Day 54: 151.5

I'm taking a few days off, obviously. It's so discouraging to see a lack of progress, despite your every effort.

I'm still waiting for these dam* hives to fully resolve, though it's a little better, not so itchy. I guess it takes a while for an allergic reaction to nullify.

Meanwhile, I'm just trying to stay up with healthy eating habits. I'll post again soon, after I start feeling a little better. Hypothyroid dieting is not easy.

Day 49: 152.5

I stopped taking supplements or the generic Wellbutrin for the past several days to try to get hives to resolve; only taking Benadryl for the hives, which makes me groggy. However, it does help with the itchy hives. Unfortunately, though, I find that after about 12 hours the hives just come right back if I don't keep taking Benadryl. Today, they are a little better. I've been going to work, but not exercising. My right shoulder and elbow are also deeply sore; it feels like there is something wrong with my bones. I don't know what's going on with that. A couple of years ago, my right shoulder was giving me pain and an x-ray showed some mild bone degeneration. I suppose it is getting worse.

I blew it: I ate some chocolate after Valentine's Day. About 30 Hershey's Kisses over a 3 day period. You see the result in my weight, above, from this morning's weigh-in. I was probably up to about 1500 calories per day with the chocolate, though I didn't really change the rest of my diet from what I normally eat.

I called the second endocrinologist that my doctor referred me to, and made the first available appointment: it's in mid-April. This week I will have the bloodwork done. I wanted to get over these hives first, though I don't know if an allergic reaction changes one's bloodwork at all. I'm pretty sure it was the generic Wellbutrin, since I first noticed the outbreak about 12 hours after having taken it the first time, though I've never had an allergy to medication before.

Well. Drinking lots of water, and no more chocolate. Back to less than 1,000 calories today.

Day 47: 150. Hives.

One of the supplements or perhaps the generic Wellbutrin (that I insisted on getting after I found out that the copay for the brand name drug was $85) has caused me to break out in hives. I've been miserable for the last couple of days, and sleepy due to the Benadryl that I've been swallowing every 12 hours to try to keep hives off my face. My right eye bulges like Igor. I am a monster. A 150 pound monster.

I've never broken out in hives before, though my daughters have and my sister has.

Just shoot me.

Day 44: 150.0, again... Miralax, great laxative

I am officially tired of dieting (I'm not quitting, just tired of dieting). For the last four weeks, I've only been averaging about 1,000-1,100 calories per day, and believe me that's not easy to do when you have a husband and kids that you are also feeding.

I've refused to give up my 5 oz. of red wine per day (worth about what an Activia yogurt counts in calories -- I'd rather give up the Activia and get probiotics in the form on no-calorie Sustenex, which is coming very soon, as soon as I can get to a pharmacy and buy Sustenex). It's my one real daily indulgence; my reward at the end of the day for sticking to the diet.

I'm now taking two tablets of Fiber Choice with antioxidants and Caltrate 600 (calcium & vitamin D) in the morning, Solgar gentle iron (25 mg capsule) every evening with dinner, and I've even started taking 2 capsules of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) every night.  I've also started taking Miralax for constipation, and that does help a lot! However, Miralax can only be taken periodically. According to one gastroenterology physician website, "Miralax can be used periodically long-term. It should only be used for 14 days with a 2-4 week period of abstinence between use." However, I see no studies that warn against prophylactic use of the product. I am going to try to find a minimal dose that can be taken every day to stay regular, rather than take the entire cap for a week, then go without for 2 weeks.

Day 42: 149.0

Yesterday, I saw a commercial for a product called "Sustenex," which claims it provides sustainable probiotics to the colon in a more efficient manner than probiotic yogurt, like Activia, which I have made a staple (getting tired of it, though, I confess). Has anyone tried Sustenex? It is a tablet form of probiotics that is coated (so the literature says) to withstand the acid environment of the stomach and thus be more effective at delivering probiotic cells to the colon. Hmm. Maybe. I have to admit that having consumed Activia yogurt almost daily for the last month, I am less than impressed with its effectiveness. I think I will try the product.

There is a coupon for $5 off Sustenex here, if anyone is like-minded.

Today's goal: 30 minutes on Wii Fit.

Day 41: 149.0, The Saga of Trying to Get Treated

The day started off pretty well. Back down to 149.0 on the scale. A referral for some bloodwork and an endocrinologist in hand.

At 9 a.m., I called the endocrinologist's office and spoke with whoever handles new patients. I was told they have a list of blood tests that I should try to have before visiting the doctor, or I would just have to come back again. OK, I said, give me the list and I'll compare it with what my doctor has ordered. Unfortunately, there were only a couple of matches on the orders. Can you fax the list to my doctor? I asked. Then, he can write me a new referral for these blood tests, I'll have them done, and THEN I can make the appointment to see you (by the way, first available appointment? End of April.)

Sure, the obliging lady said.

