I hope you get some relief from the Armour. Best wishes.
Thanks, pretty soon I might have to ask you the best way I can track down T3 myself 
hopefully it doesn’t get to that point though.
1 Like
12/20
Ran two miles in 18:10
I felt exhausted this morning but perked up a bit by mid-morning, feeling overall a bit more like a human being today. Thankfully I didn’t have a dissociative episode. Hoping this new med is the answer.
6 Likes
12/21
AM
Pure Bodybuilding W5D3
Walked 1.1 miles at 9.6% incline in 17:51
DB press 50x8,8,7; 40x6; 30x7
Pull-ups 9,7,7
Cable row 80x12,11,9
Zottman curl 30x12,10,10
Super ROM lateral raise 14x11,11,10
Reverse cable fly 3xmechanical dropsets
PM
Ran 8 miles in 1:11:28
Time for More Revelations:
Okay, I thought I felt good during the first couple weeks of levo. But today I felt the best since… I don’t know when? Maybe teenagehood?
I woke up after “only” seven hours of sleep and realized I wasn’t really tired. Read a book for 90 minutes, lifted, and then it felt like I could just keep running and running.
For the first time in ages I finally managed to do somewhat of a tempo run (as defined by my Garmin)—not just because I finally had so much energy to do so, but because my heart rate actually seems like it is where it should be. Due to the bradycardia that has worsened over the past couple years, my HR wouldn’t elevate that much during runs and/or it would take a while for it to surpass the mid-130s even if I would start to push the pace. It made me wonder if I wasn’t really trying despite huffing and puffing. My Garmin thought almost every run was a low aerobic run unless I deliberately Sprinted. Of course HR zones are somewhat arbitrary, but I really think there’s something to this. To my surprise, my HR climbed to 180 (!!) when I was pushing it during the tempo intervals today. It was kinda scary not because I felt bad but rather since I’m just not used to seeing that. I’m out of shape compared to where I was a couple years ago, so I think that HR spike during a tempo is not unreasonable. Still, I then slowed down a bit for most of the run, and my HR hung out in the 150s. Feels way better than dragging energy-wise with a lower HR. When I’ve had bad hypo spells, my HR would even be stuck in the 70s or so while vigorously walking around outside… a bit scary, to be honest. As I became less and less fit. I began to think something was wrong with my watch, but no, I think it’s my metabolism 
Even when I was taking the levo I thought this, but now I am certain that having low thyroid hormones has ruined much of my twenties physically and mentally; I strongly suspect it is the culprit for my endometriosis. I both love and hate having these I-was-right-all-along kinds of moments.
I’m a little afraid I’ll end up feeling hyper soon or going backwards before like I did on the T4 only, but in any case the signs are pretty clear: dramatically less fatigue and fewer post-op pelvic symptoms, not feeling like I need to sleep 9.5 hours, my hair looking better than it has in years, and honestly just feeling happier? The holidays depress me a lot, but honestly I’m feeling the best emotionally this time of year in ages.
Despite all the misery that 2025 has brought, I’m so motivated now. Surely it will take time as well as ups and downs to get things right, but I think I’m going to have a major glow up in 2026.
11 Likes
this was great to read
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Fantastic! I hope things keep moving forward for you. 
2 Likes
I am SUPER late with this but CONGRATULATIONS, Doc!!! This is so awesome! Sending a BIG hug!
1 Like
12/22
Pure Bodybuilding W5D4
Seated leg curl; 70x10,11,12
Leg press 110x13; 120x2x10
Paused DB RDL 100x8,7
Paused goblet squat 35x2x10
Got discharged from PT today 
my therapist is confident in me, especially after reassessing my pelvic function for the first time in over two months. There was only the slightest tension on my right side, the absolate minimum I’ve ever felt since about a year ago. It was able to stretch almost just as much as the muscles on the left "good’ side. Pretty damn close to normal. It was nice to work with my therapist, so I got her a gift card. We’re also the same age, which is both weird and cool. Pelvic floor exercises will definitely still be part of my life, but thanks to the surgery, PT, IUD, and (perhaps) the thyroid meds, I don’t need to think about all this so much anymore. I don’t want to jinx things and say that I “beat” endometriosis, but I guess it’s something like that. Crazy how quickly that nasty disease can progress. I truly do not wish it on anyone (okay, maybe a select few).
12/23
AM
Pure Bodybuilding W5D5
Pull-ups 6,7
Incline DB curl 30x3x11
Leg extensions 60x10,11,10
HLR 11,10,10
Cable y-raise 0x21,19,16; 6x8
DB BSS 30x10,12; 20x13
PM
Sprint session… covered a total of 7 km in 40:41.
12/24
Walked (and jogged a little) 3.5 miles at 10.4% incline in 56:04
Oof, today my abs are so sore from the sprints. It shocked me that I had energy to even do that last night, and I again thank the thyroid meds. I had two big crashes with chills and bradycardia on the 22nd and the 23rd, which can probably be attributed to the T3 and just recovering from how I’ve felt before. It seems to be getting better though. I’m still optimistic.
