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A recent conversation I had with a fellow thyroid sufferer helped me come up with this latest blog post.

Because the thyroid gland affects just about every cell in the body, a multitude of symptoms can occur-from your hair to your little piggies. This is why it is so difficult to diagnose and treat.
How do you begin mending a sinking boat full of holes?

My fellow thyroid suffering comrade said she could not place all the blame on the multiple misdiagnoses from MD’s, since she was in denial about several of her symptoms, and wasn’t exactly forthright with all them... in particular, the neurological symptoms, i.e., depression, anxiety, brain fog, irritability, slow thinking etc,. Sigh, why does society (myself included) sometimes have trouble understanding that symptoms of diseases can also develop from the neck up?

Therefore, in my quest to increase thyroid disease awareness and help the medical community realize EXACTLY what we suffer through, I am asking all of you to please leave a comment explaining HOW YOU FIRST KNEW, (but were hesitant to speak out). It is my hope that other thyroid sufferers and medical professionals will read these comments and perhaps, get a better understanding as to what thyroid disease is all about (not just about losing or gaining weight). Don’t get me wrong…weight is an issue, the thunder in my thighs are holding on for dear life, they do not want to leave, no matter what I do to try to get rid of them.

Ok, I will go first- Here it goes:

I first knew something was REALLY wrong with me , but did not know what to say or how to communicate this to my MD-Several years prior to my diagnosis, I began having major panic and anxiety attacks whenever I was enclosed in places like elevators, backs seats of cars and my cubicle at work. I was also having trouble with large crowds. I never had these issues before. Weird lumps on my right shin started to emerge and in my early 30’s, hot flashes were becoming the norm for me. Also, I began to start losing bits and pieces of my memory. Suddenly, (it seemed like overnight) the majority of my childhood memories were gone. It was like a giant eraser was used to remove that area in my brain where these memories were stored. This sucks, because from what I do remember, my upbringing was great!

So, this was my first “Hmmmm, something is REALLY wrong with me, but how in the world do I explain this to my doctor moment” Ha, because I knew I would receive the “Carol are you for real?” look.

K…So it’s your turn…what was yours?

I FIRST KNEW SOMETHING WAS REALLY WRONG WITH ME BUT DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE THIS -

If you are having trouble leaving a comment here on blogger then you can go to my facebook page (the link is at the top right of this page) and leave a comment there.

Thanks so much for giving some of your time to help raise awareness.

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

THYROETRY - VALENTINES SPECIAL

This poem is dedicated to my hubby, love you honey!

Roses are red.

My thyroid is pink.

But it is not working.

That sure does stink.

Sending a shout out to my special Valentine.

Please understand I must be in bed by nine.

No wine, no chocolate…too many calories.

The weight will stay on for several centuries.

I love you my hubby, thanks for putting up with me.

Yours truly, The Crazy Thyroid Lady.

Don't forget to get your copy of my thyroid book, Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy. Buy it on Amazon today.

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

TOO COLD OR TOO HOT

Global warming-will we ever resolve this debate? Will one side say to the other, “Hmmmm maybe you are right.” Or will it go on and on for more decades, perhaps centuries?

Before this worldly debate fueled by temperature was another taking place on a much smaller scale, primarily happening at work establishments offering inadequate heating and cooling.

This discussion starts with a co-worker’s complaints about the office temperature and then BAM-here comes the question leading up to the debate: Would you prefer to be too hot or too cold?

The popularity of this dispute (especially for those who live in erratic weather climates) is in the same league as “the chicken/egg argument OR nature vs. nurture”.

Each party trying to convince the other, that one is better than the other and this clash can sometime become heated (Sorry, I could not resist)

This debate can occasionally turn into a severe power struggle resulting in that little ol’ tiny thermostat getting placed on 24-hour maximum security lockdown with armed guards and a pit bull…AKA-“Management”.

Here are the basic points to this insignificant debate:

Cold–It is much better to be too cold because you can always add layers…extra sweaters, gloves, etc…

Hot-It is better to be too hot because then you can take layers off.

