THYROID DISEASE DIAGNOSIS - MORE THAN 10 YEARS LATER

I must admit, I have come a long way from being clueless and confused to cognizant and competent, since my autoimmune-thyroid-disease diagnosis more than ten years ago. My approach to taking on this disease has evolved over the years.

Through my thyroid autoimmune disease struggle, here are four things I have learned:

1.      It is MY body and I have to live in it –Finally, I realized no more putting up with doctors who are excessively conventional and lackadaisical in their approach of helping me with my healthcare. I also came to the realization that I should not have to apologize to anyone for not feeling well enough to do the things I could do previously...I cannot help you move, probably won’t be able to babysit your three toddlers all day, Hubby and son, you have to fend for yourself for dinner, Umm…I’m gonna say “no” to the all night kegger.

 

2.      Living a healthier lifestyle– A mal-functioning, diseased body needs extra care.  This only makes sense, but I have to tell you, I went along with this truth kicking and screaming. Don’t get me wrong, I did not completely make poor health choices, before diagnosis. I exercised regularly, but I never paid attention to how much gut health plays a MASSIVE role in healing and regulating the body. Some of my favorite foods (yet not fit for human consumption) processed meats, Gummy bears, funnel cakes, most of the items at McDonalds…had to bid them a not so fond farewell. And now I feel great!...(OK, I still eat gummy bears from time to time)

 

3.      Kept educating myself– So little is known about autoimmune diseases, and so few seem to know about the thyroid as well. It dawned on me one day…Hey, I need to figure a lot of this out myself, by listening to my body, instead of putting all my stock into a medical professional who may not grasp the full understanding of autoimmune thyroid healing. I was asking them questions they couldn’t answer. It took me awhile to realize the “answers” I was getting were actually “non-answers” (I think they thought I wouldn’t notice).

 

And, finally, one thing that’s remained the same over the last ten years is my ability to Go Crazy!

Conserve

Restore

Adding

Zest

In

You

Go crazy my thyroid family

EVERYBODY WAS FORUM FIGHTING

Forum - an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the disscusion fo questions of public interest.

Thread - A set of posts on a forum, composed of an initial post about a topic and all responses to it.

If you've vistied a social media forum for those with thyroid conditions, you've probably read, started or contributed to some "forum fighting". Unfortunately, a little non-love can break out at any moment in these support groups. But, I hope this doesn't deter you from going back because, for the most part, there's a lot of great information and camarderie amongst these groups.

If you want to stay away from any forum fighting, these are the things to avoid:

The MAIN three topics to avoid in a thyroid forum:

     1. Healthy diet - DIET is the most horrendous four-letter word, don't ever bring up eating a healthy diet...EVER!

     2. Exercise

     3. Saying, "You may not feel well even after conventional treatments" - ... adding that it may take a lifestyle change. Ooohhh these are figting words.

Also avoid:

     1. Not answering the initial question on a forum post.
          Q. How much vitamin D do you all take?

           A. You should talk to your doctor.(This response is frustrating because this may be the same doctor who refuses to test their T3, what do you think they are going to say about vitamin D...nada)

     2. Telling someone to "Do their research" - Can come across as dissmissive and condescending. Getting on the forums and asking questions could be a part of their research.

     3. Telling someone to "Talk to their doctor" - I'm pretty sure you won't get sued if you decide not to use this disclaimer on an internet thyroid forum.

     4. Using harsh tones when you are passionate about a subject.

          Q: I'm thinking about getting my thyroid removed, has anyone had this done? Please tell me your experience.

          A: Why in the world would you do this to yourself? I would never do this!

     5. People who are looking for personal experiences and are bombarded by Googled links (This may also fall into category of not answering the question)

          Q. Has anyone tried CoQ10, if so, how did it make you feel (keywords here are "how did it make YOU feel".)

          A. Check out CoQ10rocksyoursocksoff.com

     6. Advice being offered from someone who doesn't have a thyroid condition - "My favorite cousin's best friend's sister has thyroid disesae and she is fine because she meditates while listening to a CD called Desert Sands twice a week".

