#2. Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:

[startfirstbd]

Thyroid Awareness Month: Understanding Symptoms and the Need for Treatment

January is observed globally as Thyroid Awareness Month. The thyroid gland is a vital organ in the body that secretes various hormones. These hormones regulate metabolism, energy production, and other essential bodily processes. If left untreated, thyroid-related issues can lead to severe complications.

Common Symptoms of Thyroid Problems

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism: Excessive sweating Unexplained weight loss Irregular heartbeat Anxiety and sleep disturbances Trembling hands

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism: Weight gain Dry skin Hair loss Persistent fatigue Intolerance to cold Causes of Thyroid Disorders Autoimmune diseases like Graves' Disease or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Iodine deficiency Genetic factors Stress and mental pressure Side effects of certain medications Potential Complications of Untreated Thyroid Issues Increased Risk of Heart Disease:

Hyperthyroidism accelerates heart rate, putting extra strain on the heart. Hypothyroidism can raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Infertility and Pregnancy-Related Issues:

Thyroid hormone imbalances can impair reproductive health and lead to pregnancy complications. Decline in Mental Health:

Anxiety, depression, and reduced cognitive function are common outcomes. Myxedema:

A severe and life-threatening condition caused by extreme hypothyroidism. Preventing Thyroid Problems and Raising Awareness Maintain a healthy diet (include iodine-rich foods). Get regular health check-ups. Manage stress effectively. Ensure adequate sleep. Consult a doctor promptly if you notice thyroid-related symptoms.

[bizlybebo]

some1 tell me something to write/draw

[fire-on-fuel]

trying so hard not to have a complex about being from a desert climate but I can't help still being completely heat acclimatized despite living in a colder/temperate area for like 7 years and my godawful circulation and features adapted for heat dissipation and low core body temperature and not sweating easily and weird metabolism and vitamin d deficiency and

[trans-leek-cookie]

comes out of the "googling things about the disorder you have and then googling a vague medical term and not getting a clear answer and complaining about the vagueness of the term to your friend who probably has more familiarity with the term and it's implications in context" session covered in blood and wailing and writing on the floor

[ero-keixx]

God send help I can feel my heart rate acting up

[evidence-based-activism]

I’m really tired of seeing all the ‘PCOS is an intersex disorder’ posts and think they’re extremely offensive to women with PCOS.

Please can you clarify that it is not (or if it miraculously is, I guess.)

Hello! You're correct PCOS is not an "intersex disorder".

First, what is an "intersex disorder"?

Currently, to my knowledge, there's a shift towards using disorders/differences of sex development (DSDs) rather than "intersex".

A DSD is a very specific group of medical conditions which is "restricted to those conditions in which chromosomal sex is inconsistent with phenotypic sex, or in which the phenotype is not classifiable as either male or female" [1].

The possible point of confusion is "phenotypic sex", in this context, this refers to primary sex characteristics (internal and external genitalia) not secondary sex characteristics (breast growth, hair growth, etc.). This is important because both primary sex characteristics and DSDs are present from birth. Although, in some cases, they may not be identified until later in life, they are still present at birth.

How does this relate to PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that only affects female people that affects secondary sex characteristics (e.g., cause male-pattern hair growth/loss). It can also affect the function of primary sex characteristics (e.g., cause infertility), but it does not affect the development or appearance of primary sex characteristics. [2]

Therefore,

Women with PCOS do not have a mismatch in genotypic (chromosomal) sex and phenotypic sex (primary sex organs). That is, they have XX chromosomes without any Y-chromosome translocations and a female-typical vulva/ovaries/uterus/etc. The fact that women with PCOS have irregular periods does not negate the fact that their uterus developed normally. In other words, problems with organ function are not equivalent to problems with organ structure/development.

They also do not have ambiguous genitalia; they have female-typical sex organs at birth. Notably, female-typical has a wider range than the commonly held (and misogynistic) “ideal”, but in all cases they are clearly identifiable as a vulva rather than a penis/scrotum.

