a vitamin D or B12 deficiency. I've actually read lately about more and more people having vitamin D deficiencies and she even said that they are seeing that more and more. 

So last night I couldn't sleep b/c of course I was thinking about all the things that have happened to me lately with my health and I feel like it's one thing after another lately. I'm only 31! I shouldn't be having all these problems, at least not in my mind. I keep hearing the old "well, things change when you get older" and while I know that's true, I'm getting sick of hearing that. In just the past 6 months I've gone from taking just birth control to taking 5 different prescriptions (the iron and folic acid are prescriptions) and really 6 if you count the Nasacort nose spray I use for allergies. I just feel like it's been too much lately and I wonder what the next year will bring and then the next 10. I know I shouldn't worry myself over it b/c it can't really be helped in a way, but I don't want to end up like my grandmother who takes so many prescriptions she has to have one of those huge day of the week pillboxes to keep track of it all. I already have to juggle a couple of them b/c of restrictions on taking things together. The Synthroid has to be taken on an empty stomach so I have to take it one hour before I eat in the morning. The iron I can't take within 4 hours of taking the Synthroid but I also can't take it within an hour of any dairy, whole grains, coffee, tea or cereal and I take that twice a day right now! AAAARRGGGH!!!!

Vent over. Thanks for listening. Any insight or advice from anyone with a similar problem would be appreciated now that my whining is over.


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## shatteredshards (May 3, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *euphrosyne_rose* 

 
_I've thought about the depression factor but I really don't think that's it b/c I don't feel like I'm a depressed person and I am generally a cheerful, upbeat person. I do feel like sometimes doctors jump to the depression diagnosis for the fatigue symptom without really checking out other things that might be wrong so I'm glad she mentioned some other possibilities to me._

 
I was diagnosed as hypothyroid 5 years ago, and with all of the bloodwork and all of the doctors I've seen, they're very quick to blame depression or stress for constant fatigue. I had anemia ruled out a year ago, because I kept pushing for more tests to be done so I knew what was wrong! Of course, being ordered to drop soda from my diet last year didn't help; it was my choice method of caffeine intake.

I know how you feel about the pills, believe me. I'm on biotin supplements for my hair and nails (5 pills a day for my current dose), a multivitamin on doctor's orders, my thyroid meds, Zyrtec for chronic hives (dermatographism as a side effect of my thyroid issues), and I'll be going back on the pill soon because my body is apparently incapable of regulating itself. I've been noticing some off symptoms for months now, though, and honestly have started looking at Lupus.

The people that try to be comforting by telling you it will change when you get older drive me nuts! For me it's only a reminder that hypo is usually a lifelong issue and I'm too young to have a 5 year old diagnosis under my belt.

And I think those pill organizers are inevitable; I caved a few years ago because otherwise I forget to take one pill or another.


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## euphrosyne_rose (May 3, 2010)

Thanks for the input! I agree... I feel too young to have these things already and I can only imagine what the next 10 years will bring with both grandmothers having arthritis and one with diabetes. My grandmother was recently hospitalized for a pulmonary embolism and during the course of her hospital stay naturally had plenty of bloodwork done and turns out she was deficient in the same things I was b/c of her anemia. In a way you have to just shake your head and smiled and say, "Gee, thanks Grandma!" She already apologized to me b/c of the arthritis b/c I'm more than certain I'll have issues with that at some point. One symptom or problem seems to lead to wondering about others so I guess it's a never ending cycle!!

It's nice to see that I'm not the only one battling health issues and feeling like I'm way too young be having them!


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