The Beginning With No End in Sight

Starting around fall 2012, I began to experience bouts of vertigo. It usually only happened when I would go to bed and turned over on a certain side. The room would spin violently, the right side of my head would feel weird, and I would grip onto the bed and shut my eyes to prevent myself from feeling sick. At first it only happened a couple of times maybe about six months apart. 

Around this time, my second ex-husband and I had started to start drifting apart. I don't know if it was the stress from trying to deal with the situation, but I started not to feel well. I was eating less, feeling more tired than I had been in YEARS since getting Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, and bruising more easily than I normally do. I would be full after five minutes of eating, then my stomach and chest would hurt from the full feeling. I think this is what caused me to start eating less. My heartbeats were becoming more irregular. It is normal to get skipped beats here and there, but I was feeling then more often, and it really got to me. 

In February or March of 2013, I ended up getting sick, felt fullness in my left ear(which has kind of been there for a year or so), then my ear began to ring and hasn't stopped sense. It was driving me nuts! I ended up finally confronting my ex-husband about our situation and asked if he wanted a divorce. He said that he did. I couldn't understand how it got to that point, but then I put two and two together, and discovered that he had been cheating on me for months. I think even though our marriage was not going well the last couple of years, there are better ways to handle it than cheat. I do take my share of the blame in the destruction of the marriage as I just didn't want anything to do with him the last two years. I think that came from a combination of being sick with my thyroid issues and partly how he was towards me. Even if I wasn't getting what I wanted or needed from the marriage, I didn't do what he did. I do need to write about the experience at some point to help me. But I digress.

Spring 2013 brought on major allergies for me, and the vertigo started again. This time it wasn't just from lying down, it also happened to me standing up. I was at Walmart shopping for a few food items and such, when all of a sudden, I was hit with major post-nasal drip. My nose would not stop running. I had already felt a little dizzy, akin to rocking-on-a-boat feeling, and I knew I had to hurry up and get out of there or I wouldn't be able to drive home. Once I got home, I leaned over to put something down, and the room started spinning even worse than usual. This was the first time I almost fell from the vertigo. I tried just sitting down, but keeping my eyes open, and seeing the room spinning so fast, started to make me feel sick. I had to shut my eyes, because it's one of the only things you can do to make yourself feel better. It took me a bit longer to recover from that bout. 

I ended up going to the doctor, and even though I only felt things in my left ear, the doctor said that I had fluid in the ear...mostly in the right one. I was still getting dizzy after that and got the same thing from another doctor. My regular doctor, at the time, scheduled an MRI of my brain and left inner ear,  and hearing test. The MRI came back negative, but the hearing test showed high frequency hearing loss. I didn't get a hearing aid at the time.

Here I am, two years later, and I still get bouts of dizziness. The vertigo has only happened maybe once or twice, but only when lying down. I have had MRIs, bloodwork, x-rays, ultrasounds, etc., but no one can find anything to cause my dizziness other than thinking it's either Meniere's Disease or cervical stenosis. This week I've had the dizziness. I am grateful for the times that it goes way, and really hate when it comes back. I can't focus as well as I would like, and I pretty much become useless, because I don't like the feeling when I stand up.

One thing that was discovered in all these testings. outside of the hearing loss and cervical stenosis, was my low vitamin D levels. This can happen to people who have thyroid disease. My level was at 5ng. The cardiologist, that I saw for the irregular heartbeats, said that he wasn't surprised that I wasn't feeling well, and started me on vitamin D therapy to see if it would help. At this time, because I felt so crappy after taking thyroid medication, I started to not taking them regularly. I'm sure this didn't help. I have more to say on this, but I will save it for another time.

Wow....It's Been Three Years Since I Last Posted.

I can't believe it's been three years since I last posted to this blog. So much has happened since including having thyroid surgery. I want to start this blog back up, because I think it will help me deal with some of the things I have been feeling especially since the surgery. Maybe it will help others, too, I don't know.  

