My life with Frau Blücher aka my thyroid.

How to handle a thyroid who decided to stop working.

Hi guys!

Exactly one yrs ago I had the metabolic radiotherapy for my issues with hyperthyroidism, so I thought it would be useful talking about the thyroid.

I know that normally I talk about Italy and food, but how I said in the past I want to talk about different things without limits.

Also January is the month of “Thyroid Awareness”, I had no idea about it.

January is: Veganuary, Dry January and Thyroid Awarness Month maybe people should choose another month, there are 12 months in an yr why everyone choose January?

I call my thyroid Frau Blücher because every time I nominate it, I always imagine the scene of the horses. In case u haven’t saw it I add the link (YOU WELCOME 😜) .

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Little disclaimer I remind you that I am not a doctor it was and is my experience. some have less side effects, some more, we are all different.

I want to talk about it so that if someone is in the same situation maybe they will be happy to know they are not alone.

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What is the thyroid?

Thyroid

It is located at the anterior base of the neck and is an endocrine gland, meaning it produces hormones, and secretes thyroid hormone which:

It is involved in regulating much of the metabolism (I have always had a metabolism as slow as a sloth, so maybe mine has never worked really well)

It is essential for the growth of the organism and for the development of the nervous system.

What’s TSH?

TSH is an hormone produced by an endocrine gland located at the base of the brain and called the pituitary gland that ensures the majority of control of the production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid.

If the thyroid produces an insufficient amount of thyroid hormone, TSH increases to stimulate the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone; instead, if the amount of thyroid hormone produced is excessive, it limits its production. from this it is easy to understand immediately if there are problems with the thyroid.

Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism, when the thyroid works too little and the first symptom is often tiredness, working too little this causes you to gain weight for no reason.

Hypothyroidism is also associated with:

• apathy and depression.

• decreased strength and memory.

• confusion.

• water retention.

• increased cholesterol.

• sensitivity to the cold.

(That is me now, in particular for “sensitivity to the cold” but also to hot)

Hyperthyroidism , when the thyroid is overstimulated and produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormone, in this case because the thyroid works too much, you lose weight easily even by eating badly (it seems like a dream but it is not).

• There is an initial onset of nervousness.

• Palpitations.

• Tremors.

• Tachyarrhythmias.

• Increased maximum blood pressure.

• Excessive sweating (in summer it does not matter how many showers you take, they are never enough, and you sweat so much that you're always wet).

• Hot flashes.

• Insomnia.

In women, thyroid dysfunction also causes alterations in the menstrual cycle, ovulation disorders and the ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term.

(This is how I was before)

How understanding u have hyperthyroidism?

I will talk only about hyperthyroidism because it’s what I was, now thanks to metabolic radiotherapy I’m become a hypothyroidism.

The best way it’s always a blood test, it quick and easy and u have results in few days.

But maybe u have the symptoms and u haven’t still thinking about: “ok let’s have a blood test”.

Actually it’s pretty simple understanding if u have it or not.. but I never understood the symptoms it’s easier for people around u understand that something is wrong.

Believe me I had a lot a lot of symptoms, really a lot I could understand it early but I constantly said: “I’m fine, everything is fine, don’t worry I’m ok”, the worst things I could said.

Big Eyes/Basedow-Graves

Big eyes

Ur eyes could become bigger and slightly protruding. This is called Basedow-Graves syndrome and was my nickname to some doctors to identify me, a lot of time I heard doctor said: “oh right u are the Basedow.”

Why this happens?

There isn’t a complete clear explanation for this.

What doctors says is:

The patient's immune system 'attacks' his thyroid with specific antibodies; one hypothesis is that these same antibodies also attack the eye muscles (as well as the fat and connective tissue that surround it), causing inflammation and swelling, and consequently also the displacement of the eyeball. This displacement in turn can cause strabismus, diplopia (double vision) and sometimes retraction of the eyelids, which can prevent them from closing completely.

The degree of involvement of the ocular structures in Graves' orbitopathy is very variable: it can be very mild (detectable only with a careful clinical examination) but can also lead to particularly serious conditions, which involve serious disturbances in visual function and significant alterations to the face.