I called my doctor's office several times and left messages to please call me when the new referral is ready. I finally got a call back at 3 p.m.: "Ma'am, the doctor says he won't order all these tests. He wants you to look in your provider directory and find another endocrinologist."

"Well," I sputter, "is there a reason why?"

"No, ma'am, he didn't give a reason."

OK. I spend a half hour on the phone with the insurance company, Humana. I finally find out that one can find providers in-network on the website. I print out the list of endocrinologists, go back to the doctor's office, and hand the list to the receptionist. "Please ask the doctor to choose from these."

I wait 45 minutes in the waiting room. I finally get the list back, with a name circled. It's closer than the other guy.

I call the new endocrinologist's office. Recording: They close at 2 p.m. on Fridays. I'll have to wait until Monday before I can go any further.

Meanwhile, I got a prescription for Wellbutrin. When I went to pick it up, I discovered the copay (for only 30 days!) was $85. I turned it down.

I hate doctors. I hate this blasted health care system.

Today, googling "hypothyroidism" I discovered that there are some new published studies out in 2010 that thyroid cancer has now been linked to perchlorate, which is in drinking water, and the EPA has decided to regulate how much perchlorate should be allowed in water. Then, too, it turns out that the $1 bill contains bisphonol-A, which also alters thyroid function.

Day 40: 149.5

I saw my G.P. today. He gave me a referral for bloodwork (no surprise), and also gave me a referral for an endocrinologist (hurray!) I'll get the bloodwork done tomorrow and call for an appointment with the specialist.

Check back in a few days for results...

Meanwhile, I'm making every effort to keep my calorie count below 1,000. It seems that is a critical number for me to start losing weight.

Day 39: Still 150.0

Still 150. Today was a bad day for calories. I had two chocolate chip cookies after a long meeting. The plate was sitting there, right in front of me, on the table. Dang it. I'd had only a yogurt and a couple of broccoli spears for lunch, and was hungry.

Then we had pizza for dinner. I had one slice of spinach ricotta pizza for dinner.

Still only 800 calories, but it feels like I will need to eat celery tomorrow for lunch and dinner; I feel so guilty!

Tomorrow, doctor's appointment. I'm going with the list of blood tests that are recommended for accurate diagnosis of hypothyroidism, and hope my doctor will agree to them.

Day 37: 150.0

It seems to me that I am about at equilibrium weight with just about 1200 calories.

Yet I do get some exercise; my job requires me to walk around campus, I do some situps and leglifts in the morning, and occasionally I work out with the girls on the Wii or on bikes. I do an average amount of housework, I suppose.

Is that normal for a 50 year old woman, 5' 1"? I don't know.

Day 35: 150.0

I made a really good dinner (and leftovers for next week's lunches) by browning about 6 ounces of spicy pork sausage (I blotted up as much fat from the cooked sausage as I could with a paper towel), then adding a can of low-sodium black beans, rinsed, and a can of spicy crushed tomatoes. I heated that up and then added a couple of tablespoons of capers and a few sliced green olives. It was a treat, and tasty.

Served with a small green salad and a glass of red wine, it made for a nice low-cal dinner.

I worked out today with the girls on the Wii Fit. Happily, the Wii Fit scale says I've lost 7 pounds, not 5, in the last 35 days. It's a great game/program. I should find more time to work out with it, somehow.

Day 34: 150.0

Still no noticeable difference at all with CLA (or calcium/vitamin D or fiber with A, C, and E).

Still on low calorie diet of 1,000-1,200 calories per day.

Still drinking an average of six large glasses of water per day, plus a cup of coffee in the morning and a diet soda (very occasional) in the afternoon or a glass of Crystal Light in the afternoon.

Have reduced gluten intake; I eat very few bread or other baked wheat products. I am eating some gluten-free rice crackers now and then.

While I can't say I'm working out a lot (because I'm not), I do get some exercise. Going to the gym even four times a week would be hard to fit in right now. I exercise with my daughters on the Wii Fit occasionally, and we go biking together.

I guess I give up.

I just called and made the first available appointment for my regular G.P. doctor, a week from today (next Thursday).

Day 33: 150.5

Monotonous, isn't it. I increased slightly the number of calories (up to 1200 per day), thinking maybe I am starving myself. Maybe I just need a few more calories to be able to shed pounds. But no, 200 more calories per day isn't helping.

Day 32: 150.5

Well, certainly no noticeable difference yet in terms of energy or weight loss with the CLA.

Perhaps it is still too early to note a difference.

I have cut way back on gluten, though I'm still ingesting some. Go without ANY wheat? It hardly seems possible.

Day 31: 150.5 Good grief

Constipation, thy name is MHalyard.

It seems no matter how much fiber or water or Activia yogurt that I ingest, C. will be my vigilant companion. I have a couple of days of relief, and then a week or more of C. Sometimes two weeks.

I can't blame the Solgar "non-constipating" iron; I had this problem before that came on the scene. But this is just ridiculous.