No Magic Pill

photo from Pinterest

I'm frankly alarmed by the growing number of people dying from taking diet pills, the fastest and dangerous resort to losing weight.

Let me tell you my story. This happened wayback 2011.

I must admit that back then, during the peak of my career, I was also conned into taking diet pills because I was too lazy to work out since I found it exhausting and I cannot control my relationship with food. Those were the days when people started worrying about looking good and fit, build those muscles, tone those abs and lose the flabs. Guilty as charged I also took numerous dietary supplements such as FitShape, Fitrum, down to the most deadly ones Brazilian diet coffee, slimming tea and last but not least this slimming orange juice called Curvy which made me lose one pound a day which, as expected, made me lose weight tremendously that everyone else already began to notice. I did get nice comments when I started losing weight back then and those that made me worried as well. Some people at work said I should stop whatever I'm doing to lose weight because I may have gone too far. For the rest, they even asked me what the hell I was taking thus made me lost so much weight in a snap. I then gladly shared.

photo from google images

I was so happy at first when I started taking Curvy Slimming Juice because the outcome is so fast like magic. But then, when I started experiencing insomnia, heart race, shortness of breath and felt disoriented to the point of almost passing out whilst commuting on my way home I decided to stop taking Curvy. I thought I was dying when I felt those symptoms. I got really scared. That never happened to me before until I started taking that darn orange juice. I wasn't obese back then just a little chubby I should say which made me conscious and avoided wearing body hugging clothes that's why I resorted to fast dieting through slimming juice and pills. Stubborn as I am, I tried this Brazillian coffee after Curvy which eventually led to another scary experience although just a little milder than that of Curvy. Nevertheless, I also had insomnia and the same shortness of breath. Then, I finally stopped taking any of those stuff you buy online with Chinese labels on them.

Prior to Curvy I took FitShape which did not really work for me that much. I lost quite a few pounds but not as fast as that of those Chinese and Brazillian slimming stuff. FitShape is a safe way though to lose weight but you have to of course incorporate proper diet to it, same applies with Fitrum. So, my point is, anything that's not over the counter is not deemed safe, please bear that in mind because It only means that BFAD (Bureau of Food and Drugs) did not allow them to be sold/circulated on local drugstores simply because they contain ingredients which may be harmful (if not deadly) to one's health.

Please be also wary on the authenticity of every dietary product you buy on local outlets or online stores because not all of them are authentic. On the other hand, let me also remind you that not all over the counter slimming products are safe until you consult a physician such as Xenical for instance. I also took it (yes I did), this is one of those extreme measures I tried because of my desperate attempt to lose weight in the past considering I'm below 130lbs. I pooped oil, lost some weight but felt dehydrated as hell. I stopped taking Xenical after roughly two weeks. Same goes by the way with slimming teas such Kankunis etcetera, they will eventually leave you dehydrated and dying if not kept yourself hydrated. Ask a specialist first if you even need to take any of these.

After all the dieting troubles I've been, I finally resorted to the safest and healthiest way to lose those flabs which is working out. Along with it, I started boxing back then and ate healthy. I've been watching my diet even up to now and It is indeed true that once you started eating ang living healthy, you don't ever wanna go back to eating junk and earn back those weight you difficulty shed.

I also just want to share that taking those slimming stuff such as Curvy had also taken a toll on me, a side effect which I will be enduring for the rest of my life, my Hypothyroidism. It was an effect of my thyroid ablation (RAI) due to Hyperthyroidism, this is when your thyroid starts producing too much hormone more than what your body requires triggered by some sort of drug possibly as It hastens your metabolism.

