I’m weirdly looking forward to my appointment with the endocrinologist and GP tomorrow. Why? Because I’ve made so much progress since the last visit!
When I last saw the endocrinologist in January, I was battling depression, anxiety disorder and honestly couldn’t bear the thought of my poor quality of life being forever. My social and work life were ruined and hypothyroidism had pretty much taken hold of everything.
When I saw the endocrinologist for the first time six months ago, he refused to listen to my thoughts and ideas. He implied I had put on weight not from being inadequately treated, but because I was lazy, ate the wrong stuff and too much of it, and I didn’t move enough. He dismissed absolutely everything I said. He even said I should see a dietician. I was so insulted. I have diet and nutrition qualifications myself!
When I left that appointment, I walked to the nearest toilet, collapsed on the floor in the cubicle and sobbed my heart out for an hour. I eventually picked myself up, after numerous members of hospital staff asking if I was OK, and cried all the way home. I spent another four hours crying at home, writing that I couldn’t bear to carry on living a life so dreadful and ruled by a condition I never deserved. I used to be so healthy and active. I was sociable, passionate and busy. I was a regular twenty-one year old, until my stupid thyroid decided to have some time off.
So, after I vented out my despair on paper, I ordered my own adrenal test. I carried on the NDT, refusing to go back to Levothyroxine like the endocrinologist was pushing for, and when I found I did indeed have adrenal dysfunction, I learned how to address that myself, too. I ordered my adrenal tests from these places.
Six months on (gosh, six months?!) and I’m about 80-90% back to the old me. I’m hardly ever fatigued or achy. I sleep well and a normal amount (no more 14 hours!). All my symptoms of hypothyroidism, from an itchy scalp, to acid reflux, hormonal migraines, mental health struggles, aches, pains and tiredness are all gone or much improved. I’m happy, I feel my age again and I’m so, so proud of where I’ve come. I had over twenty symptoms last year and now I have next to none.
When I go to see the endocrinologist tomorrow, I will be wearing a big smile on my face and I’ll be showing him how far I’ve come despite what he said.
I know I’ll probably have ups and downs as it flares up again or something disrupts it, but I’ve already made so much progress, I know I’ll be able to fight whatever else may happen.
View all of My NDT Journey Milestones here.
Have you been following my journey for the last six months?
You can click on the hyperlinks in the above post to learn more and see references to information given.
See also:
The book Be Your Own Thyroid Advocate: When You’re Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired, which builds on this blog and describes in detail how I got my life back on track with a thyroid condition.
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