Womenshealth.gov Hashimoto's Disease Facts

Most of those who know me, know that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I thought I would share these facts that

put out in regards to Hashimoto's Disease.

What is Hashimoto's disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It also is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (theye-royd-EYET-uhss). The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4 that regulate how the body uses energy. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by the pituitary, which is a pea-sized gland in the brain. It makes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers the thyroid to make thyroid hormone.

With Hashimoto’s disease, the immune system makes antibodies that damage thyroid cells and interfere with their ability to make thyroid hormone. Over time, thyroid damage can cause thyroid hormone levels to be too low. This is called an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism (heye-poh-THEYE-royd-ism). An underactive thyroid causes every function of the body to slow down, such as heart rate, brain function, and the rate your body turns food into energy. Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. It is closely related to Graves’ disease, another autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid.

What are the symptoms of Hashimoto's disease?

Many people with Hashimoto’s disease have no symptoms for years. An enlarged thyroid, called a goiter, is often the first sign of disease. The goiter may cause the front of the neck to look swollen. You or your doctor may notice the goiter. If large, it may cause a feeling of fullness in the throat or make it hard to swallow. It rarely causes pain.

Many people with Hashimoto’s disease develop an underactive thyroid. They may have mild or no symptoms at first. But symptoms tend to worsen over time. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:

• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Pale, puffy face
• Feeling cold
• Joint and muscle pain
• Constipation
• Dry, thinning hair
• Heavy menstrual flow or irregular periods
• Depression
• A slowed heart rate
• Problems getting pregnant

Who gets Hashimoto’s disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is about 7 times more common in women than in men. It can occur in teens and young women, but more commonly shows up in middle age. People who get Hashimoto’s disease often have family members who have thyroid or other autoimmune diseases. People who get Hashimoto’s disease sometimes have other autoimmune diseases, such as:

• Vitiligo (vit-ihl-EYE-goh) — a disease that destroys the cells that give your skin its color
• Rheumatoid arthritis — a disease that affects the lining of the joints throughout the body
• Addison’s disease — a disease that affects the adrenal glands, which make hormones that help your body respond to stress and regulate your blood pressure and water and salt balance
• Type 1 diabetes — a disease that causes blood sugar levels to be too high
• Graves’ disease — a disease that causes the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone
• Pernicious (pur-NISH-uhss) anemia — a disease that keeps your body from absorbing vitamin B12 and making enough healthy red blood cells
• Lupus — a disease that can damage many parts of the body, such as the joints, skin, blood vessels, and other organs

What causes Hashimoto’s disease?

Many factors are thought to play a role in getting Hashimoto’s disease. These include:

• Genes. Some people are prone to Hashimoto’s disease because of their genes. Researchers are working to find the gene or genes involved.
• Gender. Sex hormones also might play a role. This may help to explain why Hashimoto’s disease affects more women than men.
• Pregnancy. Pregnancy affects the thyroid. Some women have thyroid problems after having a baby, which usually go away. But about 20 percent of these women develop Hashimoto’s disease in later years. This suggests that pregnancy might trigger thyroid disease in some women.
• Too much iodine and some drugs may trigger the onset of thyroid disease in people prone to getting it.
• Radiation exposure has been shown to bring on autoimmune thyroid disease. This includes radiation from the atomic bomb in Japan, the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, and radiation treatment of Hodgkin’s disease (a type of blood cancer).

How do I find out if I have Hashimoto’s disease?

