kitty pi

PSA: Kids, Don't Try This At Home!

Due to a series of unfortunate mishaps with finances and a wanker of an insurance company, and a serious warping of priorities, I am now on day 10 of no medication. The medication in question is Synthroid, a synthetic thyroid hormone. Did you know that your thyroid regulates every cellular process in your body? It does. And, as it turns out, I have a defunct thyroid gland. It was hyperactive (Graves' Disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid gland) and now it's inactive. After years of alternate therapies and medications to control it, I finally relented and swallowed a radioactive pill containing iodine meant to destroy a tiny portion of my gland. Unfortunately, you can't know how much damage it will do until you try. We (my endocrinologist and I) started with a super small dose of Radioactive Iodine. It destroyed the whole gland. That means I must take thyroid hormones everyday of my life. If I want to function properly, that is.

I know that my devastatingly handsome husband doesn't want to write about what a bitch I've been lately so I will do it for him. (Side note to the Mr.: thanks honey for trying to save my reputation!).

What happens when you need synthroid but don't take it? At first, it's fine but after a week without meds you start to get really tired. Add your period on top of that and we are talking major fatigue. Second, you get nauseous every morning. You have a hard time getting up in the morning, which makes you cry because you are upset for running late and you're tired so it's all too much to deal with. Then, your hair gets really dry and brittle and starts to fall out. All the while, your mental processes begin to slow waaaaay down so that simple tasks become difficult and you can't spell or type anymore. You start to leave words out of sentences and when your re-read them you don't notice because you've turned into a big retarded, crying mess. Also, you become a big clutz. Your voice gets hoarse. Your skin gets dry and easily irritated. You get constipated. You lose your appetite or forget to eat (maybe that's just me).

The worst part though is that you start acting contrary and you don't even know it. Every thing everyone says causes you to respond in a manner that is rude, short, condescending or just plain disagreeable. But you don't even know it because your perceptions are kind of warped. That causes you to be more disagreeable when the person you are talking to says "You sure are disagreeable" and you say "No I'm not!".

All this to say, sorry to my family. I've been a big weenie. I didn't mean to be. I will get my meds tonight, I promise. I'll be better in a week and I won't let my prescriptions lapse again. Ever.

This was also a public service announcement for all the people out there who may have some of these symptoms and not know why. Get your thyroid checked. It's easily and successfully treatable (provided that you are a compliant patient, which I am obviously not!). You don't have to live with a thyroid imbalance.

posted by Anita at 10:45 AM