Hi,For Those of You That Suffer From Either or Both of These

[Wendyss]

Hi,

For those of you that suffer from either or both of these diagnoses how do you manage to do shows? I have been feeling just awful this week (extremely tired, achy, no energy) and have a show Friday night that I am not looking forward to b/c I will be so worn out afterwards. I can't even begin to imagine how I am going to haul stuff. This is the worst I have felt since starting with PC. Having my husband go isn't an option as he is the babysitter.

After doing some research online I am asking my doctor if I could be hypothyroid. I was diagnosed with fibro several years ago. But this week after researching online I am feeling like I may be having thyroid issues. If anyone else has been through this please private message me.

 

[krzymomof4]

I don't have fibro, but my DH's cousin does and we are very close. I don't have advice for you about your show except to enlist some help. Just ask the host and explain, I am sure they won't mind or they will have their DH do it for you.
She has had goodluck with the herb Boswellia. I have also been taking it for my plantar fascitits and it does help with the pain.

 

[PC For Me 2 Move Out]

I've heard that Reliv works with Fibromylagia.

 

[jbachen]

I don't have fibromyalgia, but I do have hypothyroidism. It is very simple to diagnose - just a blood test, and your GP can get you on meds. I recommend not using generic, because my doc says they don't work as well. Also, my doctor goes strictly by the numbers on my bloodwork to determine my dosage, but I have a friend who found a doctor who would listen to how she was feeling, and up the doseage even if the bloodwork was OK. If you can find a doctor like that, snatch him or her up, because you will feel better for it.Even without fibro, and on thyroid meds, there are days when I am SO tired I do not know how I will do it. I second the recommendation to ask for help. Also, I just got a wheeled cart on amazon.com for like $30. I used to use a wheeled box-type thing, and put my bag on top of it, but they were breaking under the pressure. I also have a crappy little handtruck, which doesn't work, which is why I invested in the cart. I know it won't work in every host's home, but even if it just gets you from the car to the front door that is energy saved. And it is cheaper than the PC rolling tote. I hope this helps - if you are diagnosed, and have any more questions, feel free to PM or email me. I have been there, and there really is no good advice to give - other than plodding through, talking to your doctor, and trying to catch up on sleep whenever possible. HTH.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Diagnosis of hypo/hyperthyroidism requires some blood work. The solution for hypo is a script for Synthroid, and it often takes quite a while of tweaking to get the dosage just right.There are several symptoms for hypothyroidism, including fatigue, inability to stay awake in the afternoon and even something as strange as skin flaking around bridge of your nose and eyebrows.

 

[DCOX3]

Wendy, I feel your frustration. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia a year ago this past February. Some days are harder than others and I am on like 6 medications twice a day and it is manageable. I like Jeans suggestion of the rolling cart..Thanks Jean! My daughters usually help me carry my stuff to the car and most of the time the hostess ask if I need help, most of the time they don't mind helping.

The only suggestion I have is get rest whenever you can and talk to your doctor about maybe some help with managing the pain better. I also take B12 and calcium everyday, seems like the B12 helps with my energy level!

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[jbachen]

Diagnosis of hypo/hyperthyroidism requires some blood work. The solution for hypo is a script for Synthroid, and it often takes quite a while of tweaking to get the dosage just right.

There are several symptoms for hypothyroidism, including fatigue, inability to stay awake in the afternoon and even something as strange as skin flaking around bridge of your nose and eyebrows.

Other symptoms are hair falling out and being cold when other people are not...

 

[lkprescott]

I have thyroid issues as well as other things we're still working on. Been fighting fatigue for over 2 years now. Synthroid is not the only med utilized, it's a synthetic one. The other one that can be prescribed is Armour Thyroid which is a natural form: ArmourThyroid That's what I take. Some do better on one than the other so it's nice to know there's a choice.Blood tests can help but unless your case is very far gone, blood tests can seem normal when your thyroid is not. Do research (you may already have) and find out what kind of thyroid test they'll do so you understand the results. One thing you can do at home to help with diagnosis is track your basal temperature every morning (do not get out of bed, use a 'shake down' thermometer with minimal movements and take your temp... repeat every morning). See if your numbers are abnormally low, which can also hint at thyroid problems. That and on the low side of normal numbers is what got my doc on board. As for fibro.. I have my suspicions (again we're still working on a diagnosis) that I may have chronic fatigue... sometimes I have fibro type pain but mostly it's my fatigue that overshadows more than the pain. As for how to do it... some days are a struggle... some are okay... in the past 48 hours I've had one of each... my motivation to keep my business going is really waning and something I work on every day. As for shows... I just push through. I know I'll pay for that push but it's very worth it to have a happy host and earn a little money. My last show was really awful though (overbaked the brownies, kept forgetting parts of a recipe I've done plenty of times before, kept feeling like I was weighed down terribly)... I just have learned to grin and bear it and to appreciate the good ones I have (that goes for good days, shows, etc)... also on days I have a show, I don't expect much of anything more from myself the rest of the day... I just rest up, prepare for the show and do my level least to get by until 'show time'.. and as much as many will warn against it, I will also use caffeine to get me through. I've tried going without for months and just couldn't do it. If your main thing is fatigue, get a full range blood work done... they can check for an amazing array of things including anemia (B-12 as well as iron), Vitamin D deficiency, Lyme's, as well as thyroid... all these things can come out as fatigue... Good luck, I know how frustrating it is to suffer from fatigue without any seeming cause...