So ridiculous and the disagreement is probably a moot one because thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroid diseases and postpartum thyroiditis is becoming more and more prevalent worldwide. So chances are, you are arguing with a thyroid sufferer…if that is the case than it is a relative issue. Before I was aware of the popularity of thyroid disease, those who would try to debate this with me, would usually receive the cold shoulder (OK I’ll stop)

The thyroid, among other things, controls your body’s internal thermostat. Those with thyroid disorders are either going to be hyper or hypo. Hyperthyroid folks are the hot ones and hypothyroid folks are the cold ones.

When I say hot, I mean, you are fearful that…at any moment, you will spontaneously combust. Now that is hot!

Cold, to a thyroid sufferer means you feel like your skeletal system is made of icicles. When you are freezing to the bone like this…honey there aren’t enough layers in the world. This cold is painful!

And some reports say there are roughly 300 million of us WORLDWIDE who have been diagnosed, and probably millions more who have not been, so this disagreement is futile, to say the least. If someone wants to battle it out with you on this subject just say “You are probably right.” Keeping workplace harmony is more important and being agreeable garners a (just one more) warm response.

Crazy Thyroid Lady

DONT FORGET THE SURVEY, CLICK ON ONE OF THE LINKS IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER, IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN IT...IT ENDS IN THREE DAYS!

GIVE SOME THYROID LOVE AND SUPPORT

Hello Family,

As Thyroid Awareness month draws to a close. I want to thank those who participated in the Crazy Thyroid Lady Survey…thanks so much. If you haven’t filled out the brief survey please do so before it ends on January 31st. (Survey links are on the top right corner of this page)

Also, I want to encourage everyone to support each other. Thyroid disease is very difficult. Give a fellow thyroid sufferer a hug, (real or cyber) tell him/her it will be OK. Support thyroid blogs, become facebook and twitter pals. We are all in this together and I know we can make a difference!

THYROID BLOGS

http://thyroid.blogspot.com/
http://hypoman-lifetherapy.blogspot.com/
http://sjccfthynet.blogspot.com/
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/blog/
http://thyroid-hope.blogspot.com/
http://thyroidplague.blogspot.com/
http://hypothyroidathleteskitchen.blogspot.com/

THYROID WEBSITES

http://outsmartdisease.com/
http://dearthyroid.org/
http://www.sjccfthynet.org/
http://thyroid.about.com/
http://gdcoffeebreak.weebly.com/
http://eyesee.typepad.com/
www.crazythyroidlady.com (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

If I missed a website or blog let me know.

Thanks

BE STRONG

Crazy Thyroid Lady

Blood Work - Mission Impossible

Have you ever noticed when getting blood drawn at a lab or a doctor’s office, the entire process is like a Tom Cruise/Mission Impossible-type event? What is the reason for the serious stealth?

Here is how it goes…

Already knowing what lies ahead, timidly you arrive. They usher you into a room, where you must rest into a deceitful seat reminiscent of an amusement park ride. Next, the bloodletting bandit, with an interrogative tone, confirms your date of birth and name, which you must spell out for them.

Then, they are all like, “Put your eyes in this retinal scanner”… Just kidding--I always wanted to use a retinal scanner; they really should use a retinal scanner…WHY AREN’T THEY USING RETINAL SCANNERS!!

Anyway, the “technician” sticks the long, sharp blade in your arm expelling those pumping platelets keeping you alive.

Afterwards, they place your precious life force in those cheap fifty cent vials. The number of vials needed depends on the amount of codes marked by the doctor on that top secret, cryptic, lab request form.

Meanwhile, CIA operatives in Langley, Virginia are the recipients of your blood and the clandestine lab order with those codes. These codes can only be deciphered after many years of operative training. They must know ICD-9 codes, diagnosis codes, CPT codes, Morse code and all the Xbox 360 cheat codes. At least this is what I believe, because when I view my own lab order, I haven’t a clue-- am I being tested for my thyroid disorder or to somehow help me with Call of Duty?

