VelvetFreak's Investing Adventures

badmemory

In Australia can you go to see a consultant privately?  You appear to be swinging violently from one extreme thyroid problem to the other.  Obviously I am not giving medical advice, but if your GP isn't helping it doesn't mean you can't do anything.  Your health is priceless.

VelvetFreak

@badmemory I have the referral to the Endocrinologist. It's not that my GP isn't helping, I just don't think they have the expertise to help me fully in the way that is needed. Fingers crossed I don't have to wait too long to get an appointment with the Endo. I will be seeing the Endo privately but still have to wait my turn. 

Cherryfudge

I don't know if this is at all relevant but someone I know has an underactive thyroid but an overactive adrenal gland which masks some of her symptoms. Could there be another factor involved in yours? I appreciate it's seesawing violently which must be worrying, but adjusting your dosage, while probably essential, also means they may not be looking further afield to see what else could be going on. Hopefully the Endocrinologist will sort that out.

Re the doctor: it's not an experience I've had, though individuals vary. I'd suggest you get a notebook just for medical stuff: journal things like increased heartbeat and its circumstances, changes in medication, energy levels, unplanned weight changes, mood... all those thyroid-possibly-related things. Then at the back of the book have a list for when you go to the doctor and check off the items. If you've got a few things on the list, book a double appointment.

Hope you have a better day today.

VelvetFreak

@Cherryfudge I don't doubt at all that there isn't something more going on! I can't put my finger on exactly what it is but I can just feel it. I have for a long time suspected that I will one day get diagnosed with diabetes as my grandmother and uncle both have it. My whole life I have felt up and down glycemic-wise and out of control with sugar cravings and just can't seem to regulate myself. But that is also a symptom of the hyperthyroidism so maybe it's just that. It's all auto-immune related so who knows 🤷‍♀️. 

Anyway, I could not get an appointment with the Endocrinologist until May next year! And this is the one who had the earliest available appointment! I'm having a think about what to do. I took the Endo appointment and I think I will go back to a previous doctor who I liked more, even though she's a bit more difficult to get appointments with, I found her a lot more caring. I feel that I need to be a bit more educated on my condition and be an advocate for myself and push harder to get help. I certainly won't let anyone take me off the meds cold turkey again.

I felt a bit strange at work yesterday but couldn't go home as had some clients coming in to sign some documents and they ended up being super late. So I took it easy for most of the day and the strange feeling eventually passed. I don't feel too bad this morning all things considered. I put myself to bed early last night but could not get to sleep for a long time, and then the cat woke me up before 7. She was meowing her head off and then when I didn't react fast enough for her liking she knocked all the water bottles off the kitchen counter 😂. 

In other news - my exam results came through yesterday and I got 37.5 out of 60. Not a great mark but I knew that was coming. Overall I got 78.25% for the subject which I am quite happy with considering it was my first foray into postgraduate study and I found it really hard and had all the health issues along the way. 

I have only one week of work left until 3 weeks of christmas holidays! Must say that I am getting very excited to see the back of 2021. What a weird year it has been. Excited for a fresh start in 2022!






 

badmemory

Have you tried looking in a proper medical text book?  Not as easy as it used to be I know.  That is how I confirmed what was wrong with me before I got the blood results back.  For something like this I don't find googling much help.

VelvetFreak

Well I've had a quiet and rather boring weekend. The best part was that I have not spent any money 😇. I have not done much at all except scroll the internet, watch Martha Stewart episodes on YT and I did 4 loads of laundry and vacuumed and mopped the floor. 

Am excited to go to work tomorrow so that I can get my last week over and done with!

VelvetFreak

Hello diary! Am happy to report that my last week of work for the year went smoothly and I have enjoyed my first few days of leave On the last day my boss and I spent some time putting newsletters in envelopes and got so bored that we had a real heart to heart chat about all sorts of stuff and he apologised for accusing me of being pregnant when my thyroid symptoms first started. Amusing but irritating nonetheless. There are some changes happening next year with the company structure but my boss has given me some choices and I think it will all work out in my favour anyway so I'm not concerned. I won't type it out in great detail - but my choice is that nothing will change for me and I will keep working for him as an individual rather than joining the "parent company" so to speak. Which will mean I get to keep a good amount of autonomy and authority as I won't get lumped into the "support staff" crew as a whole. I will have a more certain career path rather than having to put up with whatever he others are doing which suits me just fine. 

I spent my first few days off catching up on some housework and getting some rest. Yesterday was my birthday and I turned 28! Happy birthday to me 🥳. I've spent the last two days visiting with my friend and her new baby. I got to hold the baby this time because I've had all my vaccinations for long enough for them to be effective. He is super cute and I'm beginning to understand why people want to have them haha. My friend and I had a nice time traipsing 'round the shops, had lunch and dinner out and then I stayed at her place for the night and we went out again for coffee this morning until it was time for me to go home. Then I drove the two hours back which was a bit exhausting but worth it. 

I came home to an interesting letter in the mail. Actually, I can hardly call it a letter, it was just a payslip from my previous employer (circa 2014) with no real explanation but apparently they owe me $3,300 plus some Superannuation (pension) contributions! 🤯
I tried to call but they'd gone from for the day so will have to try again tomorrow. I've already received the pension money into my account but the rest has gone to a closed bank account so I'll have to get that sorted out. Looks like my attempts at manifesting more money are working! Yay! Such a nice birthday surprise. 

As boring as it is, I think I'll stick the money straight in the offset account is sensible choice seeing as I won't have saved or invested much money in December due to Christmas and needing to let the bank accounts catch up a bit. 

I've currently got $15,275 in the offset so adding the $3,300 will bring it to $18,754. So close to my goal of $20k. And the loan balance is currently $140,570! So close to being under $140k. Yay! 

Wow.. I'm starting to feel like I'm really making some good progress financially. And feeling conflicted around whether to keep money in cash or invest. I think 2022 will be a slow year for economic growth and it all feels a bit uncertain. But it's not like I'm in a position to buy a house anytime soon so might as well invest it. Hmm. 

In smaller money news, I've received dividend of $19.80 from some shares so have rounded up to $30 (minimum transfer) and have put it into the crypto app and invested it in some coin called DUSK mainly because I like the name 😂. I am currently down about 15% on my crytpo account at the moment but oh well, it's just for fun 🤷‍♀️. My theory is that many people have had to withdraw to buy xmas presents and that's why the prices are down. 

Anywho, that's all for tonight. I need to start thinking about my goals for 2022. I have a Dr appt tomorrow to see what's happening with my thyroid levels but I'm feeling fairly good so hopefully no major issues!

Cherryfudge

Belated happy birthday wishes! Wow to the unexpected pay and pension - what great timing!

Just a question if I may re the work choices: is your job going to be less secure working for an individual than for a company? Just thinking if your boss doesn't stick around... However you have such a bundle of experience and qualifications that I expect you wouldn't have too much trouble finding other work!

Great that the thyroid is behaving better for now.

VelvetFreak

Hi @Cherryfudge - re. job security question - there's not much difference either way. The other office are an unstable bunch with never-ending drama and I'd rather stay out of it!

badmemory

I have to apologise for bursting out laughing about your boss thinking you may be pregnant.  Why do men, and it usually is men, assume that any hormonal problems are either pregnancy or menopause & you are hopefully way too young for that (although it does happen).  I do hope the doctor sorts out what is going on, as there obviously is something going on.