The age of onset of PCOS is anytime after puberty, and therefore, not at birth. It is an endocrine (hormonal) condition, and no more a DSD than ovarian hyperthecosis, hypothyroidism, or hyperprolactinemia which all produce similar symptoms to PCOS (among many other conditions). [3-5]

Despite claims to the contrary, women with PCOS do not have "male-typical" testosterone levels. The average testosterone level is actually well within the healthy female range and even the upper-end of the PCOS range is around half the lower-limit of the healthy male range. This makes the primary evidentiary claim for PCOS being a DSD (i.e., "testosterone levels between men and women!") invalid. (This claim is also based on the incorrect, and intersexist, belief that people with a DSD are "between" or "neither" male or female.) [6]

All other arguments I can find for PCOS being a DSD appear to be based on:

The belief that we must expand the definition of DSDs to prevent discrimination. This is both logically inconsistent (i.e., we have no evidence that increasing the size of a minority group would reduce discrimination) and philosophically concerning (i.e., this rests on the belief/assumption that we can/should do nothing to reduce discrimination of very rare minority groups).

People's feelings about having PCOS/beliefs about people's feelings about having PCOS. This is wrapped up in postmodernist worldviews, and essentially posits that if people feel they are "between" sexes they should be treated as if they are, despite no material evidence supporting this feeling. (And, again, this also rests on the incorrect and intersexist belief that people with a DSD are "between" sexes.)

A related belief that that if people identify as intersex, we must affirm this identity. Again, this is wrapped up in the same postmodernist worldview, and all the standard criticisms apply.

Conclusion

All in all, there is no medical or material evidence that PCOS is a DSD. The philosophical arguments to the contrary relies postmodernist logic that rejects reality in favor of identity and being in favor of feeling. These arguments also rely on offensive stereotypes and beliefs about people with DSDs/intersex people.

I hope this helps you, Anon!

References below the cut:

Sax, L. (2002). How common is lntersex? A response to Anne Fausto‐Sterling. Journal of sex research, 39(3), 174-178.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): Symptoms & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8316-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos.

Shah, Sanket, et al. “Diagnostic Challenges in Ovarian Hyperthecosis: Clinical Presentation with Subdiagnostic Testosterone Levels.” Case Reports in Endocrinology, vol. 2022, Jan. 2022, p. 9998807. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9998807.

“Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid).” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12120-hypothyroidism.

“Hyperprolactinemia: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22284-hyperprolactinemia.

Clark, Richard V., et al. “Large Divergence in Testosterone Concentrations between Men and Women: Frame of Reference for Elite Athletes in Sex‐specific Competition in Sports, a Narrative Review.” Clinical Endocrinology, vol. 90, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 15–22. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.13840.

[thecaroliner]

After almost six months I think I’m finally ready to talk about what happened to my dog to get it off my chest and maybe this will help others prevent this happening to their dogs.

About 2-3 ago we began noticing a few changes in Chibi that we just associated with age. He was 10-11 at that point so obviously he was slowing down a little bit but we also noticed how itchy he had become. It seemed like all day every day he was gnawing and scratching at himself, sometimes to the point of drawing blood. His vet basically shrugged and said “idk try this prescription shampoo” we tried it. There was a small improvement but really didn’t do enough for him. As time went on he became more and more miserable so he was finally prescribed a pill and a monthly shot to help with the itching. Again, it did ease his symptoms somewhat but not like it should have. His vet seemingly just didn’t care enough to try anything.

So last year he began losing hair, like a LOT of hair. Especially on his tale. His underside was slimy too, and he smelled awful despite having a bath pretty much every other day. It was getting to be a little gross to even pick him up. He was freezing all the time because of how little hair he had.

So finally, in around January, I took him to the vet one day because his eyes were leaking really badly. The vet seeing him that day was like a traveling vet and it was her first time at that clinic. She was much more concerned about his itching and lack of hair rather than his eyes, and when I told her his history she said “well it sounds like the regular vet has just been trying to put a band aid on his symptoms and not get to the root of the issue.” I am eternally grateful for this woman because she was determined to find the cause of it and it lead to a diagnosis of hypothyroidism. All his symptoms, his lethargy and itchiness and hair loss, his overproduction of sebum was all related to that. Pretty much within a few days of him receiving thyroid medication, he was like a new dog.

He suddenly had energy again. He would play and run around. His hair began growing back and he stopped itching and smelling bad. My baby, who we were afraid was just slowly dying from age, was like a puppy again. I am so so so grateful that he got to spend the last few months of his life full of energy again.