 

[jbachen]

I like Jeans suggestion of the rolling cart..Thanks Jean!

If you want me to post a link to the one I bought on Amazon, I can... or if you want to just search I think I searched for "rolling cart".

And I have to admit, I stole the idea from a bunch of folks at the craft fair I did last weekend! :blushing: I had no idea they were so affordable before I stopped a lady and asked her!

 

[DCOX3]

Jean,

I will do a search on Amazon!

The cart will be a big help to me!!


Thanks,

 

[jbachen]

Also, you can have them test for Epstein Barr/Mono... The first time I went in for fatigue, they did this one, and asked when I had had mono. I said, "I never had mono." And the doc said, "Oh yes, you did." My numbers showed that my acute infection was past, but that I could have chronic problems... I was on a medicine for a bit that was experimental, I forget what it was called, but it didn't work for me so I went off of it. Anyway, I am sure your doctor will know what to test for, and hopefully they will find something easily treatable!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Other symptoms are hair falling out and being cold when other people are not...

So it's not my mother's fault that my hair is falling out?

 

[jbachen]

So it's not my mother's fault that my hair is falling out?

Not if you have a thyroid problem. I found that getting pregnant temporarily fixed the problem. Although, you would have to deal with the media coverage...

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I don't think hypothyroidism has much to do with male pattern baldness.There is a guy out there who's preggers - did you see any of the stories about...um...he/she/it?

 

[ChefLoriG]

There is a guy out there who's preggers - did you see any of the stories about...um...he/she/it?

Uh yeah, saw that on Oprah before leaving on our trip, pretty strange....they said it took 2 times of doing the invitro, and the wife did it the second time, Oprah was , um did you use a turkey baster???!! The look on her face was priceless.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Well, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia several years ago - and took a whole laundry list of drugs to try and combat it - none of them worked well, and some turned me into a zombie. I bought the book "Eating Well For Optimum Health", by Dr. Andrew Weil - and that did wonders for me. Worked better than all of the meds combined.Then, things started getting worse again - and it got to a point where if I did a show, I had to rest (like do absolutely NOTHING!) the whole day before the show, and the day following the show. Last June, I finally found a practitioner who ran tests that no other Dr. had run - and found out that I didn't have Fibromyalgia - I had a combination of Lymes Disease/Epstein-Barr Virus/Hypothroidism. She was like "wow, no wonder you haven't felt good!"My advice is to find a Dr. who will run EVERY test. The Phlebotimist (sp?) who was taking my blood told me that 2/3 of the patients they see with Lymes had been misdiagnosed with Fibro! I also have a Dr. who will work with the natural thyroid medication - ArmourThyroid, which for a lot of people works alot better. Most Drs only use Sythroid, a synthetic version. Google Armour Thyroid, and you will find lots of info on it, and the difference between the two kinds.I am feeling better now than I have felt in almost 10 years! I thought I was resigned to feeling tired, achy, and miserable all the time - it feels so good to wake up in the morning and not almost cry from the pain and tiredness trying to get out of bed! I forgot what it felt like to feel normal!Another book that is wonderful in addressing health and nutrition as a
way of combating auto-immune diseases is UltraMetabolism by Dr. Mark Hyman. And check out his Health website: The UltraWellness Blog by Dr. Hyman - Solving Chronic Disease through Functional Medicineeta: I had to add that now, I can comfortably do 2-4 shows a week, 8-12 shows a month, chase after my son, and work a 2nd job at church! Don't give up until you get answers that will help you be better!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Uh yeah, saw that on Oprah before leaving on our trip, pretty strange....they said it took 2 times of doing the invitro, and the wife did it the second time, Oprah was , um did you use a turkey baster???!! The look on her face was priceless.

I hope it wasn't one of ours.

 

[jbachen]

I don't think hypothyroidism has much to do with male pattern baldness.

There is a guy out there who's preggers - did you see any of the stories about...um...he/she/it?

That guy is the one I was referring to... See the wink?!?!? And yeah, it kind of freaks me out, too...

