The Thyroid Diary - Entry One

In life I believe that everything happens for a reason even the really terrible things that at the time you cannot see any logically reason behind or understand why they had to happen.  I am not saying all things that happen are fair but usually something good comes out of tragedy. I have spent the last six months of my life complaining daily about having an under-active thyroid (which turned out to be a more serious version of the common under-active thyroid).  The thyroid condition had led to me gaining probably 3-4 stone in weight, having no energy, terrible stretch marks, a puffy face, ran down,  bad skin and depression.  It has not been a pleasant six month to say the least and it is even more depressing to know that I still have a long way to go in the process of recovery.  It will take a couple of more months before my medications settle and my body stops uncontrollably gaining weight - with this I hope my mood elevates.  If not you will be seeing a post about depression in a couple of months.  I wish I were joking. 

In case you didn't know where your thyroid glands are this is them highlighted in the green.  I took this at the Natural History Museum in London because I myself had no idea where they were located and before I had this had no idea how much they actually controlled.  The Thyroid gland controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes protein and how sensitive it is to hormones.


Here are the symptoms:

• being sensitive to cold
• weight gain
• constipation
• depression
• tiredness
• slowness in body and mind
• muscle aches and weakness
• muscle cramps
• dry and scaly skin
• brittle hair and nails
• heavy or irregular periods

If a Dr had asked me to go down that list and tick off which symptoms I had it would have been really apparent that I had a thyroid problem.  I was fairly certain I was anaemic again since my bloods for that are borderline and I used to be badly anaemic - I know picture of heath me!

I actually started this post with the intentions of writing about music but as usual under-active-thyroid-pain-in-the-assism has jumped up and demanded my attention.  It is one of those illnesses that is hard to avoid if you have it because of the depression that comes with it.  It makes you unhappy in yourself and leaves you with very little energy to do anything about it. 


Recently I joined a Thyroid page on Facebook to talk to others with the same condition as me and apparently things do get better once your dose is settled and the first months are always going to be rough.  I also need to keep in mind that it took the Dr's six months to actually do a blood test to see why I was gaining weight rapidly.  I was even came off my contraceptive pill as I thought it was that making me gain weight - my Dr told me it wasn't but failed to say what it could be other than  suggesting that it was me that had just naturally put on this weight.  At the time I was going to the gym and eating fairly healthy as I do.  I knew there was something not right but the Dr I was seeing at the time did not listen.  It was not until I changed Dr's that progress was made and I really should send her a thank you card for actually helping me and being understanding. 


My thyroid journey so far has not been fun at all.  Putting the thyroid symptoms aside the illnesses I have had due to my body been so ran down have been a barrel of laughs also.


1. Stomach spasms and icky insides - I managed to overdose on this medication accidentally.  
2. Having a cough so bad I was almost peeing myself.
3. Lost my sense of smell.
4. It took two months for that cough to go away.
5.Thrush/Mouth Ulcers.


I write this because I know there will be other people suffering all these annoying add-on's also but hopefully there is progress soon in the Thyroid disease world with the new Thyroid register that is coming into play soon the UK.  This means that no matter where  you are in the country if you need to see a Dr you can because you will be on the register - handy eh?


I started this post saying everything happens for a reason and I still do not know what good is going to come out of me having this thyroid condition but when I find out I will let you know.


Any positive thyroid stories out there?