Slimming products attacks the thyroid gland which is responsible for your metabolism--how fast the food you take is burned by your body, how come you don't get hungry or what have you. Imagine, I only took Curvy for less than five days and look what I got months after. It took me over a year before my Hyperthyroidism symptoms manifested actually which I obviously knew where It came from as it is a condition that's metabolism related. I extremely lost weight so suddenly to the point that my eyes bulged (a.k.a Grave's Disease), heart raced, hand tremors, feeling extremely hot even if I live in a place with such a cold climate, difficulty sleeping which is reminiscent to insomnia, always weary probably caused by my always fast heart beat, loose bowel movements (which I thought was normal at first until I noticed that I go to the bathroom almost every single time I eat something), the worst--extremely itchy rashes on my fingers and leg weakness to the point that I could no longer climb stairs without looking like I lost a limb or something.

Hyperthyroidism

I went to an Ortho at first thinking my leg weakness has something to do with muscle and bone problems such as low calclium level or something to that extent. It didn't take long for the Ortho to figure that I might be Hyperthyroid because my sister who went with me to the hospital mentioned that I lost weight so suddenly and my eyes don't look normal anymore.

Another scenario, I went to a Dermatologist regarding the itchy rashes on my fingers and I was advised that It might be Dermatitis or the rashes might've been triggered because of a thyroid problem. That's it, I then went to an Endocrinologist and through blood test it was confirmed that I was indeed Hyperthyroid. I did not mention I took slimming products in the past because my siblings already suspected that so the Endoc thought it might've been hereditary. I later on found out that it might've been partially hereditary because my cousins (mother's side) did have thyroid disorders. On the other hand, I also thought that I was healthy before and my unhealthy and dangerous way of losing weight in the past must've triggered it.

My sudden weight lost might've also caused sudden formation of gall stone in my gall bladder which I have endured painful attacks for about a year ago until I decided to have my gall bladder removed. Thank God for Laparoscopic Cholesystectomy that I recovered in just a couple of weeks with just a couple of less than an inch incisions. Mind you, once you developed a gall stone, there's no other way but have your gall bladder removed unlike kidney stones which can still be dissolved through shock way and stuff.

Hypothyroidism

To date, I am enduring my Hypothyroidism (opposite of Hyperthyroidism: difficulty losing weight, very slow metabolism) condition for life and no GB (gall bladder), all because of improper eating and dieting measures. It's payback time. I am now on lifetime intake of hormone replacement medication called Levothyroxine (Euthyrox) because, since after my thyroid ablation, my thyroid gland can no longer produce hormones on its own. When I get depressed that means I am lacking on hormone meds so I may have to adjust my intake of Levothyroxine. My mood now is affected by the adequacy of hormones I get from medication. I stopped and went tired of taking Levothyroxine at one point but I felt like dying because I gained weight tremendously again, went on puffy face and experienced painful muscle twitches so I took it again and accepted the fact that my bodily functions will never be the same again.

As an end note, think before you take those slimming pills or any dietary products per se as there's no short cut to getting fit and healthy but exercise and proper diet. You eat more, you gain more especially if you're not getting any younger, your metabolism slows down thus your body can no longer break down those fat the way it used to when you were younger. I am proud to say that even if I am Hypothyroid, through controlled eating, I don't gain much like I thought I would since after my radioactive iodine treatment. I am also considering hitting the boxing gym again once everything in my life has already fallen into place. Right now, being busy with moving has made me move around a lot more packing, lifting things. Being stagnant leads to weight gain so make it a point that you move a lot, climb up stairs, get busy with a lot of stuff. I am not writing this blog to blaspheme these products I've mentioned here but to share my experiences being a first hand user. I used these prodcuts out of my own free will without any aid or advise from physicians.

