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Improvements and Saving Money

Things are continuing to improve. I've stopped taking my adrenal cortex medicine and digestive enzymes because I don't feel I need them. I'm now down to hydrocortisone cream and natural desiccated thyroid (NDT). I got some lab tests done the other day--I'm sure they'll show improvement.

I couldn't take any hydrocortisone that day (and I forgot to take my NDT until that afternoon). I didn't take my vitamins or electrolytes, either. I ended up eating a whole can of chocolate covered nuts. And a small order of fries with my lettuce-wrapped burger. Cortisol helps control blood sugar; maybe it has something to do with controlling cravings, too. I went back to my supplement regimen the next day and felt no desire to eat fries or chocolate--just tacos. I had chicken, salsa, cheddar cheese, guacamole and pork rinds.

Now that I'm feeling better, thinking more clearly and no longer desperate to get well, I took advantage of a slow day at work to look over costs. I found a cheaper lab and saw that 300 mg Thyrogold pills are quite a bit cheaper by the dose than 150 mg pills. That'll save me $150 per year. Between annual thyroid and cortisol tests and thyroid pills, it's going to cost $950 per year. (I'm not counting $5 tubes of hydrocortisone.) Glad I'm such a cheapskate that I built some wiggle room into my finances. Leaving Denver for low cost-of-living Indianapolis was a good move!

I'm not sure it would be any cheaper going the conventional route through doctors and insurance. The word at Stop the Thyroid Madness is that Armour (prescription thyroid medicine) doesn't work like it used to, the price has gone up substantially, and many insurance plans don't cover it. My concern about Thyrogold is that it looks like a small family operation (or single operator) and I'm concerned about successorship.

Other places I found savings: I downgraded my Lifelock membership ($300 per year savings), went to one payment per year on my homeowners insurance (saved whatever the installment fee was), and sent the insurance company a certificate verifying I had a monitored burglar alarm ($20 per year). Every penny counts!
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Comments

Val said…
Glad you are feeling better! Fortunately I see that my thyroid levels are improved after my latest DIY test: T4 is back up to the tippy-top of “normal” range with TSH in “low-normal” range which is where I need to be to feel “normal” or at least “functional” myself.
These winter months get harder & harder, though, since my cold intolerance persists. Thank goodness for my 2 little dogs who keep me warm at night!
I haven’t done any aerobic exercise in so long, I don’t know how poorly I would handle it - I’ve just been keeping up with yoga class mostly. And my poor ponies probably think I’ve forgotten all about them, since I haven’t ridden in almost 5 wks. Crappy weather or crappy mood, take your pick.
December 11, 2019
Lori Miller said…
I'm glad you're feeling better, too.

I had to go back to taking adrenal pills, but a lesser dose. I started feeling lethargic without them.

My dog was running around outside tonight--it's only 23 degrees! And he doesn't have a thick, furry coat like Molly did. I wish I had his energy.
December 11, 2019
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