With the cholesterol being high, are you sure you are hypERthyroid? That is usually indicative of hypOthyroid. The symptoms have a LOT of overlap, but the treatment will be different.

@Meep70 the thyroid is self-diagnosed. Doctor swears I have neither because of blood tests, despite showing several signs. Same with hypoglycemia. But, my PCOS, GERD and several others were self-diagnosed for several years before finally getting docs to listen.

@Melbates Ok. Blood tests are usually interpreted by doctors as black or white. Either you have an issue or you don't and if your results fall into the "normal" range, you don't have that issue. Prior to the TSH test and the ability to measure the actual levels of thyroid hormones in the blood, a cholesterol test was used to screen for hypothyroidism. Typically, elevated cholesterol meant hypothyroid, and that was the basis of determining whether to treat it.

"Normal" is a dirty word, and more often than not "normal" lab ranges also include a good percentage of people who are actually symptomatic and would benefit from treatment.

Are you taking any cholesterol-lowering drugs? The list of side effects of those types of meds is frightening and includes muscle and nerve issues.

Ancef is NOT an allergy medication. It is used to treat bacterial infections, so you may need to review why that is prescribed to you.

Many of your digestive system issues, I see several, and other immune issues might be resolved by taking a GOOD probiotic (10-20 million live cultures per dose) on an empty stomach with a full glass of water (nothing but water!) at least an hour before or a few hours after a meal every day for at least a month or two. Much of your immune system for your whole body relies on the flora in your intestines to be effective, and in the absence of that proper balance, the problems manifest in the gut as well as the whole body.

Malabsorption of fat and the resultant steatorrhea is likely a gallbladder or liver issue, but could just be poor digestion. If you are hypothyroid--which I suspect based on clinical cues, sluggishness in the peristalsis throughout the alimentary canal could be contributing to this and the IBS as well as poor nutrient absorption, which would cause myriad symptoms throughout. Magnesium, at least 400mg a day, spread out into a few doses several hours apart might help mitigate this. Combined with the probiotic, this can make a big difference.

With actual lab results (even ones the doctor says are "normal" ) maybe we can reveal patterns that can get us headed toward some problem-solving.

Also, how's your diet?

Do you consume lots of soy products? If you do, STOP. Soy causes multiple endocrine issues, and is not a healthy food, regardless of how it is marketed by those who stand to make a profit from this high-profit crop. While some people tolerate it well and have strong endocrine systems that can compensate for it, just a cup of soy milk a day is enough to cause issues for many--especially if there are already health issues.

Have you been tested for food allergies or experimented with your diet to see if gluten intolerance could be a problem for you?

Do you startle easily?

Are your eyes sensitive to bright light?

How's your response to stress, day to day?

Tell me about your hypoglycemia? Combined with your malabsorption of fat, you might benefit from taking 2-3 grams of l-Carnitine a day. It helps metabolize fat and mobilize it to be used in the mitochondria for energy. this one thing alone made a big difference for me and my hypoglycemia.

That's all I've got right now. It has been a long night.

@Meep70 I just got off work. Too much to process. But, one thing, go back and look again. I'm not taking Ancef. I'm allergic to Ancef.

@Melbates got it.

@Meep70 Current meds:

Creon DR 12,000 Units capsule x 3- supposed to be three times a day but with schedule, only get morning and evening. It's for my pancreas. After my colonoscopy/endoscopy, my doctor said my pancreas may not be processing food properly, hence the fat malabsorption.

Medroxyprogesterone- 10 mg- to treat PCOS but, since it ain't done shit in three years, doctor said stop it once I finish this bottle. Prescribed regular BC pills and metformin. But, I haven't filled scripts yet.

Famotidine 40 mg- GERD

Venlafaxine xr 75 mg- depression

Hydroxyzine pam 50 mg- 2x daily (usually double up at bedtime because it seems to be the only sleep aid that's ever worked, kind of)- anxiety

Ibuprofen 200 mg tabs x 4 - 2 x daily- Osteoarthritis

Cetirizine 10 mg- allergies

Flonase 50 mcg spray- allergies

Nicotine patch 7 mg/24 hr patch- it's a given; but, since i quit with chantix in October, I don't use these daily. Only when i expect to be around smokers, like any bus stop in the city.....

