So I have Hashimoto’s disease . . .

I have been pretty cryptic about what's been going on with me medically. Up till now, I have been a pretty open book. However, I've been having some issues for some time now. I'm tired. I'm having issues thinking straight (makes blogging incredibly difficult), I cry a lot because I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I found a doctor and he's been doing a ton of bloodwork. Here's what we know —

I'm vitamin D deficient. So I'm 10,000 units of Vitamin D a day.

The second problem I have is my thyroid. Due to me having many of the symptoms, my diagnosis I got today was Hashimoto's Disease. In Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, your immune system attacks your thyroid gland. The resulting inflammation often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). (<---That's from the Mayo Clinic) In a nutshell, I feel like shit every. single. day. Some days I barely can get my butt out of bed to take the kids to school. Again, this is why I had to close my blog Lisa Reviews and I'm moving the reviews to this blog. I couldn't handle it anymore. A normal persons thyroid antibodies are between 5 - 34. Mine is 271. I knew two weeks ago they thought Hashimoto's. I was holding off posting about this because I thought we were putting together a plan of action. What I didn't know was that all my doctor was going to do today was put me on a vitamin. Needless to say, I'm not happy. My functioning level sucks and I don't know what I'm going to do if this gets worse. I have days that I literally drive the kids to school and go back to bed, get them from school and deal with them to Bill gets home (aff), and then go back to bed. It sucks. Here's what the doctor wants me to do and I just spend $100 for a months worth of vitamins that I'm not happy about: 1. No diet soda. I've done that and ummm, I feel worse not drinking the stuff.2 (aff). I'm living on Caffiene because I can't function right now. Of course, we aren't dealing with that at all. The non-functioning seems to be getting ignored. I'm closing blogs and losing money and side work that I do because of it. 3 (aff). He wants me to go gluten free. I basically refused. A. I can't afford it. B. Nobody sells it around me and I refused to drive an hour to go to Whole Paycheck (aka whole foods). C. Plus nobody in my house will eat it. D. I am having issues making dinner for my family. Where the hell am I suppose to get the energy to make a second meal for myself? 4. No soy. 5. No trans fats. 6. No fast food. 7. No processed foods. 8. Oh yeah, I'm lactose intolerant so no dairy. 9. No high fructose corn syrup. Ummm, so WTF am I suppose to eat? I've put on 18 lbs in 6 weeks and I've basically done nothing different. I'm going to be honest -- I just spent the afternoon crying because basically, they aren't going to do shit. Oh yeah, here's the vitamin list: 1. 10000 units of Vitamin D2 (aff). Thyroscsin (the thyroid vitamin supplement)3 (aff). Fish Oil 4. Ortho Biotic (the priobiotic) Okay, so that's what is up with me. I'm putting myself out there for you all. I don't have a thick skin anymore with all this crap going on, so please be gentle. If you have this, what are they doing for you? I'll happily share any of my numbers that are deficient. If you are local to me, I'll take referrals to doctors because I'm thinking I may need a second opinion. And if you know me in real life, as much as I hate hugs, give me one anyway. 🙂

Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.

This Post Has 31 Comments

  1. Yvonne

    I was diagnosed in 2007 with Hashimotos. Once you’re on the right dose of your thyroid medication you should start to feel better. It took me a few months because they had to keep increasing my dosage. (I was tested every 3 months in the beginning. Now, every 6 months.) You should also read up on what kind of foods to avoid. I would definitely avoid diet soda. (I finally gave it up this year.) It does mess with your metabolism, which is already going to be an issue for you with an underactive thyroid. Anyway, it does get better. You just have to be pro-active with your care and following up on doctor visits.

    1. Lisa

      Medicaition wasn’t even option. Vitamins and diet was it. Hence, I’ve been crying all day since I feel like shit and I’m pretty sure that this isn’t going to work. I’m not nornally a negative person but I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.

  2. Jenn

    Definitely get a second opinion! Is there a reason why the doc didn’t want to start you on a thyroid med? My little sister was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at 17 (10 years ago) after months of tests and depression med trials to find out why she was always so depressed, ran down, and panicky among many other things. I remember her being so forgetful when she visited me for the weekend she would make a sandwich and forget to eat it before she even walked out of the kitchen. As soon as she was diagnosed she was put on thyroid meds and after a few months of trial and error with the dosage to get it right for her specific needs she was back to her normal pre-symptom self. Except during her pregnancy she hasn’t had to adjust her dosage or had any problems since.

