Getting to Hashimoto's-Happy (part 1 of 2)

Blink and you'll miss it (thank you, my skilled surgeon) but I have a one-and-a-half inch scar gracing my neck, forever marking the time and place whence half of my thyroid was removed because of a suspicious nodule. It's been three-and-a-half years since the operation (four-and-a-half since discovering the nodule), but only recently have I started to sense the sweet relief of resolution to the Hashimoto's hell I thought might span into ever after.

You might recall my most recent (dis)appointment with my Endocrinologist. What you might not know is how far the fury pushed me...into real answers, new medical care, and-- deepest desire of mine-- freedom.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a mess of hormones, functions, myths, and enigmas, so I won't bore you (or lead you astray) by trying to explain it all. My goal is to share my experience in hope that you might find truth and freedom about your body or find something useful to pass along to someone with similar woes. Western doctors are notorious for labeling thyroid patients as Hypochondriacs but what we experience is very real, and we need to help each other as much as possible.

While no one seems to know why nodules form, thyroid disease in general is attributed to chronic stress or one life jolt alarming enough to shift the body's chemical function. Typically, if a women develops hypothyroidism, it follows pregnancy or years of similar hormonal flux & drain. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that often causes hypothyroidism as the immune system slowly chips away at its own thyroid function. Pretty messy.

Per holistic and eastern medicine, when the thyroid is tapped out, you can most likely bet the adrenal glands are, too. And if your immune system has been tested by a season of vicious winter flu and you've swallowed down the ready supply of antibiotics, you can bet your gut--home of immunity--is crawling with enemy fungi and your body has all but surrendered to slow decay. Maybe this hasn't happened to you (that you know of) but it happened to me. Common cold met loads of antibiotics that crippled an immune system already turned upside down by chronic stress. Not to mention the food I ate that only fueled the fire of sickness. The nodule was, really, the saving grace; the cry for help too-long lumped up and choked down. It was time for change.

Fast forward to post-op, I started taking a synthetic T4 thyroid hormone. A pill a day for the rest of my life to supplement the lost lobe's hormones. Seemed easy enough, but I was never without the nagging suspicion that I could be doing more to support my immune system. If an autoimmune disease were packaged and shipped, the outer labels would show "Fragile" all over it, however, western docs vehemently denied any dietary or lifestyle measures I might take to improve the overall state of my body. Because my lab results were "normal," I should be A-ok! Independent research, testimonies of friends, and the grace of God has, over time, brought me many golden nuggets of information regarding Wellness; gems I wish were available via gift card for every Christmas and birthday. What do I want? To be well. 

When I speak of Wellness I mean to describe a body functioning mostly in harmony with itself and its surrounding world. I picture energy, natural defense against allergens & influenza, God-designed sleep capacity (and the healing that takes place therein), healthy response to stress, emotional balance, physical ability (according to my allotment), and  freedom from chronic discomfort, given that I am responsibly caring for the mind, body, and spirit. I picture the perfect machine God designed, subtract some glory because of sin & death, and aim for the still-amazing constitution He spoke into being.

While I've not been "sickly" since the first year of immune wreckage, I've battled to feel "well." These are some symptoms I've experienced over the past 4+ years, some chronically, most intermittently, and which I (now) attribute to thyroid disorder, adrenal fatigue, impaired immunity, or a special brew of all 3: 

fatigue, low stamina, depression, intolerance to cold, mental fogginess, thyroid nodule, skin rash, bruising, susceptible to catch colds, inability to handle stress, chronic yeast infections, bloating and impaired digestion, alcohol intolerance, insomnia, weight loss/ inability to gain weight, cold sores, chest pains & tightness, shingles, recurrent urinary tract infections, dry eye, swelling in the hands, migraine headaches....

It's been a ride! 

In response to these symptoms I've baffled my Primary Care Physicians, cycled through Gynecologists, frustrated my Endocrinologist, and explored Holistic Energetics, Raw,Vegan & Vegetarian diets, Chiropractic care, Cleanses, Acupuncture, Gluten-free & Paleo diets, and, most recently have been under the care of a Naturopathic Doctor at the Institute for Progressive Medicine.  All this to show that Wellness and Full Life are what God intends for us, and a will to survive and thrive is a good thing. Had I stuck to what insurance would cover financially, I might have actually died years ago-- I'm not kidding-- and had I been unwilling to give up anything "comfortable" that stood between me and the life God desires for me, I would have missed out on countless opportunities to surrender, be rebuilt, and allow His light to shine all around the hard journey. 

In the big picture of my life, Hashimoto's hell has lasted a moment, but I'm excited and whole-heart thankful for getting to Hashimoto's-happy. Key lessons and lifestyle adjustments to follow in part 2...

If you're interested in more info about Hashimoto's disease, listen to this 20-30 min. podcast, "Real Answers: Debunking Hashimoto's Disease," from RealSustenance.Com.