What is real?
Every now and then reality flashes upon on the computer screen like a severe weather warning interrupting a favorite television show.
I have this one condition that is completely under control as long as I keep taking this one little pill once a day, as soon as I wake up, as long as I wait an hour to eat breakfast. Yes, I need periodic blood tests to check to make sure the dosage is correct, but other than that, no big deal.
I have this other condition that calls for more attention. It is more obtrusive than the other, requiring that I watch what I eat and how much I exercise and that I take even more pills each day.
Then there’s my eyes. I’m always watching out for them, no pun intended. Before my medical vocabulary included hypothyroidism or diabetes (and before I could even read), there was myopia and astigmatism. Between the four of them, there’s a lot of things that could go wrong with my eyesight as I grow older.
Earlier this week, when I was seeing a fiery red triangle in the corner of my left eye for nearly twenty-four hours, I freaked. I couldn’t miss work and go see the eye doctor for something that was probably nothing, not after being out sick a day last week. I couldn’t justify doing that when so many of my previous problems, have turned out to be nothing, just stress-related minor ailments such as ocular migraines and eye strain. Then again, the hypothyroidism and the diabetes weren’t so minor when they were discovered…
Was I really being a hypochondriac or were my symptoms real? It’s hard to know when you’re dealing with chronic illness. (By the way, I like Jenni‘s suggestion of the twenty-four hour rule with symptoms. But if the fiery red triangle makes a reappearance, off to the eye doctor I go. I swear.)
Posted on June 19, 2008, in Diabetes, Doctors and dentists, Health. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Oh gosh, Rachel. That’s a tough one.
I have also had many times when I’m totally preoccupied with symptoms and haven’t a clue what is real.
But………..with eyes, I think anything that is “new” or “different” needs to be investigated. Yet I hear you in saying you couldn’t take a day off work. So much coming from all directions tends to really leave us confused.
And, if you called the doc’s office they’d no doubt tell you to come in.
Drat.
Wishing you the best.
Kathy
Hi Rachel,
I also have hypothyroid (my TSH was 57.5 !!!) and i’m pre-diabetic. I take synthroid daily and watch my blood sugar. It’s nice to know that I am not alone.
For years I was treated like a nut at the doctors office, until the day I was freaking out, because I’d been hospitalized twice in two weeks, passed out several times and had several bouts of paralysis from the waiste down and the GP said, ‘that just sometimes happens’… happens to who? happens why? Are you saying it’s normal? Normal for who? ???????
I walked out and found a new doctor. She took one look at me and listened to me tell my symptoms and sent me for blood tests. 24 hours later i was diagnosed with severe hypothyroidisn, criticaly low potassium and pre-diabetes.
Life is so much better now.. I feel like the old me again… I love my synthroid!