I am also writing this bloggie right now to advise readers out there to think twice (or more). If you're looking to lose weight, do it the legal and healthy way. Losing weight through slimming pills is cheating and may lead to life threatening side effects if ever you still get to this point. If you have been watching or reading the news feeds on TV, facebook or any social media platforms lately, I think you may have come across the news regarding this beauty queen who recently died due to slimming pill overdose. This is what I'm talking about, slimming pills is even more deadly than crash diet because it amages vital organs. Nevertheless, they are on the same neighborhood. Please consult a specialist prior to taking any dietary product because the dosage is never the same for everyone. You only take certain number of pills depending on how much your body is able to contain. A 200lbs person is definitely not expected to take 1-2 slimming pills a day compared to a less than a hundred pound person. I hope this news will serve as a warning to people desperately yearning to lose weight. Lose weight fast and endure its effects later or lose weight the hard way and ot feel guilty about it and live a long and healthy life?

I hope you make the right choice after reading this bloggie. Your life, you choose.

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life and other drugs

An appointment with the doctor is always a pain and gruelling hours spent. It just defeats the purpose of setting up an appointment really. I don't know but I guess it's just the doctor shortage round here that's causing the clamor every time.

Anyways, for as much as I hate going to my endoc I have to cuz I am on hormone replacement meds so I guess I don't have much of a choice so sorry for the rant I just have to say this to somehow appease my annoyance. I am currently on levothyroxine to address my low TSH level and weight gain post my RAI. So, my endoc increased my levothyroxine intake from 50 to 100 mcg which eventually has taken quite a toll on me.

For two consecutive days my head pounded which made me suspect it's the increased dosage. I gained weight these past months thus explains why my endoc increased the dosage and I also came from an operation a month ago which might've also contributed to my slight weight gain.

I resulted to Google rather than ask my doctor cuz it's such a pain setting up an appointment. I've read forum after forums and they suggested I go see my endoc asap. Because it's such a hassle, I decided to work things around and use my common sense.

I read that any medication with iron content may be causing the headache once taken alongside levothyroxine. I am taking centrum multivitamin and it contains iron. I reckoned that might've caused the slight head twitch or something. I later on decided to take centrum 4-5 hours after and yes the headache dissipated like magic.

I therefore conclude (as if it was a science project) that I did get the correct dosage. I also realized that my endoc may not be aware that my body would react differently when he said that I have to take my multivitamin after breakfast as it may have caused conflict with my levothyroxine intake (I take it 30 minutes-1 hour before breakfast). I guess it may also be on a case to case basis as well.

Setbacks? I feel sluggish, sleepy mostly everytime I take levo and as a way to combat my sleepiness (as I work early morning shifts), I drink black coffee as 3in1 coffee is no longer recommended for peeps who underwent gallbladder removal as in my case. I also told my sister the slight depression that I felt during my 3-4 weeks taking levo for some reason and of course I've googled it beforehand that It's the low TSH level associated with my post RAI treatment/thyroid ablation. I did not notice that until after I read the side effects mentioned on forums I came across with although I am wondering myself where the negative emotions are coming from because I am sappy person on a normal basis.

To sum it up, my endoc did give me a heads up that my FT4 level is now normal which means I am no longer Hyperthyroid but It's the weight gain he's mindful about cuz that's the primary reason why switched endoc, I became Hypothyroid at one point due to over medication.

I'm still having second thoughts if I still wanna go back to my current endoc next month cuz I feel fine and I think weight gain is partly within my control although partly hormonal. Don't get me wrong, I just think that it doesn't make sense that I subject myself to needle pricks all the time due to frequent blood test if my endoc himself confirmed that I am now thyroxine free?

Ok, nuff of the medical terms and as I said before I should've pursue my dream of becoming a doctor as a kid because of my curiosity curing myself and others. I can't help it. Weird as it is. It may have been my past life hihi.

On a lighter note, my sister bought these cute mason jars from this online shop on instagram called @candyglamshoppe for the two of us at Php380 a piece (plus shipping). I loved the one I got although I didn't realize that 20oz is kinda big. Nevertheless, I don't care and I am currently using mine in the office which creates curious stares from officemates and I can somehow read their minds..they might be wondering where I got mine from? Teehee.

posted from Bloggeroid

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why does it always rain on me?

