For the past two years I’ve struggled with my weight, not
because I’m someone that eats or drinks badly, but because of my thyroid
condition. If you’re a long time reader of my blog (high five) then you may
remember a post a 5 years ago now (here) about living with a thyroid condition.
So it only seemed right to give you all an update of what’s happened since
then, the side effects I get and how I’ve been dealing with them.
So I bet you’re all
wondering what is a thyroid gland?
First of all your thyroid gland is inside your neck and it
releases hormones that control metabolism and the way your body uses energy.
What are the symptoms
of having a thyroid condition?
I found out that I had a thyroid issue when a tumour (the
size of a Satsuma) was inside my neck. However, aside from that you may have
the following symptoms, which include fatigue, muscle weakness, mood swings,
memory problems, depression, low libido, weight gain, dry or thinning hair,
increased awareness of the cold (to name a few symptoms) which could result to
having your thyroid levels checked.
How does it affect
your daily life?
Hair Loss
I’ve lost a lot of hair over the
years due to my condition and it’s something I’ve tried numerous shampoos and
treatments for. I always know when my thyroid levels need checking as my hair
falls out in larger clumps then it normally would. Two things which have helped me are my Wet Brush and Salon Science hair products.
Weight Gain
Pre-surgery and blogging days my
weight was a lot more on the lighter side and I was two sizes smaller than I am
now. I’m currently going to the gym (I’ve even taken up personal training
sessions) and I am feeling more confident and happy with myself then I have
been for a long time and it can only get better right?
Tiredness
I genuinely feel sometimes like I
can fall asleep anywhere. It’s not really a normal day unless I take a nap as
my body is constantly exhausted. It’s only since I have been a member of the
gym that I’ve noticed my energy levels have increased and I have not been
napping as much (yay!)
Being Sensitive To The Cold
If you know me
well, you’ll know that I am always cold. I am never seen without wearing a
scarf and most of the time you’ll catch me wearing a jumper to keep warm. I can
be freezing but the person next to me can feel really warm, no matter how hot
or cold it may be in the room.
Who can get affected
with a thyroid condition?
What am I doing to
help my condition?
One thing I will say is that I don’t believe that there are a
lot of doctors who know how to help people, who have had thyroid issues, I go
to mine and get no answers, no help and no alternative suggestions. It’s got to
the point where I am now looking into changing doctors in the hope of getting
better support and guidance.
What am I doing on a
daily basis to help myself?
It’s taken me a long time to find solutions to help myself,
but there’s a few which I believe are helping me mentally and physically with
my condition.
Keeping Active
I joined Xercise 4 Less in November
and I haven’t regretted it. I think it’s really helped me mentally and
physically to feel better and loose a few pounds (and hopefully some more!)
I’d be
lying if I said I’ve cut out alcohol because I haven’t it’s strictly for Friday
and Saturdays only. I am also making a conscious effort to eat healthier. I’ve
changed my diet to also include foods, which are supposed to ‘help’ the
condition, so more fish, spinach, nuts, pumpkin seeds to name a few foods.
I hope this post has been helpful, or just an insight into a
condition you may not have heard before and if you have any questions or
queries please feel free to email me, tweet me, DM me on Instagram and I really
hope I can help!
7 comments
thank you for sharing this! i'm glad that you've found exercise helps!
claresloves.blogspot.com
A very important symptom to add is not being able to get pregnant despite trying. Your thyroid gland should always be checked when that happens.
Anne - Linda, Libra, Loca
I've found cutting out gluten makes a big difference as well. There really isn't a lot of help out there from doctors, I was diagnosed in 2000 when I was 19 and as long as your blood test comes back in the accepted range they won't do anything even though the accepted range is actually quite large and can make a big difference in how you feel ☹️.
Sarah.
I've found cutting out gluten makes a big difference as well. There really isn't a lot of help out there from doctors, I was diagnosed in 2000 when I was 19 and as long as your blood test comes back in the accepted range they won't do anything even though the accepted range is actually quite large and can make a big difference in how you feel ☹️.
Sarah.
I've found cutting out gluten makes a big difference as well. There really isn't a lot of help out there from doctors, I was diagnosed in 2000 when I was 19 and as long as your blood test comes back in the accepted range they won't do anything even though the accepted range is actually quite large and can make a big difference in how you feel ☹️.
Sarah.
It's so good of you to share and it's good to know about these things. Well done on keeping active and doing everything you can to stay positive x
franklyflawless.com
I'm a fairly new reader to your blog and so I've not read any of your previous posts about this subject. I didn't know you had this condition. Will you always have to take these hormone replacements!? Sorry if that's rude to ask, I'm just curious because that seems like... maybe not the most convenient thing?
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