If you have symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease, your doctor will do an exam and order one or more tests. Sometimes, routine screening of thyroid function reveals a mildly underactive thyroid in a person with no symptoms. Tests used to find out if you have Hashimoto’s disease include:

• Thyroid function tests. A blood test is sent to a lab to see if your body has the right amount of TSH and thyroid hormone (T4). An above normal level of TSH is a sign of an underactive thyroid. When the thyroid begins to fail, the pituitary makes more TSH so as to trigger the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone. For a while, the thyroid can keep up, and the blood test will show slightly higher TSH levels with normal T4 levels. This is called subclinical hypothyroidism. But over time, the damaged thyroid cannot keep up, and T4 levels will drop below normal while TSH levels are high.
• Antibody test. A blood sample is sent to a lab to look for antibodies that suggest Hashimoto’s disease. Most people with Hashimoto’s disease will have specific antibodies that people with other causes of an underactive thyroid do not have. Some people have the antibodies seen with Hashimoto’s disease, but have normal thyroid function. Having only the antibodies does not cause any symptoms.

Hashimoto’s disease can be harder to diagnose during pregnancy. For one, Hashimoto’s disease has many of the same symptoms as normal pregnancy, such as fatigue and weight gain. Yet untreated underactive thyroid during pregnancy may affect the baby’s growth and brain development. So make sure to tell your doctor if you have symptoms of thyroid problems.

How is Hashimoto’s disease treated?

Hashimoto’s disease responds well to treatment. It is treated with a single daily tablet of levothyroxine (lee-voh-thye-ROKS-een). This is a manmade form of T4 thyroid hormone. It also is called thyroid replacement therapy because it restores back to normal the T4 that the damaged thyroid can no longer make. It almost always needs to be taken for the rest of a person’s life and in the same manner each day.

Thyroid replacement medication comes in different amounts. The exact dose depends on:

• Age
• Weight
• Severity of the underactive thyroid, if present
• Other health problems
• Use of other medicines that can interact with levothyroxine

When you start treatment, you will need a follow-up TSH test so your doctor can fine-tune your dose. Thyroid hormone acts very slowly in the body, so it can take several months after the start of treatment for symptoms to go away and goiter to shrink. If the dose is too strong, thyroid hormone levels will become too high. This is called hyperthyroidism. Too much thyroid hormone can cause heart problems and bone loss. So finding the right dose is important.

Once the TSH level is normal, your doctor will need to see you less often. Most people have a thyroid checkup and TSH test once a year. Usually, the same treatment dose works for a long time and often does not need to be adjusted until a person’s 70s or 80s. Yet, the dose may need to be changed in some cases, such as with pregnancy, heart disease, or if using menopausal hormone therapy.

Whether to treat a mildly underactive thyroid without symptoms is an area of debate. Hashimoto’s disease is the cause in most cases. Many doctors feel that treatment can help these patients. Treatment will keep symptoms from starting. Also, some studies have shown that a mildly underactive thyroid can increase the risk of other health problems, including heart disease. We don’t know yet if treating a mildly underactive thyroid will lower these risks. But some studies have shown thyroid hormone treatment might protect against heart disease. If a screening test reveals you have a mildly underactive thyroid without symptoms, talk to your doctor about your options.

What would happen if Hashimoto’s disease is not treated?

Without treatment, Hashimoto’s disease may progress and symptoms of an underactive thyroid can get worse. An untreated underactive thyroid can cause further problems, including:

• Infertility
• Miscarriage
• Giving birth to a baby with birth defects
• High cholesterol

Severe underactive thyroid called myxedema (mik-suh-DEE-muh) can very rarely lead to:

• Heart failure
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

Does pregnancy affect the thyroid?

Normal hormone changes during pregnancy cause thyroid hormone levels to increase. The thyroid may enlarge slightly in healthy women during pregnancy, but not enough to be felt. These changes do not affect the pregnancy or unborn baby. Yet, untreated thyroid problems can threaten pregnancy and the growing baby. Symptoms of normal pregnancy, like fatigue, can make it easy to overlook thyroid problems in pregnancy. So if you have symptoms of an underactive thyroid or notice a goiter, make sure to tell your doctor.

