I’ve been working on this post for over a year. It has been so hard for me to write anything lately. I also think I was thinking (hoping?) that everything would go back to “normal” so I could just “skip” over this part of my life.
This has significantly changed my life, turning everything I know upside down. At the same time, I have friends who are battling with breast cancer, thyroid cancer, brain cancer, and more, which puts my situation into perspective. However, it’s been years since my last update, and I’ve started hearing from some of you (thank you for reaching out!), I feel it’s important to share what’s been happening.
My Thyroid Journey: Overcoming Health Challenges
As you know, we have been consistently working out and eating clean for over 15 years now. Over this time, I’ve maintained the same weight (=/- 4 pounds), I’ve had the same clothes (we all know I’m not fashionable!), “look”, energy level, and overall lifestyle, so this change in my life has completely floored me. This isn’t a body image issue, and it’s not something that I am making up in my head.
I will admit that I was already slowing down on posting on the blog since I’m not a big social media person, and that is where everything takes place these days, but this had me completely pull back. There were days when I would sit down to write, but I would be so tired I couldn’t even form the words on my keyboard. I felt like I could literally lie my head down on the desk and fall asleep. I knew this wasn’t normal, but I had no idea what was going on.
The doctor’s appointments started in October 2023, but I suspect things were brewing starting late 2021/early 2022. This coincided with the loss of eight family members (including our beloved cat, Rambo, who died unexpectedly while we were out of town in the fall of 2021).
I thought I was dealing with it all okay.
Don’t get me wrong, I was a complete mess and probably should have seen a grief counselor. But I didn’t think my body was going through anything abnormal. Boy, was I wrong.
I don’t recognize myself anymore, both physically and mentally.
Out of nowhere, I gained nearly 15 pounds, and my entire body felt swollen, especially my face. I’m constantly tired, even after a full night’s sleep. No matter how much rest I get, I feel drained.
I also noticed the following changes:
- My face appeared very puffy, almost like I had severe allergies.
- My hair texture changed dramatically.
- My muscle tone was disappearing.
- I struggled to maintain my body temperature.
- I gained almost 15 pounds seemingly overnight, despite no negative changes in my diet or exercise.
Symptoms:
Exhaustion:
I used to manage working on the blog full-time, part-time jobs, volunteering, meal prepping, lifting weights 5-6 days a week, and doing cardio 3-4 days a week. Now, I can barely manage to work out for 20 minutes four times a week.
I was/am exhausted. I could barely make it through the day energy-wise, and definitely not well enough to have any sort of meaningful workout.
Puffy Face:
I began to notice my face looking puffy or unusually swollen. I wondered if it was allergies, but the puffiness didn’t fade like typical allergy symptoms do. Overall, my entire body just felt swollen.
Unexpected/Unexplained Weight Gain:
Honestly, this has been the toughest challenge for me, especially since I was so focused and dialed in for such a long time. I know how to work out and eat right. I’m not referring to indulging in junk food and then being surprised when my clothes feel tight. I’m talking about maintaining the same healthy and consistent lifestyle I’ve followed for over 15 years, yet I’m still gaining/not losing. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I don’t weigh myself. The only time I step on a scale is during doctor visits. While getting ready for my most recent physical, I reviewed my past notes and realized that my weight had remained within a 4-pound range for 15 years without any effort beyond my usual clean eating and exercise. However, during my physical in October 2023, I discovered I had gained 13 pounds from my usual weight (overall, I have gained around 20 pounds unexpectedly).
I’ve been a Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach for over 15 years. I know what to do, and I’ve done it for myself and countless others.
Hair Texture Changes:
My hair used to be incredibly straight with just a regular hair dryer, so straight that it wouldn’t hold curls. Lately, it’s become wavy and has a coarser texture. I even bought my first straightener at age 38 (yes, I am 40 now — see how long I’ve been writing this post!)!
