My hormones have been doing a pogo dance since childhood.
At age 11, I was diagnosed with a hypoactive thyroid with a large goiter in my neck. The butterfly-shaped gland in my throat that regulates my metabolism had begun to malfunction and wreak havoc on my concentration, moods and weight. A doctor put me on a synthetic hormone replacement called Synthroid until I was 18 and tapered it off when I reached adulthood.
Coincidentally, my older brother, Nicky, was starting to lose weight rapidly and was diagnosed with a hyper-thyroid illness, Graves’ disease. (Hyper is over-active; hypo is under-active.) His thyroid had to be rendered inoperable with radioactive iodine, or it would destroy itself and other vital organs in his body. He had to take synthetic thyroid hormones for the rest of his life. (More about him later.)
Though I was left with the possibility of needing to take Synthroid again in the future, I, unfortunately, couldn’t follow up with my doc. He moved his practice and all my medical records with him out of state, nowhere to be found again (I still can’t find him). As a result, all subsequent doctors were mostly clueless, relying on my verbal recounting of my medical history. They tested my thyroid hormone levels, saying my levels were okay and to leave well enough alone. In the meantime, I was dealing with fluctuating energy levels, insomnia, sensitivity to cold, depression, allergies, a sluggish metabolism and all the fun stuff that comes with it — like digestive disorders and weight gain.
Over and over, I took the standard TSH test, a lab exam that measures the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in my blood, and was told my levels were normal.
Confusion about my symptoms led me to research thyroid health on my own, and I discovered there are a ton of books out there on the subject. In tandem with all thyroid research in the late 1990s, I read a book called The Yeast Connection. Yeast, you see, was the bread bugaboo before gluten.
I was a case study of yeast overgrowth. I had too many Candida albicans resulting from an erratic immune system. I started taking acidophilus supplements, drastically reduced my intake of sugar, breads and anything made from flour (cake, cookies and pizza). I also learned about cardiovascular exercise and weight training, started jogging three to four times a week, and got myself in shape. My allergies all but disappeared. I felt great.
Then, as work demands increased, my healthy diet and routine became almost impossible to maintain.
I started gaining the weight back, becoming asthmatic and allergy-ridden again and noticing the grand return of the goiter-swollen gland. Lucky for me, I found an internal medicine doctor who didn’t stop at the TSH test and diagnosed me with an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s disease.
The doctor very skillfully drained a large nodule growing in my neck as part of a biopsy. It was surreal — I watched a 2-inch-long needle sink into my neck and barely felt it — quite impressive.
Since then, everything is wait-and-see. I need to get tested once in a while to see if the nodules return and if my thyroid is showing signs of attacking itself. While the TSH test still says my levels are normal, I’ve found myself swollen like a balloon again. I’ve gained 35 pounds in the past year and my swollen thyroid causes me to wake up in the middle of the night choking for air.
Since the biopsy, I’ve visited one of the Bay area’s most reputable holistic doctors, Dr. Ron Shemesh, M.D. His North Tampa practice is a nook straight outta Narnia, resplendent with soft new age music, pleasant aromatherapy and even a herbal-infused water dispenser. Books and supplements line the walls to help everyone be designer-healthy.
Dr. Shemesh explained to me that the TSH test is not necessarily conclusive. Other tests need to be administered. I found out that I need supplements — detox shakes, liquids, supplements like Vitamin D, selenium, iodine, L-Tyrosine — none of it covered by health insurance.
In addition, Dr. Shemesh recommended an extreme detox/elimination diet. No sugar, no wheat, no potatoes, tomatoes and anything that is remotely tasty. Suffice it to say, things are on hold there.
I’ve taken to reading books again to figure out a manageable strategy. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Steven Hotze, founder of the Health and Wellness Center in Houston, when we both appeared on Studio 10, WTSP-Ch. 10’s newsmagazine show. He signed a copy of his new book for me, Hypthyroidism, Health and Happiness.
In his book, Dr. Hotze validated what I had learned in the past about the faulty reliance on TSH tests alone. He rails against the medical establishment’s support of synthetic thyroid replacement, instead recommending Armour Thyroid — natural hormone replacement derived from desiccated pig thyroids — over synthetic hormones. Dr. Hotze also speaks out against our culture of “polypharmacy,” saying that too many prescription drugs can lead to toxicity and more severe health problems down the road.
Dr. Hotze also notes connections between hypothyroid symptoms and heart disease. That chapter especially resonated with me because my brother Nicky, who relied on synthetic hormones to regulate his metabolism, died at 53 from a heart attack in March with no previous history of heart disease.
So for 2014, I’ve resolved to take this thyroid business seriously. I must follow up with a battery of thyroid exams and sonograms, and inquire about taking Armour thyroid. I will eat better because both Drs. Hotze and Shemesh have drilled into me the dangers of inflammation from eating too much sugar and gluten. I will also refer to two books on thyroid health, The Thyroid Diet and Living Well With Hypothyroidism, both by Mary J. Shomon.
Through it all, I’ve learned this much: Living with a malfunctioning thyroid is like having an unpredictably irate drill sergeant inside you. It delivers swift, harsh punishment if you don’t fall in line. For me, it means I must have a balanced diet and lifestyle, lest I suffer the consequences. I am forced to behave.