And then came April. One night, after a completely normal day with him, and he threw up around 11 pm. No big deal, he throws up from time to time. But then he did it again, and again, and again rapid fire. He was shaking and walking around like he was scared. Three years prior, he had shown these same symptoms and the emergency vet concluded he had eaten something toxic (to this day we have no idea what it could’ve been) and in kidney failure but was able to get him on some fluids and meds and he was good as new.

Mom and I were afraid this was happening again, so at midnight we loaded him into the car and took him to the ER vet. $800 and some fluids later and they said “well, he could possibly have pancreatitis but just monitor him and follow up with his regular vet.”

We take him to the vet a few days later. “Oh, I see he was diagnosed with pancreatitis.” We were shocked because the ER vet said it was maybe a possibility and not a definite. But okay, he has pancreatitis. So now he has to be on an extremely bland died of boiled chicken and rice and some prescription dog food.

He did fine for the next week or so, but then one day just stopped eating. He didn’t even want his favorite snacks like peanut butter. He just sat around the house, but he was sitting up as though laying down would be too difficult for him. He kept begging to go outside and try to potty but he couldn’t. Even days later when nothing was in his stomach at all he was trying to go.

I take him to the vet one morning and tell them the symptoms. “Well, just get him to eat a bland diet and it’ll ease his symptoms” he. Is not. Eating. I went home frustrated. That afternoon he seemed to be in tremendous pain so I took him back, and this time they weighed him. He’d lost 4 pounds in just a matter of days. Not one person at that vet office seemed even mildly concerned about this.

This bitch of a vet tech pulls me into a room and goes “okay, so tell me exactly what is going on because you and your mom keep giving us conflicting answers about if he’s eating or not, so what’s the deal” HE. ISN’T. EATING. My mom and I were both telling them that. I don’t know what the confusion is. He got more fluids and we left once more with no answers.

And then 4 days later he was gone. On his last night he began sounding really congested when he breathed and the next morning the vet said his pancreas was just failing I guess and the mucus he was producing was from his lungs and there was nothing they could do. And that was the end.

I found out shortly after that undiagnosed hypothyroidism can lead to pancreatic issues and failure in dogs.

My baby suffered for 2 years because his vet didn’t bother trying to really fix his problem. And then he finally, FINALLY gets to feeling normal again only to go from a little sick to dead in just 2 weeks.

It really just felt like the vets office was in the mindset of “oh he’s old so we aren’t gonna bother doing much for him”. Life expectancies for his breed can go up to 15-17 years so he probably still had quite a life left ahead of him.

I miss him so much.

[pseudowho]

Hello Haitch! Hope you are doing well.

Last year during summer, I was diagnosed with PCOS (i had gotten it checked because i hadnt had my period in like 3 months) and since i was just 17, the doctor asked me to maintain a proper lifestyle and see till November and said that if it wasnt fixed by then, i had to do a checkup again. But i'd gotten my period by august so i never reached out again.

but this year (im 18 now), the last time id gotten my period was in april so it's been 6 months now. im gonna go to the doctor again later this month. but here's the thing— last year, i went to a gyno abroad because women's healthcare isnt the best in my country. but this year, its not possible for me to go abroad right now so im gonna have to work with a gyno from here.

now i have a feeling that theyll put me on pills and while i agree thats the easy way to fix this, im worried itll mess things up for the long run. the lifestyle the first gyno asked me to follow is a little difficult for me to get into since she'd asked me to exercise plenty and im a full time alevel student and it gets hard for me to maintain a proper routine like that. i also struggle with binge eating which i've heard comes with having pcos (im not sure if this is true tho).

so in one hand, i feel like it's easier to just start taking pills but then again it has so many side effects i don't know what to do right now.

Lots to unpack here.

CW/TW: PCOS, medical discussion, endocrine disorders, diabetes, hypothyroidism, weight management, medication management

Firstly, PCOS is often diagnosed based on vague criteria; lots of doctors flippantly diagnose it based on a volume of loose criteria. If you have an increasing number of these criteria, then yes, the chances are you have PCOS. However, it's often erroneously diagnosed without proper diagnostic procedures such as scans, bloods, and a full review of your longer term health history.

That being said, being on the pill doesn't 'cure' PCOS, it can simply manage the symptom of irregular periods. There's flimsy evidence on the pill's ability to manage/prevent weight gain and the development of other disorders that are associated with PCOS.

