I'm feeling better!

Now that I have emerged from my Thyroid cloud, I feel pretty good again.  After the discussion with the surgeon, I got very ill.  That very day I felt extremely fatigued.  I didn't want to admit to myself that it had to do with my thyroid.  I thought it had to do with me getting off a plane the previous day from California, which was an ordeal, but the fatigue you feel from your thyroid is quite different than just being tired.  I described it to a doctor once as a feeling of a weight coming from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.  It physically feels as if someone is pushing me down and I can't do anything to get them from on top of me.  So...I decided that it would be best if I used last weekend as a recuperating weekend and then my stomach went to hell.  My husband was also in the field at the time, so I was a extremely tired, bubble gut mess with 2 very active children.  I was horrible and thankfully my husband took leave to be by my side.  I don't think I would have made it.

I have had the honor to be a part of some pretty awesome online thyroid communities and the support I have gotten has warmed my heart.  One person in particular (one of the founder's of ThyroidChange) suggested that I may be having some adrenal issues because of stress.  I think she is right and I started to think back on moments in my life when this has happened to me and it always followed a stressful event.  Before, I didn't have children, so it was nothing to me to get in the bed and rest for a weekend.  Now, I realize when I'm down and exhausted because I have 2 little people who still need me to be a Mom.  I use to think I was just having a bit of depression and now I'm sure that I've been having this Hashimoto's/Adrenal issue for a very long time now.  Anywho, please check out the ThyroidChange website and please sign the petition.  Our voices need to be heard and although I appreciate the support, I shouldn't have eureka moments from other thyroid patients when I have medical insurance.  I went to the doctor and the only thing she could give me was some nausea medication (that basically put me in a coma) and Gatorade.

Speaking of Gatorade...when I told my doctor that I no longer drank Gatorade, she looked at me like I was an alien.  I don't think I've mentioned it lately, but I have gone completely Paleo.  Most of my friends know this about me and I am pretty sure it annoys them.  It is a huge sacrifice. I love the way I feel, but I do miss going out with friends for a bite to eat.  I guess I shouldn't say I'm Paleo.  I'm more Primal because I do have the occasional slice of cheese.  I have cut out soy, rice, sugars (except honey and maple syrup), most dairy, legumes, and most importantly grains.  When I did it half way, I saw a somewhat improvement, but when I went to the extreme, I've seen a huge change all around especially with me finally getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight (my baby is going on 2 years old).  After being diagnosed with Hashimoto's, I had gotten up to about 150 lbs. and now I'm 134 lbs.  I don't work out because of a hip injury, so that weight loss is all diet.  It took about 3 months to see a difference, but it happened.  If you're thinking about doing it, I would suggest giving it a shot and giving yourself some time to see results.  I will admit though that it isn't fun not being able to just eat whenever you want or simply go out to a restaurant and have Paleo "safe" foods.  I don't eat out because most restaurants use "vegetable oil" and that is basically soybean oil and soy and the thyroid simply don't mix.  I'll end this post with this, go into your kitchen one day and turn all of your boxes, jars and cartons to the side and count how many DON'T include soy.  You will be surprised.  Then, think about me and what I eat.  It's a commitment, but it's been worth it. If Paleo/Primal isn't for you, then I suggest anyone who has a thyroid condition get off of the processed food and when all else fails JERF (Just Eat Real Food).