I have hypothyroidism. Unless you have it, you probably don’t know what that is. Hypothyroidism means having an underactive thyroid. Your thyroid produces your hormones. This is very important. I have an underactive thyroid, which means my hormones are all messed up. This also means I am more likely to have thyroid cancer. I have to take medication everyday because of it. I also have to get ultrasounds to make sure that there is no cancer or growths. I’ve had a biopsy on my neck. Which basically is putting a needle into your neck and taking stuff out to see if everything was normal. I have only had one of those so far and I am not excited to do that again. It hurt like hell.
The type of medication I take is hormones. They help bring your hormones to a normal balance. I have had my medication change, but I have been on my meds for a couple months now and I feel way better than I did when I first got diagnosed. I constantly get blood tests done to check if my levels are doing well. I used to be terrified of blood tests but now I am indifferent since I get them so much. I still hate needles, but I won’t cry now when I see one.
One of my main symptoms of hypothyroidism is constant tiredness. No matter how much I sleep I get I am always tired and drowsy. This is the most annoying symptom because I need to take a nap everyday or else I will pass out. I also have tenderness on my neck. Sometimes this is manageable, other times I feel like I am choking and can’t breathe. I stop this with baby aspirin. I also have a large neck, this is because my thyroid is enlarged, making my neck look bigger than it actually is. This is not as annoying but it’s visible. My hair is also thinning, it’s not too noticeable to others but I can tell that my hair was thicker when I was younger. Luckily many of my symptoms have gone away or calmed down with my medication.
When I found out I had hypothyroidism, suddenly everything started to make sense. I understood why my hair was thinning, and why I was gaining weight. My fatigue was no longer irrational and not just being “lazy”. I didn’t know what I was feeling all the time was a medical condition and not just me. I have learned that hypothyroidism runs in my family, and whenever I have issues I will ask them about if what I’m feeling is normal. I have also joined an app that is a community for those suffering with hypothyroidism. It helps to have support and understanding from people who know exactly what you are going through.
If you haven’t gotten your thyroid checked, please do. You may not have thyroid problems in your family but it’s very common, and a lot of the health problems you are having may be a sign of having a thyroid problem. I recommend getting an appointment with a thyroid doctor when you can, because they can easily tell if you have issues or not. Having your thyroid checked could change your life.