This major bummer with my thyroid

The culprit, it seems, to much of my health problems last year was my thyroid. I cannot know for sure if all of it was thyroid as I took my health seriously and started exercising and dropping weight as soon as I knew I was in a health crisis. But what I do know was that my blood sugars were through the roof high and a slow thyroid can cause diabetes. My cholesterol was high and a low thyroid can cause high cholesterol and a bad mix of good and bad cholesterol and I know that my blood pressure problems was caused by my thyroid.

It's been 17 months and my thyroid still isn't quite right by most standards, but my internist seems satisfied. I'm not. My latest lab results say my TSH level is 4.5. He believes everything 5.0 and lower is fine. Most endocrinologists like it closer to 1.0 and even more standards today say under 3.0.

Secondly, my blood pressure is going up and down unpredictably. A little bit of digging and I learn that the synthetic thyroid meds can cause high blood pressure. Huh. Then why not try me on a different drug? My internist doesn't see the point.

So, I decided I should call an endocrinologist. I've been trying to get things regulated for this long with no success and my internist isn't a specialist and doesn't know what's best. It's time to work with someone who does.

Lastly, I have a side effect from the synthetic drug that is most annoying. I've mentioned it to my interist and he says, "Well, it takes your body time to adjust. And it might not be the drug but your age and changing hormones". End of investigation for him.

However, knowing that I have to be on this med for the rest of my life, I'm not willing to live the rest of my life with this side effect. And I looked everywhere online to see if this is a common side effect and it's not. Of course, I have to be an oddball.

It doesn't help that this side effect is personal in nature. Something no one talks about openly. What's happened is that I've become anorgasmic. And it happened like a flip of a switch. Before I started taking meds, I would reach orgasm during sex about 80% of the time. Then, like a switch, it stopped - to like happening maybe once every 10-15 times and usually only right around the time I was ovulating, but as my meds increased it switched to never being able to reach orgasm - ever. The desire is there. I have no problems with being interested in sex and in getting aroused, but no orgasm. Not through sex. Not through masturbation. And that's a major bummer.

I got fit and thinner and feel sexier and yet I'm unable to climax. It's put a major crimp in my sex life. For me it's even worse because I have a strong libido, so I'll want to have sex, but there's never the release. At 42 years old and with years of a satisfying sex life, I'm not too thrilled. And I know it bums my husband out too. I'm lucky in that he likes that I enjoy our coupling too and he feels bad that it's not as good for me as it used to be which then of course, makes me feel bad because it makes him feel bad.

Argh!

So, I called the endocrinologist yesterday for an appointment. August 17th is the first available appointment. I'm on the "do call list" for an earlier available appointment, but I'm sure even on that list I'm way day on the list. Nearly three more months of this??? I guess it's been 17 months already, what's another 3 right?  Right now I wish I were one of those women who don't care about sex. But I do! It's fun and it feels good and it makes me feel closer to my spouse. Yes, after 18 years of marriage, I still really like the guy!

A majorly frustrated, but patiently waiting, Melissa

Stats for 5/24/12:

Highest weight: 275  Now: 164.8