I finally made an appointment to see someone about my mind-numbing exhaustion and what seems to be my endless weight-gain (but I really don’t know about that last part since I refuse to step on our scale for fear the sight of the resulting combination of numbers will send me back to my bed clutching a handful of tissues).
Random note: scheduling an appointment with a PA is so much easier and quicker than trying to get in to see an M.D. I called at 12:30 and had the appointment scheduled for 2:30 – the same afternoon.
When one of the reasons to schedule an appointment to see a professional includes “unexplained weight gain”, the last thing I wanted to do was step on the scale. Unfortunately it was the first thing the nurse had me do. I almost asked if I could turn around so I wouldn’t see the final results, but I sucked it up. I was in the middle of telling her that she’ll need to move the big scale over one more notch as she slid the little one quickly to the far right…and stopped just shy of the end.
Good thing I hadn’t yet eaten lunch.
My PA came in and I told him that I wanted to have my thyroid checked as well as general blood work-up (cholesterol, lipids, iron, etc., etc.,) since I was already there. In addition to asking about symptoms, he asked if I still had my menses. For a split second I wasn’t sure what he even had said but was able to respond without preceding it with, “Uh, wha….? OH! You mean my period!”
Before he left the exam room to get the order for the lab, he informed me that fatigue is usually caused by one of two things, thyroid disease or depression.
I responded deadpan, “I know. I’m here to rule out the thyroid.”
Punch Drunk 