Update: Doing Well

The past few weeks have been good.  I recently had some blood work done and found out that my vitamin D levels were way below normal ranges.  Not only that but my iron leves and potassium were also very low.  I am currently taking 100,000 iu's of vitamin D3 per week for the next 6 weeks.  Typically it should only be 50,000 iu's per week but my primary care physician saw fit to double that for a bit which is ok as long as it's monitored.  She plans to check my blood again in 6 months.  Isn't that odd considering that I previously wrote a post about vitamin D Vitamin Savvy ?  I was taking 2000 iu's per day and sometimes a supplement of vitamin D & A but not consistent.  I was spending a little more time in the sun than usual thinking that would sustain me but come to find out that I need to take a vitamin D supplement for the rest of my life.  I am also taking an iron supplement for the next 6 months and I took potassium for 10 days because it was borderline low and below normal.



HCTZ

In the case of my potassium levels, I know this has to do with the HCTZ pill that I take every day.  HCTZ  is a dieuretic used to treat high blood pressure.  In my case, because of MS I am unable to completely empty my bladder and I retain water which increases my blood pressure.  The water pill prevents me from retaining fluids and in turn decreases blood pressure.  At the same time, I loose a lot of potassium so I've been told to eat and drink foods high in potassium like bananas and citric fruit juices or take a potassium supplement.  It's a vicious circle because the HCTZ can affect the way your body responds to direct sunlight so you should avoid long periods in the sun.  Well there goes my natural vitamin D exchange (hence vitamin D supplements for life).  I wasn't doing so well in that arena anyways because MS does not mix well with the sun or heat in general.
My 35th birthday was on 6/13th and I received my 39th Tysabri infusion.  There was a small mix up with communication between my doctor's office and the TOUCH program so my infusion was delayed for a week.  My prescription expired and had to be renewed for another 6 months.  I'd say Tysabri is doing a great job for me as of now.  I enjoy the monthly visits.  My nurse and I have become great friends.  She is younger than me but she is very wise for her age.  She is expecting her first child in September and I'm so thrilled for her.  This week I found out that she is having a girl as we both predicted the month before.

I still work full time but the desire that God has placed in my heart is to branch out as a public motivation speaker.  I did some research on the internet last night and I found out that I should reach out to the local Toastmasters Club or Speaker's Bureau.  These clubs are typically not for profit and they meet once a week to help people become better speakers.  Low and behold, there is a club in the basement at my very own job.  Yep, that's right, there is a club that meets at NV Energy (my place of employment) every Tuesday from 12:05 to 1:05 so I plan to attend their next meeting this coming Tuesday (today is Saturday).  This could be the beginning of my break through as a speaker, stay tuned and find out............

Battling MS Fatigue

Lassitude a.k.a. physical or mental weariness a.k.a. MS Fatigue.  This is fatigue like no other.  It's not caused by lack of sleep or running around like a headless chicken even though it feels that way.  Fatigue typically hits me between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  I start to feel very sluggish despite the fact that I slept for 6 to 7 hours the night before.  I don't drink more than one cup of coffee per day because I am naturally hyper.  Some doctors might be tempted to diagnose me with ADD if they were to ask my family what I'm like between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.  For me that's my down time which is usually spent blogging, talking, doing puzzles, cooking, reading, or watching TV and doing at least 3 of these activities at the same time.

Here are some things I found about fatigue that I thought would be helpful for the MS community or anyone  else trying to combat fatigue.

Get a B12 boost, especially if you take meds used to treat heartburn, cholesterol and diabetes which hinder B12's absorption.  Also if you are a vegetarian since the vitamin is found in red meat.  By taking 1,000 mcg. of sublingual (under the tongue) B12 daily, your energy levels can improve within 3 weeks.  They are absorbed 5 times better than regular B12 pills.  Always check with your doctor before starting a new supplement.

Potassium beats fatigue!  Fatigue is the number one symptom for those who are low in potassium.  Eat one cup of potassium rich foods daily, which is essential for energy production inside muscle and brain cells.  A few great picks are: spinach, sweet potatoes (love these), beans, lentils, tomato sauce and potatoes with skins.  Of course you could always go BANANAS!


Brighten your mood with clary sage.  Yes, this essential oil locks onto the same brain receptors that antidepressant medications do which increases serotonin output and can cut fatigue and tension as much as 50%.  Keep a vial of clary sage oil handy and inhale slowly and deeply four times daily or whenever you need an energy boost.  You can find this oil at just about any health food store.

Skip coffee.  Hmm, did I just say that?  Well, maybe in the afternoon, once you've already had at least one cup of coffee for the day.  Really, try cocoa made with dark chocolate instead.  Antioxidant rich flavanols in dark chocolate pump more blood to the brain, providing it with energy-revving nutrients.