The Effects of Hypothyroidism

*Sluggishness and fatigue

*Weight gain

*Forgetfulness

*Feeling sad or depressed

*dry skin, brittle hair and nails

*Constipation

*Sore muscles

*Heavy or irregular periods

*Sluggishness and fatigue

*Weight Loss

*Forgetfulness

*Feeling sad or depressed

*Dry skin, brittle hair and nails

*diarrhea

*Sore muscles

*Irregular menstrual cycle

Hypothyroidism. What is it, you may ask? Well, I can tell you it is a chronic illness. I can tell you that I have been diagnosed with it for a year now. I can also tell you that I had this a lot longer than a year, and visited several doctors explaining symptoms that never brought back a correct diagnosis until a year ago. I can tell you all that, but that just voices that I have a chronic illness, it doesn’t explain the illness itself.

So, again, what is hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism stems from when your thyroid gland works too slow. However, there is also another type of thyroid illness called hyperthyroidism, which is the one where your thyroid gland runs too fast. Yes, but what does that mean?

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped part found in your lower neck area. This gland is very important, as it is the part that stores hormones that help regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate at which your food intake is converted into energy. As you can see, it is responsible for every cell in your body. It needs to work correctly or a slew of problems health-wise will happen.

To go a little further into the job of this gland, this gland uses that mineral we know as iodine. Iodine is found in some foods and of course salt; most of us use iodized salt. This is how the gland makes its hormones; the two important hormones of the thyroid are; thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).

Then you have (TSH); this is produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates hormone production by the thyroid gland. Not only does this little gland have all this that it needs to keep producing, but it also needs to keep the hormone calcitonin working correctly. This helps calcium metabolism work. Which, of course, works with your bones, it helps keep you with the right amount of calcium in your bones.

I must stop here and say; I’m not a doctor. The preceding overview was completely researched. It's the correct version of the medical terms for how this gland is supposed to work. However, I’m just someone who has in some way fallen victim to this chronic illness known as hypothyroidism, because what the above paragraphs just explained did not work in my body somehow. I don’t know if there is an answer to why it stops circulating correctly for some of us, but I can tell you it is a very aggravating illness. A very misunderstood type of illness that even the best doctors don’t know how to relate to unless they have decided to specialize in it.

Nope, I don’t know much about how the gland works, but I do know how you feel if it doesn’t work. And for those who have gotten to know me well, you know that I am going to talk about that fact more than discuss the medical version. Yes, this is about bringing awareness. I know some may read this, and a light bulb will go off if they recognize some symptoms. And if that is the case, I will post a few informational videos, and my little poem will detail some symptoms of this illness that I experience. So make sure you watch and read everything here. You never know. It may not be yourself that you recognize symptoms in, but it could be a family member or a friend. Knowledge is power, and suggestions never hurt anyone.

I knew something was wrong. I had no doubt. Yet, well-educated doctors

could not figure it out...

Every few months I went back in, only to be turned away with no real

answers again.

It seems you are overweight, just start eating right, and I’m sure if you

do you will start to feel alright.

But doctor, I’ve gone through this all before, I do eat well, and Exercise

a lot.

I’m so tired at times really quite fatigued I have these episodes where I get completely dizzy.

Not to mention insomnia and night sweats. I’m hot one minute and freezing

cold the next.

I rush around as normal moms do, then forget exactly why I entered a

room. Was I looking for something I may have needed? This is not normal;

I feel so defeated.

Please help me out, I can’t go on this way. Sometimes I just want to run away.

No one gets it and can’t tell me why I feel so tired like I’m ready to die.

I’m not that old, just 43. A point in my life when I should be able to say; I

feel great, really quite young; I look forward to the future when my

kids are grown.

I should be feeling grand at this point in my life. Yes, I should be planning

a future of delights.