I've spent Saturday through Wednesday being completely apathetic. Saturday and Sunday I was uncharacteristically sore from a hike/run that I did so I passed my apathy off as an after effect of being sore and tired. Monday came and I could not motivate to run or work much or care about much of anything. Tuesday and Wednesday were much the same.
At first the apathy was kind of nice, I get too worked up about too much stuff and stress out on a day to day basis. With the apathy, I didn't give a crap about what got done or when. By Wednesday, I was getting behind on the running and my jobs and still not feeling too stressed about it. I was getting unsettled by my lethargy, apathy, indifference and aching hands and wrists. I started thinking to myself, hummmmmm, when has this happened before? The answer is when I had a broken hip this winter. I am not saying my hip is broken. When I started thinking about the details, I realized that I was slightly under replaced because this is exactly how I felt when my hip was broken and I was too stupid to up my HC.
Usually, I get a stomachache or nausea when I'm under replaced. This time, I did not. I think the difference is that I was slightly, slightly under replaced for days.
What did I do? Popped 5 mg HC when I realized what was going on (yesterday) and took and extra 10 today. I feel like my usual, stressed out, highly motivated self again! Off for some long runs this weekend!
I guess what I'm hoping to have others take away from this is...
- Under replacement isn't always a HUGE gap between the HC you're putting in and the HC your body needs. It can be subtle.
- Under replacement can manifest itself in different ways in the same person at different times depending on the circumstances.
- If you're not feeling like yourself, listen to your body and try to figure out what it's trying so hard to tell you. You may be under replaced, need salt, need water, need Magnesium or need lots of sleep.
I've been suffering the apathy with weak shaky muscles, but have discovered that my thyroid was low. I have secondary addison's, so take only cortisone.
ReplyDeleteDusty...wise words. If only all doctors could truly get this message across to all Addison's patients...primary and secondary Addison's...it doesn't matter. The outcome is the same. Stress doses are needed. It frustrates me, but it is needed. Thanks for sharing. It helps us "Other Addisonian's" to know we're NOT alone. Lana. www.findinglana.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHi, Dusty! I haven't checked your blog for a while because I've been so healthy and too busy marathon training and being stressed out with my four teenage kids.
ReplyDeleteSo, being an athlete with secondary Addison's, taking daily replacement (20mg hc), I also occasionally have weak spells, and "apathy" symptoms. Sometimes, though not without much deliberation and guilt, I up my dosage by 2.5 or 5 mg, which does help immediately.
But then, I worry about the down side and how to know when to cut back again. And, do I or will I suffer when having to cut back to 20mg/day? And, is that worse than dealing with occasional weakness and apathy?
I totally agree with you that having LESS ambition and care is not bad to have for a spell!
Apathy can be a good thing. So is dissociatve fugue! LOL
ReplyDelete