Little did I know that when I went hunting for something, I would stumble on the news that this blog had been awarded one of the top 10 Hashimoto Blogs for 2010!!!!! I was thrilled, excited, felt like, “Hey, I *can* write and tell a story.
So I will dedicate a post to this disease and why I bring it up at all.
Hashimoto’s Disease affects the thyroid gland. It is generally hereditary. My Grandma Minnie Mae Coleman had the opposite, Graves Disease (Dr. Koch said it doesn’t matter, thyroid is thyroid and Grandma’s turned overactive and mine turned under-active). Of course since your thyroid gland is your ‘thermostat’, if it is under-active many things can happen, including weight gain and such problems.
I think it was paramount with my weight issues.
For a long time the blood tests showed normal and it was not until 2004 when I have a “Thyroid Uptake” test at Lewis Gale’s Nuclear Medicine Dept. did they see my thyroid gland was functioning severely slow.
They started me on synthroid, 25 mcg. and a few years later, at my pleading up’d it to 50 mcg but the goiter only reduced a bit.
I am changing Dr’s and going to start on Kelp tablets (iodine) to try and be pro-active on my end as my fatigue has just gotten out of hand.
In any event, at this point, I talk a lot about Hashi’s because it affects a lot of things in my body. But one thing is for sure, I am not sure those T3 and T4 blood test are good indicators. It took nuclear imaging to find my Hashi’s. Months later my blood came up low, finally…. but still. I recommend anyone…. especially those with thyroid disease in their family ….. to be a warrior about this!
For now, I am just to honored to be recognized for something I feel so passionate about.

One other thing I want to add. I had thyroid disease for years before it was diagnosed. Thyroid disease can affect everything from weight to behavior. So many Dr’s want to label a 30 something woman as being ‘depressed’ or ‘anxious’ when in reality it is her thyroid that is screaming bloddy murder! If the If your heater is broke in winter you freeze. If you AC unit is broke in the heat of summer you burn up. These things get you, well, ‘cranky’. It is the same with the thyroid gland. If the thermostat in the body is not working right, you are not going to act as y0u should. Just food for thought!