OK, so maybe some of it is male pattern baldness, too... I guess we can't blame EVERYTHING on the thyroid anyway!!

 

[Ann F]

Jean, would you mind posting the link to the cart? My PC one died (about 30 days after the guarantee...) and I, too, have FM.

Wendy, I finally decided that I absolutely could not book two shows back to back, that I had to have at least a day between. It took a while to make that decision, (pride, I guess) but it has made a definite difference in my pain levels. Also, my dr recently put me on a short-acting sleep medication. It has been absolutely amazing! I've been able to decrease some of my other meds, which certainly helps the pocketbook!

Best wishes.

 

[Wendyss]

ThanksThanks for all the quick replies. Not only will I ask him to test my thyroid but will also ask about Lyme disease and Epstein Barr. He isn't a very "adventurous" doctor so I may be looking for a new one in the near future.

Guess it's just a case of grin and bear it. I have a rolling cart that I picked up at Ollies. In trying to shorten the number of back and forth trips it has gotten really heavy. Maybe I am bringing too much stuff?? How much do you guys bring? I have a tendency to bring all the new stuff, anything I am using for the 2 recipes, catalogs, lapboard, turn tool about, forms, and a stone/cookware if I am not using it for the demo.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

"Less is more."
--Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969)

 

[jbachen]

I have just started to cut down the amount of stuff I bring to shows. I can understand that feeling of wanting to have an item that a guest is interested in so you can get it into their hands, but there are SO many items that often that is just not going to happen. Plus, we want to make our job look easy to potential new recruits, and lugging tons of stuff is not the way to do that. So last weekend at my craft fair, I brought less STUFF, and had room on my table to display some flyers with promotions, mini catalogs, registry flyers, and my mailing list. And the table did not even look cluttered! Let me try to remember what I brought: Mandoline, Grater, Chopper, Loaded Tool Turn About, Cooling Rack, Round Stone, Rectangle Baker, Cutting Board, May Specials, Collapsible Serving Bowl, and two Outdoor Tumblers. Maybe I should have brought a SA piece, but I forgot the dots cup... I could fit all that plus my paperwork in my carryall and Stoneware tote, and I didn't kill my back with all the lugging around. Now I just have to be sure the temptation to bring more doesn't come back when I get my cart. Speaking of the cart:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EFQ7NU/?tag=pfamazon01-20HTH

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Thanks for all the quick replies. Not only will I ask him to test my thyroid but will also ask about Lyme disease and Epstein Barr. He isn't a very "adventurous" doctor so I may be looking for a new one in the near future.

Guess it's just a case of grin and bear it. I have a rolling cart that I picked up at Ollies. In trying to shorten the number of back and forth trips it has gotten really heavy. Maybe I am bringing too much stuff?? How much do you guys bring? I have a tendency to bring all the new stuff, anything I am using for the 2 recipes, catalogs, lapboard, turn tool about, forms, and a stone/cookware if I am not using it for the demo.

Okay - I'd like to address this part of your post.

First: I don't bring ALL of the new stuff - I bring a few new pieces that I really want to show - the Grill Basket, the Collapsible bowl, the new Rubs, and a few other small items.
Second: Only do ONE recipe! This will simplify your packing - and I always do a recipe that includes cookware, stoneware, and SA - right now, the Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad incorporates all 3 of those, plus the knives, chopper, and mandoline.

I don't pack anything else - except a few new products, my demo stuff (ONE recipe!) and my TTA. That's it. I also stopped using lapboards because they were too heavy. I do bring my laptop though. If you enter the info. at the show, then you don't have to do it when you get home!

 

[lkprescott]

Thanks for all the quick replies. Not only will I ask him to test my thyroid but will also ask about Lyme disease and Epstein Barr. He isn't a very "adventurous" doctor so I may be looking for a new one in the near future.

Guess it's just a case of grin and bear it. I have a rolling cart that I picked up at Ollies. In trying to shorten the number of back and forth trips it has gotten really heavy. Maybe I am bringing too much stuff?? How much do you guys bring? I have a tendency to bring all the new stuff, anything I am using for the 2 recipes, catalogs, lapboard, turn tool about, forms, and a stone/cookware if I am not using it for the demo.

I've simplified and decided to stop bringing all my stuff. LOL... I only bring what I need for the one recipe, my TTA and all my gadgets that fit in that and now with the new Spring things, I'll add one or two in for that. That's two totes (consultant tote and TTA tote) and my briefcase I have lapboards for 12, extra order forms, pens, biz cards, fliers and laptop. I try to keep it simple to show hosts (that may be interested in the opportunity) that they don't have to break their backs. I especially do not bring extra of heavy things like stone... I did that during the stone sale in January and didn't sell one extra stone for it.. ugh, no more. If I have a stone in a recipe, I'll bring it, otherwise, I save my back.