Here's something I've never said publicly. And I'd never intended to talk about it publicly, but I keep seeing so many others dealing with similar problems that I feel like I can offer something new to this conversation.
Nine year ago I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem. It was several months after I'd finished and successfully defended my Ph.D. dissertation. And despite efforts to rest and recover from that experience, I was extraordinarily tired. I mean extraordinarily tired.
I'd gone from being able to easily run several miles to getting tired just walking up the 2 flights of stairs to my third floor office. I knew something was out of whack.
I mentioned it to a physician who said “let's test your thyroid.” I said OK. A few days later, I received a call that my TSH levels were high–around 14, when 5 was the maximum threshold for what was considered in traditional medicine as normal.
Since then, I've taken thyroid medication for what was, eventually described to me by an endocrinologist as Hashimoto's. But this doctor didn't actually test for Hashimoto's antibodies. At least I don't think he did. In any event, I was told that thyroid problems can't be cured and that I was doing the right thing by eating real food and running. Since the Levoxyl was keeping everything in check, I was told I had need to be concerned. Just keep doing what I was doing.
So while my energy returned and I felt fine, I wasn't satisfied to just take “live with it” for the final answer.
I don't like taking any type of medication, even something as relatively benign as thyroid medication. So I've always been convinced that my body can repair itself, given the right inputs and proper care.
Over the past year or so, I've begun to study autoimmune diseases and the connection between food and autoimmune conditions. And I uncovered lots of emerging research on the relationship between various foods and autoimmune issues, especially thyroid.
Early this year, I set out to find a way to reverse my thyroid condition and repair my thyroid.
As it happened, my regular general practitioner, the one who'd been seeing me each year for thyroid monitoring, closed his practice to join a concierge medicine group. That meant I needed to find a new general physician. So I found a medical practice that specializes in integrated health and functional medicine.
As we explored my thyroid situation, I told the nurse practitioner that I wanted to cure it. She asked if I'd been tested for Hashimoto's. I said, “not that I know of.” So I went through a full battery of thyroid tests.
Turns out I do have Hashimoto's. I'll save the details for another post.
My regular podcast listening led me to the Underground Wellness show where I learned about this week's free Hashimoto's Institute.
If you want to join in, click the image below and sign up for access to free webinars and online sessions all this week.
If you want to follow my journey as I document my quest to repair my thyroid, sign up for the Shinecast newsletter by leaving your email address in the form below the image.
