Understanding Hypothyroidism

Facing hypothyroidism: Elisa’s story

ELISA:

When I was growing up, I didn’t realize I had a problem. I just knew that there was an issue there. So when I was diagnosed and was reading about each of the symptoms, that’s when I really connected—the symptoms I had in high school and middle school were in fact symptoms and not the normalcy of most day-to-day people.

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FACING HYPOTHYROIDISM: ELISA’S STORY

ELISA:

I was technically diagnosed in 2009 by a doctor that I went in just for a physical, and she had felt my neck and pulled back and was like, “Ma’am, your thyroid is swollen.” So although I was diagnosed then,

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Elisa

Living with hypothyroidism

ELISA:

and I went and I had just got blood work done, and they called me the next day and told me, I didn’t do anything about it until 2010.

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If you are experiencing symptoms, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may decide to have your thyroid levels tested.

ELISA:

Part of the reason that I waited was lack of education. I took anatomy in high school and college, and I knew where the thyroid was, and I knew how to spell it. But beyond that, I knew nothing about its function.

I didn’t really understand that it was going to be a lifelong disease. I didn’t…it was so much to take on, that I had to take time to educate myself before I was willing to go back through the door at the doctor’s office and say, “You know, I’m ready to get on medication the rest of my life.”

It was hard to accept, is the bottom line.

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UNDERSTANDING HYPOTHYROIDISM

ELISA:

The first doctor I saw did not explain to me what hypothyroidism is. She did tell me that I have hypothyroidism and that my thyroid was swollen. But she didn’t really go beyond that.

But the doctor that I did see a year later, he was extremely informative. He detailed extensively, what it meant, where the thyroid was. He even pulled out charts and showed me my blood work and showed, you know, “Here’s your range that you’re supposed to be in and here’s where you’re at.”

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A TSH test can help determine if your thyroid levels are in range.

ELISA:

Once I learned what the disease was and what it entailed I didn’t feel as crazy as I had felt for so many years.

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GETTING YOUR THYROID LEVELS IN BALANCE

ELISA:

He did explain each of the options for treatment. He went through and explained, branded versus generic. He explained how important it was to get on a regimen. He did recommend Synthroid. When I started Synthroid it was not a quick fix. That’s the best way to put it.

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SYNTHROID is not for everyone. Talk to your doctor to determine which medication is right for you.

ELISA:

The doctor also explained that it’s going to take time to get your level, you know, within that range that it needs to be. It took me some time to get that level straightened out. And really finding out, you know, what’s going to work for me.

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Your doctor will carefully monitor your thyroid levels regularly.

And once I got in range, I don’t want to say, like, everything’s perfect. But it was finally like that glaze came off and a light bulb came on and I felt for the first time in control.

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When starting SYNTHROID, it may take time for you and your doctor to find the dose that works for you.

ELISA:

I would tell someone that’s just starting on Synthroid that once they’ve made that commitment to stick with it. And be willing to allow yourself to not be perfect. But remember that each day is a new day, and you need to make that commitment, and you have to be willing to do it.

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Take SYNTHROID as your doctor prescribed.