Muscle Tone:
I went from holding the gym records for bicep curls and squats to now struggling to lift a 10-pound weight. My once visibly strong and toned arms have lost their shape. I always had muscle tone in my arms, and it was one thing I was proud of. I still remember being on one of our hiking trips and being asked, “What is your sport?” and “Wow, look at your arms!” (as we were climbing the cables on Half Dome). Unfortunately, that has faded away, and I’m now finding it difficult to lift even half of what I used to.
Body Temperature Regulation:
I started having hot and cold temperature swings within a very short time period, with no changes to the actual temperature.
For as long as I can remember, I have also had hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and Raynaud’s (a circulation issue that causes my hands to turn white and become painful when I get cold). So, while I’ve struggled with temperature regulation for a long time, it has progressively gotten worse.
Endless Doctors Appointments
After that physical, I just thought that maybe I wasn’t working hard enough, or that it was just because I am getting older, or that I had seasonal depression, or that I was going through menopause early. I never went to the doctor to try and get answers until I went four months without my period.
The physician’s assistant ran what she called a thyroid panel (which was far from it!), but it did make me realize I needed to dig deeper. She said most labs came back “in normal range” (I have SO MUCH to say about this – for a later post), but suggested I consult a gynecologist.
The gynecologist ran additional tests, and one of the tests was an antibody test, which was positive, which means I have Hashimoto’s. She advised that I consult with specialists. I reached out to two specialists and had to book appointments, one over a year away and another nine months out. INSANE.
Instead, I went to a local Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and she ordered an actual entire thyroid panel. These revealed that my testosterone and progesterone levels were nearly nonexistent, and I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism.
Basically, my hormones are all out of balance. Over the past year and a half, my doctor and I have been working together (after many, many blood draws) to understand my health issues.
It’s just exhausting and frustrating to be “doing everything right” and yet my body is literally fighting against me every step of the way.
What Caused This?
My best guess is stress, and I have had a lot of it over the last few years. As I mentioned, I lost eight family members in a little over a year, we moved, and Scott started a new job (as did I, part-time!). Not to mention, we all know how our world was turned upside down in 2020, so everything just piled on top of each other.
When I think back on it, sometimes I really don’t see how I survived the 2020-2022 stretch… I guess this is me paying for that now. There were days I didn’t think I would make it through after losing so much. There were some really dark days in there that I think I have even tried to erase from my mind.
I’ve also lived in three counties in Georgia where the rates of thyroid cancer are at least double the state and national averages. Although I do not have thyroid cancer, I wonder if it impacts other thyroid-related disorders as well. Environmental factors definitely play a role.
What’s Next?
More blood tests, I’m sure! And I’ll try to use this experience as a way to share more information with you. Unfortunately, I know there are many more who are also suffering from thyroid disorders. I’ll work on a few more posts regarding my journey. I know this will help me relate better to others in the same situation. Please reach out if you also have these same struggles (or did!)!
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Most of the time I feel “puffy” and don’t have any energy, but sometimes I catch a glimpse of my former body, even if only for a minute.
Quick “Other” Life Updates:
Since my last post, we have moved to the mountains of northeast Georgia, traveled, adopted two cats that we named Denali and Terlingua (after losing Rambo in 2021, we also lost Lucky in 2022, but it took me a while to be ready to adopt again), and I completed a continuing education course for my personal training certification in Hormone Health.
Oh, and while we were out of town in June, our house got struck by lightning. Thankfully, it did not burn down, but it struck a tree in our front yard, tunneled (a 3-foot deep ditch) through our yard, busted a window, knocked pictures off the walls, and burned wires that are on the outside of our house. It also came into the house through an old telephone jack. We lost all the food in our garage freezer, outdoor lights, and it fried all of our surge protectors (but our electronics are fine, so make sure your important electronics are plugged into surge protectors!).
Our beautiful front yard view:
Denali and Terlingua:
Some of our travels:
I’m still doing backbends, although not as gracefully (ha!):
Chamonix, France
Terlingua, Texas (Big Bend National Park)
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