Getting back on track

I talked to you the awhile back about falling off the wagon, and moving forward again... It's ok if you don't remember. The point here is that we are moving on.
Moving forward.
Always f'ing moving.

Truthfully I stare at where I need to (and want to) be and it is daunting. But, because I've been here before I've learned a few things. The survivalist in me, or maybe the compulsive planner, has set a few steps in place to get back on track.
There are several phases.
Do not move on to a new phase unless all requirements have been met for at least one week. Are you listening to me?? ONE WEEK!

My body doesn't handle stress well and it certainly doesn't deal with sudden changes gracefully. My theory is that jumping into hot water make's me more likely to jump out. But if I ease in... if I let that leg acclimate before forcing another one to succumb to the heat, I'll stay longer. I'll actually find that the hot water is comforting and amazing... Ahhhh dang it. Now I wanna go sit in the hot tub.

{ Btw, I should note that this doesn't work for everyone. Some of you masochistic folks enjoy that horrendous torture. I don't get it... but that's just me. }

{ Phase 1 }

• Dramatically increase water intake.
  Women should be getting 9 cups a day or 72 ounces. When I start Phase 1, I increase that amount to 100. There is a 25 ounce water jug on my desk and I drink at least 3 of those during my 9 hour work day. I always drink 2 cups of water immediately when I wake up in the morning, and I have another 2 while at home. Knowing that I need to drink that amount as a minimum helps me feel full and flush toxins I've accumulated during recent misbehavior. 

• Eat by the clock
  I hate having to remember snacks. Once upon a time I enjoyed taking the 5 minute break to go eat. Now my time is crunched and it is inconvenient to take breaks.. yes... it's inconvenient to take care of myself. This is by far the hardest thing for me to do, but it is the most rewarding. So I have a timer app on my phone and when it goes off I eat, and I reset it for 2 hours later. The nagging reminder alerts everyone in ear shot that I need food. For those of you with iPhones the app is called Nag. I hate it and I love it. 

{ Phase 2 }

• Correct food group intakes
  Veggies and fruits are not the default grabs when I am stressed. Phase 2 is all about making sure the amounts are following the diabetic guidelines. That's it. Phase 2 focuses on getting the right intake in addition to mastering the components of Phase 1.Wrap your head around what you should be eating and when you should be eating it, portion sizes will be fixed later.

{ Phase 3}

• Workouts
  It's really easy to dive into fixing all problems at once. Working out is phase 3 for me because if I haven't been eating right, I will not have the blood sugar stability to survive a workout.  Those of you with hypoglycemia have been there...midway up the hill with the shakes and a toddler in a stroller and a dog while the world around you begins to blur. It's terrifying.
  Please, get your BS under control before working out, and PLEASE travel with glucose tabs or a  kid-sized boxes of apple juice when working out.
  Once you have adapted to the 3x a week workouts, (yes three, and get that heart rate up there people) then you can move on to the final phase.

{Phase 4}

•  Calorie Counting
  Many people jump to this immediately when put on the Diabetic Exchange Diet. I've done it a few times and it goes something like this: I cut back to the 1200 calories my doctor wants me on, but then my body is completely unwilling to work. I'm tired and cranky and lord help that person who brings treats into the office. I'll let them have it. But, changing eating and moving habits first, before cutting back on the amounts makes a world of difference for me.
  For the most part your calorie intake should go down by mastering the other phases, but this final phase is where you tie it all together. I recommend using a calorie tracking app (and there are many to choose from) to record the things you eat. 
• Re-write Food Porn
  There are a million places online to find deliciously dirty pictures of food. I could stare for hours at the amazing butter-laden concoctions and dream about making them. I'll dream so hard I can practically taste them.. then one day I talk myself into making it. Pinterest is a great way for me to avoid the porn. I pin delicious recipes I've made, or plan to make or plan to makeover. Knowing that those are the options helps me avoid the bad for me pictures. It also means that I have something to look at when I need healthy inspiration.

I hope these steps help you plan a little better and stay on track. More than anything I hope it helps alleviate the guilt you may feel from going off  the wagon. We all fall, but the stubborn ones find ways to get back on track.
{Hugs} & best wishes,

The Hypo Chic

PS: I'd love to hear your "back on the wagon" tricks. Feel free to share your tips below.