While weight loss is often harder for women with PCOS, especially if you have associated conditions such as an under active thyroid, it's not impossible.

Your lifetime chances of developing Diabetes are significantly higher with PCOS, and this chance goes up again if you struggle with increased body weight. PCOS and appetite changes like binge eating have been associated with each other, too.

So you'll only know if managing your weight and eating habits make a difference with your PCOS, when you've actually tried them to the absolute best of your ability. If you are at an increased ideal weight, losing weight can be very effective to manage and reduce the symptoms of PCOS.

Of the many, many thousands of women I've looked after, I'm sorry to say that those with PCOS who are very pro-active with managing their weight, perhaps taking medications as advised by their doctor (the pill and Metformin are the most common ones I see), and exercising regularly, are those who have the highest chance of being 'healthy' (though I do not use the term 'healthy' lightly).

Ultimately, PCOS is one of those things that just happens and isn't your fault. I also have an endocrine disorder that makes it very easy for me to gain weight and very difficult for me to lose it, so I absolutely understand the situation yours in right now.

But, what do you do with this information? Do you say, "I am X, Y and Z because of my PCOS" and leave it at that? Or do you say "I suffer with X, Y and Z because of my PCOS, so I make life choices to reduce the impact of my PCOS by 1, 2 and 3".

So my advice is this: PCOS may be the hand you've been dealt, but your lifestyle choices can massively improve the chances of you reducing its impact on your long-term health. I'm not blaming you, or acting like healthy eating, exercise and medication decisions are easy; they are not. Please recall I'm in a similar boat, and I'm not one to blame women for their complex health conditions.

I could talk all day about PCOS but this is my best attempt to summarise it for you.

It's really hard making tough life choices to manage the hand you've been dealt. I fully understand. I've gotten better at it as I've gotten older. @mrhaitch makes similar big decisions, because he has two diabetic parents and one diabetic siblings, so he takes care of his health to a brilliant degree, to try to give himself the best chance of not developing diabetes himself.

☝️ me being your hype man

Love,

-- Haitch xxx

[kojakaj]

i hve like 1 million of the hypothyroidism symptoms and everyone in my family has hypothyroidism but like i got tested for it 2 yrs ago and didnt have it and like. im not gonna get tested for smth Again. even tho its a disorder that can develop. lol.

[morguebug]

I’ve been in and out of doctors the past year after being sick my entire life - I’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia, as I expected. I’ve always had incredibly heavy and painful periods and they were at least somewhat regular since I was ~ 8 ish. But, since September 2023, I’ve had 2 periods. One in April 2024, and my most recent one being from November 23rd to December 2nd ish. That’s an incredibly long time for what’s normal for me.

I decided to finally get a referral to an OB, and so I went. I explained my preexisting illnesses, my regular cycle, etc. Of course, the first thing she talked about was my weight. I have multiple conditions that make it near impossible for me to lose weight, I am overweight but it’s not extremely detrimental. I told her I was worried I may have PCOS, and that PCOS and cancer run very heavy in my family. She ordered an ultrasound, I got the ultrasound, I have no cysts. She ordered labs for my insulin and my glucose and she put me on a medication to manage them both. I have an insulin resistance, she said. Not PCOS though.

My testosterone levels? Three times the amount a normal AFAB person should have. I have irregular body hair growth. I have an incredibly irregular period. The ONLY symptom of PCOS I don’t have, are cysts. But they’re not a diagnostic criteria.

Of course, US health care and doctors don’t care about AFAB people past their uterus and their ability to give birth. I don’t want to have children - I CAN’T have children. Some days it’s impossible for me to get out of bed so how am I meant to comfortably and safely carry a child? I don’t care if I’m infertile. I don’t care about my uterus or my ovaries. I’m a trans man, I’m not connected. Why is my ability to give birth more important than MY health?

I just wanted to share my frustrations, I’ve never made a post like this but this is something I’ve been experiencing lately. I have an appointment with a dietician soon, because of course, my diet is the reason I have triple the amount of testosterone in my body I should. I also have autism and ARFID, changing my diet is going to be an incredibly difficult task for me. The thought of having a dietician and having to focus on my eating habits is incredibly triggering for me.