In my case luckily I had only big eyes without other problems, actually I was happy for the big eyes because in the pics my eyes are always closed, instead “thanks” to hyperthyroidism my eyes where always open I found that so cool.

For once in the pics I had my eyes always open.

My eyes normally

My eyes with Basedow-Graves

Accelerated heartbeats

Heartbeat

Ur heartbeats could reach 120-150 beats.

I know what u think everyone would notice that right?

I haven’t noticed anything for real. I had no idea that wasn’t normal, I always thought: “maybe I’m out of practice, I should doing more sports”.

When I had the first visit with an endocrinologist doctor she was surprised by the fact I felt fine and my heartbeats reached 120 in that moment.

I asked her to double check, I was sure she was wrong (never doubt of a doctor), for me was so strange I felt good but my heart wasn’t agree with me.

Even after the visit I wasn’t sure about the heartbeats. Of course the doctor was right and I still wanted to believe I was fine.

Ur mood change

I’m a normal and very calm person most of the time.

With hyperthyroidism I had become a monster like Godzilla, or if like me u love the telenovelas you turn into your own evil twin.

Unfortunately for my husband, I took my anger out only on him (he should be a saint now).

Those period at work was extremely hard, so I thought my angry comes from that period and not from my thyroid.

Just to let u understand the lever of unmotivated anger once he asked me very kindly : “When u will see the endocrinologist again?” And I don’t know why I started screaming: “I WILL GO WHEN IT’S THE TIME”, than I back to the normality and I had no idea what’s happened to me, why I had to yelling at him? And for what?

He simply asked me about my health.

My evil twin was in action in that moment.

I’m a real fan of telenovelas that how I discovered thank to this that: “embarazada” mean “pregnant” in the first place I was sure that mean “embarrassed”.

I learned Spanish thanks to my work, telenovelas and tv series.

Hands shaking

Have u ever saw an ep. Of Grey’s anatomy? If u remember in the first season to prove their steady hand, they showed their hands with palms facing down? And their hands were still?

You have to do the same, if your hands are shaking it is one of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Of course there are other diseases that involve shaking hands, but if you also have the other symptoms you could have thyroid problems.

What’s change and how to start:

I always thought it was impossible for me having problem with thyroid, even if I had familiarity with it in fact all the woman in my fam had problem with thyroid, they discovered this when they were younger like 20 max 24.

I was almost 36 so I always thought it wasn’t in my DNA luckily, instead one day my doctor said: “I think it’s better if u do a blood test, to check if everything is okay”.

In all my blood test I always add: TSH, FT3 and FT4; with the familiarity of hyper and hypothyroidism it’s the first thing to each yr.

The day after I went to the clinic and in 48h I discovered I had hyperthyroidism. (yay jackpot 🎰)

Normally people with hyperthyroidism lost a lot of weight, in my case I think I lost only 4 or maybe 5 because I discovered it in the first period.

I know isn’t a good thing losing weight in this way, I really know, it’s just later I took a lot of extra weight because of the medicines. So I would prefer losing weight before so when I gained weight back I would be back to my normal weight.

Like everything in ur life u have to process the information u received and accept the situation. Of course there are worst things in the life, but it will represents a real change for your body and your mental health.

When the endocrinologist confirmed that yes it was hyperthyroidism, I couldn’t believe it.

I know that sounds stupid, my heartbeats weren’t under control, my hands was shaking, my eyes were so big (the only part I loved), I’ve got nervous for small things simply I wasn’t me, I was a very different person.

The doctor will start with a prescription of medication, in my case were tapazole ( a medicine for hyperthyroidism) and and another that reduced the heartbeats since they were out of control.

In the first period you must stop physical activity especially cardio and avoid efforts, remember that in this phase your heart needs to rest.

For me the first part wasn’t so easy, the medicines to lower my heart rate didn't let me sleep well, I woke up often, I slept little, sometimes I woke up very early.

While the ones for the thyroid made me feel always asleep, it was as if I wasn't really me. I was present but at the same time it was as if I was in a state of half-sleep. have you ever seen the movie “Being John Malkovich” I felt exactly like that, like I knew I was in my body but there was someone else making decisions for me.

