Reflecting on Thyroid Health & Death

[Bear632]

Like a frog placed in lukewarm water slowly boiled… the decline into hypothyroid symptoms was gradual and imperceivable.

My top symptoms being:

• Low energy & motivation
• Low mood
• Chronic fatigue
• Brain fog
• Memory issues
• Achy joints

And now that I've identified the problem and it's being treated, hopefully will completely resolve it… I see it as an opportunity for reflection.

 

What are the lessons I can learn from this experience?

Take responsibility and withhold authority over your health decisions

• Do not expect doctors to save you, save yourself
• No doctor or specialist deserves to be placed on a pedestal

 

Get routine comprehensive blood work, at least annually

• Do specific tests for health concerns, and do not expect doctors to know or want to order them (doctors won't even do the bare minimum of health bloodwork -- YOU have to demand for it)

 

Study health and physiology more so that you can:

• Prevent future health problems; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (learning about and doing preventive practices yields a far better outcome in your health than having a health problem and then having to treat it and try to reverse it)
• Spot patterns in your physical and/or psychological symptoms faster and without the mediocre assistance of doctors

 

The mind and body are connected

• When you have psychological symptoms, don't rule out physiological causes. (MISTAKE: I assumed my low mood/motivation was related to anxiety and depression… without considering low thyroid)
• When you have physiological symptoms, don't rule out psychological causes.

 

^ Have epistemic humility

• You made the mistake of making assumptions about why you were feeling like you were, and didn't question those assumptions or research alternative explanations… you suffered unnecessarily as a result

 

Hypothyroid overlaps with symptoms associated with old age. In a way, I've experienced a simulated experience of what it'll be like when I am old, tired, and close to death.

• Orgasms/sex won't be as nice when you're old, for many reasons, but also bc your body isn't functioning as well (why meaningful pursuits in life matter, sources of pleasure are unreliable and finite)
• Appreciate the energy and drive that you have each day, bc that is physiological, and NO amount of development of my psyche or spiritual progress will increase my energy physiologically when it decreases with age
• Take more photos of things you want to remember (people, places, things, experiences) bc your memory will fail you
• Don't make the physical body or self-development the primary goal of your life, these have to serve something else you believe in bc body and ego are a guaranteed tragedy. 
• Stop spending your time/energy like it's not finite, it's very finite and you'll get less and less energy each year as you age

 

[ZenAlex]

I resonate with this. Although I've pushed for a lot of different tests to be done, it's difficult not to procrastinate when you literally don't know what else to do.

You feel you're taking a stab in the dark.

I envy that you've at least got your diagnosis. I feel I've tried a lot of things to get better but am getting no where, and despite being 32 and realising how important it is to try, I have days when I'm productive and have found different things to try and days where I stay fall into the trap of procrastination. 

 

 

[Bear632]

@ZenAlex

I diagnosed my self. 

Do you have hypothyroid? I can share my notes with you if you like.

[ZenAlex]

1 hour ago, Bear632 said:

@ZenAlex

I diagnosed my self. 

Do you have hypothyroid? I can share my notes with you if you like.

I've had my thyroid checked previously, but almost all tests show I'm normal, although my doc is doing another thyroid test soon, although I did have a test done years ago which showed signs of subclinical hypo, but all tests since show no signs, but you never know.

So you self-diagnosed? Have you gotten blood tests to confirm?

Also would like to hear your stories.

I don't know if you've seen my exercise issue I'm having right now. All physical exertion is triggering a stress response in me and physical symptoms. Cannot really exercise right now at all besides shorter walks.

[Bear632]

@ZenAlex

Yes I have chronically low T3. T4 and TSH are normal.

The standard of care as it's currently practiced only uses TSH to diagnose thyroid problems, but thyroid health is far more complex than whether or not TSH is in a normal range. 

Even if your blood tests come back normal, you could be hypothyroid. For example, the timing of the blood test could have happened as the thyroid was transitioning from a hypothyroid to a hyperthyroid state -- which can happen in some people. 

Your exercise issue sounds like hypothyroid, but it could also be 50 other things causing that. Do you have other symptoms of thyroid problems?

Hypo: cold, fatigue, low energy, achy body, diffuse hair loss/thinning, dry skin, brain fog

hyper: heart palpitations, heat flashes, insomnia

[ZenAlex]

16 hours ago, Bear632 said:

@ZenAlex

Yes I have chronically low T3. T4 and TSH are normal.

The standard of care as it's currently practiced only uses TSH to diagnose thyroid problems, but thyroid health is far more complex than whether or not TSH is in a normal range. 

Even if your blood tests come back normal, you could be hypothyroid. For example, the timing of the blood test could have happened as the thyroid was transitioning from a hypothyroid to a hyperthyroid state -- which can happen in some people. 

Your exercise issue sounds like hypothyroid, but it could also be 50 other things causing that. Do you have other symptoms of thyroid problems?

Hypo: cold, fatigue, low energy, achy body, diffuse hair loss/thinning, dry skin, brain fog

hyper: heart palpitations, heat flashes, insomnia

I've noticed my sleep has been disturbed and not always satisfying, but not always too bad, I wouldn't say I have low energy.

I have had thinning hair for a couple of years and notice the outside parts of my eyebrows are thinning. I've had dry eyes for a while.

I did notice in the very early stages of my symptoms that I had cold hands, but that hasn't happened for a while now and I notice the more I exercise, the worse my symptoms get. 

I don't get colds, but very infrequently noticed a sensitivity to it, but that rarely happens.