TL;DR, I have PCOS but of course my doctors are refusing to diagnose me because I’m fat and I have a uterus. My diet is tripling the testosterone in my body, apparently.

This is a safe space, feel free to share your experiences with me in my asks or below this post :>!!

[myhealingera]

Two weeks after this photo was taken, I received a phone call that nobody ever wants to receive.

I was dealing with a slew of health issues: an inability to lose weight, hair loss, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue so intense that getting out of bed felt like a miracle, and severe brain fog. My joints were in so much pain that I found myself using a heating pad for most of the day.

I consulted my aunt, who is a pediatrician, and she reviewed my recent blood work. She observed that my TSH levels were consistently borderline high, often surpassing the normal threshold. Encouraged by her insight, I visited my OBGYN and shared my symptoms. She ordered hormone testing and referred me to a rheumatologist, given that lupus runs in my family. The results indicated elevated TSH, DHEA, and C-reactive protein levels.

I then saw a remarkable rheumatologist who conducted over 120 tests. All came back normal except for my thyroid antibodies, and I was diagnosed with arthritis in my hands. Around this time, my neck began to swell, feeling as though something was stuck in my throat. My primary care physician scheduled an ultrasound, which revealed swelling in my neck and a lymph node, and identified a nodule or "ectopic" tissue.

Returning to my primary care doctor, I was told my lab results were normal and advised to follow up in a year, despite continuing to experience swollen lymph nodes and being told that the neck nodule was unrelated to the swelling. At this point had been to urgent care 3 times, completed 3 rounds of steroids, a z-pack, and tested negative for mono, Covid, and strep.

Despite my tendency to avoid conflict, something felt off, and I knew I wasn't okay.

I requested a referral to an endocrinologist, which I received, but they couldn't see me until after Christmas. Not wanting to wait, I found another endocrinologist who could see me on Halloween. At my first appointment, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and hypothyroidism. She ordered a biopsy "to be safe," emphasizing that a finding warrants investigation. Even at the hospital for my biopsy, the PA questioned its necessity given my primary care's advice to wait a year.

On 12/22, my endocrinologist informed me that the biopsy results were suspicious for thyroid carcinoma. I returned on 1/5 to discuss the findings.

They had sent my sample for Afirma testing, a genetic test for medullary thyroid cancer, due to the unusual results and the aggressive nature of the potential cancer.

I was then referred to an ENT, who suspected the nodule might actually be a lymph node. A CT scan confirmed this suspicion, revealing a lymph node suspicious for thyroid cancer, yet with no nodules on my thyroid itself.

The decision was made to remove the lymph node, with intraoperative pathology consultation to decide whether to also remove the thyroid.

On 2/24, the lymph node was removed, but pathology was indeterminate, leading to the decision not to remove the thyroid.

The following week, I was informed that my results had been sent to a larger university hospital for further analysis and a second opinion, an ominous sign according to my ENT.

Ultimately, it was confirmed as papillary thyroid cancer that had begun to metastasize to the lymph nodes, indicating occult thyroid cancer, typically undetected until it spreads to the lymph nodes. Likely, there are microcarcinomas on my thyroid undetectable by imaging. Thus, another surgery is required.

My complete thyroidectomy is scheduled for 4/24.

Honestly, none of this truly sank in until I received a call from the hospital's oncology department to schedule a radiation consultation for post-surgery RAI treatment.

It’s been an incredibly tough start to the year, to say the least.

[flowersofjannah]

how does your hypothyroidism make you feel? Do you get sad?

what would want other people to know about it?

Hmmm, good questions!

1. In all honestly, it makes me feel like I can't keep up with the world. The world is too fast, I can't keep up with all the tasks, chores, work, events, etc; and people generally don't understand. I always say, I'm not made for the dunya lol Alhumdulilah

2. I didn't get as sad before but since marriage, yes. Alhumdulilah, my spouse is very understanding, but I feel bad if he comes home to an unclean house or not a proper meal. I don't wish to expand unless you really want some insight on this as I don't wish to make the answer to your question all about the marriage aspect.

3. There's a saying, "the healthy wear a crown only the sick can see," I want people to know how blessed they are with good health allahumma baarik and make the most of it. Our prophet ﷺ advised to make use of good health before weakness comes in.

