I didn't think I would ever be this person, the one that feels the need to inform or writes on a blog about certain issues, that effect them. Well.... I am now. I have Hashimotos disease, in fact many people have it and don't realize it. 27 million people (mostly women) in America have this disease and half of those people go undetected. Most doctors don't test for it because it wouldn't change their course of action, that is if you don't have abnormal thyroid function, you won't get a cure all pill. And I haven't... because I don't have an abnormal thyroid function. What I do have (God Bless my husband for putting up with me) is mood swings, hives, fatigue, bouts of depression, hair loss, extreme weight gain, anxiety, dry hair, dry itchy skin, hoarse voice, susceptible to getting sick easily, stomach problems, unhealthy vitals, and the list goes on, and on. I manage for the most part, but I have these really, really good days that make me want more. I also have some horribly bad ones where I can barely make it out of bed. I have felt that doctors and friends viewed me as crazy, for a while I thought I was crazy, I truly did. My mom and my aunt both have hypothyroidism and I had many, if not more symptoms than they did, but my T3 and T4 were always within normal limits. This has been going on for about 14 years. I'm a skinny person trapped in a fat person's body. My moods are not my own, I'm not that person. It's the struggle for my life and not very many people see that. I have lost 5 pregnancies most likely due to the fact that my immune system is destroying my thyroid gland. At one point they thought I had cancer and then valley fever. I can't tell you how hard it was to hear something, try to deal with it and then to find out that wasn't it at all. It wasn't until early last year that my doctor (an awesome doctor) listened to me and figured it out. Since then I have been trying to exercise and eat better and I have seen very little effects from my work.The last few days I have started to read this book "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Test Are Normal". My husband bought it for me after reading a couple pages and seeing his wife's dilemma in print. I have only read the intro and the 1st chapter, but already I'm learning and understanding how the thyroid functions and how it effects all the areas of the body. I can't tell you how affirming it is to see the problems you experience, the symptoms you have in writing. I no longer view myself as crazy (even in the back of my mind) I was just misinformed. Now, I hope I have tools to get my life back.
for more info http://www.thyroid360.com/
