Okay, I'll slow down ...

Hi WoW - Thanks for the "rooting." I definitely need it.

I'll back up and may even back off for a few days. Maybe the Lugol's is what's causing my leg and ankle to swell. I hadn't considered that. I was taking Armour thyroid with a Cytomel "kicker" so to speak and stopped those when I started the Lugol's. So I think I'll go back to the Armour/Cytomel for a few days and lay off the Lugol's completely and see if that makes a difference.

I've just felt so crappy for so long that now that I've found a place and people that give me hope and actual alternatives to drugs I want to do it all ... yesterday.

I'm sure I'm really, really toxic. 12 years ago, I had 5 mercury fillings removed, but the dentist didn't know what he was doing and neither did I. I just wanted them out and didn't know you had to do it a special way. So I'd been taking EDTA, but stopped when I started all this with my leg ... just in case that was the reason. I don't think it was.

When I was first diagnosed with Lupus, I was on prednisone off and on for 10 years. I went from size 8 to size 24 and have pretty much stayed there. 3 or 4 years ago, I was finally able to stop the prednisone and dropped 40 pounds in a couple of months (it just started falling off), but my "new" doctor started drugging me up with Lipitor, Naprosyn, which raised my BP, hence more and more BP meds (3 currently), which caused rapid weight gain, etc., ad nauseum and my BP is still around 220/120 when I first wake up. I'm finally down to Armour/Cytomel and 1 BP medication (unbeknownst to her). She has a fit if I tell her I'm not taking Lipitor and all the rest, so I basically tell her what she wants to hear. Not ideal, but that's the way I gotta play right now. Sheesh! So much for my little country doctor from India.

I'm on Medicaide and have to go to a specific doctor, but as soon as I get myself well and back among the viably employed (whether it be a home business or part time something or other) ... well, I'll work on that when I get closer to it. Probably not anytime soon ... I signed up to do a copywriting course, but have been too sick to even do any of the lessons.

Thank you very much for your post. I seriously weigh each and every thing people suggest (kind of overwhelming at times) and then go within for guidance. At this time, your suggestion of going slow really resonates and feels right. I have one more question for you though - how do I build up my thyroid gland? I'm not sure I know specifically how to do that.

Blessings to you ...

Stef from Texas

P.S. What does IMHO mean? Tweet