Only bad thing is I’m very tired… since starting Armour I have slept < 7 h per night, and it’s catching up to me. The tiredness feels different though. Despite craving sleep, I still have energy to do things. And I’m able to (somewhat) cope with more drama because my life said 2025 isn’t over yet and decided that I should deal in the remaining days with a colleague/collaborator I’ve known for years but who now decided to admit he’s infatuated with me and escalate the situation within less than a week… at least now I know from this year that there are worse problems to have I do really need to get some sleep though.
I’ve rambled in my log this year probably far more than I have in all the other years since joining combined. It’s been enjoyable sometimes and at others therapeutic, I guess. I hope readers have been thoroughly entertained 
12 Likes
Congratulations on numerous fronts!
Great way to close out a year, sounds like.
1 Like
Merry Christmas! 
2 Likes
12/25
Pure Bodybuilding W6D1
Walked 1.4 miles at 10.5% incline in 22:30
Pull-ups 11,7,7
Low incline DB bench 60x10,8,8
SA DB row 55x10,10,11
Cable y-raise 0x18,17,16(8,8 myo-reps)
Cable OH tricep extension 22x16,12,12; 18x7; 14x10
12/26
Pure Bodybuilding W6D2
Walked 1 mile at 9.3% incline in 16:09
Leg curl 80x8,7,8
Cable abductor 14x15,16,15
Front squat 95x2x6
Leg extensions 60x3x9
I started to feel really spacey while in the gym, so I modified the front squats a bit. Turns out it was just PMS because I ended up getting my first “real” period with my IUD. Ugh, I hate it not even because of the bleeding (it’s significantly lighter now), but I still get these symptoms that worsened in the past year or so (dizziness, brain fog, worse bradycardia that last for 1–2 days). It hasn’t been that long yet, but I’m hoping I lose my period on it and/or these symptoms dissipate as my body gets more used to it.
12/27
Ran 14 km in 1:16:58
I got new shoes, so of course I had to try them out. So great, feels like I have endless endurance.
12/28
Pure Bodybuilding W6D3
Walked 2 miles at 10% incline in 32:54
DB press 50x8,8,7; 40x6; 30x7
Pull-ups 10,7,8
Cable row 80x12,11,12
Zottman curl 30x12,11,11
Super ROM DB lateral raise 14x11,11,9
Reverse cable fly 3xmechanical dropsets
Then I went for a long walk outside. We’re having weird weather that reminds me how depressing climate change is, but on the bright side I was able to wear shorts and a t-shirt without feeling cold. I slept for 10 hours last night and no longer feel dizzy or foggy today.
8 Likes
12/29
Pure Bodybuilding W6D4
Walked 2 miles at 11.5% incline in 32:36
Seated leg curl 70x12,11,11
Leg press 120x10,12,13
Paused DB RDL 100x8,7
DB BSS 40x3x10
Cable adductor 10x16,15,14
Walked 1 mile at 10.9% incline in 19:47
Some ab wheel rollouts
I barely slept, yet I felt pretty great for this whole workout. I feel like I am finally able to lean out a bit, too.
7 Likes
You seem to be getting to a better place. I’m so glad to see it.
2 Likes
Thank you! Just kicking myself for not exploring this, like, 8 years ago…
3 Likes
Felt the same way with my hysterectomy. Could have saved myself years of discomfort and probably had a much easier surgery had I not waited. But the important thing is that you did it and things are looking up now!
2 Likes
You weren’t ready then. You are now.
1 Like
I’m inclined to agree with you.
12/30
12/31
Sprint session. Covered 6.15 km in 34:47
1/1
Walked 2 miles at 10.4% incline in 32:41
1/2
Pure Bodybuilding W7D1
Low incline DB press 60x9,9,8
Pull-ups 8,7,7
Incline chest-supported DB row 40x11,12,12
Cable behind-the-back lateral raise 0x3x16
Dual-cable triceps press 10x12,11,10
1/3
Pure Bodybuilding W7D2
BB reverse lunge 65x2x7. Lol
Ran 8.15 km in 45:55
Uhhhh, so I felt Awful again today since I developed one of the worst migraines of my life last night and didn’t manage to sleep it off. It was so bad that I had to take anti-nausea meds… this was followed by chills, brain fog (though this admittedly has gradually increased over several days), derealization, bad bradycardia.
I dunno how I managed to even do the lunges because I was just not present. Then I decided to take another dose of Armour and get some fresh air, and thankfully I’m back to feeling pretty decent again. It’s like clockwork so far: feel like a million bucks for a week after starting new medication/dose, feel okayish for about another week, and then become more hypo than before ever touching a thyroid med. I guess my body is shutting down its own production of hormones and I need to request another dose increase.
10 Likes
Happy cake day!
1 Like