About CatherineOz
Name: Catherine
- Username: CatherineOz
- Postion: Moderator of the Australian Group forum
After 25 years of being told by doctors and endocrinologists that having a Free T3 and Free T4 equal to or one point above the bottom of the range was not only normal, but that I should feel fine and my problems were in my head, and that I was lazy and ate too much, and I should take anti-depressants, I had begun to wonder if there was any hope for me.
Then, last year, in the most unlikely and unpleasant of ways, a significant closed head injury with mild traumatic brain injury changed my life.
I had never been properly tested for Hashimoto's Thryoiditis, although the one antibody test that was done some years ago showed some antibodies, the test was within the normal range. It is likely that I had Hashi's all this time, and the compound hormonal disorders that usually accompany thyroid disease. After the head injury, my symptoms worsened severely. Over time, my T4 reserves such as they were depleted completely, and I was having severe adrenal issues, vomiting, nausea, shaking, panic attacks, vertigo and tinnitus, facial twitching and lateral parasthesias, burning sensations over parts of my body, incredible pain, I lost the ablity to sweat with my upper torso and now can only sweat with the right side of my head, so when it's warm, my hair is wet on the right side of my head, and dry on the left.
I am quite sure that I suffered pituitary and possibly hypothalmus damage, although this is still under investigation.
After taking myself to the local GP with a face so swollen that my eyes were slits, and being told that it was an "airborne allergy", I realised I wan't going to last the distance if I waited for this GP to step up and help me. I had to somehow find the strength to help myself, or perhaps the anger at the injustice carried me ...
I began researching, and lo and behhold, every thing I read on facial swelling led back to hypothyroidism and myxedema, somehow the head injury had made my thyroid issues 10 times worse! Well duh, that's actually quite common, but you wouldn't think that from the medicos that have examined me thus far.
It was at this time that I found STTM and read my own research and that at STTM concurrently. Several months later, I joined the forums there and found like minded people in the same situation. Imagine my joy!
I was able to get some biothyroxine in a low dose (5mcg T3 & 20mcg T4), which eased the swelling until I was able to see a doc who really understands this issue.
I am still dealing with the head injury and the follow on effects. I am far from well. I have discovered a new found respect for the power of patient advocacy, as in my country, well, lets just say there is still too much patriarchy in the medical system.
I have also developed a newfound respect for my own strength. I am convinced that not too long ago, I was close to death. I was barely conscious most of the time, and that little bit of knowledge and biothyroxine started me on the path to staying alive, let alone living well, which is something I still hope to acheive.
A friend of mine once was thanking me for helping her work through something, and I said, something along the lines of, no need to thank me, a while ago, someone else, who was further along the road than I, reached back and took my hand, and helped me along the way. Then I reached back and you took my hand, soon it will be your turn to extend your hand to someone who is not quite at the same spot on the journey as you, or needs some help with a rocky outcrop, or has lost their balance. I think this is similar to what is now known as "Paying it forward".
To me, this is what Real Thyroid Help .com is all about, someone who has climbed a little further along the rocky outcrop extends a hand to one who is just getting started, or feels stuck because they cannot see the next hand hold. I am still reaching out for those hands above me, and extending mine to those a little further behind. We are all journeying together.