     7. Thread "hijacking" or changing the subject - I've seen this act draw the ire of many many people. I personally don't get mad at this because "attention deficit" is what most of us thyroidians do best, watch how quickly a thread can shift subjects, it can be quite comical.

Remember to not say things like:

"In my opinion" (inserting the word "humble" will only make things worse. Ever notice that the people who use the world humble in this phrase...aren't?)

 "Just my point of view"

"This is what think"

Please note: You are probably wrong anyway...ya know...with your brain fog and all, so try not to have a point of view or an opinion.

There you have it, reasons for forum fighting (in my humble opinion). Please don't ever think that the extreme hormonal shifts we suffer from or the mood swings, the fatigue, seeing someone eat junk food and not gain a pound, joint pain or our general malaise has anything to do with the arguments on these forums, on the contrary, it is because of all those scenarios I've mentioned above.

I'll bet the forums having to do with politics or religion don't have the same kind of melees we have.

Kidding aside, I've been a part of many thyroid forums for several years now, and yes an argument breaks out now and then, but this has not deterred me from staying on them. I have met some of the most beautiful, amazing and strong individuals. They have helped me through some tough times. Yes we fight, but we also laugh and cry together. I need my time with these supporters because at the end of the day, they are the ones in my life who get it.

FOR THYROID CARE GO SEE A...PART II

From Web MD


The Appeal of Integrative Medicine
“What makes integrative medicine appealing? Advocates point to deep dissatisfaction with a health care system that often leaves doctors feeling rushed and overwhelmed and patients feeling as if they're nothing more than diseased livers or damaged joints. Integrative medicine seems to promise more time, more attention, and a broader approach to healing -- one that is not based solely on the Western biomedical model, but also draws from other cultures.

"Patients want to be considered whole human beings in the context of their world," says Esther Sternberg, MD, a National Institutes of Health senior scientist and author of The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions.”


If you haven’t heard of integrative medicine, you will. Populations are getting sicker and it is evident within the medical community, change is needed.

Conventional vs. Integrative


Conventional Medicine – has no model for health/well-being. It focuses on disease suppression and it is reactive.

Integrative Medicine – Designed to treat the person, not just the disease. Both doctors and patients alike are bonding with the philosophy of integrative medicine and its whole-person approach.



See the illustration below

If you can’t find an integrative doctor in your area, look for these keywords in a medical practice, as they are the next best thing.

• Complimentary (I switched from an Endo practice to a “complimentary” practice)

• Alternative

• Healing

• Functional

I was always under the impression conventional doctors were primarily in the business of wellness/healing until I began working in the medical field. And then, it wasn’t until I acquired a chronic disease did this newfound knowledge had become my reality. What I’ve learned behind the scenes is that insurance companies, medical associations and big pharma are the ones dictating our healthcare. This means doctors are required to adhere to all of the industry’s respective guidelines when it comes to your health….meanwhile, you keep getting sicker.

If you’ve been treated with radiation or had your thyroid removed, but still not feeling any better…you’ve probably asked your Endo to check other things, like your hormone levels, T3, vitamin and mineral levels, but they’ve refused. If this has happened to you, it is possible that this could be the reason:

Your doctor (primarily a specialist, like the Endocrinologist) has to follow the medical “gold standard of care” guidelines set forth by the “powers that be” for thyroid care, if they don’t they could be subject to:

• Insurance Claims Denials – Doctors won’t get paid for their service; they would have to “eat” the cost of serving the patient.

• A reprimand

• Criminal charges – If doctors continue to prescribe tests/treatments that are deemed not a “medical necessity” they could be brought on fraud charges.

BUT THERE’S GOOD NEWS!

Remember my analogy in the last blog post. Math, Science and English teachers must teach those subjects according to the guidelines of their associations, but the Social Studies teacher could technically teach all three subjects, without a reprimand.

The integrative doctor is just like the social studies teacher. They have a bigger canvas to paint on and it’s accepted.