The key part of this whole covert operation is when it’s over; you are then given a band-aid, which contains a fluid that seeps subcutaneously causing the reluctant donor to become passive. This passive state is needed for a very important purpose. Why? Because the reason you went to get blood drawn in the first place was because, you were experiencing the following:

Chronic fatigue, migraines, moodiness, anxiety, depression, excessive weight gain, hair loss, blurred vision, joint pain and brain fog…UGH!! This is no way to live!

But, when you call for your results a nurse comes on and says, “Oh yes, let me get your chart,” she comes back on the phone and states quickly, without hesitation …”Everything is normal.” At that moment the passive poison kicks in and you say simply, “OK”…Click, you both hang up.

It is your chronic suffering that brought you to the doctor in the first place. They take your blood, from your arm, it is your results, so for the life of me, I can’t understand the secrecy. Unknown answers filed away in your elusive “chart.” And what about that nurse who gave you your normal blood results, then dismisses you like an insubordinate employee. “Ummm, what about my current symptoms, did you think I was making it up.” It does not seem to matter to them though…as long as “Mission Is Accomplished!”

Crazy Thyroid Lady's Book Intro Part Two

“Mom, mom.”

“What honey?”

“Can me and Zach get some ice cream from the ice cream man?”

“I don’t have any money, babe.”

“I do, mom.”

Of course you do, you always have money, more than me, I thought. I walked to his room to get his piggy bank, mainly filled with green than metal. While walking back to the screen door, I noticed both little boys were looking so enthusiastic. You could just see it in their eyes, both visualizing the tasty ice cream treat, which will soon be a melting mess for me to clean up later. In an instant, I realized, playing a prank on them was an opportunity I could not pass up. Approaching the screen door, clutching the giant pink pig in my hands.

I roared:

“Muuwaahhhhh, you think you boys are getting some ice cream? (Gnashing my teeth, trying to do my best Peter Lorre impression) No way, the money’s all mine, all mine I tell you! Muwaaahhhh.”

The eerie crinkling noise produced by my lemony Pledge-filled hands was perhaps a little too theatrical for someone else’s child. My son was used to my behavior, but Zach’s mouth dropped to the ground. Tyler stared at his mother with no interest…both were just cute as buttons. Even though, there was a screen door between me and Zach, he still looked terrified. He looked at me with this perplexing, yet frightened gaze, then looked over at Tyler and said:

“Wow, Tyler you were right, your mom really is crazy!”

When Zach said this, I immediately started laughing hysterically, that this little guy was afraid of his best friend’s mommy? Then laughter promptly shifted to panic. Suddenly, a quick glimpse into my future of everyone knowing the real me was a scary notion. You see, the hard work and dedication Zach’s mom puts forth into her gossip telling is unlike anything I have ever seen. My crazy paranoia (this time) was valid. I firmly believe she has a secret passage way behind her washer and dryer. This is where she clandestinely slips into her secret underground bunker sending out gossip via Morse code. This “news” is then distributed throughout the neighborhood, surrounding counties, the state, the country and parts of Europe, all before sundown. The message will say: There is a crazy woman living at 725 Meadow Lake Drive in Carmel, IN. I will be outed, the jig is up.

“Oh well,” I thought to myself, “I might as well face the music.” The transition from laughter, to panic, soon gave way to relief. One of the best things about being crazy: a massive emotional shift can happen in seconds. Little known fact - when a dramatic actor in a movie instantaneously goes from laughing deliriously to crying, they are portraying someone with a thyroid disease.

After being outed, from that moment forward our yard was…well, let’s just say, we would certainly lose the Best Kept Yard award. My fake smiles ended and instead of playing ball with the brats, they received snarls. Looking back on it all, it was silly to hide my true self… but, when you are sick and you don’t know you are sick, you try to act well, Conversely, when you are sick and you know you are sick, you say, “What the hell.”


Thanks for reading my entire intro - I hope to have this Crazy book out sometime in 2012

Love ya - Don't forget to fill out the survey!

Crazy Thyroid Lady