It's been about a month since I got the diagnosis that answered MANY months of unanswered questions, mystery symptoms, doctor appointments, and hundreds of dollars of blood work that gave no answers. So, instead of being shocked, surprised, or sad....I was excited and ready to go to work researching and figuring out how to implement this new information into my life.
Feeling crummy was nothing new to me, but this level was not normal. Ok, so I should start with some back-story to explain a bit about my health history and how I came to this point in my life and health journey. About the age of 18, I was diagnosed with PCOS {Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome} and given medication with the explanation that if left untreated it could turn into Cancer but never really given the tools to heal. Cluster migraines entered my life in my mid 20's and were treated with more medication, and this time preventative meds and muscle relaxers that would literally knock me out. Once I took them, I was useless and most often would find it difficult to wake in the morning; and when I did, I was groggy! But, I didn't know what else to do....because I had to hold down a job and was tired of functioning in pain. I had learned to function with chronic pain, but if you really knew me- you could tell when I felt good or had a migraine/headache. In my early 30's I began having extreme stabbing pain in my chest that took me to the doctor again. This time, they found crazy high calcium levels (and scared me with cancer) and a diagnosis of esophageal spasms. More medication, and diet restrictions were the "solution" this time. One of the medications, when used long term, would cause my body to stop functioning on it's own so my personal goal was to get the condition under control with diet, exercise, and weight loss. I didn't want my body to stop functioning normally and on its own! Within the year, I was also diagnosed with Mononucleosis and Hypothyroidism with a Parathyroid Tumor. The tumor was the only thing I've ever been diagnosed with that they couldn't throw medication at....so surgery it was! April of 2012 was a life-changing month. Surgery to remove the tumor was successful {and non-cancerous, which was a huge relief!} and for the first time in a long time, I found energy again and for a few months I didn't want to come home from work and sleep....it was fantastic! This came at the perfect time, because it's also the month my hubby and I began dating. I was grateful to feel halfway normal again. Ha! But, over time I began to lose my energy and I became disenchanted with my Endocrinologist. In spite of everything, I kept plugging along because I assumed that because of my thyroid issues I'd never feel normal again.
A glimmer of hope came when I began {for months, because I'm a skeptic} watching my friend, Jerusha, posting about this supplement company called Plexus. It was helping people lose weight, curb cravings and kick soda & sugar/sweets additions, help with fertility issues, improve gut health, and increase energy. So, I decided to take the leap and try the products. In late October of 2013, my hubby agreed that I could try Plexus to see if it would help me feel better. The first day I knew I was a believer because I had sustained energy without soda or candy! It was wonderful!! The brain fog began to clear and after 3 weeks of feeling better than I had in months, I was a Plexus convert. That began my love-affair and obsession with getting healthier.
In the last year, I have been able to conquer my daily soda and sweets addiction, gain better sleep....deep sleep {and without those narcotics I'd been previously taking for migraine prevention}, increased daily sustained energy and no more 3pm crash, improved gut health which meant less eczema and better overall skin condition, less painful cycles and sometimes no cramps at all! which is HUGE for me, no more chronic sinusitis or ear pain {that even the ENT's couldn't figure out how to help}, and I've even been able to cut out medications [with doctors approval, of course].....HELLO better health!!
Over the last few months, I felt like my Thyroid med level needed to be adjusted. My energy levels sank and I wasn't feeling my energy anymore. I also wanted to try a more natural Thyroid medicine....it was like pulling teeth to get my Endo to let me try something different. But eventually, she let me try Armour. Quickly, I discovered that my body didn't like it, and I felt crummy! Blood work was done and it came back "normal" do my Endo said continue your current dose and basically that the way I was feeling was all in my head. So I had to just push through. It was during this time that I decided I was paying perfectly good money to a doctor that wasn't listening to me and wasn't helping me figure out what was going on....so I decided to get a second opinion. That was the BEST decision I ever made! I KNEW my issues were stemming from my thyroid, but my Endocrinologist wanted to chalk my symptoms up to "Depression" instead of actually figuring out what was going on.
Enter the local Osteopath, and ironically her office also treats a family that I know and they love her office, so that was just a confirmation to me that I had made a good selection and I was looking forward to the initial appointment. She LISTENED, and we talked about my medical history and did new lab work to supplement the recent labs other doctors had done and asked me to come back in 10 days. I anxiously awaited that appointment because I felt it deep down that this doctor was going to help me get answers and get my health back on track. The follow-up appointment didn't disappoint! For the first time in the over 5 years of being treated for Hypothyroidism, she explained thyroid issues like no one ever had! She explained that my T3 was too low and my reverse T3 was too high, and basically my body wasn't converting T4 properly....and asked me "Has anyone ever talked to you about Hashimoto's? Well, that's what you have."An autoimmune condition where my immune system was attacking my thyroid, and that's why I constantly felt like I was sick. I walked out of her office that day with more hope than I had had in months, a new prescription for compounded T3, a directive to go gluten free and to look at the Paleo way of eating.
