INSOMNIA…NOOOOOOO – SLEEP-YEEESSSSSSS

How much sleep do you get?

Not getting enough sleep isn’t good.Requiring too much sleep can be just as bad…either way something could be wrong with your health.

Sleep has ALWAYS been one of my favorite pastimes,as a teen, I had turned snoozing into a hobby until my parents intervened. Tracing back to the origin of my illness, I probably had intermittent bouts of thyroid issues in my teens, twenties and early thirties. I would get so abnormally tired, that surely the sandman had used an anesthetic on me, instead of the harmless pixy dust he used on other folks to aid with their slumber.

But…I was Okay with this…

When that sleepy feeling came over me, I HAD to take a nap…there was no other alternative… I could be at work, school, doctor’s office waiting rooms- and a few times... in a parking garage (not safe, I know). Even after these power naps, I would still have no problem going to sleep at bedtime. Looking back, I am not sure why I accepted this condition, but I just LOVED sleep so much…I wasn’t about to take my concerns to an MD and have them ruin it! I would even have accomplices working for me, for example, I would enlist “lookouts” on my job to tell me if management was coming. They would yell out Hootie Hoo…or something like that…giving me the “heads up” to…well…get my head up.

AND THEN in my late 30’s and into my 40’s I became hyperthyroid…Ughhhhh. For the first time I was introduced to the evil diabolic villain - INSOMNIA.

Now, it’s time to go to the doctor!

After treatment for the hyperthyroid, my bouts of insomnia tapered off, but my anti-hero still came around during “that time of the month" and y’all this was one time too many as far as I was concerned.

So, here are the top 5 things I have done to conquer the evil “I” word:


1. Talked to my gynecologist-My doctor tested my hormones because my insomnia seemed to be associated with my menstrual cycle. Turns out, my hormone levels were way off. We got me back in balance with a bio identical hormone med. I did not want to take prescription sleep aids.

2. Exercise – Working out on a regular basis allows me to sleep longer and deeper. I notice a considerable, "restless" difference with my sleeping patterns when I don’t exercise.

3. Eat a healthy balanced diet and don’t eat right before going to bed-As I get older, munching on hot wings or salty chips as a midnight snack is no longer an option if I want affective sleep and/or have a cheerful disposition the next day.

4. De-stress before bed time-Erase from your thoughts work issues or anything else that will keep your mind racing. Play a game, watch an entertaining television show or read a book. (Keep your mind occupied with something mundane)

5. Hot bath or shower before bed-This makes me sleepy just thinking about it.

Nighty Night my fellow thyroidians, and have pleasant dreams

Crazy Thyroid Lady

RANDOM RAMBLINGS

Hey thyroid family, this week’s blog post has nothing to do with the thyroid, rather, its about the random thoughts meandering in my head, pretty much on a full time basis...

Hmmmm…the more I think about this…perhaps this is a thyroid-related blog post, because never before have I had so many ramblings swirling around than after thyroid disease. It must be be a symptom, like serious attention deficit to the umpteenth degree.

I mean like for real… it’s so annoying…ewwww, what is that?.....What is on my keyboard? Are those crumbs? Who has been typing on my laptop…Tyyyllllerrrr!!! Come here! Have you been on my laptop? (Before he could answer)You, look handsome… How was school today? (Before he could answer again) Did you clean your room?....What should we have for dinner tonight???...Just go clean your room and stop bothering me, I have to write this blog…Sigh, where was I…My joint’s feel a little achy today, I wonder if it will rain…What’s on TV…There’s never anything good on TV…I’m tired, I need a nap….Zzzzzzz

HA! You don't even want to know what I am like at work…

Anyway…where was I…Oh yes, I wanted to talk about my new love: electronic readers. I downloaded a book called The War That Came Home (Yes I am shamelessly plugging my friend’s book, a true story about a wife who had to endure her husband’s post traumatic stress disorder, returning home from two tours overseas in the military). This was my first experience reading an e-book and I love, love, love it!

