Today marks 14 days on the low iodine diet. Initially, I doubted that I would be able to survive two whole weeks without salty snacks and sweet treats, but here I am. The one takeaway from the diet was that it forced me to cook my own meals every day, research ingredients, and listen to my body—all things I hope to continue with after the diet is over.
This week will be a tough one—and I may be silent on the blog and social media (although you will likely catch me on Instagram Stories killing time in the hospital) while I go for two days of injections and two days of scans. I am feeling a little apprehensive as I start the week because I’m not sure what to expect. Will I feel okay after the injections? How will my body handle the radioactive iodine? How long will I need to be isolated?
I joined a support community on Facebook where I found many answers to my questions. But I know that everybody is different—so I have taken the comments with a grain of salt (pun intended).
Over the long weekend I managed to keep my spirits high and not let the “what-ifs” get to me by engaging in a lot of outdoor activities. I took a long morning hike on Saturday, which was the first time I’ve exercised on this diet and I went to a local holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony on Sunday night. Despite the cold, it was nice to be outdoors and enjoy some time in nature.
In case you were wondering what all of my upcoming testing looks like, on Tuesday and Wednesday I will get injections of Thyrogen, a protein that is identical to human Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) in preparation for an I-123 whole body scan on Thursday and PET/CT with radioactive glucose on Friday. While I am not looking forward to any of this, I feel ready to tackle the tests head-on and finally know what is going on with my thyroid levels.
Thank you all for the well wishes on the blog and social media. It means so much to me!
Will be thinking of you this week because of these important scans. Sending good vibes and prayers your way and I completely understand if you are silent because of where your focus is. XO
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks, Kathrine!
Vanessa, I’m thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers. I hope everything goes well and that you get the answers you’re looking for. I admire your positive outlook and your tenacity. You’ve got this 🙂 xo
Kate
Taffeta & Tulips
Thanks, Kate! Hope all is well with you.
I have suffered with thyroid issues in past and I how it sucks, not stressing about it much definitely helps though. Sending all the good vibes to you, love. Take care of yourself and as much time off you need from internet 🙂
xx
Ankita
http://realgirltalks.com/
Thank you, Ankita! Being a thyroid warrior is tough, right? I wish you continued good health and thanks again for stopping over!