A stitch in time...

...but how much time? How long does it take for dissolving stitches to dissolve?

At either end of my scar I can just about feel what feels like a tiny piece of fishing line. Now I'm sure my surgeon didn't use fishing line, he assured me he'd used dissolving stitches, both internally (obviously!) and externally...and that I could just ignore them, they'll go in time....but how much time.

Hubby kept insisting I was imagining it, we both stared and peered at my scar, but couldn't see anything...but if you brush your finger gently across the scar you can definitely feel the stub end of the aforementioned article, that I'll just call fishing line, one bit at each end of the scar.

So how long until they disappear?

Back to my GP next week for another pre-Endo blood draw, so if they are still in evidence then I'll get her to investigate.

I'm having a mixed response to the Bio Oil. I will of course keep going with it, and I hope that in a few months time I will be absolutely singing its praises to the highest...but my observations for now are both good and bad.

On the one hand, it seems to make the scar sore immediately after I apply it...the soreness is only temporary, and not all *that* sore if I'm honest, but it definitely results in soreness where there was no soreness prior to application. Is this just because the scar is getting direct physical attention for the first time in 3 weeks? Or is the evidence of some possible left-over stitches a sign that I shouldn't be using the oil yet, ie the site is not totally sealed yet?
But on a more positive note, it seems the gentle massage of the area, during application of the oil, gives instant results in improved neck mobility. I find the scar gets tight, and my neck gets stiff, both overnight and as the day wears on, and yet as soon as I've given it some gentle attention with the Bio Oil, the scar feels much less tight and I can turn my neck to the left and right with a lot more ease.

In other news...I finally got the Wii Fit out again, and had an enjoyable 30 minute session on it this morning. I know I mentioned starting again with it a couple of weeks ago, but when the crunch came down I just didn't feel up to it. But I was delighted to find a lot of my regular exercises weren't nearly as difficult or painful as I expected them to be. If anything, I could do most stuff, but obviously took it easier on some of the games. I struggled with anything that involved holding my arms above my head, that really seems to pull on my neck, and some of the more obscure yoga stretches weren't achievable because I was afraid of straining my neck. However I still had a satisfactory session, and worked up a good sweat!

Levothyroxine & Xenical...

...possibly not the best of friends?

After breaking my diet for a few weeks, whilst I had my Total Thyroidectomy, I decided this weekend that I needed to get a handle on my blimp-ness again.

I had planned to drag out the Wii Fit Plus again, and reacquaint myself with the magic blue pills. But something I think I must have read ages ago about hypothyroidism & Xenical was nagging at me from the back of my mind, where I guess I filed the info at the time, so I did a quick Google...and hey presto!

Drug Interactions with Xenical

Drug interactions can occur if you take Xenical with diabetes medications, cyclosporine, or warfarin. When taken together, these interactions can affect the level of medication in your blood and can change the effectiveness of the medication. Tell your healthcare provider about your weight loss program so that you can avoid any drug interaction with Xenical. Your healthcare provider can adjust your dosage and monitor you closely.

Introducing Xenical Drug Interaction

Some of the medications that may interact with Xenical are listed below. Xenical (orlistat can potentially interact with a few other medications. These medicines include the following:

* Diabetes medications

* Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf)

* Amiodarone (Cordarone)

* Thyroid medications, which include the following:

o Levothyroxine (Unithroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid)

o Thyroid (Nature-Throid, Armour Thyroid)

Thyroid Medications

People who have taken thyroid medications along with Xenical have experienced low thyroid function, better known as hypothyroidism. You should have your healthcare provider monitor your thyroid function while you are taking Xenical, because he or she may need to adjust the dosage of your thyroid medicine.

Moreover, it is highly recommended that you take Xenical and your thyroid medication four hours apart in order to avoid any drug interaction.

More, from the original article, here: Xenical Drug Interactions

And another article...

