I Think I Am Hypothyroid

What? I should have my thyroid checked? I never thought much about thyroids and what did my thyroid have to do with the symptoms I was having.

After that visit with my doctor, I started doing some research as I was waiting for my appointment with the endocrinologist.

After all my research, I had self diagnosed myself with hypothyroidism but I knew that there were many different thyroid conditions and I would have to get a doctors opinion and diagnosis. Not only that, I convinced myself that all those diets and pills caused my thyroid to malfunction.

I had felt that my metabolism was progressively becoming more sluggish. I was trying all kinds of things that would help me increase my metabolism. Little did I know, I was doing all the wrong things and not helping my metabolism at all. I certainly did not think about the thyroid/metabolism connection.

Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

1. Fatigue
2. Weakness
3. Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
4. Course, dry hair
5. Dry, rough, pale skin
6. Hair loss
7. Cold intolerance (can't tolerate the cold like those around you)
8. Muscle cramps & frequent muscle aches
9. Constipation
10. Depression
11. Irritability
12. Memory Loss
13. Abnormal menstrual cycle
14. Decreased libido
    

The symptoms vary from each person and by the severity of the thyroid hormone deficiency and the length of time the body has been deprived of the proper amount of hormone.

If you find it necessary to educate yourself about the thyroid, there is so much information on the web. I found a couple of interesting sites but again, there is so much out there for your review. I found http://www.endocrinologist.com/ to be a very informative website that you could start from. I also just recently stumbled across http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/iodine/ and in this section it discusses the iodine factor of the thyroid.

Finally, the day arrives when I meet with the endocrinologist. My vitals were checked and the doctor asked a lot of questions. I gave him a run down of my symptoms. He ordered a blood test, an ultrasound, and a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of my thyroid. I really hate needles but I was convinced by the pathologist that it was not going to be worse than the blood test I just took because the needle was smaller. But I am thinking, "needles in my neck?"

The pathologist proceeds to perform the FNA and he had to get 6 samples one at a time. Every needle he stuck in my neck hurt. I couldn't believe that I made it through all that. Then he says, "just a minute, I don't think I have good samples. I might have to do it again." Oh, he is playing a joke on me, right? No, he was serious. I went through another set of six needles. I didn't want to talk because it hurt to do so, my neck became swollen, red, and bruised.

Well, I survived and I was glad that was over with. Soon I will get the results and move on with my life.