I began researching Paleo, and pulled out my go-to resource a friend introduced me to called Practical Paleo. It taught me about the Autoimmune Protocol, and I quickly learned that if I wanted to truly begin feeling better and really heal my gut- I would learn more about this protocol and begin implementing it. So here I was, new to AIP....and right before Thanksgiving. Like, 15 days before Thanksgiving! What was I thinking?!? Well, thanks to the Autoimmune Protocol I have been starting to feel better thank I have in months!! I finally found my trifecta of health...thyroid medicine, Plexus, and the AIP!
I have enjoyed learning more about the Autoimmune Protocol and look forward to learning more, and sharing more with you as I go!
A glimmer of hope came when I began {for months, because I'm a skeptic} watching my friend, Jerusha, posting about this supplement company called Plexus. It was helping people lose weight, curb cravings and kick soda & sugar/sweets additions, help with fertility issues, improve gut health, and increase energy. So, I decided to take the leap and try the products. In late October of 2013, my hubby agreed that I could try Plexus to see if it would help me feel better. The first day I knew I was a believer because I had sustained energy without soda or candy! It was wonderful!! The brain fog began to clear and after 3 weeks of feeling better than I had in months, I was a Plexus convert. That began my love-affair and obsession with getting healthier.
In the last year, I have been able to conquer my daily soda and sweets addiction, gain better sleep....deep sleep {and without those narcotics I'd been previously taking for migraine prevention}, increased daily sustained energy and no more 3pm crash, improved gut health which meant less eczema and better overall skin condition, less painful cycles and sometimes no cramps at all! which is HUGE for me, no more chronic sinusitis or ear pain {that even the ENT's couldn't figure out how to help}, and I've even been able to cut out medications [with doctors approval, of course].....HELLO better health!!
Over the last few months, I felt like my Thyroid med level needed to be adjusted. My energy levels sank and I wasn't feeling my energy anymore. I also wanted to try a more natural Thyroid medicine....it was like pulling teeth to get my Endo to let me try something different. But eventually, she let me try Armour. Quickly, I discovered that my body didn't like it, and I felt crummy! Blood work was done and it came back "normal" do my Endo said continue your current dose and basically that the way I was feeling was all in my head. So I had to just push through. It was during this time that I decided I was paying perfectly good money to a doctor that wasn't listening to me and wasn't helping me figure out what was going on....so I decided to get a second opinion. That was the BEST decision I ever made! I KNEW my issues were stemming from my thyroid, but my Endocrinologist wanted to chalk my symptoms up to "Depression" instead of actually figuring out what was going on.
Enter the local Osteopath, and ironically her office also treats a family that I know and they love her office, so that was just a confirmation to me that I had made a good selection and I was looking forward to the initial appointment. She LISTENED, and we talked about my medical history and did new lab work to supplement the recent labs other doctors had done and asked me to come back in 10 days. I anxiously awaited that appointment because I felt it deep down that this doctor was going to help me get answers and get my health back on track. The follow-up appointment didn't disappoint! For the first time in the over 5 years of being treated for Hypothyroidism, she explained thyroid issues like no one ever had! She explained that my T3 was too low and my reverse T3 was too high, and basically my body wasn't converting T4 properly....and asked me "Has anyone ever talked to you about Hashimoto's? Well, that's what you have."An autoimmune condition where my immune system was attacking my thyroid, and that's why I constantly felt like I was sick. I walked out of her office that day with more hope than I had had in months, a new prescription for compounded T3, a directive to go gluten free and to look at the Paleo way of eating.
I began researching Paleo, and pulled out my go-to resource a friend introduced me to called Practical Paleo. It taught me about the Autoimmune Protocol, and I quickly learned that if I wanted to truly begin feeling better and really heal my gut- I would learn more about this protocol and begin implementing it. So here I was, new to AIP....and right before Thanksgiving. Like, 15 days before Thanksgiving! What was I thinking?!? Well, thanks to the Autoimmune Protocol I have been starting to feel better thank I have in months!! I finally found my trifecta of health...thyroid medicine, Plexus, and the AIP!
I have enjoyed learning more about the Autoimmune Protocol and look forward to learning more, and sharing more with you as I go!
