Back on the Wagon

I haven't updated in an absurdly long time, but I think you all know how it is (not that this blog has many followers). Life got busy with school and two part time jobs and, unfortunately my thyroid has been put on the back burner since I was functioning like half a normal person. But, as per normal, things have changed again and I have been reminded of the roller coaster that I'm on.

I can't even remember what I wrote last about so forgive me if I repeat anything, but here is what's going on with me:

The fall semester was one of my most difficult to date and I wasn't able to give my thyroid the proper attention it requires. I stopped seeing the endocrinologist that I was referred to over the summer because I didn't think she was doing me any better than my PCP - who can do the same for a lot less money on my part. That said, my lovely primary care doctor's office has seemed to taken on a bit too much than they are realistically staffed for and I haven't been overly thrilled with their care or availability. In the recent past I have begun to display all of my lovely symptoms and upon calling to make an appointment I was told that to see my regular doc I'd have to schedule two weeks out - anyone who has severe thyroid issues like myself is plenty aware of how that period of wait just won't do. So, I scheduled a more appropriate timed appointment (this coming Monday) with an entirely different physician. Maybe I'll get lucky and this one will actually care.

I'm frustrated, and I feel a bit at my breaking point. I need to start studying this information again and get myself back up on the wagon of improving my thyroid issues. I'm worn out and school is approaching quickly, yet again. It seems I have issues every 4 months or so that I need to readdress.

Maybe it will make me feel better to spell out what I really want. Maybe it will give me a sense of what to expect and what not to settle for.

I want someone to care. I want someone to realize that I should not be feeling this way. I want someone to help. I want someone who knows what they are doing. I want someone who doesn't just look at numbers. I want someone to tell me, "No, Rachel, you don't have to feel this way the rest of your life. There are ways to help hypothyroidism and I am going to put you on the path towards that."

Sigh. Maybe someday I will find that. I hope so. A coworker of mine has hypothyroidism and she says that her doc is something incredible. Maybe I will call her tomorrow. Worth a try, right?

Until next time.....

Increase

Had my blood tested again on Wednesday and got the phone call today that my endocrinologist is upping my dosage of Tirosint from 112mcg to 125mcg.  I knew it wasn't quite right.  I still want to probably go back to a natural desiccated thyroid replacement but for right now I desperately need to get my body in check since school is here come the 20th.  Brain fog + trying to concentrate =/= success.

She also suggested I start taking Biotin daily to help with hair, nail, and skin health.

I Define

I'm feeling quite a bit better today.  I can partly blame it on this song, which I've had on repeat a few times today.

Maybe it's because I felt so badly yesterday that I'm as optimistic as I am, because I've found that I tend to do that after low times -- force myself to have better days and such -- but I feel empowered and like I can do this, no matter how long it takes.  I also do not want to allow hypothyroidism to define me.

I define who I am, not my thyroid.

Another Update (and a bit of emotional release)

I've been MIA.  I've been sleeping and when I'm not sleeping I'm usually not at home.  I've slept the entire summer away; 70% of my time is spent in bed.  To top it all off my concentration abilities are failing lately something fierce.

So where are we?  I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, which I still don't feel educated properly on.  I have goiter (severe swelling of the thyroid) but an ultrasound didn't show any nodules or worrisome areas.  I'm on my fourth week of Tirosint, another synthetic thyroid hormone (T4).

I don't know if it's the right dose for me (112mg), but I still feel like crap.  I have another blood test on the 15th.  Like I said I am still sleeping like crazy, I am still occasionally finding myself in a low grade depression, I'm still having issues with my weight, I'm still losing my hair.

Even though my Armour thyroid obviously wasn't at the right dosage, I feel like I felt better on that then I do ont he Tirosint.

I was also told that I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which I also don't know much about at this point, but that's why I have elevated testosterone.  My endocrinologist has suggested going back on birth control to solve my symptoms, but I don't know if I want to do that right now, so I haven't.  My energy is depleted and I'm not feeling even motivated to do research.

I'm considering going to a Naturopath.