Another thing is that people who know others with thyroid issues will compare and say, "well so and so also has this but they don't make the excuse of being tired," yikes. Very hurtful and awkward, people have different major symptoms of thyroid: weight gain, more body hair, feeling cold, fatigue, anxiety, depression, etc. So for one person, weight gain might be the biggest symptom, and for another it's fatigue. It varies person to person, how long they've had it also plays a factor.

I think the biggest downfall is doctors need more training about thyroid issues, especially because of how common it's becoming. None of my doctors ever understand me, they'll say the blood work is fine and stop there, not willing to treat symptoms I may have.

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Stupid Doctors. Stupid Eyes.

So, did two doctors in one day. Two separate issues, remarkably similar difficulty in communicating and getting healthcare. Part of it MUST be the autism, but that CAN'T be all.

Doctor #1 was following up on a previous phone appointment. I had asked for an in-person appointment to lay out my case, told him I had almost a clean sweep of hypothyroid symptoms, told him I need a doctor who can handle my thyroid and "female hormones" (no other polite way to say, Can you handle all my hormones or not, you are a hormone doctor) because they interact with each other and if I have to keep ping-ponging back and forth between two doctors to work on this, I will not get adequate care. He started to ask about what estrogen I'd been on before during that appointment, but he backed off and tried to get me to see another gynecologist when I mentioned Canada kept running out of the patches I'd been prescribed. I tried to reiterate that if I have to square my treatment up between two doctors, I may die, but he said I might prefer an "expert."

I heard "you can use this other doctor if you're more comfortable with them," which I wouldn't have been, so I ran off and got a referral that would OK him to handle the estrogen and progesterone. He meant, "Under no circumstances will I handle that for you, even though I could. It's too complicated for me."

This became clear over the course of a five minute phone appointment, which I only accepted because it was the soonest one available. I thought he'd follow up in the office. And, although he wanted more blood work, I reminded him he told me the numbers were unreliable and he would need to address the symptoms, and he agreed with me, he just wanted the numbers too. Yesterday, numbers in hand, he told me my thyroid levels looked too high, so he was decreasing my dose, and I could have another blood test in three months. Bye. No discussion of unaddressed symptoms that don't look ANYTHING like hyperthyroid.

Did he get the referral? Could he address my "female" hormones? Well, he'd told my family doctor to refer me to that gynecologist! WHAT family doctor? That's not my family doctor anymore, he was fucking with my thyroid treatment that YOU prescribed me, among other very bad things, AND I LEFT HIM. I swear, I told the guy that LAST TIME.

OK. So I need a new endocrinologist who will actually handle all of my hormones, and I need to do all the research and find this person for myself, then ask the clinic to refer me to them. I could've started on this weeks ago if the fucker had just expressed himself in clear language. I TRIED to tell him as many ways that I could, "If you can't do that for me, I NEED ANOTHER DOCTOR," but he didn't hear that.

Doctor #2 was the surgeon who "fixed" my eyes so I can't maintain focus or acuity. I had a fight with the tech, and then with him, trying to explain the difference between, "I can read this, even though it's blurry, because I can guess what the letters are based on their basic shapes and the other letters in the line," and "You can read that just fine!" I tried to verbalize my struggles and this confused them. "Stop trying to focus on the letters, just read them." DON'T FOCUS ON THE LETTERS, JUST READ THEM???

They also had difficulty understanding the nature of the visual distortions. "Is this better or worse?" "My eyes get tired and stop focusing. It's not consistent." "But is it better or worse?" "I've been focusing on details for multiple letters now, and my eyes are refusing to stay in focus. I don't know." "Your prescription isn't consistent." *a pause, while my verbal ability crashes and I try to reset* "Wh-Why would it be?"

The doctor didn't know what binocular vision dysfunction was. Last time I saw him, I swear, the nurse asked what it was, and he explained it to her. It was brief and light on the details, but he did. Now he doesn't know what it is. He forgot since last year?

Also, I should not call the thing where a faint double of the image or text appears above or below it "double vision." "Double vision" is some other specific thing, not seeing two things, one of which is fainter. It's confusing for them when I call that "double vision." Cool. That makes very little sense to me and makes it even harder for me to keep talking. Thanks.

Anyway, they put me in front of a couple machines to take images and this time, FINALLY, I coughed up numbers that say something is wrong. My lenses are supposed to let light through at a "10." The left one is at a "9," which the doctor thinks is "not bad" and then he never addresses the blurriness in that eye again. Because the right one is at ".89". There's a decimal in there. It's less than one. This is severe. I must have a cataract.

