PICTURE TO COME, ALONG WITH
BEFORE, DURING... THEN AFTER
PICTURES! STAY TUNED...
BEFORE, DURING... THEN AFTER
PICTURES! STAY TUNED...
| CARO'S BIO |
Caro: The doctor said, “Carolyn, you will get skinny and you will exercise… and I mean
exercise, or you will die.”
How did I get where I am today – 100 pounds overweight? When did it begin?
I have always been a “healthy” girl with the exception of about 5 years from senior in
high school till after my 2nd child was born. Then there were hormone problems, marital
problems, depression… And of course, weight gain. I steadily gained three to five
pounds a years from then until now – 30 years later – 100 pounds heavier.
I’ve had medical problems from a dysfunctional thyroid to hypoglycemia to hysterectomy
at the age of 28, adding female hormone problems to the equation. Depression lurked
in the background. When you never feel good, you stay in a depressed state.
Doctor after doctor, test after test; you know the story: I figured out most of the problems
myself. Candida yeast overgrowth enhanced by low thyroid, low sugar and female
hormone medicine. When the Candida would get me to the point of almost not being
able to function, I would straighten up my eating habits until the crisis stage was over.
Then I would go back to the abusive eating (things I knew would make me sick in the
long run).
The fatigue became chronic this past summer of 2008. I went to a doctor almost two
hours from my home because he was the one who pulled up on the internet as a
hormone specialist. His site had comments from people who said he listened to them
and changed their lives.
At my appointment, this doctor read my mail. This doctor started me on the road to
recovery. He encouraged me that even though my cholesterol was high, when the
thyroid kicked in it would naturally go down. Other doctors had me on many different
statin drugs trying to get the cholesterol down, but I had allergic reactions to them all. I
am also allergic to aspirin.
I’ve been on the thyroid medicine since October 2008. Improvement has been
noticeable as far as energy goes; however, I am not close to where I should be. I had
such hopes of just automatically losing this weight when the thyroid meds kicked in
(those magic dumbbells). Further testing showed that my cortisol level was very low ---
due to stress --- and no amount of medicine would help. I was told I have to get the
stress out of my life.
I just had a routine Nuclear Stress Test (May 2009). I say routine because my husband
almost died from an emergency heart by-pass three years ago and we determined to do
an annual Nuclear Stress Test to stay on top of our heart health. Yes, he almost died;
but our eating habits changed very little at that time, and even those small changes didn’
t last very long.
We would go through butter at our house and bacon has been a permanent fixture.
Sweets, you name it. Just ignoring all the facts and the warnings. Just being ignorant –
well, you know, we weren’t ignorant – we knew the facts. We made bad choices. I guess
we thought we were exempt from fatal reports or death.
This Nuclear Stress Test revealed a 50% blockage. Now, that in itself it not bad, but it’s
the location of the blockage. It’s in the widow-maker’s artery. If you are not familiar with
that – just Google it. The reason it’s called the widow-maker’s artery because blockage
in that artery causes massive heart attack & death. If not death, then a very poor quality
of life thereafter.
OK. So I’m allergic to all the statin drugs that would prevent this blockage from
increasing. And I’m allergic to aspirin which greatly reduces blood clots. Whew!
At this time, I’m on a low dosage statin drug – one week – no reactions. I’m taking the
baby aspirin and have no pounding of the heart. Regular aspirin products make my
heart pound like it is trying to get out of my chest.
After this stress test is when the doctor said, “… you will get skinny and you will
exercise… and I mean exercise, or you will die”.
So here I am today with a whole new purpose in life: to make a lifestyle change to eat
healthy and exercise. I taught at our Wednesday night Bible class this week and it felt
good. I sang this week at a parish-wide prayer meeting – it felt good. God’s plan &
purpose for my life has not been fulfilled and my health has been a major hindrance.
That hindrance is being eliminated as I fight to get back into my little black “sexy” dress.
exercise, or you will die.”
How did I get where I am today – 100 pounds overweight? When did it begin?
I have always been a “healthy” girl with the exception of about 5 years from senior in
high school till after my 2nd child was born. Then there were hormone problems, marital
problems, depression… And of course, weight gain. I steadily gained three to five
pounds a years from then until now – 30 years later – 100 pounds heavier.
I’ve had medical problems from a dysfunctional thyroid to hypoglycemia to hysterectomy
at the age of 28, adding female hormone problems to the equation. Depression lurked
in the background. When you never feel good, you stay in a depressed state.
Doctor after doctor, test after test; you know the story: I figured out most of the problems
myself. Candida yeast overgrowth enhanced by low thyroid, low sugar and female
hormone medicine. When the Candida would get me to the point of almost not being
able to function, I would straighten up my eating habits until the crisis stage was over.
Then I would go back to the abusive eating (things I knew would make me sick in the
long run).
The fatigue became chronic this past summer of 2008. I went to a doctor almost two
hours from my home because he was the one who pulled up on the internet as a
hormone specialist. His site had comments from people who said he listened to them
and changed their lives.
At my appointment, this doctor read my mail. This doctor started me on the road to
recovery. He encouraged me that even though my cholesterol was high, when the
thyroid kicked in it would naturally go down. Other doctors had me on many different
statin drugs trying to get the cholesterol down, but I had allergic reactions to them all. I
am also allergic to aspirin.
I’ve been on the thyroid medicine since October 2008. Improvement has been
noticeable as far as energy goes; however, I am not close to where I should be. I had
such hopes of just automatically losing this weight when the thyroid meds kicked in
(those magic dumbbells). Further testing showed that my cortisol level was very low ---
due to stress --- and no amount of medicine would help. I was told I have to get the
stress out of my life.
I just had a routine Nuclear Stress Test (May 2009). I say routine because my husband
almost died from an emergency heart by-pass three years ago and we determined to do
an annual Nuclear Stress Test to stay on top of our heart health. Yes, he almost died;
but our eating habits changed very little at that time, and even those small changes didn’
t last very long.
We would go through butter at our house and bacon has been a permanent fixture.
Sweets, you name it. Just ignoring all the facts and the warnings. Just being ignorant –
well, you know, we weren’t ignorant – we knew the facts. We made bad choices. I guess
we thought we were exempt from fatal reports or death.
This Nuclear Stress Test revealed a 50% blockage. Now, that in itself it not bad, but it’s
the location of the blockage. It’s in the widow-maker’s artery. If you are not familiar with
that – just Google it. The reason it’s called the widow-maker’s artery because blockage
in that artery causes massive heart attack & death. If not death, then a very poor quality
of life thereafter.
OK. So I’m allergic to all the statin drugs that would prevent this blockage from
increasing. And I’m allergic to aspirin which greatly reduces blood clots. Whew!
At this time, I’m on a low dosage statin drug – one week – no reactions. I’m taking the
baby aspirin and have no pounding of the heart. Regular aspirin products make my
heart pound like it is trying to get out of my chest.
After this stress test is when the doctor said, “… you will get skinny and you will
exercise… and I mean exercise, or you will die”.
So here I am today with a whole new purpose in life: to make a lifestyle change to eat
healthy and exercise. I taught at our Wednesday night Bible class this week and it felt
good. I sang this week at a parish-wide prayer meeting – it felt good. God’s plan &
purpose for my life has not been fulfilled and my health has been a major hindrance.
That hindrance is being eliminated as I fight to get back into my little black “sexy” dress.
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5-2009
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