Graves’ Disease: It Does Not Define Me

Graves’ Disease

Did you know that Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland? How do I know?

Here’s my story.

When I was in my early 20s I went to an endocrinologist and was told I had hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s disease. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease that pretty much attacks your thyroid. The doctor never put me on medication. He said that I was borderline to very low on the spectrum, so he sent me on my way. Remember how I told you I was in my early 20s? So I listened to the doctor and I lived like this for many years to come. 

Let’s fast forward:

I’m now in my 30s and after having my first son I suffered from postpartum anxiety. I literally felt irritable over things that would normally not bother me. But O-M-G did they bother me. I mean, rage, frustration, anxiety kind of bother me. I told the doctor but they said that it was normal after having a baby. By now, I’d learned to research a lot and I should have gone to get another opinion, but I didn’t want to take medication and I just told myself it would go away. 

A lot of women I have talked to have felt the same way. We ignore the symptoms and by doing so we are only hurting ourselves. I’m here to tell you, you aren’t alone! I see you! And I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to get help, it’s okay to talk about it, and it’s okay that you are feeling what you are feeling. What’s not okay is not getting the help you really need and feeling like you are alone. 

3 Years Later

3 years later my anxiety had gone down a bit and I was starting to feel a little better. I then had my second son. He was almost a year old when I started getting really bad anxiety and depression. Along with that, I had symptoms like feeling hot all the time, sweaty, and I was always tired. Not the kind of tired you feel from a long day, tired like I could take a nap at 2pm and go to bed at 8pm tired. I had babies to take care of and I knew that I needed to figure out what was going on with my body. I was eating healthy, working out, and although my energy increased with these things, it just wasn’t enough. The list of symptoms goes on.

I decided to get all my thyroid levels tested. I told my doctor I wanted a full blood work of tests done because I didn’t know if it was my hormones or my thyroid. After a lot of tests and scans, my doctor told me that I had Graves’ disease. So many things were now making sense. So many emotions were coming out. But I finally knew what was causing all my symptoms.

Now…

I’m working on feeling better. My doctors put me on medication that has helped with some of my anxiety and depression. Some days are good and some are bad. We continue to monitor my thyroid and I’m working on being the healthiest I can be.

I meditate, I say my affirmations, I workout and I eat healthy. I have Graves’ disease but it does not define me.