If you're struggling with any physical/psychological problems, you're going to want to read through this post
I'm writing this in what feels like the most lucid, un-depressed, non-fatigued state I've experienced in years.
I've been dealing with depression and general tiredness for years. 6 months ago, I was randomly hit with a bad spell of fatigue. No matter how much I slept, ate healthy, exercised, took Vit D and B and supplements, I was exhausted to the point of tears all day long. The very fact I was able to make it through the work day- let alone rarely skip a day of the gym- still astounds me.
Finally, after multiple visits, my doctor finally decided to look at my thyroid about a month ago. After a blood test, he tells me my levels are "sub-optimal" and puts me on thyroid hormone medication. Underactive thyroid is called hypothyroidism, but he said my levels weren't low enough to be clinically hypo.
And guess what?
A month on meds and I feel fucking FANTASTIC now. Not 100%, as I'm still adjusting to the meds and need to find the optimal amount, but holy shit is it a fucking relief. My depression has pretty much become a non-issue as well (although I am on Zoloft... but there are plenty of stories of people's decades-long depression/anxiety dissipating once they have their thyroid fixed. Once I get my thyroid in order, I plan on trying to drop my anti-depressants for the first time in years)
But here's the thing:
This same doc tested my thyroid levels a goddamn YEAR ago, and used the same levels to diagnose my levels as "sub-optimal" only a month ago. A year ago I also told him my mother has hypothyroidism. But he didn't take it seriously. If you're thinking I'm fucking pissed about that, you're right
Most doctors don't take bad thyroid levels seriously. Chris has a series on here how most doctors are grossly misinformed about proper testosterone levels in men. The absolute same goes for thyroid hormone levels. Myriads of thyroid disorder patients can tell you how they felt like a brand new person after taking thyroid hormone, despite their doctor telling them that their levels are fine or only "sub-optimal" (like me). I'm not going to pretend to understand the science of it- I've never had a mind for that- but I've constantly seen the analogy that if the body were a car, the thyroid would be the engine.
What's more, some people don't respond well to synthetic thyroid hormone even though their thyroid needs help. Fortunately, there's a traditional medicine called Natural Dessiccated Thyroid (taken from pigs) that a wide majority of thyroid patients consider to be a fucking godsend. For almost everyone, it works far better than the synthetic hormone (the one your doctor will give you)
For more information on thyroid disorder, I urge you to check out www.stopthethyroidmadness.com. So far, nearly every thyroid disorder patient I've talked to is a huge fan of this site. Much like Chris' testosterone series, STTM will help you understand what TRUE optimal thyroid levels look like
TLDR;
If you're struggling to solve any physical/psychological problems and have only seen limited success with your treatment, GET YOUR THYROID CHECKED. THIS IS NOT AN OPTION.
Go to the STTM link above, learn what labs you need and what numbers to look for. Ignore whatever your doctor tells you about the results; chances are he has no idea what he's talking about. Use the above website to figure out your next step. (I guess I should put some sort of legal disclaimer here: I'm not a doctor, this is just my personal advice, not any sort of medical information)
The STTM website is like GoodLookingLoser for thyroid disorder. Seriously, check it out.
I'm writing this in what feels like the most lucid, un-depressed, non-fatigued state I've experienced in years.
I've been dealing with depression and general tiredness for years. 6 months ago, I was randomly hit with a bad spell of fatigue. No matter how much I slept, ate healthy, exercised, took Vit D and B and supplements, I was exhausted to the point of tears all day long. The very fact I was able to make it through the work day- let alone rarely skip a day of the gym- still astounds me.
Finally, after multiple visits, my doctor finally decided to look at my thyroid about a month ago. After a blood test, he tells me my levels are "sub-optimal" and puts me on thyroid hormone medication. Underactive thyroid is called hypothyroidism, but he said my levels weren't low enough to be clinically hypo.
And guess what?
A month on meds and I feel fucking FANTASTIC now. Not 100%, as I'm still adjusting to the meds and need to find the optimal amount, but holy shit is it a fucking relief. My depression has pretty much become a non-issue as well (although I am on Zoloft... but there are plenty of stories of people's decades-long depression/anxiety dissipating once they have their thyroid fixed. Once I get my thyroid in order, I plan on trying to drop my anti-depressants for the first time in years)
But here's the thing:
This same doc tested my thyroid levels a goddamn YEAR ago, and used the same levels to diagnose my levels as "sub-optimal" only a month ago. A year ago I also told him my mother has hypothyroidism. But he didn't take it seriously. If you're thinking I'm fucking pissed about that, you're right
Most doctors don't take bad thyroid levels seriously. Chris has a series on here how most doctors are grossly misinformed about proper testosterone levels in men. The absolute same goes for thyroid hormone levels. Myriads of thyroid disorder patients can tell you how they felt like a brand new person after taking thyroid hormone, despite their doctor telling them that their levels are fine or only "sub-optimal" (like me). I'm not going to pretend to understand the science of it- I've never had a mind for that- but I've constantly seen the analogy that if the body were a car, the thyroid would be the engine.
What's more, some people don't respond well to synthetic thyroid hormone even though their thyroid needs help. Fortunately, there's a traditional medicine called Natural Dessiccated Thyroid (taken from pigs) that a wide majority of thyroid patients consider to be a fucking godsend. For almost everyone, it works far better than the synthetic hormone (the one your doctor will give you)
For more information on thyroid disorder, I urge you to check out www.stopthethyroidmadness.com. So far, nearly every thyroid disorder patient I've talked to is a huge fan of this site. Much like Chris' testosterone series, STTM will help you understand what TRUE optimal thyroid levels look like
TLDR;
If you're struggling to solve any physical/psychological problems and have only seen limited success with your treatment, GET YOUR THYROID CHECKED. THIS IS NOT AN OPTION.
Go to the STTM link above, learn what labs you need and what numbers to look for. Ignore whatever your doctor tells you about the results; chances are he has no idea what he's talking about. Use the above website to figure out your next step. (I guess I should put some sort of legal disclaimer here: I'm not a doctor, this is just my personal advice, not any sort of medical information)
The STTM website is like GoodLookingLoser for thyroid disorder. Seriously, check it out.