Thyroid Gland Bothering You? You Are Not Alone!

When I was in my late 20s, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism for the first time.

And I was glad.

Because at last I discovered the reason for my inexplicable fatigue and lethargy, my dry palms, my sensitivity to cold, and unexplained weight gain.

The reason for my moodiness, angry outbursts, depression and anxiety.

And, the reason why I hadn’t been able to conceive even eight years after my marriage.

Aah yes, life for a person with undiagnosed thyroid problems can be a misery.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Then one day, my general physician referred to me to an endocrinologist, a specialist who deals with (among other things), the functioning of the thyroid gland and its related problems. He promptly asked me to go for the thyroid function test -T3, T4, TSH test – the most commonly prescribed test for diagnosing whether or not a person suffers from a thyroid imbalance. It’s a simple blood test, where your blood sample is collected in a tube and tested in the laboratory for the thyroid hormone. The results usually come out the same day.

My test results showed abnormally high TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) levels – indicating that I had hypothyroidism, the most common type of thyroid imbalance, particularly in women.

This meant that my thyroid gland wasn’t producing the needed quantity of this small but extremely important hormone needed to regulate the body’s metabolism and ensure the various key functions ran smoothly.

The treatment begins

The doctor immediately started me on a dose of the 100mcg of thyroxine (the man-made version of the thyroid hormone thyroxine). You have to take this small tablet first thing on waking up in the morning, on an empty stomach, and keep a gap of at least half hour before you consume anything else after that.

Within weeks, I could feel the difference.

I felt more energetic, stopped feeling fatigued and exhausted all the time and began to feel a renewed interest in life. The weight gain also started subsiding and the mood swings seemed to fade away.

Life started looking up

But, it didn’t happen overnight.

I had to be regular in my medication. Had to go for regular bi-monthly checks ups and blood tests because the medication has to be monitored and changed as per the changing TSH levels. So, I went from 100mcg to 75mcg and then 50mcg and finally, 25mcg. But the TSH levels vary from person to person and depend on a lot of factors. So, I’ve been alternating between 100 and 50mcg doses and right now have stabilized on 100mcg.

Unfortunately, if you have been diagnosed with a thyroid deficiency, it is something you have to live with for the rest of your life. It can be controlled but not fully cured.

There is hope!

Regular medication, a thyroid-friendly diet and exercise need to be included in your daily regime to ensure that this vital gland does what it is meant to do.

And after eight years, I finally did conceive and gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy, who is a tall, strapping lad of fifteen today!

Watch this space for more on the best thyroid diet, hyperthyroidism, treatment and control, and the fatal repercussions of an untreated thyroid imbalance.