Thinking about my newfound love, I was driving home from work, trying to figure out why I fancy it so much. I’ve never been much of a reader, but now I want to read everything! My random thoughts began to rationalize this new addiction-I used to hate traditional books because holding them was very difficult. I have freakishly large hands, yet they are delicate and fragile. Therefore holding a paperback for me is similar to Shaquille O’Neal holding an ant and conversely, holding a big hardback book is like lugging around a cylinder block. But, holding my e-book reader is jusssstttttt right!

Then my mind took me to a place of anger, thinking about how my former classmates used to call me E.T. because my fingers were so long. They would tell me to “Go phone home, Carol.” Ugh, sometimes I wish I was able to completely switch off the randomness...

I come close to turning it off when I read…. So, what are you guys reading? Send me a message…I am now looking for some good books.

Crazy Thyroid Lady

GO CRAZY!

I call myself the

Crazy Thyroid Lady

because my mother instilled in me the ability to turn the tables on those who bully me. “Don’t let them see they are getting to you”, she would say.

As my disease evolved, I will admit, I wasn’t myself…and thats when the “adult” bullying began.

My family called me crazy, friends looked at me like I was bonkers, co-workers treated me like I was nuts, and doctors…well…doctors did all the above. Except doctors don’t come right out and use the word “crazy”. They say words like “stressed” or “aging”.

For example:

Doctor 1- “This is the fifth time, you’ve been in my office complaining of brain fog, headaches, joint pain and muscle weakness…are you sure you aren’t “stressed?”

Doctor 2- “You are telling me you’ve gained 30 pounds in two months? Hmmmm…Well, that’s what happens when you get older.”

GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR

My thyroid already does a great job of trying to drive me crazy, I don’t need help from my outside circle of cohorts.

So, I fought back! How? Well...by…going CRAZY! That’s right. In order for me to deal with those around me, who do not in any way, understand invisible illnesses, I’ve had to turn into the crazy thyroid lady. Now,at every opportunity, I must:

Conserve – My energy

Relax and Restore- Try not to blow a gasket or overreact (take deep breathes)

Adding

Zest

In

You (myself)

(I talk more about this concept in my upcoming book Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy)

Labor Day is approaching, so what a great opportunity to remind my sweet thyroidians who try to continue to labor as much, (perhaps more than you did before your illness)…slow down my friends! End those days of being that perpetual multi-tasker, the modern superman, everything to everyone. STOP! Conserve, Relax, Restore, single task, take breaks, breath, laugh – Go Crazy!!!

Crazy Thyroid Lady.

LOSING IT...MY HAIR

At this moment, while writing this blog post…I am doing something I don’t like to do: getting my hair done. I would rather sit in a dentist chair than spend the many many hours it takes to get my hairconstructed. Why? Because tackling my tresses is a long, arduous process. But when the hair dresser is finished…whew, it is such a relief.

Some thyroid sufferers have escaped the unpleasant symptom of losing your hair and this was not initially a part of my thyroid symptom repertoire, but then sadly, one day it came…my hair kept falling in clumps down the drain.

I am not a vain person, evidenced by the slippers I wear just about everywhere I go (See last year's blog post Clothing Line for the Chronically Ill.) But, I want to look halfway decent, without spending hours on my hair everyday. Do you know how long it takes to do a Donald Trump “comb over” each morning, to cover up those bald areas? Plus, it’s just not a very feminine look.

This is why I have given up on some of my expensive hobbies to afford the various hair extension styles available nowadays. It can be a bit pricey, but for me it is, practical, durable and easy for this girl on the go.

You may have tried to defeat me this time thyroid disease, but I am a formidable foe. I keep coming back with another knockout punch and pretty hair.

Crazy Thyroid Lady

AUTOIMMUNE OLYMPIADS

Well, the Olympics are over. Thank God! Now I can get some sleep. I was so sleep deprived. I could have won a gold medal in crankiness.

I am in awe when I see the super-human type feats executed by these athletes. And then, when I hear that some of these competitors have autoimmune diseases like me, it is astounding.

Diseased Olympiads…what an oxymoron.