Isn’t it silly that all you have to do is call yourself something else and the insurance companies and others will not deny the patient’s treatment? Perhaps this is why “integration” is growing in popularity.

For emergent immediate needs to “stop the bleeding” so to speak, a conventional doctor may be ideal in some cases, but for on-going chronic conditions that the conventional doctor can’t/won’t address, an integrative doctor may be worth looking into.

Click here to find a doctor in your area who practices integrative medicine in the U.S.


CTL

FOR THYROID CARE, GO SEE A...

COMMON SENSE UNIVERSITY

If these reputable medical organizations are saying this about the thyroid…

Web MD “Your thyroid controls your metabolism, which is how your body turns food into energy, and also affects your heart, muscles, bones, and cholesterol”

Mayo Clinic “These hormones circulate in your bloodstream and help regulate your metabolism. They maintain the rate at which your body uses fats and carbohydrates, help control your body temperature, influence your heart rate, and help regulate the production of proteins. Your thyroid gland also produces calcitonin — a hormone that helps regulate the amount of calcium in your blood.”

Medicine Net “The Thyroid regulates the body's metabolism and effects processes, such as growth and other important functions of the body.”

Merck “These hormones act on cells in virtually every body tissue by combining with nuclear receptors and altering expression of a wide range of gene products. Thyroid hormone is required for normal brain and somatic tissue development in the fetus and neonate, and, in people of all ages, regulates protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism.”

…Then for the life of me I can’t figure out why the following tests aren’t routinely run, or at least given once, to someone with a thyroid condition.

1.       Comprehensive Metabolic Panel– It has been suggested that people with chronic diseases should get this test done routinely.

2.       Vitamin and mineral levels (not just D, B12 and Iron…ALL) – because of our difficulties with metabolizing. Are our essential nutrients going to each bodily system correctly?

3.       Hormone levels – Who knows…a hormonal imbalance could have caused your problems in the first place.

4.       Stomach Acid Testing – Digestive issues and thyroid disease can go hand in hand.

5.       Bone Density – There is a link between thyroid disease and osteoporosis.

6.       Cardiovascular system tests – The thyroid influences your heart rate.

7.       Parasite testing-These little buggers could have caused all of your problems, as well OR as a result of poor digestion because of a bum thyroid, these parasites could be thriving in your gut as we speak.

 Why those tests? I am using a deductive scientific technique from my studies of Commonsenseology.

You see…when I was first diagnosed, my TSH was off the charts abnormal. I’m sure my thyroid was malfunctioning for many years prior to diagnosis as well. And then after treatment, my body still misbehaved with continued fluctuation of my thyroid lab numbers.

So my question is…If this gland is so important to all bodily functions...what kind of damage has been done since my thyroid decided to quit working?

I am not a doctor. I don’t have any sort of clinical degree, but what I do have is a PhD in common sense. Unfortunately, commonsenseologists can’t legally diagnose or treat…all they can do is just…well… wonder…wonder why so many thyroid sufferers who just can’t seem to get well on any kind of thyroid medication, whether it be natural, generic, brand or a T4/T3 combo.  Perhaps if those other lab tests were performed, irregularities could be discovered and then addressed…optimal health just might be possible. Woo Hoo!

I didn’t mention the obvious “no brainer” tests that should be done on someone with thyroid disease like T3, free's and the reverse's, and even testing for adrenal issues.

So you are probably saying…”Crazy Thyroid Lady, if docs aren’t gonna test ALL the thyroid hormone levels AND other related endocrine issues, what makes you think they will test anything else?  I would say to this, “You’re right”, and this is why I propose that all these uncooperative thyroid-treating doctors, enroll at CSU – Common Sense University. With a Common Sense and Medical degree combined, imagine how much better off we’d be?

Crazy Thyroid Lady

JUST KEEP SWIMMING - THYROID RAP or THRAP

Just Keep Swimming

Can be rapped to the rhythm of your choice, if you have someone that can beat box along with you…even better!

