THE THYROID STORM

There are some things a lot of people don’t realise about  autoimmune thyroid disease. OK, we are not coughing, being sick or have diarrhoea. But we are unwell and  need to be at home. 

The Pain 

A classic hypothyroid symptom is aches and pains throughout the body.

For me, this pain starts in my head n works downwards, like a flowing river, filled with piranha fish tightly crammed and fighting to escape... biting and jostling to win air and fight to reach the safe sanctuary of open sea.

Imagine when you’ve had the flu, and the aches and pains. The pain is so bad that I find it hard to distract myself from it and often find myself crying without even knowing. It has kept me awake at night and tends to sort itself out with medication .

The trouble with that, is that I’m often too fatigued to get myself to the kitchen to get aforementioned meds, so I have to wait until someone  is about to help me. Usually, I have to wait until my children are home so they can help me up n down the stairs and get in to the kitchen safely, as I’ve slipped before when trying to get there unwell.

The Fatigue 

Probably the most well-recognised hypothyroid symptom is tiredness. 

But the word ‘tired’ doesn’t cut it. It’s fatigue. 

It’s pure and utter  exhaustion, the kind that leaves you not even in the same time zone, losing hours just because the tiredness has 'zoned' you out.

The hypothyroid fatigue many experience leaves them unable to climb stairs. Unable to get to the end of the hallway. Or even unable to get themselves to the toilet or kitchen to get food.

We’re so tired that our head shuts down and then we think we’re going mad.

You’re probably thinking ‘then take a nap’ or ‘have a lie-in’.

Ahhhhh, if only!

The problem with hypothyroidism is that the metabolism slows down due to the lack of thyroid hormone in the body, and with this not only comes massive weight fluctuations, but also a lack of energy. Because of this, we could nap several times a day, get twelve hours sleep a night and often still feel no better. It’s frustrating. It’s very upsetting and It’s even scary.

Especially if you have a family to run and roof to keep over your head. I'm not sure if I should put "thankfully " here as it's not really the right word, but, thankfully I don't go to work, I really don't know how people manage, it's all I can do to get up and sort myself out when I am having a Thyroid Storm, sometimes I cant even do that and would be in bed all day unable to move.

The Brain Fog

Lack of thyroid hormone also causes knock-on effects with brain function, which takes us on to another very common symptom; brain fog, this seems such a lame word for such a massive symptom.

Brain fog is often described as feelings of mental confusion or lack of mental clarity. The phrase comes from the feeling of a fog that reduces your ability to think clearly. It can feel like a mental block. It can cause a person to become forgetful, detached and discouraged.

I’ve had days where I got up at 6.30am with the kids,  they have then left at 7.30am. I have then done 'some things' .. kids came home,  then come 12pm, I couldn’t remember what I’d done all day.

Thanks to thyroid brain fog, I’ve found washing up liquid in the fridge, and I’ve put laundry in the bin instead of the washing machine, I've ordered dishwasher tablets to come with the shopping when I don't even own a dishwasher, I laugh about most of it, but it’s still very scary.

Brain fog can cause us to have slow reactions, speak slower, I find I can know what I want to say, but cant actually say it, and muddle up words. Confusion is common. My speech is often very peculiar, I've found I say certain words to mean something else, ie 'castles' mean I'm feeling very closed in and need time n space alone ... "forward" means just carry on and I will be ok soon !!! Its also common, fir me at least to go off on random " conversations  " !!!!!

Another reason I do not work – imagine saying the wrong thing to a customer, mixing up files or inputting figures wrong on the computer can land us and our employer in potentially big trouble, and as flair ups can happen potentially anytime, it could mean disaster. 

The Cold Sensitivity 

Being easily cold is another common hypothyroid symptom, especially cold hands and feet. Omg, my feet can be like little blocks of ice, my right foot actually being numb through lack of feeling too 

I’m nearly always layered up with two duvets, a fluffy blanket and two covers, the central heating on before, and still felt freezing. Therefore, being anywhere else than at home, where it is likely colder than that, also drafty and people wanting air-con on or windows open, can be painful for thyroid patients.

When we’re already so cold, extra coldness can make our bones really ache and affect our concentration since more thyroid hormone is being used to try and generate body heat as oppose to good brain function or energy.

The Mental Health Struggles 

Many people with thyroid disease also experience mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety to differing levels,  These alone can be torture to live with, with or without the physical symptoms on top. What might make perfect sense to you, could be difficult for someone with a mental illness, to grasp. Today we might not ge able to understand,  but tomorrow,  we will be fully on top of everything and grasp concepts, imagine not knowing where you are from one day to the next,  Mental illness can make you look at things irrationally and emotions can be extremely heightened. The slightest thing can make you crumble to pieces.

A day alone with our own thoughts might be what we need. Maybe we can’t even get out of bed due to worry and anxiety. Or the impending doom and gloom hanging over us from depression, just remember we do know it will pass, and we know we are not mad, we just need some understanding and peace !!

Please don’t judge what you don’t experience.

And You Forget About How We Feel

If you’re off work due to vomiting, diarrhoea, flu or a virus, is it fun and enjoyable? Just think what it feels like fie someone that hadn't been able to work for a while.  It's not fun at all being at home. Wouldn’t you rather be at work feeling well, rather than off work feeling horrible?

So how is that different to someone with a chronic illness or health condition such as thyroid disease?

We feel bad and guilty about not working st the best of times, let alone when we are Thyroid Storming. We’re not faking, we’re legitimately very unwell, but society says we shouldn’t be; we should be at work.

Unfortunately, thyroid disease often isn’t as simple to manage as many people think it is, and has the tendency to flare up at every opportunity. Usually when we really dont want it too. It isn’t always easy to know when it will get worse before it does, either.

Please bear all this is mind, the next time someone you know with hypothyroidism or even any other chronic illness, needs a day of rest. We really are trying our best and this isn’t easy to live with.

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Please remember that if you’re a thyroid patient living with poor mental health or lingering physical symptoms, that you don’t and should NOT have too. To address why you may still be feeling unwell (often despite being on thyroid medication too) please see your GP and ask for a consultant Thryoid Specialist Appointment.