Thyroid hormone is vital during pregnancy. The unborn baby’s brain and nervous system need thyroid hormone to develop. During the first trimester, the baby depends on the mother’s supply of thyroid hormone. At 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s thyroid begins to work on its own. But the baby still depends on the mother for iodine, which the thyroid uses to make thyroid hormone. Pregnant women need about 250 micrograms (mcg) of iodine a day. Some women might not get all the iodine they need through the foods they eat or prenatal vitamins. Choosing iodized salt — salt that has had iodine added to it — over plain table salt is one way to ensure you get enough iodine. Also, prenatal vitamins that contain iodine are recommended.

Some women develop thyroid problems in the first year after giving birth. This is called postpartum thyroiditis (theye-royd-EYET-uhss). It often begins with symptoms of an overactive thyroid, which last 2 to 4 months. Mild symptoms might be overlooked. Most women then develop symptoms of an underactive thyroid, which can last up to a year. An underactive thyroid needs to be treated. In most cases, thyroid function returns to normal as the thyroid heals.

Do I need a thyroid test if I become pregnant?

Experts have not reached agreement on whether all pregnant women should be routinely screened for thyroid problems. But, if an underactive thyroid with or without symptoms is found during pregnancy, your doctor will treat you to lower your risk of pregnancy problems. An underactive thyroid without symptoms occurs in 2 to 3 in every 100 pregnancies. If you want to become or are newly pregnant, talk to your doctor about thyroid screening.

I have Hashimoto’s disease and want to have a baby. What should I do before I try to get pregnant?

Women being treated for Hashimoto’s disease can become pregnant. But make sure your pregnancy is planned. Thyroid function must be well-controlled before you get pregnant.

Untreated or poorly treated underactive thyroid can lead to problems for the mother, such as:

• Preeclampsia (pree-ee-CLAMP-see-uh)
• Anemia
• Miscarriage
• Placental abruption
• Postpartum bleeding

It also can cause serious problems for the baby, such as:

• Preterm birth
• Low birth weight
• Stillbirth
• Birth defects
• Thyroid problems

Talk to your doctor about how to prepare for pregnancy or about birth control if you do not want to become pregnant.

How is Hashimoto’s disease treated during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, you may need to see both your OB/GYN and an endocrinologist (en-doh-krih-NOL-uh-jist), a doctor who treats people with hormone problems. Levothyroxine is safe to use during pregnancy and necessary for the health of the baby. Women with Hashimoto’s disease or an underactive thyroid who are taking levothyroxine before pregnancy may need a higher dose to maintain normal thyroid function. Thyroid function should be checked every 6 to 8 weeks during pregnancy. After you have your baby, you will likely go back to your pre-pregnancy dose.

Can I breastfeed if I am using thyroid replacement therapy?

Levothyroxine does pass through breast milk. But it is not likely to cause problems for the baby. Also, you may not be able to make breast milk if your thyroid is underactive. Your doctor can help you decide what is best for you and your baby.

For more information

For more information about Hashimoto’s diseases, call womenshealth.gov at 800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:

Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, NIDDK, NIH, DHHS
Phone: 888-828-0904
Internet Address: http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
Phone: 586-776-3900; Toll-Free: 800-598-4668 (for literature requests)
Internet Address: http://www.aarda.org

American Thyroid Association
Phone: 800-THYROID (849-7643)
Internet address: http://www.thyroid.org

The Hormone Foundation
Phone: 800-HORMONE (467-6663)
Internet address: http://www.hormone.org

New York Thyroid Center
Phone: 800-543-2782; 212-305-0442
Internet Address: http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid

Reviewed by:

David S. Cooper, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

***This was taken from Womenshealth.gov. included is the original copyright disclaimer from the website page: "All material contained in this FAQ is free of copyright restrictions, and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated."***

Alli-Can it Affect Your Thyroid?

Awhile back, when Alli was getting ready to be released, I had mentioned that I had asked my ob/gyn if it would be safe to take with my thyroid condition. She had told me that it was also known as Orlistat, and was a fat blocker, that I needed to be able to deal with the possibility of oily stools that could come out on it's own. She also said that it would be safe. I never did try it, simply because I wasn't sure about the whole 'oily stool' thing.

