To B or Not To B: Doctor's Orders

Yesterday I had the actual office visit with my doctor to determine why I'm so fatigued all the time. He had my blood test results from Thursday and gave me the news. Thyroid is fine, I'm not anemic...everything came out well. The only thing I was lacking was enough Vitamin B12. He had the nurse give me a Vitamin B12 shot, which I'm somewhat familiar with since my dad has to get them once in a while. Doc told me that I should started feeling better pretty quickly, and within 2 weeks I should know if it's working. If after that amount of time I'm still not feeling right, I will have to go to a sleep lab for an overnight observation.

His thought is that I may have sleep apnea, which a lot of people with chronic fatigue have. Allergies and being overweight contribute to the sleep problems...and I meet both of those criteria. Doc wants me to lose at least 20 pounds, which he said will help with my energy levels. He also realizes the Catch-22: that I'm trying to lose weight to feel better, but some days I don't have the energy to exercise. He shared with me that he's lost 8 pounds on Weight Watchers for men...it's really nice to hear that your physician is taking the steps necessary for his own health instead of just telling hs patients to do it. He believes the B12 will help boost me to the point that I feel up to all of my tasks and workouts, and if not we can find a solution through my sleep patterns.

I will say that I'm already feeling much better with the B12, and it hasn't quite been 24 hours since I had the shot. Hopefully this does the trick and I won't need the sleep study. Thankfully I'm on my way to more energy and better health!

Eh...What's Up Doc?

Yesterday, I had my checkup at the doctor's office. He had an emergency and ran over 2 hours late, so I was surprised to see that my blood pressure was still good. Thankfully it was, and I still can stay off the medication that I was able to drop once I dropped some weight.

Everything else was still the same, with two exceptions. I was a couple of pounds heavier than my last visit, and of course my doctor told me I still needed to lose more. I mentioned that we had gone on vacation and now I was finally back on track and losing again. When he found out we went to Tennessee, he mentioned that his wife was born and raised in the South. He told me next time I go, I should get fried green tomatoes because they're so good. In the next moment, I watched the irony spread across his face and I almost laughed out loud. He then added that they're not exactly good for you, but I should just try them once. Just goes to show that even doctors like stuff they shouldn't eat either!

The other exception was the discovery that I now have psoriasis. I had noticed it starting, and wasn't completely surprised because my dad has it, and I also inherited his allergies. I was prescribed a special shampoo and ointment to use on it, which I am beginning today. I also want to research psoriasis more, because I'm sure that my former diet didn't help with this condition. If I can help it go away from the inside as well as the outside, I definitely need to do it. The more I take care of myself, the more I realize how much nutrition and exercise play a role in most health problems. Garbage in, garbage out.

I know I've said this before, but it really is all about our health. No matter how much we may want to get to a certain weight or size, the bottom line is that we need to take care of ourselves and be healthy. Make yourself strong from the inside, and it will show on the outside. I have another appointment next month, so the doctor can check on my psoriasis. I'm actually looking forward to it, because I am determined to show improvement in my skin, weight, and all areas of my health!