General Update #30

Read the last blog in this series.

Things are feeling steady and good right now.

Thyroid Levels

I recently completed a full thyroid panel test which confirmed that my TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and thyroid antibodies (tpoab and tgab) were all still optimal and Hashimoto’s in remission. Which is good news!

Right now, I am happy and feeling well on the 180mg Armour + 25mcg Levothyroxine and this combination is keeping all my levels where they need to be. On NDT (Armour) alone my T4 levels were always at the bottom of the range, but the small amount of Levothyroxine has brought this up to midrange. I’ve been on this combo now for about seven or eight months.

Related Post: Thyroid Medication Options

The Symptoms

My itchy scalp has resolved with a new shampoo. My energy levels are good – I’m walking daily, doing yoga twice a week and just starting with weight training. I’m trying to go slow and steady to give my body a chance to warm up to weight training. I’m so wary of over exercising these days and causing more harm than good.

The acne is still about the same as my previous update. I’ve made a lot of progress by implementing a proper skincare regimen based off of Caroline Hirons’ advice, and with my functional medicine practitioner putting me on broccoli sprout extract. That supplement alone has helped me a lot – not only has the acne improved but my menstrual migraines have also completely ceased. She put me on it for the oestrogen dominance, gut health and more that she says I have going on.

We stopped the other gut protocol stuff (oregano oil and garlic supplement) and my gut health seems fine for now. I still take the other supplements of digestive enzymes,probiotic, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin C (and a few more) and these will be ongoing for now, adjusting them as and when my health changes a little or blood tests show that I no longer require them.

I feel like I have got as far as I can with my NHS GP and the acne situation. He has given me various topical treatments which haven’t helping and he then suggested antibiotics, which I’m not interested in after all the work I have done to improve my gut health. So, I am going to ask to be referred to a dermatologist.

I’m happy with the progress I have made on my own and with the functional medicine practitioner, but now I’m ready to add someone else to my healthcare team and see what further progress we could perhaps make.

Mental Health

Mental health wise, I’m still feeling very levelled. Since having my first child (who is now one, can you believe?) it’s been pretty stable. I experienced postpartum depression briefly when he was a newborn but aside from that, I’d say he has improved my mental health overall. He has provided me with even more of a focus and purpose each day, that I don’t find myself spiralling in to dark dips any more. I actually expected my mental health to be more up and down once a parent, but I’m so surprised that so far, it has been the opposite.

Do remember that you can keep up to date with my personal health journey via Instagram. My Instagram is updated with realtime updates and you’ll be able to follow along as and when everything happens over there!

Read the next blog in this series.

How is your thyroid health at the moment? Feel free to add to the discussion in the comments below.

See also:

The book Be Your Own Thyroid Advocate: When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired, which details the many things you can do to get your thyroid health back on track. Learn to advocate for yourself.