Maybe it's a good thing, because the FDA just approved a warning label that is to be put on Alli and Xenical stating that it can decrease levothyroxine absorption and cause increased hypothyroidism. This is not to say that you can't safely take Alli if you are hypothyroid to help lose weight, but to say that those on thyroid medication should be careful. It is advised that Alli be taken four hours apart from thyroid medication, and that thyroid levels should be monitored to make sure that the medications don't need adjusting.

Brrrr....It's Cold in Here

I started off with a stomach bug, and got runny nose, congestion, etc., to boot! I think I'm on day five of this whole ordeal. The last two or three nights I had my freezing moments...teeth-chattering kind. The first time was due to a slight fever, the last two was due to a drop in body temperature. One was 97.4, and last night was 97.1 which is the lowest I've been in awhile. It felt like I was out in some freezing cold snowy place. I don't like freezing cold snowy places. lol

Guess it's good to laugh about it. I don't want to be serious all the time in regards to my thyroid disease, because it's something that I live with everyday. I am SERIOUS about it when I need to get my TSH regulated, finding a doctor who knows more than the basic medical school crap and actually LISTENS. It's proven difficult so far as I have changed primary physicians about five times in the last four years. But, I digress.

These low temps are why many people with hypothyroidism are cold when no one else is. You can read about my little basal temperature experiment here. If you have Hashimoto's/hypothyroidism, and you take the basal temperature experiment, let me know your results. It will be interesting to see how many are or aren't like me in regards to the temps and overall wellness.

Top Ten Thyroid Symptoms Explained

As I mentioned in the previous post, I wanted to expand on the symptoms that signal thyroid disease and my own personal experience in regards to these symptoms. I want to mention that some people may get one or two symptoms. There are those who get a little more. Then there is someone like me who gets a whole slew of them even ones not included in the list. I will address the first five. I will address the last five in my next post.

The first symptom we'll talk about is fatigue. This is a common one, and a lot of times it can be due to lack of sleep, however, those with a thyroid condition don't necessarily have a lack of sleep. They, in fact, can have eight to ten hours of sleep, but still feel like they need more. Some need a nap to get through the day. It is also possible to be hyperthyroid (I'll delve into that at some point in another post) as well as hypothyroid which causes sleep problems.

This was one of the first symptoms to strike me. I was tired all the time. I was working at the time this symptom appeared. I would always complain that I was so tired. My coworkers thought that I was just having 'extracurricular' activities. NO, that wasn't it. I would get plenty of sleep, but I could barely keep awake. Until I was put on medication, I felt almost comatose at times. I was happy that I never fell asleep at the wheel which I felt like doing a LOT. I actually became a bit hyperthyroid, too, and now I'm up until 3 AM some nights. I don't require a nap as much now. I'll get into the reason for that later.

Weight Changes-Those with thyroid disease suddenly gain an excess amount of weight without eating, eating very little, and regardless of exercise (Hypo). Some may eat the same or more, but lose a lot of weight (Hyper).

This was another prevalent symptom for me. I was gaining weight so rapidly and hadn't changed my diet in the slightest. When my ex-husband and I used to work out at the gym everyday, I only lost ONE pound in a month whereas he had lost a few. It's funny how a lot of people who didn't really know my situation, and still don't, said that I would lose weight if only I didn't eat a lot. They never saw me eat. If they did, they would see I ate maybe one, two at the most, meals a day. My current husband used to comment how I would eat like a bird just pecking at things. I get full within five minutes of eating. Then I turn around and get hungry again a few hours later. Though I have the hunger, I don't feel in the mood to eat.