But I only had the surgery because they thought my lenses looked fine and I wouldn't have cataracts for a decade or more! All of a sudden I have a cataract? "Well, let's dilate your eye and have a look!"

No cataract. He can't see anything. Yet he is holding an image with a number that says YES cataract.

Well, okay, I can read, so my vision isn't that bad (Oh, dear god) but let's give it a month, come back and see if the machine says the invisible cataract has progressed any. If it's still there and still invisible, you can have a referral to a cataract specialist. Oh, this has gone on so long, all the techs are at lunch. Well, they'll call you to make an appointment when they get back.

They still haven't called me, I guess they've been at lunch since yesterday.

I want my money back. I really, really do. If I have early-onset cataracts they missed, I did not have the information I needed to consent to that surgery. I don't think it's going to happen, though. Cataract surgery would be covered, if I just got a regular lens. But if I'm letting them cut into my eyeball and risk more pain and severe dry eye after all I've been through, I want a better lens - if that would work for me. God alone knows how I'll find a doctor whose opinion I trust to ask about that.

I still have no idea why the left eye is blurry and THEY CAN'T SEE ANY CATARACTS. This doctor is painfully nonchalant about having no idea WTF is going on. Hey, the surgery was a success! I can read! According to him! I don't have the endurance to draw or the speed to drive, but that's cool. No big deal.

Bleh. This is probably poorly-worded, with typos, but this is what's going on with me. This is what I'm trying to accomplish while still telling stories and enjoying life as the world falls apart. I'm a little tired and distracted, that's all.

[lucysweatslove]

Health recap, I guess? 2019 to present, because I'm so frustrated with my health atm.

Early 2019, I started with wrist pain whenever I used my hand to push on something. Nobody could figure it out. Did OT without much help. Was told it is "probably functional" but lost ability to do things I love, including lift weights and do yoga.

End of 2019, I got sick with an upper respiratory infection. I get colds periodically like everybody else. Nothing new.

URI did the whole "got better, then it got worse" thing and turned into a sinus infection and then my First Ever Ear Infection.

Went into urgent care; was given... some... antibiotic. I don't even remember the class. When this helped but didn't resolve, and the URI progressed to a cough and lower respiratory stuff, I was put on another antibiotic of a different class.

Eventually that antibiotic cleared it up, but I had a terrible cough for a few months. Also. Finally see a new psychiatrist who puts me on Wellbutrin and I feel so much better emotionally. Not physically.

Enter in COVID! I was working in a derm clinic and had to take my temp multiple times a day. We found I was persistently having fevers! Yay! I also was tremulous, nauseous, and lost weight unintentionally. This was on top of a couple year history of significant whole-body pruritis. Concern is something cancer.

Provider I worked for ordered labs while I waited to get into my PCP. My TSH was marginally high, which was unexpected. My PCP called and was like "let's put you on levo!" to which I said no, let's not, because I'm not presenting with any hypothyroid symptoms. I requested repeat TSH plus additional thyroid tests eg T3/T4.

Those came back normal, PCP was all "its a good thing I didn't start you on meds" like ma'am no, it's a good thing I had some medical knowledge and thusly refused and pushed for repeat studies. My PCP did not additional workup and took my temp via forehead scanner and was all "you're perfectly healthy."

Moved, and thus I needed a new PCP. New PCP did more extensive workup.

Start grad school fall of 2020. Can't focus well, suspect ADHD because my sister has ADHD and my historical depression, which I've blamed all my previous focus issues, is well-treated with Wellbutrin. PCP agrees but because of fevers doesn't think it's a good idea to start a new med yet.

Everything negative/clear/normal, including peripheral blood smear, blood culture, and chest and abdominal CT.

"Well, the next step would be a bone marrow biopsy..."

That sounds painful, no thanks. If it's something insidious, it'll eventually show up on routine labs and then we can do the biopsy. I continue to have fever and ear pain (even when my ears look "clear") and recurrent ear infections. I notice my hair is thinning too, and I keep getting recurrent scalp infections, but oh well. School goes fine even if I can't focus well, so I ignore that, too.