Campfire Pizza Sandwich

As some of you know, I've been under a great deal of stress the last year. So perhaps we should talk about stress and MS?
Many people experience bodily woes when under stress. Things like headaches, nausea and general aches are considered normal reactions to internal stressors. People with MS don't have any escape from this human ailment. Some even argue that their symptoms of MS get worse when the are stressed out. The thing is...while I completely agree with that theory... deep down I also know that there isn't any real evidence proving MS is made worse by stress alone.

It's hard to remember that sometimes.

It's also hard not to stress about current stress levels. You know that circle right? You worry about being sick even though you are not sick which sometimes manages to make you sick.  UGH!

Shortly after my diagnosis I received a long-winded letter from a family member saying that I had given myself MS because of the stress I put myself through. While I know that is not true, it's hard not to wonder if I could have done things differently.

Did I GIVE myself MS?

There is a great article that I found through the MS Society website that I recommend you read. Even if you don't have MS, my guess is that you either know someone (or will one day) and they'll benefit from your wisdom, or at least your kindness.
And for heavens sake, take this lesson to heart: Even if you are 200% certain that someone caused themselves to have a serious illness, do not rub that in their face. I don't care if you know for a fact that the reason they grew a tiny baby arm out of their back is because of the summer the spent swimming in the glowing pond. Do NOT write them a letter about how it is so clearly their fault.

{le sigh}

So back to why you are here...

I knew (as did EVERYONE around me) that it was time for a break. And thanks to the generous friends in my life I was able to run away for the weekend. No kid. No dog. No grown up worries.

It was glorious!! I love camping, and the feeling of freedom that comes with it. Without proper planning it can be difficult to eat responsibly while away from home. Here is one of my favorite camping recipes that can be adjusted for everyone in your group.

Campfire Pizza Sandwich

Take your whole wheat sandwich thins or whole wheat English muffins (or similar vessel that meets your health needs), split it in half and place on heavy duty tinfoil. Apply a layer of marinara or spaghetti sauce to each side.

Add your toppings. We chose turkey pepperoni and reduce fat mozzarella.

Fold together....like a sandwich.

Wrap in tinfoil.

Place away from the flames on some hot coals or on a grill grate. Flip occasionally and cook until too hot to handle. USE YOUR TONGS to remove it. PLEASE!

Peel apart and enjoy.... or eat like a sandwich.

This picture here is with a regular English muffin because I INHALED my whole wheat one.  I left it to show how easy it is to modify this dish for the whole family. After all, when on vacation stressing about food is simply not allowed.

By the way, my favorite way to de-stress is to spend some time by the water. I love how it helps me slow down and re-prioritize.

Regardless of the connection between MS and stress, we should all be doing things to help us cope better under pressure.
 What do you do to de-stress?

Falling off the Wagon

It's been a long time since I wrote for you,
It's been a long time since I paid my due.
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back,
Let me get it back, baby, where I come from.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time. Yes it has.

I feel like the long lost friend who didn't return your phone calls.
And... well... I'm sorry.
I've missed you I promise...
I just got wrapped up in life for a bit there. Forgive me?
It happens to the best of us I'm sure, and so I thought I'd take a moment today to talk about what happens when you fall off the wagon.
Changing lifestyles isn't easy, and often times we will find ourselves slipping into old habits when stressful situations arise. One or two "I'll just grab some fast food on my way up" doesn't always stop at one or two visits.
In my case... it hasn't.
While I'm pretty damn proud of my ability to stay away from beef or pork (and I honestly don't think I will go back to them), I haven't tracked, monitored or minimized my food intake in more than a month.

{ insert giant sigh of disappointment here }

So where do we go from here?
Honestly, we have to just start over. We force ourselves to relive that initial diagnosis. We remind ourselves over and over that we are doing this for everyone that cares about us. We forgive ourselves for not playing by the rules. And the tough one... we make ourselves a priority again.
Just like the airlines dictate "secure your own air mask before helping others" we must also help ourselves so we can better help others.
This blog, and all you crazy readers help me stay accountable to that. So here I am with my foot on the doorstep ready to start again.
To go through the awful detox period, to fight the cravings with both fists flailing like a scrawny pubescent teen.
We go.
We fight.
We win.
Together.