Depression and Anxiety: Depression that doesn't respond to antidepressants can be a sign of thyroid answer.
In my case, I went between being very down, to feeling anxiety about life, to being easily irritated, and back again. The moods changed from day to day. I was going through a separation at the time when I was given a prescription for Zoloft. I knew that depression wasn't the problem. I never got that prescription filled. I'm glad I didn't. I still have my days, but it's much better than before when I hadn't gotten the right diagnosis.

Cholesterol Issues: thyroid disease can cause increase in cholesterol. If it doesn't respond to dieting, medications, exercise, etc., it could indicate a thyroid problem.

I never really had an issue with these, but like I said, symptoms vary from one person to another.

Family History: From the research I did for a paper in my college health class, it was said that they weren't sure if it was genetic. I believe it's more likely to have a thyroid problem if there is a family history.

As far as I know, no one in my family has had a thyroid issue. I have several relatives that I don't know or who have passed long ago that I know no medical history of. I do know I'm the first in my immediate family.

(to be continued...)

My Thyroid Story Part 1

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a thyroid disorder. This happens when the thyroid does not produce sufficient thyroid hormone for the body. The thyroid is responsible for a lot of things. It helps to regulate our bodies and controls metabolism. It affects millions of people, a majority of them being women, and most don’t know they have it. I was one of those people for about four or five years before finally being diagnosed in 2003.

Hypothyroidism usually goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. This can be attributed to a lot of factors. One is different labs can have different ranges. The American Thyroid Association has suggested that labs lower the TSH ranges to .3-3.0 which would mean that far more people would be diagnosed with a thyroid disease. Even with the suggested change, some labs still have the TSH range of .5-5.0. This is where the problem begins.

Some of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid include fatigue, mental fog, depression, increased menstrual flow, dry hair, brittle nails, feeling cold when no one else does, unexplained weight gain, and a few others. Here’s how the problem starts, because a lot of these symptoms are also symptoms of other diseases.

For me, I suffered all these symptoms and more. I was in a myxedema coma, though I was never thought to be in one or to be suffering from any thyroid disorder, because my TSH levels were in the ‘normal’ range. With myxedema coma, you don’t necessarily slip into a coma, but I will get more into that at a later date.

One of my first signs was the inability to swallow. Every time I would eat, I would struggle to swallow. It felt like if I didn’t chew enough or cut the food into small enough pieces, I would choke. The choking sensation didn’t stop there. I would get these feeling at night and would be awakened, coughing, by it. I was also quite fatigued. I was forgetting bits of conversations, where I placed things, etc.

I had separated from my ex-husband in 2002, and I had already been living with all these symptoms about three or four years by this point. I was told that perhaps it was due to depression and was given a prescription for Zoloft. I never filled that prescription, because I KNEW that wasn’t it. I wasn’t feeling like myself.

Of course, you will have those who say you are a hypochondriac, or the weight gain you’ve incurred would be solved if only you didn’t eat so much. This isn’t limited to your friends and family, some doctors say these things.

Luckily for me, the doctor who gave me the prescription for the Zoloft suggested that I go back and have my thyroid checked in a couple of weeks. When I was ready to do that, they no longer took my insurance. I was dealing with a PPO at the time, so it was easy just to book an appointment with an endocrinologist.

At the first appointment, he examined my neck, asked about my symptoms, then had me start on a low dosage of thyroid medication until the extensive thyroid labs he had done, came back. The second appointment was the one that changed things for me. FINALLY! I had a diagnosis: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is named after the doctor who discovered it. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disorder. The body treats the thyroid like it’s a foreign object. The immune system attacks the thyroid in response, thereby causing the thyroid to produce little to no hormone.

My doctor told me that I would need to be on thyroid medication for the rest of my life. He then increased it, and I started to feel better. But that feeling didn’t last long.

Thyroid Info Week #3 Video #3

I will be away from Blogland for a few days so I will have to do part two to Where are your beside manners? when I get back. In the meantime, here's another video. This is the FIRST doctor I've ever heard admit that most doctors only know what they've learned in medical school when it comes to thyroid.