Honestly.. I feel so lost right now.  I'm writing this blog with very little idea of where to begin and possibly less optimism at the moment that this is going to get better.  I'm angry, really.  I'm angry because I know who I could be if I didn't have underactive thyroid.  I'm angry because I'm afraid that I'll have to deal with this for the rest of my life.  I'm angry because I don't think many people in my life understand how truly truly awful this is.  I'm angry because I have goals and dreams and aspirations that are being put on hold because of this.  And I'm angry because I don't understand, but who could possibly understand why they have hypothyroidism?  I'm also angry because I feel like I'm letting all of this just take control..  But how can I fight it?  Everyday?  I'm so exhausted of fighting my hypothyroidism.  I'm exhausted of being exhausted, of being tired, of having a lingering depression, of gaining weight, of losing my hair, of not being able to concentrate, of brain fog.

And I'm angry because it's 4:30 in the morning and I'm writing this, when I should be sleeping like a normal person, but because I slept until 2 in the afternoon and lounged and such until 8 in the evening and then finally did a few productive things at 10 at night I'm actually awake by 2am.  Here soon I'll get tired again and start the cycle.  If I didn't force myself to be out of bed I'd sleep all day long, even without the productivity at 10pm or the awakeness at 2am.

I'm frustrated tonight/today/whatever you want to call it.  I'm trying not to whine, or complain, but I just had to let all of that out.  I don't know if I feel better, but I'll sleep and hopefully when I wake I won't be in quite as much as a down mood.  Maybe be more optimistic.

So results from blood letting numero dos returned.  Drum roll please?

I still have hypothyroidism according to the blood work.  TSH is super elevated and T3 and T4 are super low.  And my testosterone is elevated as well.  Weird.

My doctor's office called the other day to let me know.  I expect my results will be coming in the mail soon.

The other point of news?  My doc is referring me to an endocrinologist.  I don't know how I feel about that.  Good mostly, I guess.  Hmm.

I still need to write the post about Synthroid.  I'm having trouble concentrating on writing it.  I don't know why. It's fairly annoying.  And by fairly I mean very.  Sleeping all the time doesn't help.

Tomorrow

Another (albeit mini) blood letting is scheduled for tomorrow.  On the menu?  More TSH, T3 total, and T4 total,  and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (to address some confusion with my testosterone results from my previous blood letting).  Of course I'll be updating with my results as soon as I get them.

I've been feeling pretty good, with the occasional mood swing, but still sleeping a lot.  I haven't noticed weight gain at this point, although I will keep that in mind to watch for tomorrow if I am weighed.  I feel like my hair isn't falling out quite as much, which is of course a positive in more than one way.  No sign of my period, and trust me, there is no possible way I could be pregnant.  Overall, I'm hanging in here!!  Still doing the iodine painting, although probably not as regularly as I should.

Look forward to a blog in the near future discussing the problems with Synthroid. :)

And So the Story Goes....

I've been off of all thyroid medication for 11 days.  My symptoms have been this way and that, ranging from insomnia (inzombia?) to irritability to chronic fatigue to a low grade depression.  It's been weird, it's been a battle, it's been..  Interesting to say the least. 

As of today I experienced a bit of insomnia (inzombia) last night and slept about 10 hours following, with frequent wake ups.  That said I feel more myself today and the past few days as well.  Yay!!  

I know this isn't necessarily a common experience, and I still want to write posts on hypothyroidism, so bear with me.

One thing I've noticed is that my menstrual cycle is not on quite right.  My last period ended May 17 and I've not had so much as an inkling of it coming again.  So that's something, I don't know if it is as a result of not taking birth control anymore or because that's still how my body is or if that's the hypothyroidism talking.  Only time will tell!

Struggling, a bit

And finally, the results from my June 1 "blood letting" have officially arrived.  I already have been informed that my dose of Armour thyroid was too high and I am thus experiencing hyperthyroidism.  I'm not really sure which is worse, except that at least I lost weight.... My other results came back mostly normal, including cortisol, LH and FSH.  That's where it gets a little odd.  The blood test came back showing that I had elevated testosterone, which, if you read this post you'll understand why having  normal LH levels and abnormal testosterone levels is a bit weird.  Evidently, however, there can be false positives when testing testosterone, so my doc isn't too concerned at this point.  I will have another blood letting on July 3.  That said, my doctor has ultimately decided that we need to find out what my levels are for my thyroid as well as retest my testosterone and such.  He also seems to believe that I may not need thyroid therapy at all.

Yes, you read that correctly.  As of today I am five days thyroid-medication free (I forgot on Monday, what a doof).  I feel like crap.  Of course, I felt like crap before, but this is a different crap that's kind of combined with the old crap.. Sorry about the crap.

