Personal Update

[merucha]

For those of you who still look in here from time to time, I want you to know that I'm still here and still trying to write. Trying being the operative word.

This is what's happening, and I'll really try for the short version.

For the past few months, I had been noticing a steady decline of energy. My ability to concentrate was shot. I had terrific mood swings, and it wasn't just low-to-high-and-back-again. It was paranoid-to-ecstatic.  Slowly a number of other problems showed up: leg cramps, joint and bone pains, colds I couldn't shake.

Now, someone normal would have headed for the doctor at a gallop. Me? No. I just didn't want to, to be honest. My last experience with a doctor had been miserable and I wanted nothing to do with them.   I just stopped doing most things and concentrated on saving my limited energy for my work, because, hey, that's how I earn my family's keep. The problem was,  it kept getting worse and worse. Thinking, reading, understanding, was a major effort. As for writing? Something that would have taken me a few hours took a week.  And the energy continued to decline. Finally, last week I found myself sitting in my office, at my desk, waking up as my face smashed into my keyboard. So I got the name of my sister's physician and made an appointment.

The doctor, bless her, is wonderful. She's scheduled a whole lot of tests, mostly regular annual checkup stuff, but more to the point, she ordered a massive amount of blood tests. And two days ago, she called me, which surprised me as we have a follow up appointment scheduled for this coming week. It turns out she couldn't wait.

My vitamin D levels are "dangerously low."  I think she meant it literally, because both my mother and one of my best friends suffer from it and they take a daily supplement of about 2,000IU.  I will be taking 100,000IU a week for six weeks.

Now, the thing about this little problem is this: lacking this little vitamin can cause a heap of troubles, from bone problems to mood swings to severe and chronic fatigue. For me, one of its  symptoms seems to be the inability to concentrate for long periods. I have seven -- count them, seven -- fics started, and can't seem to concentrate on any for longer than a half hour. Hell, I can't concentrate on anything for onger than half an hour.

I will continue to post as I can and I'll keep you informed.  Just started the treatment, and I am hoping as I get back to normal I'll be able to do better.

Thanks for listening, yeah?




 

Comments

[madbottoms]

Hope you feel better soon. I know what it's like to be so zapped of energy that it scares the crap out of me. Take care of yourself and I am hapopy to wait for whenever you are ready to start posting your wonderful fics again.

[rednwhiterose]

I have the same problem..here's to a lack of Vitamin D.

:O)

[wynkat]

*hugs* hun. I'm glad you got some answers to what's been going on and hope things get better soon.

I was thinking of you the other night when Criminal Minds did an ep with a poker game :D all of sudden I was seeing your fic in my head and thinking "great minds think alike". Sadly they did not go to the pretty places you went, but it was still sweet :)

*hugs*

[hab318princess]

so glad your new doctor has been able to help you out

[shinya_diey]

*hugs* I hope you'll get better soon ^^

[badly_knitted]

*hugs* I really hope you'll feel better soon. I had no idea low levels of vitamin D could be such a serious thing, thank goodness you found a good doctor who was able to figure it out. What matters now is that you're getting the treatment you need, and hopefully you'll start to notice an improvement quite quickly. Good luck!

[janiemc]

Look after yourself first and foremost as it sounds like that's the priority, as to the fiction it will be gratefully received when ever it arrives.
Sending hugs & positive thoughts your way

[yanto]

feel better soon, sends hugs and virtual milk and cookies to help your recovery.

[choccy_grl]

Hope you get this all sorted soon and you are feeling more like your old self.

We'll still be here when you feel able to finish your stories.

[luvinthe88and20]

Feel better soon hun

[enarra.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if this will be appreciated, but...

If the symptoms persist after the vitamin D treatment, you might want to think about getting tested for tick borne infections (Lyme, Babesia, Bartonella, and various co-infections, or whatever varieties might exist where you live). Your symptoms are very typical for chronic Lyme (and remind me scarily of myself, which is probably why I feel like I have to write this). I know that in my case the various infections ended up causing vitamin D deficiency (and fatigue, muscle issues, joint issues, neurological problems, difficulty thinking, anxiety and mood swings, etc.), rather than vitamin D being the main problem.

I hope you do get better and that your doctor is capable. I'm sorry if this is stepping over some sort of boundary (as I've only read some of your things and am generally terrible about reviewing), but I guess this particular issue has become kind of personal over the last few years.

[midori_marmotte]

Ouch. Well, I hope the supplement will do it for you, because (and I know I speak not only for myself), we miss you here, writing, and being clever and wonderful!

[pilotgirl25]

I haven't ever commented before, but I wanted to finally tell you how I absolutely LOVE the worlds you create and the stories you write! I enjoy all your variations of Jack and Ianto and have started re-reading them now.

I also wanted to tell you that I had many of the same symptoms you do, was barely able to get through my day because I was constantly exhausted, ached all over, had joints that made me feel 80 instead of 45, and had no energy for anything. Long story short, I am now on 2000IU of vitamin D, plus thyroid medicine and I went from barely functioning to normal in just a few weeks. Hang in there. Your doctor should be able to get it all sorted out and have you feeling back to normal soon. Good luck!

[chironsgirl]

Now I see why my Dr. Has me on daily vit D as well as anti depressant.
Take care of you. We will be here rooting for you!
Xoxoxo