He has a book available that sounds interesting. The video may be a little hard to get through, but there are some great points. So bear with it.

Thyroid Info Week #2, Video #2

I would get so frustrated when people would tell me that I wouldn't gain weight if I didn't eat so much. But if anyone knows anything about thyroid disease, those who are hypothyroid actually eat very little and get full fast. No matter how much I explained it, it just didn't matter. Like I've mentioned before, I have to work twice as hard to lose weight as those with a normal thyroid. Here's a little more about hypothyroidism and weight gain:

A Song About Hashimoto's....Check It Out! LOL

One of my favorite sites that I visit and also receive newsletters from is thyroid.about.com. It is a very informative site in regards to thyroid disease. The newsletter is written by Mary Shomon. She is a patient advocate and suffers from thyroid disease herself. In one of the newsletters I received to day it mentioned this: (You can find the full article here)

"Dallas, Texas endo Dr. David Feinstein, and his friend/colleague, Canadian family physician and stress management expert Dr. Mel Borins, believe that there's a place for humor in medicine. And now, thanks to them, thyroid patients can enjoy a truly hilarious song: "Ode to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis," written and performed brilliantly by Dr. Borins. I don't want to spoil the surprise of the lyrics -- it's really funny, and if you have ever been hypothyroid, you will totally relate to this song!"

You can find the song here. Take a listen. It's really rather funny and highly accurate! LOL

Another Lab Report

This is an actual graph of my last five TSH values. One neat thing that Kaiser has on their website if you are a member.

Just got the results of my current TSH lab. I'm now at a value of .2 with the normal ranges being .2-5.5. Of course I will be told that I am in the 'normal' range and nothing should be done with my medication. I think that they would be right in regards to the medication. It's probably more of the way I've been taking them.

In theory, you should take your thyroid meds the same way at the same time everyday. In reality, my brain fog kind of hinders my ability to 'remember' to take these meds, so I'm taking at different times and sometimes close together. I'm going to try and make more of an effort to take them at the same time everyday even if it means hearing an alarm go off on my phone 3x a day.

What I do know is that, if I'm in the higher range values and in the lower range values, I don't feel well. There were days when I was in the higher range where I felt almost comatose. I would want to just close my eyes while driving, and that's not good. The lower range seems to bring on the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (when there's too much thyroid production-overactive). Hence, the reason I'm losing LOTS of hair right now. But then again, on the higher end I lose hair as well.

It is totally possible to have hypothyroid and be hyperthyroid as well. Another lovely symptom on the hyper end is being hungry all the time. Now you know that I'm struggling like crazy to lose weight, and I'm sure this can't be helping. I will say that I've been decent in my eating habits for the most part. But, being on the hyper end has been making crave a lot of junk. Did I succumb to some of those cravings? Unfortunately, yes. I know now why I'm having those cravings, so I know that I need to be at around 1.0 to feel my best. Anything over or under, my body just wants to give me a hard time.

Here's an interesting fact, those who don't have any thyroid problems usually have a TSH level of 1.3. There are many who have over that, but because it's considered normal, they're not giving the extensive testing. Millions have thyroid disease and never know it. Some, like myself for the first four years or so of my disease, get dismissed, un/misdiagnosed. If you feel the symptoms of thyroid disease then MAKE your doctor give you the right tests. If he/she's not willing to do it, then it's time for another doctor.

I'm grateful that I finally was able to get Cytomel. I had to ask for it, but it's made all the difference in the world. My very first TSH test after arriving in California was 3.9 then it went to 4.5, 4.2. Luckily, I had changed doctors in the Kaiser system who actually would change my meds to help me feel better and stabilize. I did eventually see an Endocrinologist who I had to ask the Cytomel for. Like I said, I'm going to try taking my meds different so they're not lumped so close together, and I'm not getting too much thyroid hormone. In these eight plus years I still have not had my TSH levels stable out. All trial and error I suppose. I know my body better than anyone else.