Am I all better now?
I’m on day 12 of my new regimen and I’ve been all over the place. Every morning is a surprise. Some days I can barely get out of bed, other days I spring out singing.
It’s been a very bipolar time for the newly non-bipolar girl.
I’ve been overcompensating with caffeine. I went 2 months drinking no more caffeine than green tea, but once I knew it was my thyroid, all bets were off. I think it’s a good comparison to the psych meds – they alleviate the symptoms, but don’t touch the root cause.
I’ve noticed some weird things – like if I drink coffee in the evening, I have enough energy to do my evening chores without feeling horrible, I have no problem going to sleep (never have really) and I wake up feeling awesome.
But I’m changing everyday. In addition to all my new supplements, adrenal rebuilder and natural dessicated thyroid (dried pig thyroid – yes, you read that correctly), I’m also weaning off of the psych meds (under my psychiatrist’s direction).
I’m currently weaning off Lithium Carbonate. I’m completely off of Levothyroxine and Wellbutrin. I’m still on full doses of Zoloft and Lamictal.
I have hope for a full recovery, but am realistic that the months ahead will probably have some big bumps.
What are the symptoms of Hashimoto’s? What are your symptoms?
A few of you have asked about my symptoms and Hashimoto symptoms in general, so here goes. I feel like this is probably a boring list to anyone but me, but this is how I’m quite sure that my thyroid has been the problem all along and started to kick my butt in my early teens.
The symptoms in bold I’ve either had or currently have experienced. There are a lot of symptoms. Some people never feel any and some people die from complications. Basically, the disease ranges from mild to severe.
| Acne |
| Allergies |
| Anxiety (chronic and/or panic attacks) |
| Broken/peeling fingernails |
| Bumps on legs |
| Candida |
| Carpal Tunnel Syndrome |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| Cold butt (I’m not kidding) |
| Cold hands and feet |
| Cold intolerance/sensitivity |
| Colitis |
| Constipation |
| Decreased or no libido |
| Depression (low grade to severe) |
| Difficulty sleeping |
| Difficulty waking up in the morning |
| Dizziness from fluid on the inner ear |
| Dizzy spells |
| Dry Hair |
| Dry mouth |
| Dry skin |
| Dysphagia (nerve damage and causes the inability to swallow) |
| Early puberty |
| Edema/puffiness/swelling |
| Estrogen dominant |
| Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding |
| Excruciating pain during period |
| Exhausted after exercise/not rejuvenated |
| Extreme hunger, especially at nighttime |
| Eyelids are swollen upon waking |
| Eyes feel gritty and dry |
| Eyes feel sensitive to light |
| Eyes get jumpy/I have tics in eyes |
| Failure to ovulate |
| Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic, exhausted |
| Feelings of worthlessness |
| Feet are sometimes swollen |
| Foggy thinking |
| Food cravings |
| Food sensitivities |
| Forgetfulness |
| Frequent infections/colds/flu |
| Galactorrhea |
| Hair loss |
| Headaches or migraines |
| Hearing loss |
| Heart disease |
| High or rising cholesterol |
| Hives |
| Hoarse or gravely voice |
| IBS |
| Inability to concentrate or read long periods of time |
| Inability to lose weight |
| Inability to stand on feet for long periods |
| Infertility |
| Internal itching of ears |
| Irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent) |
| Irritable, judgmental, impatient |
| Joint pain |
| Lactose Intolerance |
| Lightheadedness |
| Low blood pressure |
| Low body temperature |
| Miscarriages |
| Moods change easily |
| Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in shoulders and hips |
| Need to yawn to get oxygen/have feelings of air hunger |
| No eyebrows |
| No hair growth, breaks faster than it grows |
| Nod off easily |
| Not hungry in the morning |
| Numbness in the fingers |
| Osteoporosis |
| Painful bladder |
| Palpitations |
| Poor reflexes |
| Premature grey hair |
| Puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face |
| Raised temperature |
| Recurrent sinus infections |
| Requires naps in the afternoon |
| Sensitive to caffeine |
| Severe menstrual cramps |
| Shortness of breath and tightness in the chest |
| Sleep apnea |
| Sleepiness |
| Snoring |
| Sore feet (plantar fascitis); painful soles of feet |
| Suicidal Thoughts |
| Swollen eyes, bags under eyes |
| Swollen legs that prevented walking |
| Swollen lymph glands |
| Tendonitis |
| Thinning outer eyebrows |
| Tightness in throat; sore throat |
| Tinnitus |
| Varicose Veins |
| Verdigo |
| Weight gain, despite diminished appetite |
| Weight loss (a small minority experience this) |
Symptoms compiled from here, here, here and here. Oh, and here. And here.
DUDE. I was scrolling through the symptoms… and kept scrolling and scrolling and holy shit! What would a cold butt even feel like? By the way, Hashimoto’s sounds like Japanese diner.
I am praying that you kick whatever the shit this thing is in the cold butt. Not that I believe in God or anything, but you know. You deserve better because you’re fucking awesome. Luff you.
Awww luff you, girl! Hilarious, right? What’s the point in having a Japanese diner disease without a few ass symptoms? Btw am I ass obsessed tonight? Hi.
Thank you & it’s all good. I’m just so happy I finally know what the hell was wrong so I can get back to my ninja life. Xoxoxo
Yeah, the years and years of diagnosis and misdiagnosis blows, don’t it? Don’t you wish you could apply to be a patient on House and have it all figgered out in a hour? That’s how it should be.
Totally. Dammit House.