I'm really trying to have a positive outlook on this.  I'm hoping that Dr. Singer's idea that my thyroid has figured itself out is correct.  Maybe I'm lucky in all of this?  Maybe my body figured it out or maybe it's been as a reaction to my no longer taking birth control pills (because I haven't had any action and I don't seem to be getting any anytime soon) and iodine painting (albeit, half-heartedly) and eating better?  I have no idea, but I'll keep you guys posted.

In the mean time I mentioned I feel like crap.  I am having terrible insomnia at night.  I lie in bed for hours, tossing, turning, spinning, moving, trying to fall asleep.  But I am also experiencing chronic fatigue.  My body wants to go to sleep when I can't and doesn't want to sleep when I can.  I don't know what the deal is, but I wonder if it has to do with the thyroid roller coaster and I pray that these are left over symptoms that will ultimately choose a side.  I've lost weight but who knows what will happen with that.  I'm very hungry.  I'm cold.  I'm intolerant to heat.  And I'm sad.  That low grade depression is back, folks.  At least at night.  And when I'm not depressed I'm overly happy.  I don't know, I mean.. I've always believed that creative people feel things differently than others, and maybe that's why I'm this way, because I feel everything so deeply.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Maybe I'll be back in control shortly.

I'm starting to doubt myself a lot, too.  I feel like I'm making excuses for myself on one side, and on the other that I know that I am not.  That this is something my body is doing and I, unfortunately, don't have control of.

On the plus side, I am not having too much trouble deciding when my thyroid emotions are acting up.  I've been a little grumpy to my family, and they are grumpy back, which just upsets me more.  I kind of feel alone.

I really didn't start this post with intention of complaining, I promise.  But I'm struggling tonight.

Usually these feelings are jump started by something, like asking someone for help and receiving no help.  Like thinking I was on a date and half-way through realizing that, no, this is not a date and that once again I got my hopes up for something that was a purely platonic relationship.

Blah.  Sometimes it helps me to write and see how ridiculous all of this is.

All I can hope, is that someone else with hypothyroidism reads this and understands what it's like, and knows that I understand what it's like.  And no matter how many times your body tells you that you are alone in this, you aren't.

My birthday is Monday and I am just hoping for a good day overall.  That said, I think I'll turn on some good music and clean, and then watch Glee on Netflix.

xo

Testosterone and Hypothyroidism

Well, I had my so-called "blood letting" on June 1 as scheduled and they are slowly but surely having results.  Today my doctor's office called me with an update.  It looks like my thyroid has now been thrown into hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and we'll have to probably lower my dosage of Armour.

They also said my testosterone was low.  Hmm.  Now, when I asked my PCP to test my testosterone (along with a bunch of other hormones that I discussed here) I had no idea how thyroid hormones and testosterone were related.

Initially, it did not surprise me.  I tend to have a holistic view when it comes to the body -- everything is connected.  If one endocrine gland isn't right, chances are that others aren't quite right, either.  Testosterone is a sex hormone created by the testes and the adrenal glands in men, and the ovaries and adrenal glands in women (I haven't posted about adrenal fatigue yet, but I'm in the process, promise! but you'll understand why this is significant in the future).  Otherwise, my knowledge gained from past courses of Anatomy and Physiology lent me no immediate understanding, and since I didn't have my books with me, I turned to the internet.

This is what I've found.  Low thyroid function is usually paired with low testosterone, and that often times when thyroid production is corrected, testosterone production is also corrected.  Now, we all know at least a limited information about steroids, yes?  Well, steroids tend to involve testosterone.  When athletes take steroids to increase their skill, ability, strength, and etcetera, the influx of the hormone signals the pituitary gland to stop "telling" the testes or ovaries to stop creating testosterone.  This causes a dependence on the exogenous hormone.  Then, when people go off of the exogenous testosterone they have symptoms that mimic the opposite sex (women grow facial hair, men grow breasts).  Granted, this is a very extreme sort, but my point is that going on testosterone hormone is probably not a great plan unless it is determined that the deficiency is directly related to the sex organs.

But why?  It seems to have something to do with the pancreas (ANOTHER endocrine organ!) and insulin.  "Thyroid hormones regulate the binding of insulin to cell receptors, which facilitates the uptake of nutrients.  When the thyroid gland becomes underactive, insulin cannot transfer the signal from the cell receptor to the cell's interior as effectively."(http://www.livestrong.com)  This is insulin resistance, which, according to the website posted, has a great deal of affect on LH, or luteinizing hormone (a hormone produced by the pituitary).