I figure out that my wrist pain is a ganglion cyst that nobody noticed because it didn't grow "up" but snaked its way through bones so it took 2 years for a "bump" to present. Had surgery to remove it in early-Mid 2021.

Constant stuffy nose starts in 2021, but my husband's hips died in mid 2021 and I focused more on him initially. I still can't focus and my nose is so stuffy it interferes with sleep.

Enter into a long discussion with my PCP where she refuses to acknowledge that I might have ADHD and thinks it's from my nose + inability to sleep. We try to treat it. Nothing works. Still. Stuffy.

Apply to medical school. Worried about ADHD and being able to focus and learn. Therapist who I've been working with since Husband's hips agrees it is ADHD but can't medically treat. Referred to testing because maybe if I have an actual diagnosis, my PCP would treat.

Diagnosed with ADHD + autism. Clinician assessor told me that my PCP's office doesn't usually "accept" his diagnoses.

Go to a PMHNP instead who won't prescribe stimulants without assessment from a specific neuropsych.

Placed on Strattera while I wait for neuropsych results. It's terrible. Fevers spike, I'm shaking all the time, can't sleep, like no change in focus. 0/10.

Do assessment with neuropsych. Only did some self-rating scales + the WAIS. WAIS test is voided because I've done it too recently. I still have to pay.

PMHNP finally says she won't make me go through any more hoops and we try Vyvanse. Vyvanse is amazing. I barely have any exacerbation of anything physical even.

Start medical school, things are OK and stable.

A few weeks into school (probably like, 6 weeks after starting the vyvanse, if it matters). I start feeling unwell and dizzy and like my eyes can't focus well, and I can't bring myself to eat. I figure I just need more hydration + electrolytes. Eat more salt, do better.

Two months into med school, everything flares. My scalp flares, I end up with a staph aureus infection not just on my scalp but by both of my ears, neck, and even a small abscess on my arm.

Treated for the staph but two weeks later develop widespread myalgias. Start taking daily Aleve to manage.

Fever is flaring without any particular pattern during this process.

Losing so much hair in the shower and in clumps. Husband can't find discrete lesions of baldness. I look at the hair and they are all telogen stage. Decide it's probably telogen effluvium from the stress of school.

Myalgias get progressively worse until I am in so much pain just sitting in class that if I forget Aleve for just one day, I'm almost crying and can only focus on the pain.

Finally decide to get another appoint with my PCP. It's in 2 weeks.

Why did I wait so long to see my PCP again? Because I am fat with a history of a restrictive eating disorder and I am absolutely petrified I will be labeled once again as the Overly Anxious Fat Woman that "just needs to meditate and lose some weight," and that when I bring up my new diagnoses and meds, I'll be told I "can't possibly be autistic" because I'm in med school and "present myself well" nor can I have ADHD because clearly I'm just an overly anxious fat woman.

[wraenata]

And with that, I have answered all the birthday wishes I received! I was so blown away by all the love I received from you guys! I'm just so sad it took me a whole week to answer them all :(

My week has just kinda been like charmander up here, just so increasingly exhausted every day. My doctors appointment is in 2 weeks and I hope we can find a solution to this ever growing fatigue!

Did you know that fatigue is a common symptom for hypothyroid issues, and that 17% of women will have thyroid issues before they turn 60? Not gonna lie I really hope its that, because that sounds easy to fix.

I'm sorry for the lack of reblogs and tags, I hope to get back to them soon.

[trinrose3]

Three questions about vitiligo because I think these sites I’m using for research are too vague in combination of how terribly formatted they are lol:

1) Does vitiligo affect the hair in any way?

2) As an autoimmune disease, are there any other symptoms than losing pigmentation?

3) Does vitiligo “spread” overtime?

Unfortunately, a lot of information about Vitiligo seems to be pretty much a huge shrug emoji when it comes to various nuances (and even generalized things) of the disorder 😭.

This varies from person to person! I personally don't (sad about it

Vitiligo does seem to have a decent comorbidity rate for other autoimmune disorders (especially hypothyroidism), but besides that and concerns for sun damage, nope!

Depends on the variation! There are different types of vitiligo, ranging from universal (~90% or more of the body), segmental, isolated, and even synovial (areas where joints are) just to name a few! it's also possible to have a combo type! It's very normal to see the spots change (or even disappear and/or come back!), especially over the years