A few weeks ago I went to my well-woman visit. She did the typical stuff, asked the typical questions, and then stopped in the middle and looked at me. She walked over to me and started feeling my neck. I don't ever remember her doing this before, but after having a baby, this was the least intrusive test I had had at the doctor in a while so it was no big deal.
She told me that she thought my thyroid was enlarged and would like to take some bloodwork and send me to two other doctors. For real?! Argh... I have had enough issues after childbirth (not blogworthy) and been to my fair share of painful doctors' visits that I didn't really need this on top of it... But alas, that's what was in the cards for me that day...
As I was walking to the lab, my sweet sweet across the street neighbor (who is also a nurse there!) stopped me and asked what I was doing in the lab. I told her that Dr. McCloskey thought my thyroid looked enlarged and she said, "Well, yeah! Look at it!" For real? I kinda wish she had mentioned that when I saw her on our walk the evening before... :/
Anyway, a few days later I got a call from the head nurse with the results. You know if they call you in a few days it's not good news- usually you get a letter or a phone call two weeks after a normal test.
She said that my labs came back abnormal and they would like for me to go ahead and see an ENT (for the enlarged part and to check for nodules aka LITTLE TUMORS) and the Endocrinologist for the abnormal bloodwork. Argh... All of this was being told to me as I'm greeting the babysitter before I take off for Junior League. Good times.
I make all the appointments and spend the next week in and out of doctors' offices and labs. Several appointments and an ultrasound later, it is determined that I have Hashimoto's disease. Now, don't let the name fool you. It is NOTHING serious. It's just the technical name for enlarged thyroid that causes hypothyroidism... Blah!
It's so funny because I feel like everyone and their dog (no seriously, our dog and my parents' dog have thyroid problems) have thyroid issues. But me? Bummer. When the doctors were asking me about my symptoms, I didn't know how to answer. Was I tired/fatigued? Of course. I have a seven month old. Did I feel like I had gained weight? Um yeah, it's called baby weight (but if the pills help me shed it I'm all for that!). Did I think my face was puffy? Again, see above answer. Basically, I wasn't recognizing any symptoms because they were masked by postpartum symptoms... Hmmm....
Now, I am TRULY thankful that all that was wrong was just the typical everyday thyroid stuff. Believe me, I know it could have been MUCH worse. But taking a pill every day for the rest of my life to regulate it? Sucks. One of the positives of the visits was that a lot of times abnormal thyroid levels can be brought on by pregnancy and postpartum. Many times the levels will correct themselves within the first year of baby's life, so we are praying that will be the case!
Anyway, I know this isn't a big deal, but since this is my journal of sorts and I share WAY too much anyway, I thought I would put it out there and let you know what's been going on with me. Now I get to join the thyroid club! Woohoo! :) And, for those of you who aren't feeling quite yourself, who knows??
Oh, and for those of you who don't know, there is a difference between hyPERthyroid and hyPOthyroid. Hyper makes your thyroid work overtime (and in turn your metabolism which makes for very skinny people) and Hypo makes your thyroid work under (hence the weight gain). One of the doctors (who had an AMAZING bedside manner- yeah right) said, "Well, I need to look at your labs, but if you have anything it would definitely be hyPOthyroid." Ouch.