Hashimoto's Rollercoaster

One of my favourite artists Art&Ghosts

Its weird, I was reading Sarah Wilson's blog the other day and she had written a post about 'thyroidy/crappy days'. It caught my eye because of my own onset of Hashimoto's, but I couldn't identify the 'low' days for me - well I couldn't link them with my thyroid condition anyway.

And then today it struck me - I should have been alerted last night when I just threw in the towel on preparing breakfast and went to bed early - I had been to the gym and was jogging down to work when I was overcome with fatigue. At first I assumed it was my laziness kicking in, but all at once I began to feel so tired I was almost in tears.

I struggled on through the morning, trying to be chipper and happy but really all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch in the recreation area and have a nap. After lunch I started getting cravings for something sweet! And I really don't have a sweet tooth, but every now and again the craving for sugar it really strong.

Upon leaving work, my fiance rang to say that he wasn't going to home for dinner - my desire to cook for just myself was not there. So what did I do? I went out and bought a ready-made Indian dinner from Woolworths supermarket! And then a bottle of wine!

Now I know - this is my thryoid-low. For the last two weeks I have been over-the-moon happy, loving my healthy meals and my alcohol free nights and then all of a sudden I get run over by the Thyroid Truck.

So as a bit of a round up for myself in the future, here is what I have identified as my 'symptoms':

• Sudden loss of energy - "I can't be bothered..."
• Emotional/irrational tiredness
• Feeling fed up with it all - I had this uncontrollable feeling of "I always work out, eat well, cut out alcohol.... etc etc.... and I'm STILL FAT and UGLY! IT'S NOT FAIR!"
• Cravings for sweet/junk food and desire to snack
• Cravings for alcohol
• I was also really judgmental, cranky and hurling abuse (in my head of course!) on the bus on the way home...

And here's what I plan to do when I notice these 'symptoms' (and this is very much thanks to Sarah Wilson's blog article!):

• Get some dandelion tea to have at work in the morning instead of black tea or coffee (of which I had about 4 cups of day, by the way! Yet another tell-tale sign I think) - I might even buy a nice teapot to keep on my desk!
• Incorporate fresh turmeric into my diet - I keep reading and hearing how FANTASTIC turmeric is, even in my cooking class in Bali the teacher pleaded that we eat more fresh turmeric (dried doesn't have the natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial qualities that are SO important).
• Stay away from sugar, alcohol and caffeine - even though these are really the only day I ever crave these things, STAY AWAY! And have either the dandelion, bancha or green tea.
• Stay away from stodgy foods and look for something green and colourful instead.
• Avoid stressful and energy draining situations - if I have to skip the gym that day or avoid going out, so be it.
• Book a massage, I really don't treat myself to these things often enough and maybe doing something like lymphatic drainage massage might help move some of the fluid (I know I'm a little bit overweight, but some days I really feel like I'm wearing a fat suit and I'm assuming that on these days I might be a little swollen on top of my normal disposition?)

Most importantly I need to hold on to the fact that with my thyroid condition (and possibly insulin issues) loosing weight isn't going to be as simple as it should be. And no, it's probably not 'fair'. But this is teaching me to look after and love the body that I have and this is a lifestyle choice, not a quick fix. Over time it will become easier. This is probably just the most difficult part.

I'm going to put my little 'symptoms' and 'cures' list us on my cubicle wall at work and in my wallet. So I can learn to recognise it as it comes on, not when I'm a glass of wine and a dirty dinner down.

xK