MS Warlord

I worry a lot more than I used to.
I'm a planner and sometimes MS makes me reluctant to plan.
I HATE that about MS.
How do I plan for an attack that could strike at anytime, with anything?
Maybe my legs will start going again and they've felt weak lately.
I really am I'm worried. Should I start carrying a cane in my car?
After my Reiki massage the lady pointed to problems in my knees.
Maybe that is where it will be.
Maybe it is there now, it feels like something is off.
Maybe it's all in my head.
Then there is this fog. It settles in and basic things like friends and places and life changing events just aren't there anymore. I don't know why it happens or how long will it last and it worries me.
Also, while we're talking about it, why is my nose tingly?
And why does my vision get blurry?
Is it low blood sugar or MS or my thyroid?
Am I'm I just tired and stressed?
Maybe I'm getting a cold.
Do I put too much pressure on being productive and not enough on caring for myself?
Why am I so broken and how can I fix all of this?
Do I need to call the doctor?
I really don't want to call the doctor.
I want to be ok.
No, scratch that! I want to thrive.
I want to be the girl on the cover of magazines proclaimed as the one that beat the shit out of MS and is now helping others do the same. I want to start a war.
A war within myself.
They'll call me the MS warlord.
_______________________________________________________________________

You can support the fight by joining TheyCallMeHypo at the April 14th MS Walk South Sound. If you are near by we'd love to have you join the team, if you are far away please consider being a virtual walker. We've already met our goal this year but are still raising funds. Click here or here to learn more. 

My Epic Plan

I turned 29 this month. It's my last year in my 30s and like many people at this mile marker, I'm feeling as though I let myself down. In the days following my party I had a great conversation with a friend about who we used to be and how awesome those people were.
Then one day on my long drive home from work I devised a multi-part plan on how to make this next year a truly epic one.  I pieced it together here and as you start thinking about your plans for the new year I hope this inspires you to create your own plan for an Epic Year.

Part A:
Live like it’s 2001 all over again.
I will remember 18 year old me and how epic she was. That person is still inside me. She was able to do everything and be everywhere and kick ass the whole while. The 18 year old me knew that the world was within her grasp. She was afraid but refused to show it. She had doubts but never doubted her ability to do anything she set her mind to. When she lacked self confidence she found a way to restore it.
She has worked hard all her life and juggled multiple jobs at a time alongside high school and college. The 18 year old me never would have let one of those responsibilities be done in a half-assed way.

18 year old me had drive and determination that nobody could take away.

18 year old me wouldn’t let anyone slow her down.

18 year old me kicked ass.

Part B:
Appreciate Scars
Falling hurts, and I will not discount that pain. I will however learn to appreciate the scars, the lessons and the knowledge that came from the fall. I will approach each imperfection on my skin and on my heart as though they are trophies.

I survived THAT!

My failures are not to be hidden.

I had the opportunity to fall flat on my face and I was able to get up.

I moved on.

I am stronger and wiser because of these scars.

Part C:
Be a healthier me.
I am not a cactus. I cannot sit in the blazing sun all day. I will seek emotional shade from friends, family and
those who can help. I will not let myself burn and fade away to nothing.
I will eat food that nourishes both my body and my soul. I will share these foods with others and encourage them to be better.
I will move. Everyday I will appreciate my ability to move.
If I can run I will run.
If I feel like leaping I will leap.
And on the days where I can barely move one foot in front of the other I will...

I will because I can.

Part D:
I will live with a thankful heart.
I will not let anger and jealousy take root. I will appreciate every smile and every tear. Everyday I am alive is a reason to be thankful and I will not go another day without appreciating those days.

Every breath.

Every moment.

Every thing.

May this next year be an epic year for you as well.
Happy New Year everyone!!

Breakin' the rules

When is it ok to break the rules? Is it ok to cheat on your diet occasionally?
I've convinced myself that enjoying a toasted marshmallow, or allowing portion control to fly out the window occasionally is ok.
90% of the time I follow the Hypo Rules but I allow myself that 10% to enjoy special occasions. Is that wrong? I'm really not sure what to think at this point.

This weekend we stopped at a Mexican restaurant before our long drive home, and a friend made a comment that really stuck. After reading every item in the 6 page menu I was very frustrated. I signaled to the husband that I needed help finding something "safe". That's when the friend chimed in with "Why don't you just cheat like you did last night with the marshmallows?"
Wow...what do you say to that?  I know it was meant to be liberating...like "You are on vacation, relax with all the rules." But it really got me thinking. Obviously cheating is bad. The rules that I follow are there for a reason, but here's how I look at it:

1) Some rules are more important than others. If I don't eat my required veggies and fruits at each meal it will not effect me the way that Pop Rocks and a can of Coke will.