LH affects the sex hormones.  When LH levels are low, testosterone levels are also low!  Symptoms of low LH include low sperm count in men and amenorrhea in women (loss of period).  This is also related to hypopituitarism -- low pituitary function.  SEE?! EVERYTHING is connected!

I get slightly over excited when I'm looking into all of this.  It's incredible how much is involved with our bodies that is ignored so often.

Before I end, let me put this in your mind.  Symptoms of low testosterone include: fatigue, loss of muscle strength, weight gain around the abdomen, depression, irritability, loss of body hair, increased risk of osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, painful sexual intercourse, absence of menstruation, heat flashes, anorgasmia (inability to orgasm).

Can I hear a "holy crap?"
Holy.  CRAP.

At your last blood test, what labs were drawn for you, hypothyroid-ees?

Pointless, kind of

I'm having a rough time this evening.  I don't know why but I'm lonely and just sad.  Everything was fine earlier in the day, I don't know what changed.  Also feeling lethargic and having trouble concentrating.  I've already been distracted a handful of times just writing this.  Before tonight I've been feeling pretty good, but I have also been fairly busy.  It may be due to bordem.  Or maybe because I forgot to take my Armour yesterday.

Anyway, I recently printed out a bunch of monthly calenders so that I could start tracking my mood and find out if there's any pattern to it.

Honestly I don't really have much else to say, this was a boring post my apologies!

Iodine and the Thyroid Gland

Allow me to start off by saying that since I've started this process of figuring out why I have hypothyroid and what this is all about and how I can take care of it in a more natural way I've also noticed a huge desire to talk to people about what I am learning.  The endocrine system is extremely intricate.  One of my favorite people in the whole world is a physical therapist.  As he always says, everything is connected.  For a long time I understood this to apply to the muscles and the bones, but now I am finding that this statement applies to all the systems in the body and the body as a whole.

Now I know I failed to have this up when I said I would, but here it is now.

The thyroid gland produces thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and calcitonin.  In order to make these hormones, the gland absorbs iodine, which it combines with tyrosine (an amino acid, or protein).  A gland in our brain, called the pituitary gland releases thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in response to the hypothalamus (another gland that is located in the brain) releasing TSH Releasing Hormone (TRH).  This process is jumpstarted by inadequate levels of T3 and T4 in the body.  TSH then stimulates the thyroid to start the process of creating T3 and T4, raising the levels in the blood and returning the body to homeostasis.  Theoretically.  Then there's us.  Now it gets a little more complicated then that, but for sake of me not having to pull out my Anatomy and Physiology book at 3 o'clock in the morning, that will do.  Even to an uneducated eye there are three obvious things that could be going wrong to create hypothyroidism: the hypothalamus does not release enough TRH, the pituitary does not release enough TSH, or the thyroid does not release enough T3 or T4.

But what about iodine?  The thyroid gland is the only place in the body where iodine can be absorbed, and we can not create it ourselves; in fact, iodine must be taken in through diet (most commonly, through iodized salt, but also through kelp, seafoods, cheese, and other foods, such as these on this website).  If there is not enough iodine in the body for the thyroid gland to absorb, it cannot properly produce T3 and T4.  If there is not enough T3 or T4 in the body, then we have hypothyroidism.

So how do you know if you have an iodine deficiency?  There are multiple ways.  A more simple and easy test is to purchase tincture of iodine (or weak iodine solution) from a grocery store -- it is relatively cheap, liquid form of iodine that can be used as a disinfectant.  Once purchased, "paint" a good sized circle on your bicep (upper underarm) with the want that is included.  Iodine will stain clothing, so be careful to wear something dark or allow the area to dry before allowing it to touch clothing.  If there is not an iodine deficiency the color should be uniform and consistent for 24-hours.  A 24-hour stain indicates that the body is not trying to absorb the iodine in to the bloodstream.  If the spot changes it's shade of color (it's going to be an orangish red initially, and should only get lighter) within or up to 2-hours after application, this could indicate a severe iodine deficiency.  Anything in between suggests some degree of iodine deficiency.