The hooks, the hooks they’re all around

Trying to reel me in, trying to make me sin

This disease has me feelin’ like a fish out of water, I wish I could cast spells on it like Harry Potter

I’m a thyroid mutha don’t mess with me,

Trying to avoid the hooks, trying to stay free

Just keep swimming; just keep swimming I can’t put that (Bleep) in my body

Cuz the hooks make me sicker,

The hooks make me quiver,

I am not quicker when the hooks grab my zipper.

What are the hooks, what do they represent?

It’s what makes me operate at 30 percent.

The Gluten

The Sugar

The Processed foods

The alcohol

The Stress –putting me in bad moods

The hooks are negativity

Bad vibes all around me

I’ve been researching the hooks like Madame Curie

If I don’t just keep swimming my body will disagree

I’m a thyroid mutha don’t mess with me,

Trying to avoid the hooks, trying to stay free

Just keep swimming; just keep swimming I can’t put that (Bleep) in my body

 Move over Missy Elliot make room for

The Crazy Thyroid Lady

Don't forget to get your copy of my four-star**** thyroid book on Amazon -Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy

IT'S OVER...FINALLY

Why did even try to reconcile? Why?...I’ve finally had enough, It’s over…She will not get custody or visitation rights of my thyroid, I am through… FOREVER!

OK, long story short, here’s what happened:

·   Referred to Endo over 8 years ago.

·   Endo recommended Radio Active Iodine or (RAI).

·   Got RAI, but was then prescribed T4 only (I accepted this, even 
     though I did not feel well, because I did not know any better).

·  Divorced Endo years later, after suffering for so long, realizing I 
    could have tried a T3 drug that would perhaps make me feel 
    better.

·   Went to another MD who tested my T3. My T3 was off and
    started taking T3 right away.

·  However, the new MD didn't accept insurance and the
    appointments were getting to be too costly.

·  Reconciled with my old doc, but told her the only way I would
   come back is if she prescribed T3.

·  Old Endo said yes and prescribed T3 for several years.

·  A few months ago, I called my old Endo and said for some
    reason my thyroid meds were making me sick to my stomach (I
    let her know I had been eating a very very clean diet at the
    time).

·  She took me off T3 and Levoxyl and put me on Tirosint (a T4 
   only drug without dyes and preservatives). 

·  I reluctantly agreed with the treatment plan at the time, but
   then I started to feel horrible, the same way I felt nearly 8 years
   ago, without T3.  I told her I wanted back on T3 or at the very
   least test my T3 to see if my body needs it.

· She refused, without explanation…I didn’t bother asking,
   because I know she never wanted to give me the T3 in the first
   place, needless to say I was done.

So there you have it… that was the last straw! Time to leave this abusive relationship! It made me realize this Endo doesn’t care about me; I am just another troublesome-TSH-testing-T4–only- thyroid patient in her aesculapian assembly line.  I mean come on doc… it is just a test, not like I was asking you to come over and do my dishes.

Anyway…enough about her. I found the Holy Grail of providers. She is a nurse practioner with prescriptive authority, which means she can prescribe medications and tests (T3 tests, reverse, free..etc. NOT just TSH). This woman reeled me in hook, line and sinker when she said “Carol, the TSH test is just a small piece of the puzzle, it doesn’t tell the whole story, I’ll run a full workup on you and if you need T3, I’ll give you T3.”

I gushed…I think this is the one…she’s a keeper!

The Crazy Thyroid Lady

Don't forget to get your copy of my thyroid book Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy

THYROID ADVOCATES UNITE- Let YOUR voice be heard

Hello and Happy Thyroid Awareness Month!

I hate long blog posts because of my attention deficit; therefore I try to keep mine short….This one isn’t…BUT it is very important. I am asking my fellow thyroidians to take a little bit of your time and go to the facebook pages of the AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) and the ATA (American Thyroid Association) let them know how you feel about the current standards for thyroid testing (TSH only).

