if you follow this blog then you know that i've had issues with my thyroid since age 19. yes 19... crazy. i was home on break from college and drinking a pepsi (back when i drank pepsi) when my mother noticed that i had a large lump in my neck. she made an appointment immediately with the family doctor and i was diagnosed with a thyroid nodule on my left thyroid. it was roughly the size of a golf ball. the doc aspirated the nodule and luckily the results came back benign so i was placed on synthroid to suppress the growth of the nodule. however, the nodule reappeared immediately and larger. after an ultrasound, they found i had several smaller nodules growing on my right thryoid. i ended up with a parital thyroidectomy removing my left thyroid. that was 1991.
fast forward twenty years. my thyroid has been followed with checkups, ultrasounds, aspirations and meds. one of the nodules on my right thyroid started growing and eventually showed microcalcifications and vascular activity. this new activity and change within the nodule increased my chances for thyroid cancer. time to remove the entire thyroid. so in january i had a complete thyroidectomy.
since surgery, i've seen the doc once a month. she is monitoring my TSH, T3 and T4. i am obviously hypothyroid (low thyroid) since my thyroid is completely gone; i'm not producing any hormone. well there you have it. no hormone. i am completely unbalanced. my hands and feet are like ice. i'm cold then hot then cold again. my mood swings from a lovely high to a deep low. ugh, i hate that. my metabolism is whacked. since the surgery despite my efforts i've put on almost 10 lbs. more ugh. so until they figure out the magic dosage i'm whirling around crazy within my body. seriously. i can totally feel it. i feel sluggish and irritable and swollen. yuck.
after some research and surfing the net i came across this book. secrets to a healthy metabolism. i'm still reading through it so i'll be back to share more info. however in the meantime... anyone out there in cyberland have similar issues? what is your battle plan? you know, your plan to staying healthy and keeping the metabolism in check.
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