Xenical's Effect on an Underactive Thyroid

Contributor

By Merrill Gillaspy, eHow Contributing Writer

The diet drug Xenical has been shown to hamper the absorption of hypothyroid medication levothyroxine.

need to diet image by Kimberly Reinick from Fotolia.com

Xenical is a prescription diet medication. Its chemical name is orlistat. Described as a lipase inhibitor, Xenical acts to prevent the body's fat-dissolving enzymes from working, which ultimately interrupts fat absorption through the intestine. Xenical has a range of side effects and contraindications, not the least of which is possible problems for people who have underactive thyroids.

Significance

1. According to the website Netdoctor, Xenical has been developed to act on two key enzymes of the digestive system: gastric and pancreatic lipases. These lipases break down fat molecules in the digestive tract that would otherwise be too large to pass as nutrients from the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. Xenical prevents these lipases from acting on the fat molecules, which remain whole and exit the body as waste.

Function

2. Xenical is prescribed specifically for obese and overweight individuals. The manufacturer recommends its use for people who have a body mass index (BMI) of between 28 and 30 or more. The BMI is a measure of the amount of body fat based on height and weight. A normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. These numbers represent kilograms per square meter.

Cautions

3. Xenical should be used with the utmost caution by people who have kidney disease, diabetes (insulin dose may need adjusting), epilepsy (absorption of antiepileptic drugs may be altered) and hypothyroidism--or underactive thyroid (hypothyroid medication, like levothyroxine, may become less efficacious). Also, contraceptive pills and fat-soluble vitamins, like A, D and E, might not get absorbed as effectively. Consult with your doctor about vitamin supplementation if you are taking Xenical.

Hypothyroidism

4. People on the hypothyroid drug levothyroxine have an underfunctioning thyroid. The thyroid is a gland--shaped like a bow tie--that's located at the front of your throat. The hormones it emits control your body's use of energy. With hypothyroidism comes a low emission of thyroid hormones and decreased energy, in addition to susceptibility to high cholesterol and heart attack. Levothyroxine is sometimes prescribed as a replacement for the hormone your thyroid naturally produces, but people on levothyroxine who seek prescription weight-loss remedies must use caution.

Levothyroxine

5. Xenical has been shown to hamper the absorption of levothyroxine. Consult your doctor if you have hypothyroidism and are taking medication, particularly if you take levothyroxine. Also, should you notice your levothyroxine becoming less effective with the use of Xenical, tell your doctor right away. Most people take levothyroxine for life, which means they must be very cognizant of all the other medications they might ingest. The manufacturer of levothyroxine specifically states that people should not use the drug to treat weight problems.

Read more: Xenical's Effect on an Underactive Thyroid | eHow.co.uk

So I guess I'll hold off on popping the magic blue pills until I've spoken to my GP on Tuesday....but I still plan to spank my Wii Fit Board tomorrow :-)

New Balls Please!

Happy Birthday Mum!

Boringly, my Eltroxin side-effects are still very much in existence...not aided by going out to a local pub for a light "Birthday Lunch".

When will it stop?

On a lighter note...we dragged out the Nintendo Wii this afternoon, and I managed to thrash my Mum at tennis, without so much as perspiring
Felt good to be feeling well enough to be doing something energetic, even if it was only gentle exercise.

Good to speak to my brother on the phone too.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention....despite going off the Xenical on the 26th May, in anticipation of going into hospital, and despite eating like a horse since I came out, I jumped on the scales this morning to discover I haven't gained a single pound in weight since my last proper weigh-in on the 24th May! Maybe there's an up-side to these Eltroxin side-effects after all ha ha!

Grrrrr...Endo Woes!

Well the Endo appointment was mostly a total waste of time, diesel & effort

Both my Endo consultant and his senior registrar were out on leave, and their stand-in was an obnoxious prat, with no clue of my medical history, no clue of my medical future, and absolutely no interest in either...and who proceeded to ignore my blood results and talk *at* me for 20 minutes, holding forth as if he was the almighty righteous who dare not be questioned on anything...after 19 minutes I finally gave up and stopped disagreeing with him *LOL*

However, the nurses were delighted (for once!) with my pre-appointment weigh-in...and also confirmed my operation should be within the next 3 months.

Today's weigh-in...mixed emotions, but mostly positive.
The bad news is that I'm *UP* 2lbs this week....but the good news is that I expected more, so I am actually pleased that the damage is *only* 2lbs...there is logic there, I promise....bear with me.

