All The Meds I'm On
Let's Get Into It
I need to start by acknowledging I shamelessly stole this idea from past guest of the show Jenny Mollen, who is a hilarious writer. She detailed all her meds and I COULD NOT read it fast enough. Like when celebrities talk about what they carry in their purse. Or which household products they use every day. It was like that, but for meds.
Synthroid: I take this because I’m hypothyroid. It was first discovered when I was doing IVF although I’d long suspected a thyroid problem since I gained ten pounds if I looked at a sandwich. Also I’m generally cold and sleepy. Like a lemur.
Initially I took generic but my endocrinologist said the brand works better.
Liothyronine: Aforementioned endocrinologist said sometimes Synthroid alone isn’t enough and your blood can show good levels but your body isn’t using it or something so we added T3. I only barely understand it but the original form didn’t work so now I take this compounded time-release version that is easier than twice-a-day dosing.
Venofer/Injectafer: One of the single most effective things I did for my quality of life was get a series of iron infusions because blood tests revealed my ferritin was 5. Actually, I ignored it for many, many years. I thought doctor’s telling me my iron was low was a conspiracy by the medical community to get me to take big iron pills that are gross and give you a stomachache. Yes, I get it, my iron is low. Every menstruating woman’s iron is low! I decided. And then aforementioned endocrinologist called me to tell me my white blood cell count was low. I panicked, thinking I was dying, and then I got it retested a month later and it was normal. And then a year later it happened again so I finally went to a hematologist as was recommended a year before and after a bunch of tests it was determined that my iron was super low. By this point I had shortness of breath, hair loss, restless legs and I needed to take a nap immediately after waking. I chalked it up to being a parent.
Anyway, I got the infusions at a chemo center and everyone was suuuuuuper nice to me which felt like stolen valor. It took a few weeks if not longer but now, a year and a half later, I have normal energy levels and can’t believe I lived like that for so long. (Incidentally white blood cell count is still low but no one seems to care.)
Mounjaro: I lied. This is actually the single most life-changing medication I’ve taken thus far. I’ve had minimal side effects (none, really) and maximal results. The biggest change is the reduction in food noise. I feel like a normal person around food now, versus the really messed up relationship with food I had for my entire life before. I talked about it on these Patreon episodes.