Here is what other thyroid advocates posted on AACE and ATA’s facebook site:

Michele T Bickford, from Thyroidchange.org - A serum thyrotropin is the single best screening test for primary thyroid dysfunction for the vast majority of outpatient clinical situations. The standard treatment is replacement with L-thyroxine. The decision to treat subclinical hypothyroidism when the serum thyrotropin is less than 10 mIU/L should be tailored to the individual patient."
The above caption has created a culture that believe the TSH reveals all cases of hypothyroidism, and that Synthroid is the cure.
REALITY: My physician will not test my Free T3 even though, my symptoms are no longer alleviated with T4 only
treatment. Why? My TSH is fine. It can't be my thyroid. Thankfully, I did not listen. After a few months on natural thyroid extract, I feel better than I have in 25 years. That is unfair.
PLEASE hear our pleas for revised guidelines.

Paul Robinson, Author of Recovering with T3 - I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism over 25 years ago. I was given thyroxine and after 6-9 months all my blood tests became regarded as being 'normal'. TSH was according to your new guidelines normal. Unfortunately, I still had the majority of the symptoms that I had originally complained of. This continued for 7 years and I lost my career and many other things resulted from this that have been life changing.

Eventually I was given treatment with Liothyronine Sodium (T3) and after much effort and the removal of any thyroxine (T4) from my treatment I became well again.

I have been on Liothyronine (T3) for over 15 years and now have NO FAITH WHATSOEVER in thyroid hormone blood test levels of TSH as any indication of whether someone is suffering from poor thyroid hormone function at a cellular level. I am totally well on this treatment. This non-standard treatment. I have repeatedly retested Thyroxine (T4) and it continues to make me ill within days.

Your guidelines might work for a lot of patients but MANY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS,.

Your guidelines imprison many endocrinologists and family doctors. You HAVE to provide some guidelines on what to do when these guidelines FAIL. They will FAIL for some thyroid patients. Please do not condemn some people to permanent illness and a changed life as a result of not dealing with this issue thoroughly.

Many of us - MANY - would be willing to work closely with you to find a fundamental process change that would deal with the people who fall through the cracks. I would for one.

Please .... please consider this and the other testimonies here. We are not psychologically imbalanced. We have just seen the process of falling through the cracks first hand and know what it feels like.

I am holding out a hand in the hope that someone in your organisation will grab it

Carol Gray, Author of Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy - The minimal amount of testing currently being done on thyroid sufferers is deplorable, especially for those who have the autoimmune component. A broader testing protocol could help the thousands of people who still complain of life changing symptoms even after they have been told their TSH is “normal”. I am taking the time to write not just for myself, a thyroid sufferer but for Judy Kirby who is spending 215 years in prison for driving the wrong side of the road on a highway, resulting in a crash killing others. She had severe brain fog-almost dementia like symptoms because her MD mismanaged treatment of her thyroid condition. I am a thyroid advocate who doesn’t just believe in testing for T3 or the “free’s”, I am a proponent of testing brain function, hormones and vitamin and mineral levels on a regular basis. I mean come on… the thyroid control just about every cell in the body! Why is this one little test (the TSH) the baseline for this all too important gland? The medical community failed Judy Kirby. After that tragedy, her life was in the hands of a jury who failed her. Judy’s defense attorneys argued that a mismanaged thyroid condition was the cause of her slow reaction time and odd behaviors leading up to the accident,( but ultimately the jury did not understand how a thyroid disorder could possibly cause someone to act so spacey and came back with a guilty verdict). If more testing is done on the body for thyroid disorders, perhaps it would offer more education to the public as to why thyroid sufferers have so many symptoms both physically and mentally….and this type of education could have freed Judy Kirby. Better yet, it could have prevented the car accident in the first place, and seven lives could have been saved on March 25, 2001

Suzanne Adair - Author of many award-winning historical suspence books - When did doctors quit being scientists and become politicians?

"There is no evidence that desiccated thyroid has any advantage over synthetic T4 and it may make the precise adjustment of thyroid hormone replacement difficult." This is political lobby balderdash, if ever I've heard it, exactly the opposite of the truth. Dessicated thyroid from pigs contains T4, T3, T2, T1, and calcitonin, just like what you find in humans with normal thyroid function. Since dessicated thyroid is a natural product and cannot be patented, drug companies can't grab it and make billions on it every year. So they spread the lie that their synthetic products are better. Synthetic T4 only works for thyroid patients who don't have underlying adrenals problems or low iron. That's very few thyroid patients.

