Some background...I have know for several years I am hypothyroid and have been on levothyroxine to regulate it without any issues. Until last year when we discovered a rather large nodule on my thyroid. Bring on the endocrinologist who put me on suppression therapy to try to shrink it. That began in January of this year (2013). In May I began feeling run down again, much like before I began treatment for hypothyroid. I was also having heart palpitations, a sign of hyperthyroid. I asked to have my medication reduced and we did so in July. In early May I woke up with shoulder pain and dismissed it as overuse as a band director. In June I noticed I had reduced range of motion, and began deep tissue massages and chiropractic treatment. It has been hurting much more recently so I finally went to my family doctor to be sure I don't have a rotator cuff injury. That bring us to where I am today.
They always check your blood pressure, etc. for any kind of doctor's appointment. Mine was 134/99 and caused a wave of excitement in the office. My BP is usually very low. Suddenly they are giving me aspirin and asking if I have chest pain. Really?? I did not feel like what I thought a heart attack would feel like. The doctor came in and listened to my heart and found a heart murmur. They did finally talk about my shoulder after doing an EKG and scheduling me for an echocardiogram. I was referred to an orthopedic and got in the next day. He said I had classic frozen shoulder, gave me a steroid shot and physical therapy instructions. He also said something that caught my attention....he asked if I had endocrine issues, I said yes, thyroid, and he immediately said that was what was causing the problem with my shoulder. Hmmmm.....so I go home and begin googling. I find out that hyperthyroid (remember that I was on an increased dose of hormone) can also cause heart murmurs, which can cause high blood pressure. Maybe all my issues are related and I am not really falling apart at the seams? I have to wait until next week to be able to talk with my doctor about it.
I am spending my time this weekend reading books. Dr. Kharrazian's book "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal?", Anne Angelone's book "The Autoimuune Paleo Plan", Izabella Wentz's "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause", and lots of blogs. So now I have a plan....
My symptoms all point to an autoimmune issue, though my blood work really does not. I wonder that because I am paleo that my diet masks the response in my blood work? I am going to discuss my plan with my doctor next week before implementing, and I do hope he is open to trying it with me. What if I eat some gluten and more of a "normal" diet for the next couple of weeks and then run the blood work again? The worst that will happen is I might gain a couple of pounds and feel run down, but that will be temporary. If that blood tests shows positive for antibodies, then I will know it is an autoimmune issue and will follow a strict autoimmune paleo diet. If not, then I will know it is not, but at least I will know something. Not knowing what is wrong is the hardest part of all of this for me.
My biggest fear is that my thyroid seems to be out of control even though I am on hormone therapy and my TSH is in an ideal range. It has attacked my shoulder and my heart, what is next? The issues are getting more serious with more complicated treatments. I am also feeling rather discouraged by the fact that I have spent the last year of my life cleaning up my diet, exercising more, losing 40 pounds, eliminating chemicals from my household products, getting plenty of sleep...and I have more problems than before!
So I begin this blog with two intentions....1) to let others who face similar issues know they are not alone in their journey and 2) to have accountability for sticking with my plan.
Bon Voyage!