Another method to test for iodine deficiency would include a visit to your doctor for an iodine loading test.  This procedure involves consuming a large amount of iodine and then monitoring urine for a 24-hour time span to see how much the body is retaining.

The importance of thyroid health is significant, as the thyroid gland really effects the body as a whole, and I believe that finding some natural ways to increase this vital gland's health is well worth the time and effort, so looking into an iodine deficiency is something I would suggest.  For me personally I have tried the painting method and have found that the iodine begins to fade very quickly and is nearly gone in roughly five hours.  I'd like to look into having an iodine loading test with my doctor.

Best of luck, and please share any experience or knowledge you have with iodine in the comments section! :)

Oh, and fun fact: a few drops of iodine in non-sanitized water (such as rain or river water) makes it safe to drink and it can also be used as an antiseptic. Good to have around if there were to be a zombie apocalypse I'mjustsaying....

Pre-Finals Update

Finals week is ahead, and I am definitely feeling the pressure.  Stress levels range day to day, depending on whatever mood my thyroid is in (yes, I just personified an organ.  People do it with the heart all the time).  To combat the random overloads I have been listening to Snow Patrol, Birdy, and Coldplay on repeat.

Today (Sunday) was my second dose of Armour thyroid.  I'm not noticing a whole lot of abnormalities (although everything is kind of abnormal right now) except an increase in stomachaches, but I don't know if those are related to the new medication or to the influx of bread and cheese in my recent diet.  I'm trying to be good, I promise.  I'm also noticing a lot more of my (unrelated) back pain, but I wonder if that is because I am not having as many hypothyroid side effects to distract me.

Has anyone else experienced stomachaches with Armour?  Or maybe changing from Synthroid to Armour?

The last few days (really, since Thursday), I have been very content with my relationship status (single), which usually tends to be something that really gets under my skin and tends to be one of those things I perseverate on when I'm having a hard time.  Other than stress from school and back pain I'm doing quite well.  I have my moments, but they tend to be more focused on how I'm going to pass my Physics final rather than anything else.

I have been tracking almost everything -- mood, aches and pains (including stomach/headaches), stress levels, whether I feel my heart rate is funny or not, how social I am, meals, amount of sleep -- in a Moleskin notebook as of Friday.  Hopefully I can keep up on this and maybe be able to find out if certain things set off my symptoms.

I'd like to (ideally) post about the relationship between iodine and hypothyroidism tomorrow.

As always, I'd love to hear any stories or get any feedback on any of my material.  Feel free to leave a comment (I'll actually be quite thrilled) or email me!

Hello, Ma'am

I am lucky enough (so far) to have  PCP (primary care physician) who might be open minded.  He is also quite the character and fairly hilarious. (He said "Hello Ma'am" upon entering the room.  Reminder: I'm 21 and he's a wee bit crazy in the best, non-Hypothyroid way).

So when I went in today to tell him I wanted to work on getting to a natural solution for my low functioning thyroid, and also figure out if I have low adrenal function (I promise to talk about this in a future post) I was fairly nervous that he would laugh in my face, but also confident that he wouldn't.

And he didn't, although he grimaced about the fairly large stack of papers I brought him, and asked me where the spark notes were. 

So, after being on Levothyroxine and Synthroid for nearly 3 years, I will start by changing to Armour Thyroid, a "natural, porcine-derived thyroid hormone replacement containing both T4 and T3" (www.armourthyroid.com).  In four weeks I will participate in what my doctor referred to as a "blood letting" and will test my TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), T3 Free (Free Tridothyronine), T4 Free (Thyroxine Free), Testosterone Free and Total, FSH/LH, Cortisol (A.M.), and DHEA-S (Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate).  Blood letting it seems.

Now, those of us with Hypothyroidism will recognize the first three hormones quite immediately, the following are being tested for reasons contributing to my Hypothyroidism, but I have failed to write that post yet.  First, I wanted to be able to get some information out here, track what is going on with me today, and now I have to study my pants off for finals next week.

Thanks for reading!

What is Hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is characterized by a low functioning thyroid -- an endocrine gland located in the neck/throat area.  The symptoms are extensive and they can present differently in different people.  Hypothyroidism is checked/diagnosed through a blood test, which looks at TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), T3 Free, and T4 Free (both of which are hormones made by the thyroid gland).

