Several months after giving birth to my son, my wedding ring no longer fit my swollen fingers.
I had insomnia.
I was experiencing panic attacks.
My heart was racing and my baby's room had two different types of monitors, one to alert me with his cries sound and one for movement in case he stopped breathing.
I was obsessed beyond the norm with preventing SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Since I wasn't sleeping, I was Googling articles and information on this subject.
I couldn't breathe.
I was exhausted, yet I couldn't fall asleep, let alone stay asleep even when the baby was finally sleeping.
However, my primary care physician just chalked up my symptoms to being a new mom.
But, I knew something was wrong.
I asked for blood work.
But, I was scoffed at by my doctor and told visit after visit, "You're a new mom.
What do you expect?" I was told to accept my symptoms.
This would be the beginning of a lesson we all can learn from; you are your own, best health advocate.
I was fed up with this response and decided to I contact my OBGYN.
My OBGYN was able to refer me to an endocrinologist who supported my request for blood tests.
Survey says? Hyperthyroid.
I won.
I won the prize of receiving a diagnosis, at least.
I was far, far, far from the normal range.
My endocrinologist confirmed after months of what I believed was not the "normal new-mom exhaustion" that I was suffering from was actually something REAL; a thyroid disorder.
As predicted by my endocrinologist, many women have thyroid issues after birth and there is a name for it, postpartum thyroiditis.
However, if monitored, and I believe all women should be monitored postpartum, it usually resets itself without temporary or permanent medication intervention.
My endocrinologist and I watched my thyroid.
We were patient.
It did not recover.
In fact, in alignment with most common scenarios, it swung out of range in the opposite direction and nestled in and has forever remained, hypothyroid.
In other words, I could eat like a hamster all day on a diet of raw lettuce and GAIN weight.
I was even more fatigued swinging from hyperthyroid to hypothyroid.
The dark circles under my eyes could rival the actor, Benicio Del Toro's and I had PMS-like salty, sweet cravings that could beat Mommie Dearest's PMS.
Enter Synthroid, one of the most prescribed medications for synthetic hormones to stabilize one's thyroid.
Your doctor will most likely slowly increase the dosage of Synthroid (or the generic version) to carefully reset the delicate balance of hormone therapy that your body is unable to produce.
Together, my endocrinologist and I have been able to reset my thyroid back within normal range.
This journey back to a normal range took months.
Patience is key.
You will not feel like painting the town fuchsia overnight.
Thyroid health is possible.
My health and livelihood would not be where it is today had I not pushed for medical intervention and been my own health advocate.
Yes, doctors study for years.
Yes, they are most likely brilliant, but in the end, who knows your body and mind more than you? No one.
You do.
"What is called genius is the abundance of life and health.
"- Henry David Thoreau Before Synthroid treatment -Panic attacks -Insomnia -Exhaustion -Weight fluctuations -Sweating -Foggy memory After Synthroid treatment -Weight stabilization -Increased energy -Cessation of panic attacks -Decreased anxiety -Decreased sweating -Clarity of mind