What If It’s Not Just Burnout?
Earlier this week, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Hashimotos, and I still haven’t fully processed it yet. I didn’t see it coming. I thought the doctor would tell me I have high cortisol, or maybe that my hormones are still imbalanced… I had no idea that I’d be preparing to completely shift my life in a matter of days.
At first, I was thrilled to tears. I cannot tell you how weird it feels to have life feel so out of balance, and to receive news that should shake things up more… only to make you feel like you’re finally standing still. Those random nights I needed the heat pad, the occasional dizziness and nausea, the consistent brain fog, itchiness and dry skin, feeling like I’m not eating much but never losing weight… the list goes on, and it all makes sense now. I’m not in denial, and I’m not crazy.
I was giddy with excitement as I researched everything I could surrounding Hashimotos. It wasn’t until I really got into the thick of it that I realized just how much more difficult this could make my life. It wasn’t until I got into the social media craziness of it all that I really started to get nervous about what this could mean.
There is a very important reason why I’m sharing this. Not only is Hashimotos the most common autoimmune condition in women, but it often doesn’t seem to show up until after we’ve had children… so of course, many of us dismiss the symptoms (brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, inability to lose weight, puffy face, irregular cycles, anxiety, depression, memory loss…). Sounds a whole lot like what we are told to expect during postpartum, right?! I really just thought that this was postpartum life, or even postpartum depression.
I also want to make this clear: Trust Yourself! Advocate For Yourself! If something feels off, please keep digging.
This time last year, I had a hunch something was off, but I didn’t spring for a full blood panel. When the doctor told me my hormones were off, we made a plan that I really thought would work. Surprise! It didn’t. Turns out body was starting to attack my thyroid. And while it seems that I’ve caught this early (before it’s caused my thyroid much damage), I can’t help but wonder what life would be like today had I caught it a whopping 13 months sooner.
What does this mean for me? It starts with changing my diet, as food intolerance can play a major role in autoimmune conditions. Right now, my options are either taking a food sensitivity test or starting Whole30 and slowly reintroducing foods to see what triggers inflammation in my body.
It also means learning how to stop treating exhaustion like a personal failure. For years, I’ve pushed myself through the exhaustion, and worse I’ve beaten myself up for not being able to stay fully energized. I ignored so many signals. I truly convinced myself that I just needed to try harder, be more disciplined, get more motivated. Now I’m starting to realize just how detrimental pushing through has really been to my body considering this condition.
Maybe, just maybe, this diagnosis is permission to finally start listening to my body instead of consistently fighting it.
If you’re reading this, and you haven’t had your bloodwork done in over a year, please let this be the post that pushes you to get it done asap. Make sure your doctor checks your thyroid, specifically your TPO antibodies. If you’re in the Coeur d’Alene area, I highly recommend Arrow Functional Medicine.
See you,
Amy