  3. Loretta

    I think what bothers me about his recommendation is that’s a lot of dietary changes to make all at once. If you did all those things at once you wouldn’t really know what made the impact to help you feel better. Maybe try changing one thing at a time so you can track progress or changes. Even with the supplements, I’m surprised he asked you to add so many all at one time. I would definitely seek a second opinion.

    Going gluten free is relatively easy compared to eliminating soy! Soy is in every damn thing anymore. Most of those labeled gluten free products are just processed alternatives using rice flour or potato starch, you can go gluten free without those if you’re doing most of your cooking at home. The only time I make a separate dish for me is when Brian and the boys are having pizza or pasta. (sometimes we’ll get a gluten free pasta or make a gluten free pizza crust, but most of the time I’ll just have a big salad with chicken that night)

    1. Lisa

      The issue I have with cooking now is that I can’t think straight to make recipes. I keep trying and everything I make I keep messing up because I can’t remember if its a tsp or a T or what it was suppose to be. It’s crazy.

  4. Sarah Parisi

    I don’t have Hashimoto’s Disease, but I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a little over a year ago during my last pregnancy. I was gaining lots of weight and utterly exhausted, but I was in my first trimester of pregnancy so I didn’t realize there was a problem. I found out almost by accident and I was lucky because my numbers were fairly good. They put me on Synthroid and I take it daily. It took a while to find the right dose, but once we did I felt much better. I love my doctor, but she’s in Woodstock/Crystal Lake/Huntley so I don’t think you’d want to travel that far to see her.

  5. Bruce Sallan

    Lisa, my heart breaks for you. I went vegan 18 months ago. My family hates it, but I feel so much better. No, I didn’t have an illness so my going vegan was for other reasons (a long story). I watched the movie, “Forks Over Knives” and heard from a dear friend of mine about how his going vegan allowed him to go off the statins and his cholesterol was now well under control by his diet alone. Again, that was not my motivation. I would suggest that trying this diet – as hard as it may be – is taking action and that alone will help with the feeling of helplessness that you are feeling (and that any normal person would feel, too). It’s worth a try and perhaps your husband can enlist the kid’s support and make the process easier. I cheat now and then with chicken and an occasional sweet that may have butter and/or eggs in it, but I’m 80-90% “good” and my bloodwork reflects this. Again, my reasons were less illness-driven but I’m glad I switched. Please consider giving it a try!

  6. Vinny O'Hare

    Hi Lisa

    Saw your post on Facebook and before I saw the vitamin the Dr put you on I knew what it was going to be. Debbie also has Hashimotos. It has been a 3+ year journey getting diagnosed finally a few months ago. Luckily she has found a Dr now that “Get’s it”.

    You are not in this alone, Yes the tired, and tired of being tired sucks. I have seen it first hand. Crying for no reason, crying because you can’t stop crying. Debbie and I have been through that. If Bill needs me to call him I will.

    For some reason not many people are talking about the tyroid and they should. I bet one of your girlfriends also has this and they chalk it up to menopause. I know it is frustrating, just know you are not alone.

    Debs former dr started her off on vitamin and a very very very low dose of medicine. She started to feel better, they upped her meds months later, felt a little better. I am sure she will contact you.

    1. Lisa

      Vinny, the best thing I could have done last night was talk to Debbie. She really helped me get my head on straight. I’ve already got a second opinion set up for Wednesday. It’s from another mom at school whose thyroid numbers look a lot like mine. Debbie also getting me a name and number for somebody local to me. I figure at this point it can’t hurt.

  7. sending u a hug and prayers of strength. I hope you and your doctor can work out a plan of action to help you get the necessary nutrition that you need

  8. Nicole Brady

    I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after a miscarriage. They immediately put me on medication and it resolved a bajillion issues I was having. Dry skin, weight gain that I couldn’t shake no matter my exercise and diet routine, exhaustion, inability to focus, etc. I’m surprised your doctor isn’t taking that step FIRST because it takes a lot of time and tweaking to get the right dosage.

    1. Lisa

      That seems to be everybody’s take on this. I’ve put on 18 lbs in 6 weeks. It took me a year to lose 80 lbs and its so disheartening.

  9. Jenn

    I’m going to second getting a second opinion. Good that you have a diagnosis, now go find someone who will help you treat it! Hang in there, and fight for yourself girl! <3

  10. Gina Valley

    I am so sorry you are going through this. It sounds so awful. It is so depressing to be exhausted and even more so to feel that you are not being helped.

