It all began 20yrs ago. I was pregnant with my first child and didn't know what happened to me. First trimester I was fairly OK til about 14 weeks into my pregnancy. Suddenly I started feeling like everything I did on a daily basis was such an Effort. Gee sh, here I am a successful Respiratory Therapist, great career, and suddenly I start to think What is going on with my hormones? First I thought it was the pregnancy. I started feeling extremely tired, low blood sugars, rage, easily irritable. Co-workers, who I really enjoyed Now I couldn't stand to even look at them.
OMG why do I hate the smell of (at that time) husband's cologne, people I enjoyed working with, Everything is so stressful. I found myself at the mercy of my obstetrician. Made an apt, talk with my doc and let him know I am having weakness, episodes of almost passing out, shakiness, etc... SO doc suggest that I have hypoglycaemia due to the pregnancy. OK , how do we fix this.
Well, I speak to the nutritionist and we come up with a every 3 hr small high protein meal. Great, I discipline myself to this stick to this high protein every 3 hrs right on time not a minute to late. Somehow my body knew when that 3 hr mark was coming up, my sugars starting to get low, I became irritable, etc..
Meanwhile this is holiday time and all the sweets and treats were around. Hands off. I was very dedicated to following docs and my nutritionist recommendations. Now, its around 28 weeks later (7 months) 14 weeks of strict monitoring my blood sugars sticking myself following high protein diet. Symptoms starting getting worse every time I was active. Only when I was resting and Not doing anything I mean anything. Just lying in bed my sugars where fine. I also had to stop working out.
So being in the medical field, I decide to start to wonder is there something else going on. It wasn’t til my boss said to me “Tina you need to see a endocrinologist, this is not normal, something else is going on.” With her advise I decided to start my long journey of my evil twin Hashimoto's. My first endocrinologist apt. Doctor says he needed to test my glucose and run other test, but bc I was 7 months pregnant he said “I have to hospitalize you” WHAT This must be serious. So off I go to my 3 day stay. The first 24 hrs running blood sugar test every 3 hrs. While like I told the doc only when I am moving around do I feel the drop in sugars. So here I am bed resting for over 24 hrs, I feel fine. Then around 3 am I decide I really want to take a shower. So the nurse takes my sugar levels. Sugars are within normal limits. Great, I eat my protein snack, go take a shower.
Suddenly “Here we go again” I start feeling shaky, week, and ready to pass out. Call nurse she checks my sugars. I went from 120 before shower to 50 after eating and showering. Meanwhile the whole time I am in the hospital I am thinking is this all in my head? Is there really nothing wrong with me? Could it be that I am overly exaggerating this? About 3 hrs later here comes the nurse to check my sugars, ( range was normal), then comes the ultrasound tech. OK now what? I go to ultrasound to have my thyroid checked. Remember, I am in the medical field and the tech is someone I work with. As she is doing her ultrasound she looks over to the other tech and says, “hey come here what is this.” Naturally, I am freaking out.
Seven months pregnant, sugars are low, feeling week and fatigued, irritable etc.... I ask her what is wrong? Is there something wrong with me? Is it cancer? I forget exactly what she said, but I do remember she said something to the effect I am not qualified to give these findings your doctor has to see the results and discuss the results with you.
Great. Now I am back in my room (intensive carer unit) on top of it all. Nurse comes in and she says why are you crying. OH I don't know, maybe cause I am 7 months pregnant something showed up on my ultrasound and I DONT HAVE ANY ANSWERS. Frighten doesn't begin to explain what I was feeling.
Now jump ahead to the doctor. He tells me I have a thyroid condition and I have a goiter. What the HELL is a GOITER? He explains what is going on and informs me you will have to be on thyroid medication for the rest of your life. WOW. Naturally, I ask is the baby OK? He says yes. He tells me the baby will take what he needs and your baby is fine. Then later that day I get discharged and go home.
Fast forward: Baby is a healthy boy no medical problems. Mom on the other hand has never been the same. First year was hell. I barely slept, was working night shift and breastfeeding. Plus my husband at that time was abusive verbally and sometimes physically.
Now 20 yrs later after numerous ER visits numerous doctors, I still feel the Medical Field has not caught up to the ENTIRE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM and ALL the AUTOIMMUNE patients who suffer.
I have been studying my disease, my mental state, and physical state for yrs WITHOUT any complete answers.
I find a doc who I think is great in the beginning. Just to get let down over and over. Being your own advocate is Extremely important. As many of us know. So, I find doc after doc after doc. Yet nobody can tell me I am disabled, but yet I cant function many days on simple task. Work from home and still have issues with job performance. Among raising 3 boys, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining school activities and OH YEAH
don’t forget all the other life's issues that get thrown on the plate.
This brings me to here and now. How many of hashimoto's patients ever get their adrenal gland tested. Does PTSD have anything to do with Hashimoto's and Adrenal Diseases? I believe all factors do? It's not just about family history anymore. MISSION: Find a doctor that is willing to listen to me and Lets get this EVIL TWIN under control for once and help others.
My personal beliefs of causes:
Diet pills (especially when in pre teen to teen yrs) I have taking a lot in my day
Anorexia (Had that too in early years pre-teen
Domestic Violence ( Lived with a mother who was violent; 1st Husband was too)
Life's Traumatic Stress (Death of my Father) He was the only one that made me fee safe
Rape ( Happened to me)
Marriage ( Autoimmune/ Any serious health issues) Spouses really need to be understanding and take the time to really educate themselves, as well as family members IE: children (age appropriate)
Everyday Stress
Diet then and now
Depression ( How many times has a doc told you your symptoms are in your head, so easy to diagnose “Depression”
Since many of the above causes have alternate paths to determine a condition, why isn't there any Medical Research out there that is linking all and/or some symptoms together and get to the rout of thyroid/ autoimmune diseases along with adrenal glands. If I can see the connection, Why cant Medicine? I am on a mission to get the answers I so desperately need. I welcome anyone to come join me on ENDING THIS EVIL TWIN HASHIMOTO'S AND OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
The list goes on and on. If you are still reading this then you know exactly how it feels.
Every time I undergo stress my condition worsens and I feel isolated all over again.
If you have felt or currently feel any of these above pl z contact me and lets start the ball rolling together for Medical Science to get with the 21st Century. Time is of the essence! The resources are out there, we just need to utilize them smartly.