I am always talking and writing about the opposites in life, so I guess I deserve this. But what an education! The body is so f–king amazing.
Just to make things interesting for me, I got to experience not only the hypo-thyroid state, but also the racing heart, palpitations, breathlessness, anxiety, dizziness, lack of appetite, muscle weakness and aches, and foggy brain of the HYPER thyroid state for a last few weeks. Turns out the dosage the doctor suggested that I start with was way too strong for my body. My blood tests still show up in the hyper range. These hormones will take weeks to get out of my system. It is like being accidentally drugged and waiting for the spell to pass. On the worst days I felt like I was on speed (yes, for those of you wondering, I have done speed before in my youth), but with muscle weakness and fatigue. You have all these things you want to do, and you can’t physically do any of them!
I think it is more uncomfortable than the HYPO thyroidism state that is my general problem. For years I kept the symptoms at bay with amino-acids, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and yoga. Despite my efforts, the hypo-thyroid peaked in the last few months as my thyroid got more dysfunctional. The symptoms were fatigue, extreme dizziness, drunk feelings, slight depression, weakness, aches, and stiffness. Some people gain weight, loose hair, and get dry skin, but my worst symptom was the vertigo-like dizziness that lasted for months (see earlier blog experiences).
It makes me wonder how many people are really NOT mentally anxious or depressed, but are being misdiagnosed. People think they are going crazy when these symptoms start happening. You feel like your body is not yours. Your whole experience of being alive in your body is different. It is very disconcerting.
The American Thyroid Association http://www.Thyroid.org suggests that men and women over 35 get their thyroid hormone levels tested, mainly TSH level, every 5 years!
Who knew? The thyroid and thyroid hormones affect everything and you would die without these hormones. Your muscles use them, your heart, your lungs, the endrocrine system, etc. Without thyroid hormone your muscles, heart and lungs would waste away.
I thought I would pass on this information to plant the idea that your symptoms might not just be in your mind.
thank you thank you thank you! I have an appointment at an endocrinologist because i was told my thyroid was high next week but my symptoms have been getting worse and worse and i thought i was seriously going crazy and really depressed and the thing about not feeling like your body is yours is what i have been trying to explain to my family. its actually a scary experience and just knowing that it could be my thyroid puts my mind at ease. thank you again
Yes it can be scary….emotional swings can be a symptom as well no your not crazy. Even if it makes you feel that way. I have hyperthyroid they still keep having to change my dose they had it to high. Can not wait until I have insurance in April because I need to be seeing an Endocrinologist. I have also been told my gland will most likley become underactive.
Thank goodness a new Naturopath ran bloodwork and investigated into my hyperthyroid though I didn’t show noticable symptoms until a month later. I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety but on antidepression meds – failed IVF and loss of 2 close people didn’t help. Nevertheless thank you for this post, especially with the vertigo, mood issues, & just feeling crazy from lack of control over body. Because of my Other diseases and meds, the doctors blamed the other doctors meds or me being anxious. The endocrinologist got it right with the Benign Positional Vertigo but had me go back to primary doctor for Epley Semont maneuver but OB/GYN said try PT but had to get referall from primary doc. Again, thank you for this post.