So you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

I was also diagnosed after many years of feeling unwell. At first, in Australia, I was tested for Ross River disease, and then the doctor sent me off to a Heart Surgeon who organised an angiogram for my heart, after I failed some of the heart tests.

What followed was many, many blood tests and visits to doctors and eventually a referral to a knowledgeable endocrinologist.

It was a relief when I was diagnosed and soon I was managing the ups and downs of the thyroid medication and getting used to the blood tests every few months to establish my TSH and T3 and T4 levels.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease, an illness where the immune system turns against the body’s own tissues and attacks them. My immune system attacks my thyroid, which leads to hypothyroidsim.

It has taken many years to get the dosage right, and after 15 years I still have good and bad days, and have to adjust the medication to suit.

When I got Covid 19 after a trip overseas, despite being double vaccinated and boosted, I became quite unwell, and over a few months developed shingles for a second time.

I now accept that my immune system cannot cope like it did when I was healthy, and so I try to do what I have always done.

That is to be logical, isolate the things that are different in my life, for instance, if I can avoid stressful situations then that helps.

Hypothyroidism symptoms

Some of the symptoms can often mimic other conditions. They may include:

Muscle aches and stiffness and weakness
Constipation
Depression
Fatigue
Joint pain and stiffness
Dry hair and hair loss
Dry skin
Elevated cholesterol
Sensitivity to cold
Hoarse voice
Forgetfulness
Puffy face
Slow heart rate
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

Some days feel like it is a never-ending battle.

I do not eat large meals, and try to control my intake of everything, yet I gain weight, and am hurt especially when someone points out that I have gained weight, no matter how insignificant it is.

If I ate huge servings of takeaway food, or preservative laden food then maybe then the comments would be justified.

But I rarely eat that sort of food, and avoid sugary and starchy foods and most nightshades.

Finding out that you have an auto immune disease can not only be scary, but a relief to eventually find out why you feel so tired, and why you are putting on weight when you are actually eating less.

Exercise is good, but some days my joints and muscles are so stiff and sore it is hard to get excited about even walking the dog.

The guilt and frustration often accompanies the feeling of being unwell and of not being able to do things that you love, or fully engage in life, which could affect your relationships with friends and family.

I always feel the need to push myself to do things, and often will overdo things and feel much worse off.

Acceptance is a big part of moving forward as well as trying to be compassionate to yourself. This is difficult if you have always been a busy person who likes to get things done, and fixed.

I have accepted that while I am a “fixer” that I, myself, now cannot be fixed.

By accepting that, I can try and manage my autoimmune disease in the best way that I can.

Counting blessings helps, keeping busy helps, and taking time to sit in the garden with my caring partner at the end of the day watching the birds, butterflies and our crazy dog definitely helps.

If you are suffering from an incurable illness, no matter how big or small, I wish you acceptance, happiness and tolerance. It is important to be tolerant of other’s perceptions of your illness, as remember they cannot see it, so forgive them.

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”

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Lemons

by gentlelifehacks | 22/06/2021 | Handy hints, Healthy living, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments

When my husband was battling cancer, lemons were one fruit that really helped. We used lemon zest in our salads, lemon juice in his smoothies and teas. Lemons are known to have an alkalising effect in the body. While they are acidic, to begin with, they also are...

Buyer’s remorse

by gentlelifehacks | 22/06/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Opinion, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments

So often when we purchase something we have a feeling of remorse soon after. This is no different when you purchase a house, in fact, the remorse and be much worse. Experienced real estate negotiators are keen to get the deal done that day for this reason. They will...

Smart gadgets

by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Technology | 0 Comments

Renovating a home is not for the faint hearted Take it from one who knows! Smart wiring, or smart homes are often talked about and the digital natives amongst us know all the tricks. Just listening to some of the things required in our new smart home made my head...

Messy house or hoarder?

by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Handy hints, Lifestyle, Opinion | 0 Comments

Sometimes it is hard to differentiate between hoarding and extreme clutter. Many times in my real estate career, I have come across people who do not see the clutter when they come to sell their homes. It is rude to point it out to them, and sometimes difficult to be...

Houses built from hemp

by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate | 0 Comments

Some interesting ways of building homes over the years have included products such as Hemp. It has apparently been used globally as a natural building product for thousands of years. Recently a Western Australian couple hand built their three-bedroom home on a...

10 Simple Life Hacks to Stay Healthy and Active

by gentlelifehacks | 25/09/2024 | Health and Wellness | 0 Comments

Introduction to Healthy LivingIn today's fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can often feel overwhelming. However, implementing a few simple life hacks can significantly improve your well-being and help you stay active. This blog post explores effective...

10 warning signs to look out for when buying a house

by gentlelifehacks | 30/11/2021 | Handy hints, Home and Garden, Lifestyle, Real Estate, uncategorised | 0 Comments

Renovating is not always easy. Even the the tasks that look like they could be simple can turn out to me a mission to finish! Have you ever found a few cracked tiles in the kitchen and thought about replacing them? It is okay if you have spare matching tiles, but what...

A wise old donkey

by gentlelifehacks | 18/06/2021 | Lifehacks, Lifestyle, uncategorised | 0 Comments

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He...

Are you a hoarder?

by gentlelifehacks | 20/01/2023 | caregiving, Coping skills, Handy hints, Home and Garden, Lifestyle | 0 Comments

Are you a hoarder? They say you should always "declutter" when selling your home? When I was selling my own home after the death of my husband, I wondered if I was a hoarder! They say that hoarding is often a coping mechanism. Apparently if we are bereaved , or...

Is Hashimotos Thyroiditis incurable?

Hypothyroidism symptoms

Some days feel like it is a never-ending battle.

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