Home » Living with Thyroid Disease
Lifestyle Personal Stories

Living with Thyroid Disease

Living with thyroid disease
Living with thyroid disease

A reader shared his experience in life with the thyroid disease. He describes it as, “The invisible, insidious disease that creeps up in days, weeks, months and years”.

Once you’ve entered this cruel the cruel cycle of thyroid disease or if you have struggled with it from early childhood, it is quite hard to imagine living any other way.  If you are suffering from autoimmune thyroid disease, such as Hashimoto’s or Graves, the condition tends to worsen.

Friends and family who may not understand the disease might say things like “You lost weight”, “You gained weight”, “Why do you seem so weak when you are so young?”,  “Everybody has a bad day!”,  “Stop moaning”, “Why don’t you try participating in sports?” People who suffer with thyroid disorders have heard it all.

Certainly, there will be better and worse days, days in which you will think you may have found a solution to the condition and days in which you curse a small gland for big problems.

What's the Problem?
What’s the Problem?

About Thyroid Disease?

Thyroid disease can not always be diagnosed in a blood test. You may not see antibodies which demonstrate the existence of an autoimmune disease until years after the disease began destroying the thyroid. Day after day, the patient feels symptoms, but may not be able to determine the cause.

Thyroid disease can lead to insomnia and excessive need for sleep. It can cause excess energy and utter exhaustion, pain in muscles, bones, joints, lack of concentration and forgetfulness. It can increase sensitivity to heat and cold. It can also cause tremors in the hand. Other symptoms include puffy faces and eyelids and swollen feet. Breathing can be difficult. The disease can bring on depression, panic attacks, sudden outbursts of uncontrollable rage, hair loss and alopecia.

SYMPTOMS OF THYROID GLAND DISEASE

  1. Weight loss or gain
  2. Palpitations
  3. Irregular heartbeats
  4. Lack of interest in sex
  5. High cholesterol
  6. Abnormal lipid profile
  7. Damaged liver enzymes
  8. Teeth and gum problems
  9. Skin Rashes
  10. Miscarriages 

The list is long, vague and virtually infinite. On visiting a doctor, at first, it is unlikely they will diagnose the thyroid gland problem. This is simply because the symptoms are numerous, vague and related to many organs in the body.

Those that suffer with thyroid issues, are likely to be prescribed a large number of unnecessary drugs. These can include analgesics for pain, sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants for depression, beta-blockers for the heart and a diuretic for the swelling of anti-rheumatic drugs for bone pain.

Friends and family who may not understand the disease might say things like “You lost weight”, “You gained weight”, “Why do you seem so weak when you are so young?”,  “Everybody has a bad day!”,  “Stop moaning”, “Why don’t you try participating in sports?” People who suffer with thyroid disorders have heard it all.

If this isn’t bad enough, those suffering with thyroid issues also need to visit the doctor quite often.

Although thyroid disease is unpleasant, it is treatable and manageable. Those suffering may want to talk to a therapist or join a forum or support group. There they will find people who understand what they are going through and can lend a sympathetic ear. They may even be able to suggest a treatment that will work for those that are suffering!

(Please consult a doctor before starting any treatment options that are not medically recommended.)

 

Like what you read?

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.

Thank you for subscribing on Thyroid Central.

Something went wrong.

What do you think?

About the author

Thyroid Central

Thyroid Central is a free resource with a wealth of information and breaking news about thyroid health and other health and lifestyle issues.