One morning about a week or so before the start of WOW (World of WearableArt), I woke to feel my throat swollen. If I hadn't run my hand across my throat for whatever reason, I wouldn't have known, unless I looked in the mirror or the Bearded One noticed it.
If the Bearded One hadn't told me about his mother having part of her thyroid removed, I'm not sure if I would know what a thyroid is or what it does. So after a couple of checks on some thyroid related websites, I was pretty sure that was the issue.
If the Bearded One hadn't told me about his mother having part of her thyroid removed, I'm not sure if I would know what a thyroid is or what it does. So after a couple of checks on some thyroid related websites, I was pretty sure that was the issue.
The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped endocrine gland located in the front of our necks. It stores and produces hormones that affect the function of virtually every organ in our bodies. Thyroid hormone (Triiodothyronine or T3) regulates our metabolic rate and is associated with modest changes in body weight and energy levels.
My thyroid hadn't yet started to have an impact on my life and being worried that my doctor could have said "you have to stop work and rest", I didn't have an appointment with them till about two weeks ago (part of this reason was money related as well).
As I don't drive, I make use of public transport, so on the morning of my doctors appointment I could be super early (about an hour or so early) or I could be late. Naturally I opted to be early and sat in the waiting room with the Tiny Human for just over an hour, although when it came to checking my blood pressure and everything you would have thought I had just been running, with a heart rate way up at 99bpm.
After a poke and prod by the doctor, I went off to get a blood test in hopes of a clearer picture of what was going on.
Aside from the heart palpitations my symptoms included...
My thought was that I had an overactive thyroid, and the blood test confirmed my suspicions.
As I don't drive, I make use of public transport, so on the morning of my doctors appointment I could be super early (about an hour or so early) or I could be late. Naturally I opted to be early and sat in the waiting room with the Tiny Human for just over an hour, although when it came to checking my blood pressure and everything you would have thought I had just been running, with a heart rate way up at 99bpm.
After a poke and prod by the doctor, I went off to get a blood test in hopes of a clearer picture of what was going on.
Aside from the heart palpitations my symptoms included...
- Sweating & being hot all the time. People would be wearing jumpers and complaining of the cold and I would be in a singlet and still feeling hot.
- Blurry vision. I'm still denying that I probably need glasses and have been for a long while, but that have been noticeably worse since this whole thing flared up.
- Anxiety. Normally about my make up ability which is really stupid if you know my work, know me or my cv.
- Tremors. I've always had a little shake in my hands, but it was ridiculous on Halloween weekend, as still as anything when doing what they were meant to be doing though.
- Muscle weakness. One night while working on WOW, I went to follow (ran after) one of the dancers to side of stage to give his hair a quick comb and it felt like the floor was pulled out from under me. My legs just disappeared. It happened a few times, but that was the worst.
- Rapid weight loss. This time last year I was about 98kg, then I had the Tiny Human and I have no idea how much I weighed. However, when I visited my doctor I was 60kg and by time I had a visit with the hospital (less than a week later), I was 58kg. No idea what I weigh now or how much I have lost.
My thought was that I had an overactive thyroid, and the blood test confirmed my suspicions.
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) is a condition in which yourthyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine.Hyperthyroidism can accelerate your body's metabolism significantly, causing sudden weight loss, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, sweating, and nervousness or irritability.
I was prescribed a pill for my heart (1 pill, 3 times a day) and a pill for my thyroid (4 pills, 2 times a day), then had to wait for an appointment at the hospital.
Luck was on my side and the hospital had a cancelation, so I had an appointment much sooner than anticipated. The hospital did a blood test to check for Graves Disease, but it is still unknown if it's graves or postpartum thyroiditis.
So for now I am on pills and have monthly blood checks to see how it is all going.
After being on the medication for two weeks I had another blood test to see how things are going. My body has responded well and very quickly to the pills, to the point where I already need to lower my dose as my hormones are being over-suppressed.
Hopefully this means my thyroid issues are only a temporary thing and that soon enough things will go back to normal and I can come off medication.
Luck was on my side and the hospital had a cancelation, so I had an appointment much sooner than anticipated. The hospital did a blood test to check for Graves Disease, but it is still unknown if it's graves or postpartum thyroiditis.
So for now I am on pills and have monthly blood checks to see how it is all going.
After being on the medication for two weeks I had another blood test to see how things are going. My body has responded well and very quickly to the pills, to the point where I already need to lower my dose as my hormones are being over-suppressed.
Hopefully this means my thyroid issues are only a temporary thing and that soon enough things will go back to normal and I can come off medication.