Suphedrine PE 10 mg- 2 x daily- allergies

@Meep70 Diet:

Ha!!! What diet? I'm too tired to stand in the kitchen more than a couple minutes so I don't cook. Microwave or, lately, I've discovered how the oven cooks more evenly and it tastes better. But, it's still things like hot pockets, frozen taquitos, etc.

No, I don't do soy but I do like soy milk. Haven't drunk it in a long time, though. Don't drink regular milk, either. I used to drink, like, a gallon a day when I was growing up. But, now, I just don't like the taste unless its straight out of the fridge cold. If it sits in a cup for even a couple minutes, it tastes sour. So, anyway, if I'm craving milk, which isn't often, I get almond milk. Or, soy. But, again, that hasn't been in a while.

I work in a grocery store, for chrissakes!!! I can walk in the bakery or deli anytime I want and get whatever I want without paying. The bakery staff knows I'm addicted to the cupcakes. Guess what happens when we do night shift.....

I have one cup of coffee a day. But, it's black tar, extremely strong. Three tablespoons in the coffeemaker for one cup. Three tablespoons creamer and three sugar.

If I'm going somewhere by bus (since it's an all day trek), I get a one liter mountain dew at the 7-Eleven. But, that's, like, once or twice a week. Sometimes less. Just depends on various appointments.

When I'm at work, I have the MD plus Monsters. Only thing keeping me upright and mobile (or, on overnights, the shopping cart is the only thing keeping me upright and mobile).

I only drink water at home, though. I have a one liter and a twenty ounce bottles I refill from my water filter pitcher. I have one of those huge convenience store jugs you used to get and could refill at any location. I keep it in the freezer, 3/4 filled with water frozen to ice. Fill it the rest of the way with water. I can't drink tepid water. It aggravates my GERD. Has to be ice cold.

Right now, I've got a pitcher of instant tea in the fridge. But, buying the instant tea was a recent splurge since I hadn't had it in forever.

@Meep70 Allergies:

I don't know what I'm allergic to, except Ancef, fake metal, adhesive, Raid ant & roach spray. I've got seasonal allergies which appeared about five years ago.

I went to an allergist last year because I get severe allergy infections at least once a year in the ears (currently battling- script waiting for me from recent appointment), eyes and sinuses (each [eyes, nose, ears] gets it's own attack).

He said since my allergies aren't daily severe, there'd be no reason to do the needle test. They only do the needle test if they're daily extreme and/or you're gonna come in once a month for your allergy shot. Since my allergies aren't that severe and the location was difficult to get to by bus, not to mention work schedule, I opted not to do the test. Now, I wish i hadn't. My allergies still aren't daily severe but, when they do hit, it's bad.

My "second mom" has Celiac disease. I know ALL ABOUT gluten. It's not an issue. Doubt dairy is an issue.

@Meep70 Now we're getting somewhere....

Yes, I startle easily. If we're doing night shift and I'm focused on what I'm doing and someone walks up, I jump. Happens ALL. THE. TIME.

My eyes are extremely sensitive to light to the point I can be in an extremely pitch black room and find the LED light on the phone charger because it's lighting up the room like a Christmas tree. My mom used to call me a cat because of my ability to walk around our house in the dark without hitting any walls or furniture. I CANNOT sleep if I don't have my sleep mask and I've gotta be cold. I mean, the AC is set to 67, I've got the ceiling fan going, one oscillating fan angled kind of not at my head but the wall so it comes down the top of my head (direct to the face and I get sick) and another oscillating fan at the foot of the bed. Not only do I have sleep apnea and insomnia but I get serious night sweats. And, back to light, if I take my sunglasses off at that time of night where it's too dark for sunglasses, it's still too bright for me. I have to look somewhere else for about ten minutes until the sun is completely gone.

Not sure how to answer the stress question. Not much stress in my life, well, besides my health. When I worked for the college newspaper, I thrived on stress. It was my life's blood. I was constantly busy, constantly stressed. But, now, I dunno. Not really much to stress me out other than not knowing WTF my body is doing.

@Meep70 the hypoglycemia and the hyperthyroidism are self diagnosed. I just know what happens when I don't have enough sugar in my body, despite the blood tests saying "normal" (well, I'd been drinking a Monster before the test; I'd just gotten off work on overnights at Amazon, hopped on the bus, downing the monster along the way. Had it with me in the lab. Phlebotomist said it wouldn't effect the tests). The hyperthyroidism is I match more symptoms of that than the HYPO-.

