I must admit, I’m pretty excited for fall. I know, we’re just about to hit San Francisco’s “Indian Summer”, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pull out my cinnamon scented candles and morph the color scheme of my house from bright and airy to warm and cozy.

But it’s more than just the pumpkin lattes and new boots that get me excited for fall. This fall in particular.

The past few months have been tough. Last spring, I decided to truly get my butt in gear and get into shape before summer. I began focusing my diet to eat strictly paleo – meats, veggies, nuts. I eliminated (most) dairy, sugar and carbohydrates from my meals. It was actually easier than it sounds. I went to the gym 52 days in a row – working on training my muscles by combining cardio with body weight exercises 5 days a week (the other two were yoga).

I saw no results. Zero. Zilch.

Yes, I felt a bit better, but my clothes were still fitting the same, and I had actually gained weight. Trust me, I had plenty of people telling me that “muscle weighs more than fat, Lauren,” “You’re doing great! You’ll see results soon!”

(This isn’t a post about weight loss. I want to be healthy, not skinny and I’m not getting into that right now). 

In a conversation with my mom about my predicament, she asked me if I felt tired. If I felt depressed. If I had low energy.

“Sure,” I replied. “But, I work hard and play hard and so of course I’m going to be tired and stressed all the time.”

“It’s your thyroid, Laur,” she said matter-of-factly.

So, fine, I acquiesced and went to the doctor.

The doctor didn’t seem too worried, but did ask me to go get some blood work.

Blood work for someone who is petrified of needles is a whole ordeal. I had to prepare myself the entire night before the appointment. But I did it.

When my results came back, my doctor called me in. She had her assistant leave me a message saying something along the lines of, “Hi, Lauren. This is XX from XX. Dr. XX asked me to call you and have you come in as soon as possible. She said there’s nothing to worry about, but please call us and make an appointment as soon as you can.”

I know she said “there’s nothing to worry about” but I naturally go into a state of hypochondria and determine that I must be dying the great death of plague (or something). I most likely called the doctor’s office six times that day to try and get some answers out of them before I came in for my appointment.

(Bless both of my parents for offering to fly to San Francisco to be there with me).

Alas, on the day of my appointment, the doctor tells me I have Hypothyroidism. Yes, as much as it pains me to admit it, my mother was right. And I freaked out and caused alarm and wasn’t actually dying from the death of plague (or something).

I was actually slightly relieved that Hypothyroidism was all that was wrong. It potentially could help explain some of the “other symptoms” I chalked up to working long hours and staying up too late.

The next day, I started taking thyroid pills to supplement the hormone that my little thyroid wasn’t producing. And in six weeks, I was to go back and get my blood tested again to make sure I was getting the right dose.

So, I took the pill every morning for six weeks. I didn’t feel any different (not that I expected this pill to magically make me lose weight and cure my tiredness), but it was a little odd. It’s incredible how much your thyroid impacts your body. If it’s off, even just a tiny bit, your world changes.

I wasn’t on the right dose – instead of getting my hormone to the right level, they overshot and made my little thyroid Hyper.

I spent the next 15 weeks trying to get the dose right. Hoping I’d start to feel better. Hoping that I’d get my energy back. That my efforts at the gym and with my diet would soon pay off because my body would be cooperating again (and not revolting like the little butterfly-shaped organ that thyroid is!).

Last week, I got more blood work done (I’m a pro now, and my pal Terrence at Lab Corp in SF is awesome), and they dropped my dose even more.

And after a week of taking this new dose, I feel like I have my body back.

I haven’t been as tired. I’ve had more sustained energy throughout the day. I’m able to focus on my work (or anything) for a longer period of time. I’m not as lethargic when I get home from work – I don’t need to push myself to go to the gym, I actually have the energy to do it easily! My sex drive is back (HI, MOM AND DAD). I am feeling just generally happier, more motivated, more excited.

All of these little, tiny things I didn’t even know were affected by my thyroid are suddenly better, brighter, sunnier.

So, thanks, mom. For being my personal physician.

One thing I did learn through all of this – don’t assume anything about your body. If you’re feeling weird, off, even if you can’t explain the way you feel for a certain period of time, just go get checked out.

I’ve been taking it easy on myself throughout all of this. Listening to my body when it told me I was tired. Pushing myself to go to the gym, go to yoga to relax my mind and body. Writing more. Being more patient.

Slowing down. 

Even though I feel better, I’m going to take this with me. And stay focused on being kind to my body. Especially now that I’ve got it back.
 

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