Whilst I spanked the Wii Fit Plus this week like a mo'fo'....doubling my daily workouts are really pushing myself....I did also have the food weekend from hell (or heaven, depending on your view point ) and knowing this, I committed the unspeakable, cardinal sin of going off the Xenical pills from Thursday lunchtime in preparation so I could eat badly with no 'tango' concerns all weekend ...and combined with the fact that I'm smack bang in TOTM territory....I hope you can see how I would be pleased with *only* a 2lb gain. I think I'm totally indebted to Wii Fit Plus for sparing me utter mortification on the scales this morning

The line was drawn last night, and I'm back on the Xenical, and back on track this morning....that 2lb will be history this time next week

Next Endo appt is in 1 month...assuming I haven't been admitted for surgery before then.

Stones & Scalpels

Down another 1lb this week, which is OK.
Two 1lb losses in 2 weeks, and since starting these were the only two weekends I've so far spent at home, not drinking alcohol and not eating semi-crap...go figure? Clearly if I go out drinking & carousing over a weekend I lose more weight? Good thing I've got a 3-day music festival coming up at the end of the month!

And, I hesitate to say it, but that's my first stone gone...even though I promised myself, for my own sanity not to count this in stones this time, but instead to stick to 10lb segments...but, well...its my first stone...woo!

In other news, regarding my thyroid...the appointment with my surgeon *was* my pre-op consultation, and I'm now officially on the waiting list, and due to complications with my windpipe being compressed the surgery is supposed to be sooner rather than later. I will be admitted a week beforehand because my thyroid is so toxic that they have to get my levels as near to perfect before the op, otherwise the complications afterwards will be more severe, yikes! So, guys & gals, it could be next week, next month or next year...but more likely to be within the next few months.
I mentioned my GA fears to him, with regards to my weight etc...but he said he's operated on 'larger ladies' with no problems, and the operation really does need to be done ASAP because of the windpipe problem so they are unwilling to let me go too long.
Still, I'm going to keep plugging away with the Xenical as it really is the only thing that has worked for me for years. And I'm now "Double Wii Fit-ing" each day, to really go to task on the cardio and aerobic exercises....overweight or not, I want to be as heart-fit as I can be before the anaesthetist plugs me with happy juice!

As you know, I have Grave's Disease/Hyperthyroidism, complicated by a large, toxic, multi-nodular goitre...however I have only just learned that this pesky goitre has compressed my windpipe down to less than 8mm in diameter!!! Hence the problems I have with breathing, swallowing and snoring like a "pig with bronchitis, on a freight train" I feel I surely should have been informed of this after my CT Scan last summer...I distinctly recall my Endo saying the scan was fine and everything was good...ho hum!

So there you have it...my weekly update...the weight is still coming off, and the surgery plans have been brought drastically forward!

Good News & Scary News!

Down 3 lbs this week...woo hoo!

Delighted with that...although I reckon its totally undeserved!

Knowing I was heading into the weekend from hell...with a friend's very messy birthday party on the Saturday night....and an almost-equally boozy night planned with another group of friends on the Friday night, before trying to act naturally in front of a TV camera crew on Saturday morning....meant that I chickened out and stopped the blue pills Thursday evening. Again, I tried to make the best decisions I could, but also knew I wouldn't be punished by over-doing it a little.

So I think my saving grace was Wii Fit Plus....oh how I love that! I did 40 mins each day all last week, and I truly think that is what made the difference and got me over the rocky road that was this weekend just gone.

Ramped it up to a 60 minute session today, and hope to sustain that each day this week....although this evening I'm definitely feeling those extra 20 minutes that I did today...so will go back to 40 mins of daily routines if I'm struggling.

The weather here today was utterly horrible.....cold, cold rain and nasty wind...the dogs didn't want to stay outside for any longer than necessary, and neither did I...so for days like today the Wii Fit Plus is *perfect*!!! Looks like the rest of week is going to be just as horrible, and the forecasters are even talking about snow...so I am delighted I broke the bank and forked out for it. The Wii will more than earn its money this week, that's for sure!