(photo courtesy of pinterest)

I'm a recovering Hyperthyroid patient. I can say that my RAI went well because I feel ok after roughly four months until a couple of weeks ago i was rushed to the ER after experiencing extreme hyperacidity that won't go away inspite of taking mepracid and maalox. 

It was my rest day from work thank God and I have been feeling quite ill since morning of that same day. I went to my follow up check up with my endoc that morning and heard a good news that my FT4 level is now normal but not my TSH (just google it) yet but it's ok as it takes a while for TSH to normalize and that we'll wait and see until September which would be sixth month post RAI. I took the antacid that morning and even blamed the coffee for my hyperacidity. I was ok after that and felt the hunger pang as it's lunchtime. 

My sister and I bought some high on carb lunchies to go at the flat. All was well until my check up with my endoc that late in the aftie I started feeling uncomfortable again. I felt chills and the hyperacidity is starting to kick in again. After my check up with the endoc I asked my sister to go home cuz I wanna rest because I was extremely tired for the day. We got home, I felt nauseous and started vomitting.  I shrugged it off and pushed myself to sleep for as much as i could as it's almost nightime. I took another antacid but to no avail the burning feeling underneath my rib cage did not dissipate at all so that's when I asked for my eldest sister to rush me to the hospital and that was around eight past in the evening.

Our house is 13 kilometers from downtown where the hospitals are. My twinnie and I are renting a flat downtown and stay there during our work week and go home to our family abode (which is 13km away from downtown) during our rest days so just imagine how uncomfortable I felt all through out the trip. My eldest sister shrunk the usual 30 minute drive to 10-15minutes. It was a gruelling and longest 15 minutes of my life god.

All went well, I asked my sister to rush me to the ER. I was asked to drink this medicine, an injection for my pancreas which was oh my prickly painful, medicines were prescribed as expected and lastly an ultrasound to see if it might have gallstones causing the uncomfortable burning feeling in my stomach and of course the vomitting. My eldest sissy already went through open surgery and had her gall bladder removed because of one quite big gallstone years back so she insisted that I take the ultrasound ASAP. 

I sure did not more than two days after and hell yeah they found a 1.6cm or 1.4cm gallstone (depending on the machine used as I asked for a second ultrasound just to make sure) to my dismay. 

I mean yeah right? that I even attributed it to my former condition hyperthyroidism. I started reading and researching but it all boiled down to one thing, an operation is required although it's my discretion whether I want it or not but the risk is still there to remove my gall bladder. I'm kind of sad because I don't wanna lose anything in my body except to lose weight but I guess there's not much of a choice and I'm just thankful to God that I knew it before it gets worst as in my sister's case. I just hate to be dissected geeez. 

As a precautionary measure and to avoid furthermore gallstone attacks/episodes I already asked for my doctor to schedule me for an operation called Laparoscopic Cholesystectomy or simply called as Lap Chole ASAP before it gets worse. The thing is Lap Chole can be suddenly switched to Open surgery if it will not work for me during the operation which hopefully not and am crossing my fingers. 

My only consolation is I have all the health insurance that I need. I mean what if I'm meager and do not have access to healthcare? I still consider myself lucky althought at times I ask myself 'why does it always rain on me?'

I guess my sudden weight loss might've been the culprit brought about my hyperthyroidism although I was told by the Sonologist (the doctor who performs ultrasound) that my gallstone might've been 10 years old although at the back of my mind whatt??? ten years old?? I guess it might've gotten bigger as time went on. I might've switched to living healthy three years ago but I guess it's pretty late already. Anyways, nevertheless, I'm hoping to be well, free from all health constraints.

Live healthy, avoid fast foods for as much as possible, eat foods that are high on fiber and not unhealthy fats. Bombard yourself with green and leafy vegetables and eat lotsa lotsa fruits. Dieting and eating healthy can be costly but it's even more costly getting sicko uh oh. Just remember when you get old..it's payback time so eat healthy while you are young. Just a friendly advise. 

