December 3, 2008

Just call me carrot girl

Back from the doctor’s, and hurray! I am neither pregnant nor dying. My bloodwork was almost all back – there were a few things that weren’t quite ready, but she said they were extremely rare and she doubted they would come back positive, but she’d call me if they did. Anyway, I’m negative for just about everything, with the exception of some silly stuff. For example, mono came up, but there are a few different levels they test, and the old level came up showing that I had mono when I was younger, but the current level shows I’m fine now.

However, she did find what we think is the problem: my beta carotene level is through the roof, and apparently high levels of beta carotene can cause fatigue. I don’t mean just a little bit high – I mean the normal range is 4-30 mcg/dL, and my level is 114.3! For the next two weeks, I’m supposed to stop taking my multivitamin (I checked it and it’s actually a perfectly reasonable level), and also avoid foods high in Vitamin A. This means no asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, milk, liver, peaches, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, squash, or sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, most of my favorite winter veggies are included in that list! Of course I’ve been overdosing – that’s like my entire diet right there. After two weeks of the beta carotene detox, I can start reintroducing those foods gradually at least, but no more Vitamin A binges like I’ve apparently been having.

All I’m saying is you try to do good for your body… and what does it get you?! No fair. At least there’s a simple solution…

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20 thoughts on “Just call me carrot girl”

  1. Holy cow Carrot girl !!! Unbelievable… at least you should be able to pass the eye exam. You might be able to read the last line during the eye exam. I am glad that they have detect this and this should solve your fatigue issue.

  2. My mom likes to tell the story of when I was little, the only baby food I would eat was carrots, and so that’s what they fed me – for every meal. And then I turned orange & started sleeping a LOT – even for a small child. The solution? Varied diet.

    At least you didn’t turn orange.

  3. Wow. This morning the boyfriend was telling me I should go see a doctor because I’ve been so tired for so long (and I had a naseau/vomit/pass out incident over Thanksgiving…) and then I read this! I eat TONS of those foods and take a vitamin. You might have just saved me a trip!

  4. Wow. Vitamin A/beta carotene… really? that’s unique. 🙂 To think you might think it was running marathons every other weekend, but no… 🙂

    See, it’s the plants trying to kill us I tell you!

  5. Wow who knew???

    Mega dosing on carrots could make you tired?? Crazy stuff right there!!

    Hey are you planning on running the Manhattan Half Marathon on January 25th or your strictly a marathon girlie???

  6. Wow! I didn’t know all of those food were high in Vit A. I too, am a lover of most foods on that list. I also didn’t know that Vit A can make one fatigued. Good to know.

    I really should get a physical, have all the blood work done and see how I come out. At the moment, probably not so good…I’ve gained about 10 lbs over the last year.

  7. If you are on a good veggie diet there is no need to take multi vits. Your doc got it wrong, you should continue with natural foods, which the body can deal with ok. It’s the tablets which are the problem. Sostop those and eat well.

    Read more in the World Carrot Museum.

  8. That is very interesting. I wonder if all of your running makes it better or worse? Meaning, if you weren’t running marathons, would you be even MORE lathargic?

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