Beginning a Journey

For a number of years I have been living with a hypothyroid condition, as well as the jolly Addison's that manifested in 2001. Is there a relationship between years of untreated hypothyroidism and collapsed adrenals? All too likely it seems.

I have been taking Synthroid for the hypothyroid situation for a decade, but never really felt well, better definitely than before medication, but not what you'd call either energetic or happy. I have little enthusiasm except for knitting which requires very little movement or thinking. My approach has been if that's all I could do, at least I'd do it very well. And so I have.

But, what of energy, enthusiasm, clear, focused thinking and sustained work? Dream on girl--that seemed long out of reach and the best I could do was accept the situation and make the best of that too. Resignation has become my middle name (I don't actually have a middle name so I can use whatever I like as the situation warrants). When faced with something I believe cannot be changed, I do what every relatively sane person does--try to live with it and get on with whatever is left. After the Addison's diagnosis my world became significantly smaller as I learned to accept massive weight gain (50 to 60 pounds) and much less energy without any capacity for sustained work or movement (such as gardening or beach walking).

Recently help and encouragement from friend Pia has given me new hope in an area where I believed nothing whatever could be done. Synthroid you see is only one of 4 thyroid hormone components of a healthy thyroid. In the 70's the T4 hormone was isolated, synthesized and became the accepted treatment for hypothroidism. Thinking was that as long as we had T4 in our systems enough T3 would be converted in the body to provide the essential amount of that.  Before the 70's everyone with hypothyroidism was treated with desiccated thyroid from pigs and this contained T1, T2, T3 and T4. Enter the miracle of chemistry which believes that one component could stand in for the lot and if those of us taking T4 alone didn't feel well, continued to gain weight, have trouble concentrating, focusing, getting out of brain fog or being capable or motivated for any sort of physical activity, well--that was our personal moral failing and nothing to do with treatment protocol. 

Resources for thyroid information include The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem and this website.

I am now on the second day of a very low, introductory dose of T3. I cannot truly believe how I feel and don't yet trust it (why would I, given my history?). I feel awake. I want to move, I can focus my thoughts, I'm not lethargic, uncaring, or dull.  Who is that I wonder? And what can she do with her life now?

Today, the answer is, not that much. The weather is rotten with the remnants of tropical storm Hanna saturating the air and giving periods of deluge besides. There is little light, it feels like dusk, that's how dark it is. But it's the weather--not how I feel--that limits what I do with this day. Wind and driven rain, and my newly delivered firewood, uncovered as yet, is getting a thorough soaking. Damnation.

Hey, if my eyes are that open, I could give that microscopic silk another go--assuming I can actually sit still long enough! Actually I want to see about finishing a vest I began last winter which would be perfect as the weather cools into autumn. I only have a bit of the collar and trim left to do, but in worry that I'd not have enough yarn I put it aside. I've recently had a new idea to deal with not enough dyed handspun yarn so now I have the confidence to finish it.