I got back some blood tests that I had done at the doctor’s office, and it turns out that I have hypothyroidism. This means that hormone that my thyroid normally produces is lacking in my system. Actually, the hormone that my thyroid produces, thyroxine, is at normal levels, but my immune system overproduces antibodies that attack the thyroxine. This was noticeable in my blood test results because I had an unusually high level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which is produced by the pituitary gland when it notices low levels of thyroid hormone.
This form of hypothyroidism is a common form known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This could have been linked to something genetic or it could have been triggered when my body was exposed to a virus or bacteria that resembled my thyroid hormones. My immune system would have then developed a resistance to this virus and in turn, my thyroid hormones.
I had the blood tests done because I’ve been having trouble losing weight despite eating healthier than I ever have and exercising regularly. The literature I’ve read says that approximately 10% of the population has some form of thyroid disorder and only half are diagnosed since the symptoms are often attributed to aging.
Having health care such a valuable thing. Just knowing that I can see a doctor without worrying about going into debt is an invaluable relief. It’s too bad our health care system is so messed up and lagging behind the rest of the developed world.
[...] I’ve begun to treat my hypothroidism again instead of ignoring it. I made a post almost two years ago about hypthyroidism when I was first diagnosed, but after not liking the way the levothyroxine made me feel, I quit taking it and thought I would just exercise more or eat better. I think I’ve done both over the last few years. I eat much better thanks to Kim’s love of food and her new culinary abilities, and I’ve been more physically active than when I first began my job by biking to work, doing Aikido and most recently by training for a half marathon. After seeing next to no results in weight loss I did some more research, something I should have done years ago. [...]
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