Friday, August 29, 2014

This Is The Face Of Hashimoto's






Hi. My name is Hashimoto's. I'm an invisible autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid gland causing you to become hypothyroid.
I am now velcroed to you for life. If you have hypothyroidism, you probably have me. I am the number one cause of it in the U.S. and many other places around the world.
I'm so sneaky--I don't always show up in your blood work.
Others around you can't see me or hear me, but YOUR body feels me.
I can attack you anywhere and any way I please.
I can cause severe pain or, if I'm in a good mood, I can just cause you to ache all over.
Remember when you and energy ran around together and had fun?
I took energy from you, and gave you exhaustion. Try to have fun now.
I can take good sleep from you and in its place, give you brain fog and lack of concentration.
I can make you want to sleep 24/7, and I can also cause insomnia.
I can make you tremble internally or make you feel cold or hot when everyone else feels normal.
I can also give you swollen hands and feet, swollen face and eyelids, swollen everything.
I can make you feel very anxious with panic attacks or very depressed. I can also cause other mental health problems. You know crazy mood swings? That's me. Crying for no reason? Angry for no reason? That's probably me too.
I can make your hair fall out, become dry and brittle, cause acne, cause dry skin, the sky is the limit with me.
I can make you gain weight and no matter what you eat or how much you exercise, I can keep that weight on you. I can also make you lose weight. I don't discriminate.
Some of my other autoimmune disease friends often join me, giving you even more to deal with.
If you have something planned, or are looking forward to a great day, I can take that away from you. You didn't ask for me. I chose you for various reasons:
That virus or viruses you had that you never really recovered from, or that car accident, or maybe it was the years of abuse and trauma (I thrive on stress.) You may have a family history of me. Whatever the cause, I'm here to stay.
I hear you're going to see a doctor to try and get rid of me. That makes me laugh. Just try. You will have to go to many, many doctors until you find one who can help you effectively.
You will be put on the wrong medication for you, pain pills, sleeping pills, energy pills, told you are suffering from anxiety or depression, given anti-anxiety pills and antidepressants.
There are so many other ways I can make you sick and miserable, the list is endless - that high cholesterol, gall bladder issue, blood pressure issue, blood sugar issue, heart issue among others? That's probably me.
Can't get pregnant, or have had a miscarriage?
That's probably me too.
Shortness of breath or "air hunger?" Yep, probably me.
Liver enzymes elevated? Yep, probably me.
Teeth and gum problems? TMJ?
Hives? Yep, probably me.
I told you the list was endless.
You may be given a TENs unit, get massaged, told if you just sleep and exercise properly I will go away.
You'll be told to think positively, you'll be poked, prodded, and MOST OF ALL, not taken seriously when you try to explain to the endless number of doctors you've seen, just how debilitating I am and how ill and exhausted you really feel. In all probability you will get a referral from these 'understanding' (clueless) doctors, to see a psychiatrist.
Your family, friends and co-workers will all listen to you until they just get tired of hearing about how I make you feel, and just how debilitating I can be.
Some of them will say things like "Oh, you are just having a bad day" or "Well, remember, you can't do the things you use to do 20 YEARS ago", not hearing that you said 20 DAYS ago.
They'll also say things like, "if you just get up and move, get outside and do things, you'll feel better." They won't understand that I take away the 'gas' that powers your body and mind to ENABLE you to do those things.
Some will start talking behind your back, they'll call you a hypochondriac, while you slowly feel that you are losing your dignity trying to make them understand, especially if you are in the middle of a conversation with a "normal" person, and can't remember what you were going to say next. You'll be told things like, "Oh, my grandmother had that, and she's fine on her medication" when you desperately want to explain that I don't impose myself upon everyone in the exact same way, and just because that grandmother is fine on the medication SHE'S taking, doesn't mean it will work for you.
They will not understand that having this disease impacts your body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, and that every cell and every body system and organ requires the proper amount and the right kind of of thyroid hormone medication for YOU.
Not what works for someone else.
The only place you will get the kind of support and understanding in dealing with me is with other people that have me. They are really the only ones who can truly understand.
I am Hashimoto's Disease.