    I know it’s so hard (I’ve gone through some similar experiences), but try to remember you will not always feel like this. It will change. It will get better. Try the vitamins and diet suggestions. You might be amazed at how that helps by changing your body chemistry.

    But, also, seek out a second opinion. You need to feel comfortable with your medical team.

    Be sure to keep a journal of your symptoms, activities, diet, exercise, and supplements. Over time that can reveal amazing things.

    I hope you start to feel better soon.

  11. Heather in SF

    So sorry to hear you are going through this. I have very lie Vitamin D too, my test result was 8. I wonder about my thyroid too. Be gentle with yourself. Try to rest and tell yourself this is temporary. It is temporary. A second opinion is a good idea. Try to make done of the dietary changes and write down in a notebook how you feel, morning, mid day and evening. It will really help your doctor and you to understand how you are feeling. Feel free to rant! Your friends are with you and your family too. Ask for help when you need it and if it’s offered just say yes. Hugs to you and hang in there.

  12. Toby @ Plate Fodder

    I feel for you… I really do. Jane and I both deal with compromised thyroid issues (mine to a much greater extent… I was suicidal). But I’m going to echo most of the other responders here – Get A Second Opinion. I’ve been dealing with it since I was 14… I’m 54 now, and I can tell you with all certainty the number of professionals that understand the disease and effective treatment options for it are few and far between. I can understand your resistance to GF foods…. some are down-right disgusting… and no, it doesn’t taste just like wheat. But there are brands that are better than others and every single product and component in GF eating is available online for much much less that you’d have to shell out at whole (freakin jeezus where’s my money) foods.

  13. Valerie Gray

    Something we have in common! Mine was diagnosed years ago, I’ve been on meds (or should have been on meds) ever since.

  14. Karina

    Hi Lisa,
    I remember when I was first diagnosed, my doctor put me on medication. That one didn’t work. I felt like I was going through menopause – hot flashes, sweating in the middle of the night, insomnia, etc. He changed my meds and they have worked since. I asked if there were any dietary changes that I should make and he said that the medication was the best way to keep it under control. He said that obviously maintaining a healthy diet and moderate exercise would help with energy levels. I did Weight Watchers and that worked. (I moved and there wasn’t one close by so I stopped doing it.) I have also done the Eat Clean Diet and that works amazingly. I have read several articles on the Mayo Clinic’s website and from what I have read, they agree with medication treatment and site that there aren’t any real dietary changes that will change thyroid numbers.

    Feeling like garbage AFTER seeing your doctor and getting a treatment plan is never part of the plan. I agree with a previous comment that said that that list is a lot of changes to make all at once, especially after a new diagnosis. Please don’t cry. You have choices. Talk to your doctor about the hardship/financial burden that this plan is/will create for you. It’s just not realistic to your life anyways so chances are you will not follow it. Talk about medication options. (Your medical history, ie: current conditions, medications, etc. will also affect medication choices and possibly your test results. Two common meds are Synthroid, which someone mentioned in a previous comment, and Armour Thyroid. Also, be aware that some thyroid-replacement meds interact with supplements.) See if your doctor is open to having this conversation. If s/he is not, then have the conversation with someone else.
    Here is a link to the National Institute of Health’s website (it’s a .gov) with some information about the TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003684.htm
    Good luck and I hope you start feeling better soon.

    Sincerely,
    Karina

    1. Lisa

      I’ve got most of my info on Hashimotos from the Mayo Clinic site 🙂

  15. Shanna

    First, I’m sorry to hear that you have this diagnosis. I too have it. Your sharing of your day sleeping, that’s exactly what I did today. I’ve had issues with doctors and treatment / diagnosis. I’ve been on the same med and dosage for 16 years.I’m trying to get my new doctor to fix it.It’s interesting to hear of the vitamin and probiotics recommendations, as I’ve not been told to do so. I think I’ll see if it will help me. Are the probiotics an rz or over-the-counter?

    I’m here for you! I think it’s great that you have shared this. Keep your head up and little steps…deep breaths!

  16. SusieQTpies

    HUGSSSSS! HUGS HUGS! I do not have any info for you on this but it sure looks like the previous commentors sure left good info. Keep us updated and I’m praying something makes you feel better soon. xoxo susie

  17. LyndaS

    ((Hugs)) Instead of focusing on being gluten free, concentrate rather on having wholesome fruits and vegetables (which are naturally gluten-free, right?) and lean cuts of meat. Hang in there.

