I'm really struggling to work out where to begin writing this post, so I figure I should track way back to the beginning, and where my hypothyroidism story begins. Around 5 years ago (2009) I noticed I was starting to put on weight. I'm self employed and spend most of my time working on my computer, so I put it down to lack of excersise. I wasn't really doing much so I made an effort to eat healthy to try and budge the extra weight. I started going to the gym 5 times a week, drinking plenty of water and basically, I turned my life around. This is when I first realised something wasn't right. It didn't matter how much I worked out, or how healthy I ate, I put on weight. I got really depressed and couldn't understand what was happening to me. Desperate to find a solution and to lose the excess weight I made some really bad desisions. I wouldn't advise anybody to do this, and i'm pretty sure I worsened my condition doing this, but I needed to know I wasn't going crazy. I did a drastic weight loss regime. I would wake up early, go on the treadmill for an hour, drink only water and a lot of it, and I would eat 2 tangerines and 3 little portions of sugar free jelly/ jello a day. The tangerines were about 53 calories each and the jelly less than 10 calories a portion. I was running on only 136 calories a day. I'd spend an hour lunch time, and an hour before bed on the treadmill, and I was still putting on weight. I thought I was going crazy, so I made an appointment with my doctor where I said I knew something was wrong with me, but I didn't know what. He said I must have been lying about working out, and that I should get a personal trainer who can make sure I'm exercising properly. I was devastated but took on his advise and joined the gym. I worked out 5 days a week for an hour a day, and then I would use my treadmil at home too, and my weight was still climbing. I didn't know what to do. Doctors didn't help and I didn't know what else to do. Looking back, I no doubt damaged my thyroid further but I didn't know that at the time. I bought diet pills, I tried everything I could get my hands on but my weight went up every day. I must have visited the doctor 10 times in two years where I was in tears. I didn't know what to do and my weight was climbing like crazy. Eventually I googled my symptoms. I came across a website that had a list of symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Tired... yes, all the time.
Sensitive to cold... I'm always freezing.
Weight gain... definitely.
Depression... seriously getting depressed.
Slow movement and thoughts... I was still very active but I felt like my brain didn't work anymore. I couldn't concentrate on anything.
I sat there looking at the symptoms, finally being happy that I may have found what was wrong with me. I went back to the doctors with this list and explained I was sure something was wrong and I begged them to check my blood. Eventually, they agreed and yes I had hypothyroidism. My results were crazily low and I was immediately put onto levothyroxine. At this point, I was happy, things were starting to make sense. I didn't really understand hypothyroidism but at least something explained why I was feeling the way I was. Doctors told me that I would lose weight on the tablets and that my levels would become normal. I didn't lose weight, and I'd be back at the doctors for blood tests every 3 months where they adjusted my levels over 2 years to get me into a "normal" range. Now my levels are within normal range, but i'm still not feeling normal. I've decided to write this blog because I think it could help others who are in the same situation. I feel doctors expect you to move on when your results are within "normal" range, but things are far from right. Follow my journey as I hope to find a solution to help with my symptoms and hope to stabilize and learn to live with hypothyroidism.