"A history of symptoms, a physical examination and laboratory tests that measure the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood are the first steps." The TSH is almost worthless and has, in fact, been used to *misdiagnose* thousands of thyroid patients. The TSH is a measure of pituitary gland function and only indirectly measures the thyroid function. You'd get a more accurate picture by testing the antibodies, the Free T3 and Free T4 and, if the patient has been on synthetic T4 any length of time, the Reverse T3 to see how badly the synthetic T4 has plugged up thyroid receptors. And even if a patient has "normal" TSH, FT3, and FT4 results, you could still be looking at hypothyroidism, because those tests measure what's in the blood, not what's in the cells. And plenty of things impair transport of thyroid hormone into the cells. Like synthetic T4.

How do I know more than doctors about thyroid disease? Because my thyroid disease was repeatedly misdiagnosed for several years, and taking a bunch of de$igner drug$ that I didn't need while the thyroid disease rampaged damaged me internally. If I hadn't learned on my own and gotten the correct treatments, I'd be dead by now.

Come on, doctors. Quit sucking up to Big Pharma. Learn how this stuff works. Help your patients.

Dana Trentini, Thyroid Blogger (Hypothyroid Mom) - In 2009 I miscarried a baby when TSH far above the recommended safe range of 2.5 in your Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Thyroid Disease During Pregnancy and Postpartum. My doctors were not aware of the 2007 Endocrine Society's clinical guidelines for the Management of Thyroid Dysfunction during Pregnancy and Postpartum which recommended a TSH level not higher than 2.5 in the first trimester. My doctors were Ivey-league trained and top awarded doctors in NYC yet they didn't know the thyroid guidelines for pregnancy. My hope is that you find a way to better spread the word about your guidelines to doctors. Babies' lives are in danger from this lack of awareness.


***We are all thyroid advocates, do your part what you say matters!

Crazy Thyroid Lady

BUT, I HAVE A DOCTOR'S NOTE...

Hey my thyroid brothers and sisters, I hope you had an awesome week. The mental exercising I did last week allowed me to come up with the most brilliant idea! I am going to give my Endo, pre-filled doctor’s notes for her to sign. These notes will be used at my discretion should I feel the need to be excused from work-related events that may be too taxing, frustrating or…stuff, I pretty much don’t want to do. Using my wonky thyroid as an excuse of course.

So here they are:

Note # 1
Please excuse Carol from the company picnic. With her low TSH in conjunction with her PMSing, she cannot stand the sight of every living creature (big or small) on the planet and would probably ruin the entire employee-bonding event.

Note # 2
Please excuse Carol from the “mandatory” all-day board meeting. With her high TSH, she won’t be able to comprehend anything anyway. But, do allow her come in for the complimentary lunch that’s being served. Permit her to obtain her portion, then excuse her from the meeting. The free food and not having to hear the monotone ramblings will help keep her stress level down.

Note # 3
Carol is exempt from having to remember, change/update any secure passwords.

Note # 4
Please excuse Carol from signing up to bring or cook anything for the company pitch-in. She will expend energy that she does not have making the dish, and will accidentally leave it sitting on the kitchen counter. This will cause her unnecessary stress, thus triggering an unproductive work day.

Note # 5
To all Managers, Department Heads and Executives – IMPORTANT Unfortunately, today (insert date here) you are dealing with a “valued” employee whose TSH level is a bit off. She also has a sinus infection causing her to have a poor night’s sleep. Since Carol is saving her vacation days for an upcoming (much needed) vacation, she is being the dutiful team-member that she is and reporting to work anyway. However, I must caution you…she can’t function! Please prop her up in a chair somewhere for the next 8 hours, wherever appropriate. Thank You.

Signed_________________________________________

I am so excited about these notes. I am going to take them to my Endo for her John Hancock on Monday. I just know it will work! I‘m pretty much a genius!