  18. Stacy Juba

    Saw your post on Triberr and had to comment as I have been there with feeling awful with my thyroid. I was exhausted and had brain fog. Couldn’t think straight, couldn’t even hold up a baby bottle. I’d have to lay on the floor in sheer exhaustion in the middle of the day. Definitely get on levothroxine. I was nervous about going on it and read all these alternative health books. I had been seeing an acupuncturist for my fatigue also and she kept trying to convince me to do something more natural. But after talking to an endocrinologist, he convinced me that levothyroxine has been around for years and is perfectly safe. It gave me my life back. It did take a few months to balance out and they had to increase the dose but then it leveled off and the dose hasn’t changed in years other than when I was pregnant and then I went back to the lower dose. It’s still at relatively low dose. I also discovered a few years later that I had a Vitamin D deficiency so I went on a daily Vitamin D tablet. That’s all I do. No dietary changes at all. If I can feel better and back to normal, I know you will too once you are on the right medication. I would go find an endocrinologist and he/she will get you through it.

  19. Ashley MilWifeAsh

    HI I saw this on Twitter, Last week I went to my doctor and she said it appears I have Hashimotos and Graves Disease which is nearly impossible. So everything in my body is screwed up. I literally can’t catch a break. My husband is in Afghanistan and my daughter&I are living with my mom. My daughter just got sick for the 800th time since we have been here. And here I am sooo drained I can barely take her to preschool. I know how you feel. But I think you need a second opinion as well. My mom has Hashimoto’s and she’s on synthroid as mentioned above. I do agree about no more diet soda. Those are literally the worst thing for your body. And I’m not just saying that. They are linked to diabetes and cancer. What they use in them to make them have less calories is awful for your body. So I would stop them or even switch to regular. Because the regular while still not great for you usually doesn’t have as many of those ingredients in it. As for Gluten Free it’s not as hard as you think. Many places have GF foods not just Whole Foods. I’ve seen Walmart, Target, and many grocery stores offer GF options. So that’s not as hard. I would more so look into Clean Eating, it just uses fruits, veggies, and meats but without processed things. It’s super easy. I hope you get to feeling btr, I know how bad it feels to have zero energy.

    1. Lisa

      I actually quit the diet soda 3 weeks ago 🙂

  20. I hope I can help as far as the gluten free stuff goes. Try to make stuff that’s normally gluten free, like rice, grilled steak, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.. You don’t have to go to Whole Foods and buy fancy stuff. Regular grocery stores, even Walmart has lots of gluten free foods now. Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Chex, Rice Krispies, etc. all have GF versions that aren’t much more expensive than their regular versions. Do you have a Trader Joe’s by you? They have Udi’s breads at a pretty good price, but so do many grocery stores. Also, your family will like Trader Joe’s brown rice noodles just as much as regular noodles – really. Just don’t tell them and hide the package. They’ll think it’s whole wheat. Really.

    You can check out my blog, the Udi’s Gluten Free website for recipes (I’m an ambassador there and was a community leader before). There are a lot of gluten free cookbooks available at your library and blogs online for recipes, too. It’s much easier than you think to get your family to like GF recipes. I’ve been cooking that way for my mother in law for 13 years now and just made regular stuff like chili, lots of stuff on the grill, etc. for her when she came to visit. It was going out to eat that was hard. Good luck!

    1. Lisa

      I’ve been helping a local mom try and find gluten free. Our local grocery stories carry nothing gluten free. I don’t shop Walmart if I can help it. (Its a union free shop — my inlaws are all union.) No trader joes or whole foods (45 – 2 hr drive away to get to one). THe kicker with this is that most of what I’ve read is that yes gluten free can help (not guaranteed) but my thyroid is shot. I needed to have been put on medication. Right now, every day I just feel worse. It sucks. We will be getting a Marianos in 2014 and then my options for organic and gluten free will expand greatly.

      My kids aren’t the problem with gluten free. My husband is. He will not eat it. He can tell the difference because I’ve done gluten free reviews. I’ve done the bait and switch and he can tell. 🙂

  21. Lisa Roberson

    Oh man, Lisa – I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this. What nightmare. I don’t really have anything constructive or helpful to share with you, but I can definitely relate to being “sick and tired of being sick and tired” because of my chronic migraines. In fact, I’m about to head to bed with one right now. I do hope your second opinion doc is more proactive and you can start to make some progress. At any rate, you’re in my thoughts and prayers.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.