2) Occasionally portions can be thrown out the window. If 90% of the time you follow the strict 1200 calories a day, allowing yourself to splurge is ok every once in a while. Sitting in a restaurant and portioning out food leaves me feeling deprived and jealous and angry. If I go into the meal thinking that I am allowed to eat until I am full like everyone else...well I feel better about my situation. That does not mean that overindulging is ok, however I am guilty of that this weekend as well. (Lesson learned after the most uncomfortable 4 hour car ride ever!)

3) Hypo rules and MS rules are not equal. Both sets of dietary restrictions are important. But if given the choice between a marshmallow (can you tell I love marshmallows) and buttery popcorn. I will choose the marshmallow (I love them sooo much). Breaking a hypo rule will have me feeling different right away...and I know how to fix it. Breaking an MS rule, with red meat, or butter or other fatty food isn't something I feel right away. I avoid those things actively because I do not want to have another MS episode, and because I believe that these changes will make a difference in my long term health. 

4) Use small cheats to avoid big binges. Let's talk about marshmallows again. My willpower could allow me to resist the deliciously toasted gooeyness, but I promise you that my mind will stay on them for weeks. You might be talking to me about family, boy drama or work woes but all I see is a giant talking marshmallow in front of me. It won't take much longer for me to bust out the Weber grill at home and toast till the bag is gone. Same with chips...one hand full can prevent me from sneaking the bag out to the garage for some solitary snacking.

I guess this is all boiling down to tracking and accountability. After the most disappointing weigh-in since starting this new lifestyle I feel the need to prove to people that I follow the rules. I'm aware that I don't need to literally show people what I eat constantly, but it would be nice to say "I am allowed this treat and I can prove it." I was once great about documenting everything I ate, but as I got comfortable with my food choices, I stopped. So back to the tracking I go...but I'd love to know your opinions on diet cheating.

The MS Badge

Oye vay! I finally get my head wrapped around the hypoglycemia lifestyle and now it's changing. After a stressful month of doctors and tests and waiting, I get to add the Multiple Sclerosis Badge to my medical sash. Well...technically I don't get the badge yet. You see, the MRI and the spinal tap confirmed MS but I've only had an isolated episode.

So now I wait and pray the next one isn't bad.  Thankfully I have a great neurologist who isn't pushing me to medicate at this point. If I wanted the medicine, it would involve daily shots of Copaxone. (Ummm...no, not with the estimated 30% success rate. Seriously, would you go to Vegas with those odds?) Instead the doctor suggested that I try the Swank Diet. This is a low saturated fat diet that is backed by a 34-year study of people with MS who followed his diet and how it helped. So I'm thinking, 'Diet? Yeah, I know how to do that, bring it on.'

Here are the rules:

1. Saturated fat should not exceed 15 grams per day
2. Unsaturated fat (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams per day
3. No red meat or pork for the first year; after that, a maximum of 3 oz. (85 grams) of red meat per week
4. Dairy products must contain 1% or less butterfat
5. No processed foods containing saturated fat
6. A good source of omega-3 (oily fish, cod liver oil, cod liver oil tablets, etc.) along with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily
7. Wheat, gluten or dairy product quantities are not restricted. But foods which cause allergies or reactions to an MS sufferer should be avoided.

This seemed easy enough at first. However, I quickly learned that I had no idea how much saturated fat was in anything I was eating. The first big change came with my cherished cheese and crackers. They had come to be my safety snack at work, but they can no longer be a regular visitor because of the saturated fat found in most cheeses. That same day my family accidentally tortured me with their dinner of hot dogs and french fries. The meltdown that followed resembled one of a teenager losing her car. "But I LOVE hot dogs, and everyone else gets to eat it. It's not fair!! What am I gonna have nooooow!?"
Clearly I wasn't taking this well. By no means was this like the meltdowns I had when I was diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia, but it still made the books.

In all fairness, I'm sure that anyone wrapping their head around one restrictive diet, and then having to integrate another has probably had one of these moments. It's confusing and frustrating. Hopefully there isn't anyone out there struggling to learn both of these diets, but in case there are, I will share what I learn as I go. Future recipes will still follow the hypo rules but also be lower in saturated fat, and will be beef and pork free for the year. Perhaps I'm being naive, but if this could help me avoid an episode it is worth the struggle. And perhaps, after a year of this I'll have totally earned a Swank/Hypo Badge.

