Hello Hashimotos Solidarity Club!
Well I'm excited to have illicited such sincere response with my short and
too vague question about Hashimotos. I'm Sandra (sandy )L. Chodos ; 40; was
diagnosed in my early 20's during a stressful, nutritionally out-of-whack
time. My doctors have always been rather non-forthcoming but reassuring when
I ask them about the disease, its symtoms, effects of diet, hormone dosage
levels, what I should worry about (cancer??) . . . I've had sonograms twice
to check nodules but all was o.k. I guess. My Synthroid level is .175
--high I think, and that prescribed after having my 3 year old daughter.
It's interesting to consider the emotional connection. I never related my
rare but intense rages or my sometime feeling that I couldn't remember simple
words that seemed right on the tip of my tongue --to my thyroid condition.
I also get hair on my chin. And yes I pluck them. (tried waxing a couple
of times -- too painful!) I'm not sure if my acne flare-ups are connected,
but I certainly have them. ADD is, thankfully, not my problem -- how do you
deal with that double catastrophe?? Apparently my gland is totally shot,
although I never heard about surgery to remove it. My own struggle with
weight is minor compared to some of your bouts, but I do find if I can avoid
processed carbohydrates (bread, mostly) I'm better off. I've fasted/cleansed
(juice fasts, herbal cleansing) a couple of times and felt fantastic
afterward, but of course could not maintain the effect. Has anyone tried
elimination diets as a way of life --no bread at all, no dairy at all, no
yeast ???? Cutting out Nutrisweet may be a good start for me.
Any further thoughts from the group about life management with Hashimotos
would be much appreciated --diet, stress, what supplements do you use (how
'bout St. John's Wort --MDs are totally in the dark about ANYTHING
alternative, I find). Do you think because this is mostly a women's disease
that the medical establishment has given us short shrift in terms of research?
I sent for some articles from medscape. I'll be glad to share that info with
you all when they come through --if I can decipher the medical terminology.
Thanks for all your contributions. Let's keep talking!
Sandra L. Chodos in R.I.
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