By the way, how did you do on the 10 servings of fruits and veggies last week? I know me too…It’s hard isn’t it? Follow me on Twitter or Facebook and I will try to remember to post a fruit or veggie recipe once a week. Maybe that will help give you ideas, or at least as a reminder for us to eat more good stuff.




Have a great week

Crazy Thyroid Lady

Don't forget to get your copy of my thyroid book Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy

OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT

Hello my thyroid family,

KUDOS to any family member who’s been able to snare an awesome thyroid doctor, for those who haven’t - keep searching. Good luck!

In past blogs, you've read about my tumultuous relationship with my Endo. I was so close to divorcing her again, however, recent events have led me to want to stick with her a little longer. She accepts me now because I have given her the one thing she truly loves most, a non-thyroid ailing patient.

Allow me to explain…

It all started one day when my Endo had grown tired of me complaining about my symptoms(I must have received 10-12 sighs during that particular office visit). You know the type, the huge loud sighs, accompanied with her hands on her hips and some eye rolls...

Because I told her many of my symptoms were exacerbated around "that time" of the month, she promptly cut me off and said. “Well this all sounds period related, you should go see your gynecologist. “

Oh the joy when specialists pawn you off onto another? Cha Ching!

Meanwhile, at the Gyno, he heard my concerns and ran a battery of tests (without the sigh’s and eye rolls).

The tests showed my progesterone was off the charts "low", almost non-existent. Progesterone is nicknamed “The feel good hormone.” You mean there is a hormone that is supposed to make you feel good? I’ll take a few cases please!

In addition, my blood sugar was high...

Fast forward to my next Endo visit, she immediately asked how my appointment with my Gyno went. I told her about my progesterone (rather lack thereof), then I told her about blood sugar.

And…amazingly, it was like I turned into a shiny new toy for her to play with! She became somewhat giddy, it was weird. She began talking 100 miles an hour about my health and all the things I should do from here on out. She wanted me to come back to see her physician assistant, who is also a registered dietician to chart out a comprehensive dietary plan. She suggested exercises, recommended books and a few websites.

I could not believe this change in her attitude, (now I’m sighing)...But ya know, I can’t even get mad anymore. Still, I’m a little frustrated. Where were the exercise tips, the dietician, the passion to treat me when I gained 20 pounds after radio-active iodine treatment? The only response I received then was…”Are you sure you are taking your medicine at the right time each day.”

Thyroid sufferers, if we aren’t treated like hypochondriacs then we are treated like five-year olds!

But alas, I am an optimist! I know one day we pioneers will not have suffered in vain. The medical community will eventually know how to treat those of us afflicted with thyroid ailments. Our future looks bright. We will have "on-call" massage therapists to work on our achy joints, round the clock maid service to keep our houses clean, and in-home chefs to cook nutrient enriched but, tasty meals-all paid by insurance companies.

Sigh

Crazy Thyroid Lady

DISEASES OFFER A SPEC-TACULAR VIEW!

This week’s blog is dedicated to my Father who passed away just five short months ago of cancer. I love and miss you Daddy!

My Father, a former military man, had a wife and two daughters. He did not want any of his girls to be sick, hurt or in pain-EVER! Scrapped knees, infections and menstrual maladies all had to be suffered in silence. Not because Dad was mean, he believed announcing an illness was a sign of weakness...well, at least that is what he told us.

In my late thirties, when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disease, my Father would scoff at me for complaining about things like fatigue, or joint pain. This was after he would call me to ask, “Hey, how are you doing?”…..but not wanting to hear (or deal with) the truth, he would then say: “You feel GREAT, stop saying you are tired.”

It wasn’t like I was a complainer; he just NEVER wanted to hear me say I was anything other than fantastic.

Last year, when my Dad was sickened with cancer, around Christmas time he said to me, “I realize now what it means to have a chronic illness, baby girl, and I apologize for ever down-playing what you have been going through over the past few years.”

This meant the world to me because it was never attention I was seeking, it was just understanding.