The short end of the genetics stick

As long as I can remember I've always been a sickly child. My family called me a hypochondriac so often that it could have been my middle name.  They thought I was exaggerating my ailments and I will neither confirm or deny that. (I was a good student, but PE in Middle School is tough for the tubby kids.)

Anyway, the more I think about it...that word haunts me. Anytime I feel an illness or an ailment my first inclination is that I am being a hypochondriac. I don't want people to see me as the girl that cried headache. I don't want people to see me as the girl who is always sick, so I try as hard as I can to suck it up and carry on with life. 

I've joked recently about my 3 week headache and then my week of dizziness and "old lady knee" that wouldn't support me...but it wasn't until the mobility in my arm started to go that I admitted defeat. Ok, ok, it wasn't until my co-workers insisted I was having a stroke that I decided to call the nurse.  After a quick 8 hours in the Emergency Room I was released with medication pumping through my veins for Atypical Migraines.

First off I'd like to say that my symptoms never prompted Migraines under WebMD's list of "WTF could be wrong with you." Instead I got the slew of possible infections and tumors. I'm very well versed in infections, and that other option was too scary to face. I'm not to thrilled about their error. (Dear WebMD, please fix your symptom checker for all the other chicken-shits like me that are too afraid to see a real doctor.)


Next I will admit that regardless of how scary the news could have been I was wrong to wait so long. After the Hypoglycemic diagnosis I became pretty good at telling when my blood sugar was getting low. I learned to distinguish the excited or nervous jitters from the "dang-it, I forgot to eat again" jitters. As much as I want to deny it, the Hypo label helped me listen to my body.

With the three week headache and the partial paralysis I knew something was wrong but couldn't face it. So here I sit, publicly admitting to you all that I am in pain with only a little fear that you'll call me a hypochondriac. (Please be nice.)


I know that I have been given the short end of the genetics stick. Maybe one day I'll blog about all the things wrong with me.  Feel free to email your suggestions so I can censor them as I see fit.

Nerves and Priorities... a quick rant.

I have been soooooo hungry lately...and tired...and this headache is a constant occurrence in my life.
I can blame it on my lack of transportation, and the fact that I haven't had a B-12 injection in 3 weeks. (Side note, in addition to Hashimoto's and being Hypoglycemic I also have Pernicious Anemia and get B-12 injections every 2 weeks. Yes, I'm broken.)
But really, the reality is that I haven't made myself a priority. I do ok in the morning when the desire to do the right thing is strong... but during the rest of the day it slowly unwinds.
Snack times have been few and far between and I find myself moving the carb and protein snack to add in my lunch or dinner. I understand that the purpose is to eat small meals that will sustain me throughout the day, but it is really hard to schedule them. It's easy to make work or friends or family a priority, but how do I make snack time a priority?
Of course, this is much bigger than snack time. My priorities come into play with work outs, and weekend meals and don't even get me started on social events.
So back to the title... the nerves. I realized this week that my follow-up appointment is looming uncomfortably close. I'm not ready. I have NOT been great about following the rules 24/7. I don't think I've lost enough weight to pacify the evil doctor. And every single excuse I have thought of comes down to me not having my priorities in the right place.
I don't want to go.

I Feel Defeated

Some days I feel like I'm really failing at this thing.
Group setting are still very difficult.
Weekends are near impossible.
I'm an emotional eater, and there have been some significant struggles in my life lately.
My knee hurts like mad and makes me reluctant to workout.
And do you know how much it rains here is Western Washington?! A friend of mine claims that running in the rain gives you super powers but I haven't noticed any heroic new abilities.

After all that dieting and exercising, and all those struggles, I have only lost about 10 pounds. Now even as I write this I understand that 10 pounds is a significant amount. I just hoped it would be higher. Through all the sweat and tears I'm wondering when the loss on the scale will equal the loss I feel in my freedom.
Maybe it won't.
Maybe it's just a bad day, but I'm ready for the hard work to show.
I guess...in time... it will get better with time.
Honestly, it has become easier with time, I just pray it continues.

