Thyroid... most of you will have heard about it but the majority of people don't understand the huge role that this small gland plays.
In short, this gland produces thyroid hormone (by taking iodine, found in many foods and converting it into T4 - thyroxine & T3 - triiodothyronine) which regulates body and brain growth and development, body temperature, energy levels and metabolic functions (the rate that the body produces and uses energy from nutrients and oxygen). The thyroid hormones regulate all of the cells and tissues in the whole body!
If you'd like to understand more about how the thyroid gland works, the Thyroid Foundation is a great, informative website.
Things can start to go wrong when the thyroid gland produces either too much (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism) of the thyroid stimulating hormone (THS). Many thyroid disorders go undiagnosed because the symptoms align so closely with other medical conditions (see symptoms below).
As someone who has been recently diagnosed with (and having researched everything there is to know about and having quizzed my amazing Doctor with a million question!) hypothyroidism (also called Hashimoto disease, named due to the scientist who recognised hypothyroidism), I'm going to write about this. Before I was diagnosed with Thyroid Disorder the symptoms I was experiencing were:
-tiredness
-shortness of breath
-exhaustion
-sensitivity to cold
-headaches
-difficulty shifting weight
-dry skin
-menstrual irregularities
If it wasn't for the headaches, I would have most likely put all of these down to being a Mum of two! These symptoms are all common in hypothyroidism along with some others my Doctor mentioned:
-difficulty concentrating
-chronic fatigue
-muscle and joint aches
-diminished appetite
-constipation
-milky discharge from breasts
Whilst my diagnosis gave me a small relief being that I had an answer to my problems, I was also scared in not knowing what to expect and as someone who doesn't take any tablets, pills, etc. (anything other than vitamins), I was petrified at the thought of having to take a pill everyday, most likely for the rest of my life. Thankfully though it's all worth it in knowing that my symptoms should all be brought back under control by substituting my sluggish thyroid gland with a synthetic form of thyroxine (how clever is medicine these days!) and by limiting all food and drinks in my diet that may interfere with the thyroid hormone eg. soy (which means I'm trying out some variations to my beloved morning coffee *sad face), gluten, fried foods, alcohol, sodium, sugar and cruciferous vegetables.
I'm currently waiting until my most recent blood test results come back in to determine the strength of my medication and I would love to hear from anyone else who has Hashimoto's and doesn't mind sharing their story with me!
The purpose of writing about my diagnosis and in timing it with 'World Thyroid Day' is for those who may be noticing symptoms similar to the ones I experienced - There may be an answer! Go and see your Doctor and ask for a blood test to ensure that your thyroid is working exactly as it should.