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Again the same little disclaimer I remind you that I am not a doctor it was my experience. some have less side effects, some more, we are all different but I want to talk about it so that if someone is in the same situation maybe they will be happy to know they are not alone.

🚨🚨🚨🚨

After the first 3-4 months ur heart returns to the normality so u can make sport again, the first time do it carefully and check ur heartbeats. Start with small walk.

U can find a lot of watch that track ur heartbeats, I suggest u to buy one are so useful, they sell it everywhere.

This is the most difficult part, so after the first months u will finally start to see a little bit of normality.

Sometimes the thyroid returns to work normally, other times still not working, there isn’t a rule or the perfect time.

U have to follow what doctor says, but if u aren’t 100% sure ask a second opinion even a third if u need.

The most important thing it’s that u feel sure of each steps.

In my case I had to change doctors after 2yrs of medicines and 3 relapses of the values of thyroid. I asked for a second and third opinion.

I’m happy of my endocrinologist now.

How food impacts on ur thyroid.

Food is always important for our body, it’s our fuel.

The part that impacted me more how I said were the medicine, I took so much weight even if I was eating normal.

The problem in this case is that even if u go to doctors the majority don’t believe u, it isn’t their fault, it’s just that even if hypo and hyperthyroidism are well known not all known so well the side effects of this disease.

I respect the work of each doctors, I’m still in this world thanks to doctors, it’s just even if hypo and hyperthyroidism are known a lot of doc don’t know everything.

One dietitian was convinced that I was eating badly, maybe using a lot of fatty or fried foods, I remember that I got angry and told him that I would have preferred to gain weight by eating 20kg of lasagna instead of 9 pills a day.

So like the endocrinologist u have to find a good dietitian who know what are hypo and hyperthyroidism and that listen to u.

Not all people gain weight it depends on your body, and as always I hit the jackpot 🎰 again 😅.

I suggest to go to a dietitian because thyroid manages your metabolism and at that moment the drugs are helping you to make it work well, but it’s always better have an extra help.

Dietician will also provide you to find the best foods for u.

Just remember to not transform the diet in a boring thing, use ur fantasy to create healthy and colourful recipes, if u have problems with that ask the help of the dietitian or u can also comment here and I will see if I can be helpful.

What I discovered during the diet is that when I had problems with hyperthyroidism I was losing weight very slowly and even losing just one kilo was really difficult.

So you have to slowly accept yourself and rejoice in the small goals. now after the metabolic radiotherapy I have become hypothyroid for life, the positive thing is that now I can lose weight more consistently and finally the weight varies based on what I eat. At Christmas obviously I put on a few pounds, I am still Italian and for us Christmas lunch is a serious thing 🤣🤣🤣

The easy solution…

Just kidding there isn’t an easy solution, there is the solution that works for U.

We are all different that makes us special, there are people who solve with thyroid in few months, other one or two yr or like me they will took medicine for the rest of their life.

What u need for sure is a good support system from ur fam and friends, u need someone that supports ur even when u become a monster (and that will happen more times than you might imagine).

U need to do things for u, this actually is a rules for each day of your life, in that period it’s a rules every day or at least once a week do something just for u: take ur time to read a book, have a walk, take a long bath, go to have a massage, go to shopping, painting, gardening think the first thing would gave u joy and do it.

Even if one day u think I need to do nothing to be happy it’s ok just enjoying the moment and DOING NOTHING don’t feel guilty for this.

It could be a short or long process the only person u have to listen it’s U, ur body will always be ur guide.

Maybe u feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of steps in front of u, take a deep breath and focus only on small steps.

My husband showed me a video of a man riding an horse in a forest full of fog, he had no idea about what’s there are in front of him, he know the street and where he has to go but he can’t see almost anything (u know how fog is, in Emilia Romagna is our BFF), so he have to make small steps because he can see only what’s next to him.

And step by step he will reach his destination.

That’s us, not only for thyroid but with everything.

Now finally I feel better I feel myself now after so many time, and that’s will happen to you too.

Hope u enjoyed my post and that u have found it useful.

How I said I’m not a doctor, I just thought my experience could help someone and if this will help only one person I will be the happiest person in all the world.

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Have a wonderful day!

Laura 💕