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Post-RAI

it's been a week after i had my RAI treatment and i still feel as hyperthyroid as i am. i have been reading forums and quite understand that it may take months for the hormones to adjust so the effect of the treatment won't be that adversed. i still feel tired and sleepy in the morning (i work very early morning shift which may have been the reason why). i am just thankful that i did not spend a dime for my treatment because my health insurance took care of my 24-hour hospitalization. it was kinda hefty when i checked the receipt 'cuz it took almost P16k for everything which is not cheap if you cash it out for a 24 hour stay at the hospital. the treatment if i read it right (as per my PhilHealth papers) stated it was only around P3k+ then my hospital room was almost 2k (covered by my company's health insurance) and i think the doctor's fee was the enormous one, about P11-12k++ wow. i wish i am a doctor right now.  
my endocrinologist did not prescribe anything except for my usual calcium supplement called Calvit Gold™ (which i have been taking for roughly 6 months now) along with my other multivitamins.


so far no changes with how i feel except i no longer go to the toilet as frequent, my throat (where the thyroid is located) is still a little hollow although not as hollow as it was when i came back from the hospital a week ago. i think it even looked swollen during the first few days as if i have goiter but i don't, it's just the swelling caused by the radiation. there's difficulty coughing because i can feel that it kinda hurts where my thyroid is whenever there's a pressure due to coughing although not alarming since i am aware that my thyroid was technically scarred as a result of dissolving the overactive tissues.  
i still feel quite hungry but not as hungry prior to RAI. i know sometimes i mistake my hormonal surges from my hyperthyroidism. other than that all is well. my sister and i will be starting our 1 week detox program. it might help me with my constipation now (maybe a sign of hypothyroidism) which i think is also the result of not eating high on fiber foods.  i also read that it's a good way to help flush out toxins especially after RAI.  i will blog how it goes. so cheers!






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i am radioactive.

    I am currently at the hospital as i am writing this bloggie finally (after it was re-scheduled today instead of last week) for my Radioactive Iodine treatment. i asked for RAI from my endoc because i am tired of going to the the doctor everytime and take medications yadda yadda. i just want to be well, illness-free for next month for me and my sister's birthday vacay. 

i have never been at the hospital since i was little due to diarrhea. i was well until i was diagnosed hyperthyroid. i hate the heart race, the throbs and the nervousness. i know it's hereditary but i think my resorting to fast way to lose weight might have triggered it because i did take numerous scary dietary products from brazillian coffee, orang juice to metathione. i DID lose weight but this is the drawback i guess, i was diagnosed hyperthyroid a year ago. not that i'm not aware of but things fire back if you didn't lose weight through exercise and proper eating i should say so myself. 

when people get older they get more prone and susceptible to medical conditions which of course i know is affected by their lifestyle primarily. we pretty much get a dose of our own medicine. 

i will be isolated for 24 houra and go home tomorrow with further precautionary measures such as keeping my distance from people most especially kids and pregnant women. my clothes should be segregated from others for a week. frequent showers preferred and drink lots of water so that the radioactive stuff gets flushed. i know this isn't normal. i am not normal neither thus the need for this alien thing.

i promised myself after this to detox and continue to eat clean so i would be well for my birthday vacay to cambodia next month. i don't wanna bring with me medicines except for vitamins in the plane. that would be really weird for me. 

anyways, good thing i have a health insurance provided for by my job which would pay for my hospitalization. so, i opted for a semi suite private room since i rarely get sick eh? i deserve it duh. 

i hope all is well because i hate being at the hospital ang answering questions regarding my condition repetitively haist. i don't know why i have to do so. i wish they keep tabs of my condition and just freakin' post it outside my hospiral bedroom's door. i think i may have answered the same questions over and over for the nth time now. gadh. good thing there's cable tv here and i have my unlimited mobile internet access to keep me company. 

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