But it just goes to show you, no one is immune to the auto-immune atrocities.

These athletes endure their body fighting itself, yet they practice multiple hours in a day. When I am on my third or fourth dream all snuggly in my bed, they are waking up before the sun comes up to begin their training. Just can’t wrap my mind around that…

Here are a few of those ailing athletes who competed at this year’s 2012 Olympics in London:

Tennis -Venus Williams–Sjogren’s syndrome (The body attacks moisture producing glands) Advanced to the third round of the London Olympics.

Kayaking –Carrie Johnson-Crohn’s disease (Inflammation of the digestive tract) Advanced to the semifinals.

Soccer (or women’s football)-Shannon Box-Lupus (The body attacks healthy tissues) Won Gold medal.

Track and Field-Sanya Richards-Ross-Behcet’s Syndrome (Vasculitis leading to ulcers particularly around the mouth, genitals and pupils) Two-time gold medal winner in London.

Track and Field, pole vaulting-Jenn Suhr-Celiac’s disease (hypersensitivity to gluten) Won gold medal.

All of them deserve the gold medal as far as I am concerned.

Crazy Thyroid Lady

ANY INFO WOULD BE APPRECIATED

What’s up thyroid fam? I am biting my nails as my new book ("Wow Your Mom Really is Crazy") is under editorial review with my publisher. To keep my sanity (what’s left of it) as this proccess plays out, I’ve started on my second book "Sentenced for Sickness, 215 Years, the Judy Kirby Story". If you are not familiar with Judy Kirby's story, please see these articles:


INDY STAR ARTICLE -http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/accidents/2000/Ind67/wrongway.html

MARY SHOMAN'S ARTICLE - http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa042401a.htm


I am asking for help. If any of my blog readers know anything about this case, please email me at judykirbyinfo@gmail.com or write to me at P.O. Box 703 Fishers, IN 46038.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Crazy Thyroid Lady.

READER'S RESPONSE

I love all the feedback I receive on my blog. We are family members and just like family we can disagree with one another. Last week, I received a response to a previous blog post about how this responder is tired of the “collective Endo and GP bashing” from thyroid autoimmune sufferers and that we all must learn how to deal with our autoimmune disease.

First I want to say, to whoever sent their anonymous opinion....“honey, you are preaching to the choir!” This subject matter is what my (soon to be released) book is all about. In the book, I have dedicated over a year to outlining the many alternate ways (without help from doctors) that I have coped with this disease... Simply put, we cannot solely rely on MD’s for our health! Only a very small percentage of our life is spent in a healthcare practitioner’s office, after that, it is up to us to handle our business. In fairness to health care practitioners, we shouldn’t expect them to know everything...


HOWEVER-


Having said this, I will not (as a thyroid advocate) stop placing some of the ownness on the medical community. It should not take multiple years to receive a diagnosis (which is commonplace for the average autoimmunee). MD’s who specialize in endocrinology, should authoritatively know the symptoms related to thyroid disease, and make every effort to address each of them. Most don’t do this. If an MD doesn't know...then ADMIT IT! Don’t be condescending, by telling them it is “just stress” or “all in your head”, basically just brushing off patients.

The dictionary’s definition of a doctor: A person trained in the healing arts.

Crazy Thyroid Lady’s definition: The script-giver.

Tee hee…that is harsh, just kidding…sort of.

As a thyroid advocate, I do want to encourage you to play a bigger role in your health. One way to do this is by getting your own blood work done. Blood work, you feel is necessary, yet your MD will not authorize... We should all have our hormone, vitamin, mineral and other levels tested on a regular basis as our thyroid deficient bodies don’t always want to function the way it should.

And since you guys are my brothers and sisters, I have asked a U.S. independent laboratory with over 1700 locations, offering more than 400 tests to help you in your quest for wellness, by giving you 5 % off on any lab work done through Personal Labs. In order to get the discount, you must use the Crazy Thyroid Lady code PLABSCTL

Visit this website Personal Labs


And don’t forget to use the code PLABSCTL

Crazy Thyroid Lady