As some of you probably know by now, I had surgery on the 23rd of November 2012 to get a parathyroid tumour removed (adenoma) - it has taken me more than 15 years to get to this point and I wanted to share some of my story with you, in the hopes that I can save even one of you from going though this!
If you feel as if something just isn't right - you feel more tired than usual, achy, your hair is dry and brittle, you are gaining weight for no reason, depressed.... the list just goes on. Please do not let the doctors fob you off and tell you it is because you need anti depressants, you are tired because you have young kids etc, without giving you a thorough work up. Some of you may indeed be depressed and need them, but others like me, may have something else going on.
I went years without a doctor doing proper thyroid testing - all they test is your TSH and if that is within range, they tell you your thyroid is fine and move on. That is rubbish! TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - it comes from your pituitary gland. They should also test your actual thryroid hormones (FT3 and FT4, reverse T3 to start with and antibodies wouldn't hurt either!) Get your cortisol checked as well - being hypothyroid for a long time can put stress on your adrenal glands and doctors are meant to check that before treating with thyroid meds...
Also, ask to have your calcium checked. It took me so long to find out that my calcium was high and I have hyperparathyroidism because no doctors ever checked my calcium levels?? Yet I have practically every symptom and so have gone years undiagnosed....
I know it is hard to get doctors to do these basic tests and to listen, but no one knows your body like you do and if one doctor won't listen, then find one who will!
I found a lot of good information on the internet - a lot of very helpful sites and groups. They were a lot more helpful than any of the doctors I had seen for so long and after only a year of pushing I finally got my surgery and my thyroid is getting treated.
If you feel as if something just isn't right - you feel more tired than usual, achy, your hair is dry and brittle, you are gaining weight for no reason, depressed.... the list just goes on. Please do not let the doctors fob you off and tell you it is because you need anti depressants, you are tired because you have young kids etc, without giving you a thorough work up. Some of you may indeed be depressed and need them, but others like me, may have something else going on.
I went years without a doctor doing proper thyroid testing - all they test is your TSH and if that is within range, they tell you your thyroid is fine and move on. That is rubbish! TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - it comes from your pituitary gland. They should also test your actual thryroid hormones (FT3 and FT4, reverse T3 to start with and antibodies wouldn't hurt either!) Get your cortisol checked as well - being hypothyroid for a long time can put stress on your adrenal glands and doctors are meant to check that before treating with thyroid meds...
Also, ask to have your calcium checked. It took me so long to find out that my calcium was high and I have hyperparathyroidism because no doctors ever checked my calcium levels?? Yet I have practically every symptom and so have gone years undiagnosed....
I know it is hard to get doctors to do these basic tests and to listen, but no one knows your body like you do and if one doctor won't listen, then find one who will!
I found a lot of good information on the internet - a lot of very helpful sites and groups. They were a lot more helpful than any of the doctors I had seen for so long and after only a year of pushing I finally got my surgery and my thyroid is getting treated.
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