In other news I was kind of confused to receive an appointment letter this morning for the surgeon who's going to be operating on me...for the 8th April....10 days time!!!? I was under the impression that I wasn't going to be seeing him until December....so yikes, now I'm feeling my weight loss is inferior again, and he's going to tell me off for not being a Perfect 10, and tell me that he can't operate, blah blah blah....very curious to see what he says at that appointment, but also dreading it....I thought I had until December to get as much weight as I could off, before I hit the operating table...and now I'm not so sure what is going on at all?
Also had a job interview last Friday....I so badly need a job right now, and so desperately *want* the job I was interviewed for...so any weight loss I may (or may not) show next week will no doubt be due to the fact that I've been chewing my nails down to the knuckles with anxiety, waiting for their decision... I'm meant to be informed by the end of this week.

PS - Anyone else starting to notice a pattern on my weekends...? I really, really need to rein that in....whilst I seem to be getting away with it for now, I know its going to bite me in the arse at some point, and sooner than I think too!

Latest Xenical Update

OK so I'm up 1 lbs this week....but actually I'm delighted with that.

This weekend just passed was going to be a bad one, so I deliberately went off the pills from Friday morning to reduce any potential side effects...which were thankfully minimal! Back on them this morning - Monday - of course, and back on track.
But is it bad to say I actually enjoyed not having to be quite so strict with stuff yesterday...I didn't go stupid, don't get me wrong, I still made better decisions over stuff than I would have done a month ago...but it was nice not to be such a food-weirdo and have to tell my hostess that I couldn't eat anything (or only *tiny* portions) of the amazing food she had gone out of her way to prepare for us all!
(and I still managed to cycle 8 miles on Saturday...and couldn't believe how much easier it is now to cycle those distances now!)

Added to that its also TOTM...well I say TOTM, but I think its more accurate to just say 'That Time'.....because my cycles are *SO* wildly irregular (thyroid blah!), it can be anything from Time Of The Month to Time of....2 months, 6 weeks, 3 months and even fortnightly (!!! and yes, fortnightly cycles ARE utter hell!).....currently this is Time Of...6 weeks...ho hum!
Apologies to all if that's TMI for you

So to only be up 1 lb this week is pretty miraculous in my eyes!

Didn't get a chance to play with the Wii Fit Plus yet...as we had major telly traumas....our TV proving far too prehistoric and ancient to allow the Wii to work....got that sorted thanks to a good friend who recently upgraded her Home Ents system, and we saved her old TV from the recycling centre! Never mind any animal welfare volunteering that hubby and I do...this weekend we did a bit of TV Welfare & Rescue! So I started Wii Fit Plus today too (works great for taking your mind off the crippling cramps!)...and I'm looking forward to seeing positive results & progress from supplementing my walking & cycling with the Wii

All Systems Go!

A couple of days late with this weekly Xenical update...don't know where my time is going these days?

Warning, its a long one...grab a cuppa and make yourself comfy!

Anyway...1 pound down this week....which is OK. I'd like to have seen more, but I'll happily take any loss on my scales...looking back over my diet for the previous 7 days, and it seems OK, so I can only conclude its all down to my laziness regarding water intake, and not being as disciplined regarding exercise.

Monday was spent in hospital (routine appointment, not an emergency!)
First up was my dietitian who I see every 2 months (and can chat on the phone to at any time if I'm having a crisis). She weighed me in at 300lbs, whereas my scales weighed me that morning at 295lbs...which is OK...at least now I know the margin of error for my scales (hers are calibrated regularly!), and as I use mine weekly, and only get to sit on hers every 2 months, I will continue to use the figures on my own scales for my weigh-ins. Also, my weigh in at home was in my jim-jams...and in her office I was fully clothed...not 5lbs difference I'm sure, but still.

