I MUST emphasize that you have to be willing to be your biggest advocate and willing to LEARN, read, research. Don't simply rely on the advice of one doctor...especially if they aren't listening to you or brushing you off. And when you do find a great doctor, I recommend educating yourself if you do have a Thyroid condition (I'm much more likely to follow through when I understand the "why" behind lifestyle changes like going Gluten, Soy & Dairy-Free).
For the past 9 years, I haven't been feeling quite like myself. Despite eating clean and working out daily, my results were not matching my efforts. For the last 2 years, I've poured my HEART and SOUL into eating healthy and dedicating myself 100% to my workouts. It's not only demoralizing and frustrating when you don't see results...it's kinda heartbreaking.
You know it's bad when your husband says, "Wow, you really aren't seeing results- are you eating meals I don't know about?" He was just joking around. My husband is 100% supportive and would love me no matter. I was starting to feel like I was crazy or just being a big baby until he confirmed that this wasn't right. Something was going on with my body.
I know I am don't see me and think "man's she's overweight" and think "she's already lost 85 lbs, why is she bitching" - but I feel like shit, I haven't felt myself for so long and it's physically uncomfortable. I love my body and I think I have a beautiful figure- but it's frustrating when my body isn't responding to workouts and clean eating like it has in the past.
Weight aside...I just don't feel like myself. I'm normally a laid-back, optimistic, happy, friendly girl. For the last two years, all of that changed. When out with friends, I can channel the "happy Mandy" but it usually leaves me completely exhausted. And its only a matter of time before the anxiety hits me hard and I want to melt into the ground and cry. I am, by nature, a very introverted girl...but it started progressing to a whole other level with serious anxiety the last few years.
I started writing down my symptoms...even the symptoms that my primary doctor would brush off. He tell me, "Come see me if it gets any worse." Umm...it IS worse..that's why I'm here... LOL!
Symptoms:
- Extreme Fatigue
- Insomnia (Trouble both falling asleep and stay asleep)
- Tired even after 8+ hours of sleep
- Low Energy. Tired easily
- Weakness
- Stress or pressure exhausts me
- Stressed out easily (normally a laidback person)
- Depressed for no reason
- Loss of Ambition
- Feeling overwhelmed by Tasks
- Mood Swings
- Anxiety
- Cries easily/randomly
- Easily angry and irritable
- Restless
- Always thirsty! Even after drinking a gallon + of water daily
- Yawn often
- Sensitive to Sound and Bright Light
- Migraines (once a month or more)
- Mental Fog (really bad)
- Trouble Concentrating (really bad)
- Procrastination
- PMS x100
- Painful Cramps
- Poor Memory & Concentration (really bad)
- Stomach Pain Daily
- Acid Reflux
- Indigestion
- Bloating- I looked 6 months pregnant!
- Hair Loss
- Low Libido
- Intense Sugar and Carb Cravings
- Nausea after Meals
- Always Cold- Especially my Feet
- Weight Gain no matter what I do or eat
- I start to feel awake and have energy at 7pm
- Brittle Nails
- Don't feel like myself
After my doctor brushed me off, I just dealt with it. I thought...ok I'm getting older...this is how things are supposed to be...I have to soldier through. Truth be told, I look back and had some of these symptoms for as long as I could remember...other symptoms I can pinpoint starting years ago!
For example: I've always had migraines, even as a child. I remember crying in bed because head hurt so bad. But my dad got migraines so I thought I just inherited them.
Insomnia: I thought maybe it was a side effect of having a children. No seriously I did. Courtney never really slept thru the night and now Rowan doesn't. I just thought it was another lovely mommy thing.
Fatigue: I'm a mom of 4...enough said about that. I'm a very ambitious person so I secretly loved being tired because I felt like it meant I was working hard.
Finding a Dr: After finally threatening my Dr to go to patient advocacy because he wasn't listening to me, is when he finally decided to listen. I have been battling "hypothyroidism" for 9 years and I've never had a sonogram on my thyroid OR seen an endocrinologist OR even really knew what type of hypothyroidism I suffer from. I finally had the sonogram done and was told I have "Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis". Hashimotos is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid. And in my case has made mine shrink in size and not functioning. After seeing the sonogram results my Dr finally decided it was time to send me to an endocrinologist.
Tomorrow I have to call my endocrinologist and set up my appointment. I'm nervous, scared and excited. I plan on going in with my list of symptoms, my thoughts and my questions. I'm going in prepared.
But in the meanwhile I've been doing lots and lots of research because like I said above "to be your biggest advocate and willing to learn."
I will continue to update about this journey because I know so many suffer quietly and never get the answers they want or need. I'm hear for YOU if you ever want to talk.
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