There is a lot of information out there about symptoms for Hypothyroidism, why it occurs, how it can be solved, and etc.  WebMD (I know, I know) offers a pretty decent overview on underactive thyroid here: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hypothyroidism-topic-overview

So what about me?  I have had Hypothyroidism for roughly three years, and throughout those years my symptoms have probably only been truly gone for a matter of six months off and on.   As for my symptoms, they are wide and many.

• I sleep.  I sleep for hours and hours, more than I should need (we are talking upwards of ten, eleven, twelve hours) and then I wake up, and if it's a day off I eat and I go back to sleep.  I am not being sarcastic.  When my hormones aren't right, I could spend forever in bed.
• I have insomnia.  Weird, right? Obviously not this and the above at the same time, but it will alternate.  I once was up for forty-five hours straight.
• I have heart palpitations (this is not usually a symptom of Hypothyroid, but more so one of low adrenal function, which we will get to later).  When "normal" (what is "normal"?) my heart rate is less than seventy, greater than sixty.  But at times, it races to 110 at resting (siting, standing, lying, not exerting).
• I am extremely defensive.  I am also extremely sensitive. 
• Everything seems worse.  Stress is at an all time high, which isn't good for your thyroid either.  My five page paper quickly becomes twenty-five pages and everything is just a disaster and THE WORLD IS CAVING IN!
• I'm lonely, but not with a sex drive.  I just want to be held and loved.
• I'm constantly fatigued, and in a different sense than that of sleeping all the time.
• I have Attention Deficit Disorder.
• In the late evening and night time, I have extreme hunger.
• A LOT of hair loss.
• Low grade depression.
• Increased sweating.

Those are the primary symptoms I notice.  Also included under the realm of Hypothyroidism is weight gain, intolerance to cold or heat, low body temperature, shaking, memory problems, constipation, irregular menstruation, muscle aches and cramps.

Basically, it feels like someone implanted a chip into my brain and is controlling every aspect of my body through some remote.  (Disclaimer: I am not starting in about conspiracy theories or things as such, I am just using my writer's mind to describe how much Hypothyroidism SUCKS.)

I Suppose We Could Start with Introductions

My name is Rachel.  I'm a 21 year old female living in Denver, Colorado and I am terrible at introductory paragraphs.

So let's really just get right into it.

I don't really know what anyone would be interested in reading about me, because basically I'm another 21 year old girl (in the subcategory of girls that isn't at the bar every night or even every weekend) that thinks she is at least somewhat different than the rest and takes solace in the fact that I'm unique and interesting and somehow that is attractive.  I also know, however, that that particular notion tends to be a bit of a crock of shit but maybe having it while also being Self Aware makes me quirky? (ick)

Who knows?  But I like to write, and I like to read, and I like to play the piano, and I like to run, and I like to sing in the shower.  I have a fair amount of self confidence, have a passion for helping people and traveling, and this is not a personal ad.

Actually, I am writing this blog because three years ago this November I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.  And since 1 in 50 females have hypothyroidism, and because I am embarking along a path to find a natural solution for my hypothyroidism, I'm hoping I can maybe help even one person out there that is going through this with me or after me.

So, with only a few disclaimers, I'll leave you be with the little knowledge of me that I've given.  I'm sure we will get to know each other.

First, I am not a doctor.  I am not in medical school (although working towards Physical Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine).  I am not an expert or all knowing.  But I have hypothyroidism and that at least makes me experienced even if only a bit.  That said, I cannot give advice, but I can share my story and maybe help someone along the way.  I can lend a(n e-) shoulder to cry on.  Maybe someone's story will be similar to my own, and maybe that will help them find his/her way.  Because hypothyroidism is not fun, and it's rarely fully understood by someone that doesn't have it.  Please utilize my blog for your own knowledge or even if only for reassurance that you are not crazy (because I sure have felt that way before).

Secondly, I feel inclined to remind you, that while we are (very slowly) moving towards accepting homeopathic solutions for all sorts of things, there are still many doctors that are not open minded enough to consider natural methods an option.  If you have hypothyroidism, and your current synthetic solution isn't working, try to open your mind, and try to find an open minded doctor.

And last but certainly not least, hypothyroidism can play quite the toll on us.  And I can't promise anything, but there may be some emotional blogs ahead of us.  I will try not to downplay it (although my German pride will be kicking and screaming) and try to be true to you.  So, grab the popcorn, take my hand, and let's find our way out of this hypothyroidism jungle.


xo
Rachel