It’s National Thyroid Awareness month. I usually don’t share personal things unless I feel the message is really important to other mamas so I'm sharing my story with you.
It was about a year after my little one was born. I was exercising and eating well but I didn’t feel like I was ‘bouncing back’ from pregnancy. A friend recommended a practitioner who had helped other friends. Super excited, I made an appointment and started on a journey that irreparably change my health forever.
Without a second opinion, I started taking the prescribed thyroid and hormone replacements, and MANY supplements/vitamins. After time, it was recommended I do the HCG diet and hit my ‘goal weight’ quickly. It was at a follow-up visit a little later where I started to get a bad feeling. My weight was increasing and I felt horrible. More prescriptions were written but I decided to seek a second opinion before taking anything else…hindsight is 2020.
It was that second opinion that revealed I really didn’t need the thyroid or hormone replacements but they were presumably prescribed at increasing levels to increase my metabolism. I was immediately removed and for the next year I suffered horribly trying to rebalance and detox. I lost hair, suffered multiple broken bones from falls due to exhaustion and dizziness, and gained over 60 pounds...and those are just the physical issues.
Unfortunately, the level of thyroid medication given ‘turned-off’ my thyroid and I will most likely have to take replacement for the rest of my life. It’s been 2 years since 'the discovery' and I am still working to get back to a healthy weight and mental balance. I lost so much of myself during these past several years. I share this as a cautionary tale for other mamas to get a second opinion, trust your gut, and don’t be afraid to be your own advocate.
xoxo...Ann
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