@Meep70 I was gonna get you recent test results but the hospital app literally blocks screenshots.

Peruse this for a bit. What column are most of your symptoms in? [drrind.com]

The MD and Monster, while they help you in the short term are exacerbating the big picture.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I have a shrink, therapist and caseworkers. I see my PCP once a month because she can only cover one medical issue per visit. "What are we covering today? Okay, here's your referral. See you next time." All but the knees, hips and foot are officially diagnosed.

ok just wondered

This is the reason I came to this site and another for people with disabilities when I came out of treatment after a suicide attempt a month ago.

Yeah, I go to my PCP once a month and have the repeated conversation "what are we discussing today? Okay, here's your referral. See you next time."

I've got a shrink, therapist, PCP and caseworkers. Even my bosses know and watch out for me, as far as the mental health goes. I really wanted to call in on Saturday (my second day back to work) due to flare-ups from a few issues but even I think it sounds like bullshit that, as a 37 year old woman, I have so much shit going on in my body. Couldn't figure out how to convince my boss how bad my health was. So, went into work. Just as I was getting off the bus, a torrential thunderstorm hit, I got soaked on my whole right side because my umbrella couldn't cover the angle of the rain. Which led to working an eight hour shift on my feet in soggy socks and shoes and wrinkly feet, causing me to be in severe pain, outside of the health shit I was already fighting that morning.

@Melbates

Even if it "sounds" like BS, your health physical and mental is more important. There is no value to you to work in pain, it just adds more on your plate to deal with. Talk to your therapist and caseworker about finding a support group for people in chronic pain. You'll be amazed at the help you can get with them. Take care of yourself.

@Betty thank you, ma'am.

That's what people say but, living the lonely life (no friends, no family) I wonder why I should??

@Melbates

Why? Because you might miss out on something really cool tomorrow or next week or next year.

I’ve been to the bottom and I know how hopeless it feels. Just get through one day, and then the next, until you’ve made it out. You don’t know what joys await you until you get there.

I've already got it programmed in my phone. Caseworkers made me.

I am a supporter of medicinal marijuana but not recreational. I've personally never done any drugs. Personal choice. But, don't condemn those who do. Also, I live in Texas. The Republican Bible thumpers will never approve the devil's lettuce. LOL

@Melbates CBD oil is said to raise one's mood, and also to cure seizures, but it has very low THC, so is usually legal. And cannabis oil can be had most places if one asks friends, who have other friends, etc., which is used to treat/cure cancer, and also calms the mood, although one has to be careful to take tiny amounts at a time.

@birdingnut which is why I'm a supporter of medicinal marijuana.

@Melbates I read a study that showed that in states where cannabis was decriminalized, people were ditching dangerous drugs to take cannabis, making health gains, but when it was legalized as medicine only, there's so much red tape, everything is so tightly controlled, and prices rise so steeply - sometimes 5 Xs the black market cost, that people either return to dangerous Big Pharm drugs, with corresponding overdose deaths, or they return to black market cannabis, or grow their own.

@birdingnut I'm just not willing to risk getting caught and having a record. Pretty much the only reason I've never done any drugs. That, and I made a promise to my mom at the tender age of 5, then, fifteen years later, watched my sister destroy her life. But, don't tell her I said that. She can do no wrong. Don't even know what her preferred drug was. Never confides in me like the siblings you see on TV and in movies. I wish.

@Melbates I took it to save my life. I don't care what other people think or do, since it works, also stops depression while at it.

@Melbates You brought up a lot of medical issues so must be important to you all those conditions and having no medication makes it worse to your mental state. You need to find the way... because there is always a way. Never give up.

@GipsyOfNewSpain I'm not giving up. I recently had the appointment to apply for SSDI. I didn't think the whole host of medical issues was pertinent, only the ones which classify me as disabled. The liaison who was helping me apply was quite perturbed I hadn't listed everything. Then, I returned to work (after being off since October) on Friday. It was a rude wake up call to realize I can't physically do everything I think I can do. I've had insomnia for the past three nights. All of that compounded together which led me to pulling files and paperwork so I could write down all my health issues. Even I didn't realize there were that many.