So about six months ago, I posted a fairly long screed on my medical struggles, thanks to my treatment for Graves Disease and the long-term effects of doctors who wouldn't listen to me. You can find that post here, if you want to travel down that rocky Memory Lane.
How'm I doing these days?
Thanks for asking!
I'm 1000 times better. I'm still not 100% normal (which, if I'm a thousand times better, gives you a pretty good clue how screwed up my body was!) but I'm getting there.
First and most important, I no longer suffer from fibromyalgia. Like, seriously, kids, I haven't had the slightest twinge in six months. And when I was first diagnosed with this insidious condition, I could barely move due to the constant pain.
I'm calmer and more emotionally even-tempered. No more outbursts, no more bouts of depression I used to call "fugues," no more highs and lows. I smile, even when things suck. I can find the humor in the little things that go wrong and remain optimistic when the big things go wrong.
I've found my coffee intake (the only stimulant keeping me moving on a daily basis, thanks to my burned-out metabolism) dropped from six to eight cups a day, down to two--max.
My hair is no longer falling out and feels soft again. And take a look at my fingernails!
This photo was taken yesterday. And yes, I know. I desperately need a manicure. Don't judge. I've got a wedding to attend this weekend so I'm waiting til Thursday to get 'em done. But look how long they are! Those aren't fakes--they're my real nails.
The biggest struggle is still the weight, but, I'm happy to announce that, as of this morning, I'm down ten pounds. This may not seem like a lot over six months, but when you consider that I have no metabolism left, it's a huge success. Over the last ten years, no diet or exercise plan (including Weight Watchers and the diet-pills-from-hell, Qsymia) has ever helped me lose more than four pounds in the same time span--weight I always put back on within days of losing it, regardless of my continuation in my goals. Even more important to me, I notice a difference in the way my clothes fit and the way I feel.
It's a slow progression, thanks to the loss of thyroid function, but it's still progress. And in the meantime, I'm happier about my other improvements.
I'm still a work in progress, but the keyword there is *progress.*
Find me on Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Gina-Ardito/e/B001JSBY16