Many thanks to all of you that's sent prayers up for me. They have been heard and answered. I finally got a diagnosis. It may not be what I expected but God will continue to be there to help me along. I know this disease is not nearly as bad as what some of you are going through but just like many of you I stand on my faith and we will make it with God's help. I'd like to be able to say I'll beat this thing but that's left up to God. There's no cure for it and when it starts it just keeps going till the thyroid is completely gone.  I've had Hypothyroidism for 22 years and been on meds every day since. I urge everyone that has Thyroid Disease to be sure and mention you want your Antibodies checked also when you go for the Labwork. I've been doing alot of research on this and thyroid disease in general. I already knew how thyroid disease whether hyper or hypo ( high or low ) can do to our bodies when it gets out of whack. The only ones that even have Antibodies are the ones like myself that has the disease.  If they find the Antibodies elevated then you're in a whole heap of trouble .Your Thyroid will go low and then high, back and forth. On the ultrasound they will find lots of inflammation that just lays there and spreads till it destroys the gland. In some instances they'll also find Nodules on the thyroid. Mine has lots of inflammation and all they can do is monitor it and adjust my meds. as time goes along. But God is still in control.

Many thanks to each one of you for your patience and understanding. I'm so sorry I haven't been around to visit much but I'm going to try my best to check in as I'm able. I miss all of your great posts. Ya'll make my day. Thanks again for your prayers and May God Bless. ~ Susie

13 comments:

  1. Oh my dear Susie, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I didn't know about this illness, and there are so many awful symptoms that come with it. I thank you for informing all of us about it. I will definitely say prayers for my special blog friend, and I am sending you my love. May God comfort you in this most difficult time.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Thank you Sheri. I've come to find out there's more people with it than one would think. It's been a long journey for me but at least I know what I have now. The not knowing is horrible. I'm still doing alot of research on diets and such. Hoping to find ways to keep it under control and lose some weight. I've gained around 10 lbs. and they said that wasn't to bad but if I keep eating it's just gonna pile on more lbs. I gotta get a handle on that soon. Hugs to you dear friend.

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  2. Oh Susie, this sounds so frightening!! I feel so bad for you, but will continue to pray, that even if it can't be cured, God will lessen your pain and problems. I have never heard of this disease and find this very informative. Love to you, dear friend.

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    1. Thank you Charlotte. Prayer is the key for us all. God is still in control. Hugs, xo

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  3. OH Susie, I am so sorry for all that you have been through.. Makes me cry--for you! There's nothing worse than being SO sick and not getting the correct diagnosis.. AND--when people accuse you of being just a little crazy, I'm sure that hurts even worse. I've never heard of this disease --but I hope and pray that the doctors will keep working with you (now that you do have a diagnosis) and can find something which works for you... I will continue to keep you in my prayers and thoughts... God Bless You, my Friend.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you so much Betsy. Hope you have a nice weekend. Hugs to you.

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  4. My dad and I have the Hypo variety too. I take Levoxyl and have blood tests and liver enzyme checks every 6 months. My nails are brittle and tend to ridge and split and my eye lashes/brows have thinned. Generally I am ok but I do swell and have aches a lot; however, if I would keep up the exercise routine, I would feel better. Good luck getting leveled out. My dad acted opposite of what the drugs were supposed to do. They actually had to treat him as if his levels were high rather than low. Strange.

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear about you and your dad having it also. Sending lots of prayers your way. Yes it is very strange how this stuff woks on the body. Thank you Kathy. Hope you have a nice weekend.

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  5. Susie, I am so sorry. That is not what I wanted to see. But you know, it's not a surprise diagnosis to the Lord, and He is still well able to see you through this. I am still praying for you. Nothing is too hard for our God!

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  6. Oh my dear friend, my heart goes out to you!
    First of all, it is so awesome how you have explained this very difficult to describe disease...I'm sure it will be of help to many others who may be feeling like maybe it is all in their head, or maybe they are too worn out and just plain tired to try and get a proper diagnosis.
    I know you have been such an encouragement to me in my fight against a serious illness...but with God you can and will overcome this (I know)...And what you can say to MR. HASHIMOTO: With Jesus on my side...you are not going to take more than what the Lord allows from me, and that will be only in order to grow and learn to be the Christian that I am meant to be...stronger and living victoriously within His perfect will!)
    Continued prayers for you, and ((gentle hugs))~Lisa

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  7. Susie, I'm so sorry to hear this news. You have been dealing with so much. At least you now have a diagnosis and hopefully, the doctors will know how best to treat you. Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

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  8. Susie, I am sorry to hear of this disease. It all sounds so horrid. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. You know Susie, sometimes that is all we have to give and all we need too. Maybe we can visit you anyways, like emails. Blessings dear friend, xoxo,Susie

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  9. Oh, my, Susie, I'm so sorry to hear about this illness. I had no idea a thyroid condition could cause so many problems. I'm glad you finally got a diagnosis and know what is causing you to be so sick. I wish there was a cure for this. I am keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

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