He went onto say, “But you know, we are blessed to have the opportunity to view the world with a different “set of glasses” than the pair we had on before.”
Some would say, “Blessed” doesn’t seem like the word most fitting, but oh… I knew exactly what he meant.

The best way I can describe it…it is like being fitted with a special pair of glasses, not the 3-D variety, where everything is distorted, not bifocals where everything is bigger, not UV where things are blocked out, and definitely not rose-colored. They are just real, authentic glasses, which help you see what is important.

With the new pair, we identify with what “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff “truly means-it’s not just a catchy book title to us. We feel this mantra deeply within our soul, because, truth is, we can’t sweat it. We don’t have the strength, the energy, or disposition, and on occasion the memory – (Now…what were we fighting about again?)

This truly is a blessing!

My dad’s new pair of glasses meant he could accept both of our diseases because it was reality… Good, bad or ugly.... It is life. Acceptance, understanding, and loving what life has to offer is much easier than distorting, blocking and making things bigger than what they are.

Battling an illness is not easy, however experiencing life with real glasses is… Eyeglasses that help us see what’s most important, during this holiday season and throughout the year and that is-Faith, Friends and Family…the rest is...well, small stuff.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

From The Crazy Thyroid Lady!

DON’T FORGET TO BE COUNTED FILL OUT THE SURVEY…CLICK ON SURVEY MONKEY OR FACEBOOK IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER!

I CAN HANDLE DA TRUTH!

Oh my goodness, I am in shock right now, just left my endocrinologist’s office. I had to race to my car and compose my blog RIGHT NOW!

I know I know I promised funny MD stories. However, right now I have just one MD story worth telling!

Let me preface by giving you an account of the relationship I have/had with my endocrinologist:

1. First date
2. Swept me off my feet with hope for a bright future
3. Marriage
4. Separation
5. Divorce
6. Argument
7. Settlement
8. Reconciliation

Reconciliation came after our tumultuous patient/MD relationship spanning almost five years.

This is truly a joyous occasion because when I divorced her, I am sure she stayed up many nights thinking about “that one patient who got away”. I showed her didn’t I?!!!!

But then, out of the kindness of my heart, I decided to give her one more chance. It’s just not good to hold grudges…Plus, ummm… I’m kind of cheap and the “rebound” MD did not bill insurance companies. His patients had to pay out of pocket…PLUS he was an hour away from my house.


I originally divorced my doc because she and I differed on my thyroid treatment plan.

On today’s visit, I told her what I needed and an argument ensued. It wasn’t Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, but, our voices resonated I’m sure. She finally agreed to do things my way (which is not all that medically unconventional …trust me!) Arrogance, rigidity and lawsuits get in the way of doing what’s best for the individual patient sometimes.

Anyway, THAT’S NOT THE EXCITING PART OF THIS STORY!!!

I finally heard these words from my MD:

“Look Carol, the only thing I am doing is treating your hypothyroidism. You are now hypothyroid because the radiation procedure I recommended you having years ago was given to in essence ‘kill’ your thyroid. I cannot not treat your autoimmune disease, because we currently do not have a cure. She went onto say, “For whatever reason, your body has a hard time adjusting to thyroid hormone replacement medications.”

These are the words I’ve wanted to hear since day one, for as she spoke those words to me all I heard was: I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT I AM DOING, BUT I AM TRYING! This is all I’ve ever wanted to hear...Doc! Now, she and I can work collaboratively, feeling our way through the dark towards a common goal. Instead of me getting frustrated with her, thinking she is supposed to give me all the answers…she doesn’t know, she is after all…”practicing” medicine.


I feel so empowered now, akin to when I was a little girl and realized teachers were regular human beings; not some sort of deity. Professionals put one pant leg on at a time; they also have bad days, don’t have all the answers and on occasion are wrong.

Please pray that our wedded reunion will remain blissful. Besides, I can’t afford the other doctor. Who knows, with the extra money I’m saving maybe I can launch my clothing line for the “Chronically Ill.”





Next Week – No promises, because there is no tellin’ what the Crazy Thyroid Lady will get herself into!