Follow-up post about Thyroid disease

Yet another thyroid post - can you handle another one? :) I wanted to update about my appointment today. But first, what does the picture have to do with thyroid disease, you ask? Not one thing, but I just thought this post needed a fun picture. :)

I took my My Med Lab bloodwork results sheet to show my doctor. In my last post, I mentioned that my TSH was 5.54. My doctor said he wants to get that number below 1. He said a lot of doctors think that a TSH of below 1 is over-medicating. He disagrees. The research I have done also has indicated that a TSH below 1 is so much better than a 1 or a 2. He was not as concerned with my Free T3 and Free T4 numbers, and here's why. In about a month, he is going to have me come back to do extensive bloodwork. I can't even remember all the tests he said he would run, but I do remember a few - antibodies, insulin resistance, cortisol, cholesterol, progesterone, estrogen. There were more, but like I said, that's all I remember. He said he needs a baseline from which to then be able to treat my symptoms fully. He said there is a reason why my levels are off, but it could be any number of things, and he's going to try to find out why through the bloodwork. The main thing he advised me to do was 1.) always take my medication (I take Armour) on an empty stomach, and 2.) avoid the following foods like the plague - soy and all soy products of any kind, peanuts and peanut butter, and garbanzo beans. I have to chuckle at that last one.....I've never heard anyone say to avoid chick peas! Too funny! Come to find out, garbanzo beans are a "close cousin" to soybeans. Soy, peanuts and garbanzo beans all INTERFERE with the thyroid. I'm not going to pretend like I understand exactly how (my doc explained it, but it was pretty technical), but suffice it to say, they do. :)

My husband was able to go with me for this appointment, and I was so glad he was able to hear exactly what the doctor said. I always seem to forget half of what was said, or sometimes I have a hard time explaining technical things to someone else. My husband has done even more research than I have about the thyroid, and he was very impressed with my doctor's answers and explanations. He feels that this doctor will really be able to get to the bottom of my symptoms.

Of course, we realize that all healing and help comes from the Lord. We are praising the Lord for the way in which He continues to work in this situation. I just cannot say this enough, if you or someone you know is struggling with thyroid problems, please please please do not give up. Keep fighting for answers and don't give up hope that one day soon your life will be back to "normal" again.

photo from free pixels