symptom thyroid : Your Thyroid Stories
Your Thyroid Stories
Since our article “The New Thyroid Cure” ran in the June 2006 issue, we’ve received dozens of e-mails from readers who’ve suffered because of thyroid disorders. See if you can relate.
Listening to Your Body
I highly recommend that anyone afflicted with hypo- or hyperthyroidism see an endocrinologist. I’ve been on Synthroid since 1988—though it was 2 months before I was correctly diagnosed and treated. When my family doctor wanted to lower my dosage due to my test levels, I decided to see an endocrinologist. Even though I still tested “high” on one level, I was allowed to keep my dosage steady. At least the specialist listens to how I feel, not just what the tests say. I have felt “normal” for a long time now, and I thank my endocrinologist for listening to me. After all, who knows my body better than I do?
– Annette Panek
All in the Family
I, too have hypothyroidism. Ironically, my sister was diagnosed and then my daughter. I don’t think enough emphasis is placed on the hereditary factors. Now that my sister and I both know what hypothyroidism is, we have no doubt our mother suffered from it also. Her daily naps were the family joke, but we had all become so used to them that they didn’t seem unusual at the time. Thanks again for a great article!
– Diane
Mistaking the Symptoms
Last fall, I was experiencing just about every symptom that (author) Melanie Haiken described. As a 53-year-old woman, I was attributing all the symptoms to menopause. But then I tested positive for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (a condition that causes your body to produce antibodies that attack the thyroid). An endocrinologist did a sonogram and found a small nodule. Fortunately, the nodule was benign, and I was placed on medication for hypothyroidism. Thank you for a great article and for helping to get the word out to many unsuspecting men and women!
– Julia A. Kuhn
Living a Full Life—Finally
After living what I call a “half-life” for the past 6 years due to sheer exhaustion, unrefreshed sleep, severe memory lapses, and weight that has kept creeping up no matter how much I would diet, I was diagnosed with having low thyroid. Prior to that, eight different doctors failed to accurately diagnose my symptoms because the TSH blood test they relied upon always showed a normal range. Ultimately, I located a physician who ordered a complete thyroid panel, which confirmed my hypothyroidism. I’m happy to say that I am now on the road to recovery.
Since our article “The New Thyroid Cure” ran in the June 2006 issue, we’ve received dozens of e-mails from readers who’ve suffered because of thyroid disorders. See if you can relate.
Listening to Your Body
I highly recommend that anyone afflicted with hypo- or hyperthyroidism see an endocrinologist. I’ve been on Synthroid since 1988—though it was 2 months before I was correctly diagnosed and treated. When my family doctor wanted to lower my dosage due to my test levels, I decided to see an endocrinologist. Even though I still tested “high” on one level, I was allowed to keep my dosage steady. At least the specialist listens to how I feel, not just what the tests say. I have felt “normal” for a long time now, and I thank my endocrinologist for listening to me. After all, who knows my body better than I do?
– Annette Panek
All in the Family
I, too have hypothyroidism. Ironically, my sister was diagnosed and then my daughter. I don’t think enough emphasis is placed on the hereditary factors. Now that my sister and I both know what hypothyroidism is, we have no doubt our mother suffered from it also. Her daily naps were the family joke, but we had all become so used to them that they didn’t seem unusual at the time. Thanks again for a great article!
– Diane
Mistaking the Symptoms
Last fall, I was experiencing just about every symptom that (author) Melanie Haiken described. As a 53-year-old woman, I was attributing all the symptoms to menopause. But then I tested positive for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (a condition that causes your body to produce antibodies that attack the thyroid). An endocrinologist did a sonogram and found a small nodule. Fortunately, the nodule was benign, and I was placed on medication for hypothyroidism. Thank you for a great article and for helping to get the word out to many unsuspecting men and women!
– Julia A. Kuhn
Living a Full Life—Finally
After living what I call a “half-life” for the past 6 years due to sheer exhaustion, unrefreshed sleep, severe memory lapses, and weight that has kept creeping up no matter how much I would diet, I was diagnosed with having low thyroid. Prior to that, eight different doctors failed to accurately diagnose my symptoms because the TSH blood test they relied upon always showed a normal range. Ultimately, I located a physician who ordered a complete thyroid panel, which confirmed my hypothyroidism. I’m happy to say that I am now on the road to recovery.
