Hashi Update

After I was diagnosed with Hashimotos I saw an endocrinologist. I chose him purely because he took my insurance and was a 15 minute drive from home. He did an ultrasound of my Thyroid and confirmed that I have Hashimotos. Well great, I already knew that, now what? He also told me that my Hashimiotots was so minor that I shouldn't be feeling any symptoms. He then put me on a dose of thyroid hormone and an anti-depressant, convinced that the fatigue was due to depression. He also told me not to believe anything said about going on a gluten-free diet or using essential oils to help with the autoimmune disease.

I left the appointment that day feeling confused and frustrated. I've been depressed before, I've even written about it on my blog, and this fatigue did not feel like depression. I decided to go along with it though since he did go to school for these exact things and may know something more than me. ;) Since everything I had read about a gluten-free diet and essential oils had been online, and possibly not reliable, I decided to also listen to my doctor and continue on as normal while adding the two new medications to my daily regiment. 

It's been 5 months now since I began taking the thyroid medication. After about a month I felt on top of the world! I was a new, or really back to my old self, Laura. I had so much energy and felt amazing! I figured that doctor really was right and all was well. Pretty easy I thought. 

After the second month I got a cold. A really really really really really bad cold and had the worst sore throat I have ever experienced. I finally recovered from that and had another really really really bad cold. Then another and another and another. Since October I have had 6 different sicknesses. Seven if you count the one I currently have.

After about month four of the thyroid hormone everything started really going down hill. Andrew doesn't allow me to drive longer than thirty minutes by myself for fear I'll fall asleep while driving. I regularly fall asleep on any surface that I lay down on for more than 5 minutes (floor, couch, table, car seat). 

My quick fix is no longer working. My body does not feel right. I know, no matter what my doctor said, that I DO feel the effects of the disease. I've wanted to try out something new, either essential oils or a diet change, but I'm due for another blood draw and doctor appointment tomorrow. I didn't want to mess up the blood results by changing something before. I'm going to go see the same doctor and tell him that it's not working and see what he says although to be honest I don't have much faith in him. I have an appointment with a nurse practitioner at the end of the month who specializes in holistic forms of treatment which i'm really looking forward to. 

Today I read a wonderful blog of a women who has Hashimotos and endometriosis which are both autoimmune disorders. She talks a lot about her gluten free and dairy free diet and how much amazing change she has seen in her body since starting. There have been many many other experiences leading up to my next decision. 

I really don't want to go gluten free. Like really really really don't want to. I also don't want to sleep for the majority of my life or have worse problems. Here I am, at that point. The point you get to were you make a commitment to step over the edge. I can't believe i'm going to say it....oh no....here it comes... I'm going to go on a gluten free diet. Ahhhhhhhhh I did it. Now here comes the even harder part to follow through and actually do.

I'm going to Disneyland this weekend and it seems impossible to START a new extreme diet like that while on vacation and having no idea what I'm doing. So, starting a week from today I commit to an all gluten free diet for AT LEAST 6 months to see how I feel and how my blood test results come back. 

Wish me luck. Give me support. Guide me to some good recipes. I'm going to need it all.