Fatigued, Aching all over, Moody.....
As most of you probably know by now, I am going in for surgery on the 7th of November 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 to start with and antibodies wouldn't hurt either!) Check out www.stopthethyroidmadness.com for more info. 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 undiaganosed.... (also check out www.parathyroid.com).
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!
Hypothyroid symtoms http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/...
Hyperparathyroid symptoms http://www.parathyroid.com/parathyroi...
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 to start with and antibodies wouldn't hurt either!) Check out www.stopthethyroidmadness.com for more info. 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 undiaganosed.... (also check out www.parathyroid.com).
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!
Hypothyroid symtoms http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/...
Hyperparathyroid symptoms http://www.parathyroid.com/parathyroi...
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I handled it most of the time Nan, it has hit me really hard the last few years though and that is when I really started to look for myself. Before that, I pretty much believed everything the doctors told me - I had no reason not to, they were the experts after all.....
WELL THE BOTTOM PERSON IN THE GRADUATING CLASS IS STILL CALLED A DOCTOR!!! AND THERE IS A REASON HE IS THE BOTTOM..TO BAD THEY DON'T LIST THEIR POSITIONS IN THE DIPLOMA!!
I sometimes wish I was younger and healthier (and richer!), because I would seriously consider going to med school! Caring about people and wanting to help them is what I thought doctors went to med school for, beginning to think it is all about the money....
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE INSURANCE MONEY..I CAN NOT BELIEVE WHAT THEY CHARGE FOR JUST A ROUTINE OFFICE VISIT THESE DAYS..IT IS INSANE. I HAD A BONE SCAN 3 WEEKS AGO, I CALLED MY DR. OFFICE BECAUSE I HAD NOT HEARD THE RESULTS, TWICE!! THE SECOND TIME THE NURSE RETURNED MY CALL AND SAID THEY DID NOT GET THE RESULTS..SO NOW WHO DROPPED THE BALL? PEOPLE DOING THE SCAN, OR THE DOCTOR WHO ORDERED THE SCAN?
NOT EVERYTHING FITS INTO A PEG, EVEN THO IT'S CLOSE, IT ISN'T FITTING.. I HAVE FOUND, IT SEEMS, DOCTORS HAVE A LIST THEY GO THROUGH CHECKING EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE OBVIOUS, AND SOMETIMES STOPPING ON ONE OR THE OTHER BECAUSE IT IS "CLOSE"
FIFTEEN YEARS IS A VERY LONG TIME TO SUFFER JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE CLOSE TO FITTING IN THAT PEG..