Withdrawls and hunger pains

One of the things that prompted my doctor to subject me to the HORRIBLE Glucose Tolerance Test was the fact that I was always hungry. I could sit down and polish off half a large pizza by myself and be hungry a few hours later. So maybe it is the hunger pains, maybe it is the caffeine withdrawals or maybe it is the sugar withdrawals. I don't know what it is exactly, but I am miserable. I hate this life.
I want coffee.
I want an English muffin with peanut butter and jelly, or an apple fritter.
I don't want to think about what I can eat or when I have to eat or how much I can have. It's exhausting!
There is nothing in my home that I can have for dinner. I had a business lunch where there was nothing I could eat. There is a BBQ at my house this weekend and I don't know what to do for people. Why should I cook big elaborate meals and entertain when I can't enjoy any of it myself?
I have dieted before with great results and I know the drill. Consume fewer calories than you burn. It was simple. This is insane.
I have poured over the Diabetic Exchange Diet that was prescribed and I still believe that this is crazy. How am I supposed to go from 2500 calories a day (that is my recommended daily intake based on my height, weight and lifestyle) to 1200 calories? It seems idiotic to cut calories by that much, that quickly. He wants me to workout too!  Is it really smart to send someone with low blood sugar who's taken a drastic cut in calories out to workout by themselves for an hour three times a week? UGH!!

They've taken away my loves

No chocolate.
No sugar.
No coffee.
No caffeine.
No wine.
No alcohol.
They've taken away my loves. They've taken away my vices. I'm sure I sound like a melodramatic teenager, but I don't care.
I'm not an addict, I could give these up, but I don't want to.
I want the option of having my daily coffee, or having a piece of chocolate and a nice glass of Merlot after a long day.  I want to be able to sip a drink at the bar with friends.
I'm not a smoker, I don't do drugs. I believe in moderation and I drink myself silly maybe once or twice a year. I don't have a 6 cup a day habit with my coffee, and it's usually just a morning thing.
But giving it all up.... EVERYTHING!? I'm not ok with this.
UGH! This isn't fair.

I'd rather you call me fat

I fully expected to be called fat at the doctor's appointment that reviewed my Glucose Tolerance Test. As I mentioned in my previous post, that test was horrible, yet I still believed the results would be normal. That was not the case.
I was informed that I had a condition known as Reactive Hypoglycemia. The doctor then left the room to grab some literature and I broke down. Had I been prepared for the diagnosis I would have had a notebook full of questions, but I wasn't. That deer-in-the-headlight reaction was made worse with the literature. All but one of the 4 pamphlets was labeled as diabetic this or diabetic that.
Diabetes isn't a new thing to me. My mother died from Type 1 Diabetes when I was very young, my father has Type 2, and a cousin of mine also has Type 1.
I understand the rules of Diabetes and in my quickly deteriorating composure I was able to ask if THIS was going to turn into Diabetes. His response was that it could and I felt my heart breaking.
A 1200 calorie diabetic diet was the last thing he gave me instructions on. There were slight modifications for my reactive hypoglycemia including eating every 2-3 hours and "no white at night" but for the most part I was to follow the diet instructions. 
While there were tears in the office, there were sobs in the car. I stayed there for a long time wishing I could rewind and change the diagnosis. I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I had disappointed my parents and my family by allowing this to happen. I mourned the loss of my old life.

I wish he had just called me fat.

The Glucose Tolerance Test is cruel and unusual punishment.

On my semi-annual check-up with my Endo we discussed my weight gain.
OK..ok..in all fairness it wasn't really "discussed". The doctor basically stated my new inflation and followed it up with a disapproving look. In my typical type-A I-must-please-everyone state I came back with a genius response, "I've been trying to diet and workout more, I'm just hungry all the time. Seriously I could sit down and eat half a pizza and have room for the other half in a few hours. I work all day, then take care of my daughter, then work some more. After all of that I am still hungry and just don't have the energy to get out there AND workout too."
Now I expected him to lecture me about the importance of prioritizing or slowing down because those as this is a recurring lecture I hear in my life. Instead he looked at my lab work and noted that my blood sugar was low at the time of the test. We talked about what I had eaten before the test (an English muffin with peanut butter and an amazingly large home brewed latte) and about how I was feeling (Hungry! What part of I'm always hungry don't you get). Then he signed me up for a 5 hour Glucose Tolerance Test. I had done the prego version with no problems so the only part of the conversation I really heard was "eat lots of carbs for 3 days" and "reactive hypoglycemia blah blah blah."
That test... that test was awful. Sure I was fine drinking that disgusting syrup, I earned the Chugging Gross Beverages badge in college. It was the 4th-6th blood draws that were horrible. I wanted to cry, and fight and sleep all at the same time. I wanted to tackle the people walking past me with lattes and muffins. My head hurt, I couldn't stop shaking and I couldn't see straight enough to read and distract myself. I have no words of wisdom other than to run away. The test is evil.