Then after my appointment with her, I then headed to the ENT department, for my appointment with the consultant surgeon who's doing my op. And had a very interesting session there...which involved a conference call, in my presence, with both my dietitian and my Endocrinologist...and the conclusion that they have now officially drawn is that I am, for definite, one of those 4%ers who actually gain weight whilst hyperthyroid, instead of more typically suffering dramatic weight loss, despite increased appetite.
So...they have decided to go ahead with the op now, regardless of how much I weigh...and the deadline for my pre-op consultation is 9 months (that's when I'll finally be put on the surgery waiting list - so fingers crossed could be on the operating table before march 2011...which is excellent news.
Not only because I will no longer feel like *such* a huge failure every time I go into hospital and get weighed by the nurses in the ENT & Endo departments...who do absolutely nothing to hide their disdain and tut loudly as they update my patient records each time.
And secondly, because for the last 18 months I feel like my life has been on hold waiting for a decision on my surgery...initially they were adamant they wouldn't do it until I was below 200lbs, and now they have conceded that it just needs to be done, sooner rather than later, regardless of my weight.
Until I have this op we have virtually no control over my thyroid function, and I'm not allowed to start a family...so although its only a pin-prick in the far distance, I do finally feel there is some light at the end of the tunnel...rather than treading water, and spending another couple of years trying to shift weight that won't move, whilst the ticking of my body clock gets louder and louder until it finally gives up and I'm too old to realistically start a family.
I am so delighted to have finally had a definite decision from my Endo regarding my status as one of the rare 4%ers - its something he has mentioned in the past, but previously refused to confirm it for definite. But it really does seem like the more I try and tickle my metabolism into working for me rather than against me, the more my thyroid fights back and suppresses my metabolism even more.

However, despite the relief of being recognised as a 4%er it doesn't let me off the hook...I still have to keep going, popping the blue pills, and watching my diet like a hawk...it just means my journey will be more difficult...and still the pressure is on to drop the weight, because despite the fact that they are now going ahead with my operation, regardless of my weight, I do also recognise that the heavier I am the harder it is for the anaesthetist, and the higher the risk for me....so it is in *my* own interests to get as much weight off as I can, and to get as 'heart-fit' as I can, before the anaesthetist comes at me with his cocktail of drugs...

I'm trying to walk every day (not just the daily dawdle with the dogs - but a proper, get puffing walk out)...but the Irish weather is so unpredictable its just not always possible.
I'm also trying to cycle more...in fact after my hospital appointments on Monday I drove down to the Shannon, and cycled for about an hour down the river path...felt great afterwards, really chuffed with myself! But cycling locally is reserved strictly for the brave, our local lanes are populated with speeding local lads in their rice-racers, of half blind monks from the local monastery who probably don't have driving licences but who are generally ignored by the local Gardai...despite going out decked in all the hi-viz gear I can find, and looking like some safety fanatic I've had my pedals clipped a couple of times in the last few weeks...so am now limiting my cycling to when I have the time to drive out and find a properly designated cycling trail off the road...or when I'm out bikejoring with my dogs.
So, yesterday I purchased a Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit Plus....I collect it tomorrow...and I just hope I'll be disciplined enough to do it daily.
Would welcome comments from any of you guys regarding the use of Wii Fit to help keep you fit and get the weight off...have absolutely no idea what to expect, but both my GP and my Dietitian have recommended it.

I also really need to get on top of my water intake though, I truly feel that is the key!

Oh, and as of Monday, I'm 10lbs down from my start weight of 305lbs...so that's the first part of my personal 10 x 10 in 2010 Mission done! Yay!!!

Blimey....that was a long post...almost a stream of consciousness spewing from my keyboard! If you've got this far, thank you x

Do You Wii?

In an effort to add some variation to my exercise routine, and find something that will make me work harder than I want to on lazy days...not to mention, something fun I can do indoors on those infamous 'soft days' we have here in Ireland, I have been trying to grab a bargain Wii Fit Plus & Console on Ebay for a while...and finally won one last night. I'm collecting it tomorrow and can't wait! Feel like a kid at Christmas wanting to play with her new toy!

Following up to last week's poached-eggs-tango-drama....it seems it was the BBQ after all...have had poached eggs a couple of times since, and all is well, no tango!
Can't think what at the BBQ might have triggered it, I thought I was so good...but will have to be extra cautious next time!