For almost a year I had been an emotional wreck, but I convinced myself that this was what happened after your mid-thirties. When the symptoms persisted, I went to see my doctor and asked her how old a person had to be before they began the menopausal process because I was sure that I was at that point in my life. After discussing that as a possibility, with reluctance, my doctor checked my hormone levels. However, this was a false alarm; my levels were normal.
After my initial check-up, I went back to my doctor to further discuss my worries. During one point in our discussion, she suddenly began staring at me in a peculiar manner. She asked me if my thyroid glands had always been as large as they were on that particular day. My response was that I did not know what size they were supposed to be and had never really noticed them before. Immediately, she determined that there was something unusual going on and directed me to get a thyroid blood test done.
For a year, I had been having the following symptoms, which I explained to my doctor:
Weight loss
Muscle weakness
Warm moist skin
Hair loss
Heat intolerance
Severe nervousness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Trembling hands
Acne
The test that I had to take was a simple one, a basic blood test to check my thyroid levels. The results came in, and my thyroid levels were indeed abnormal. This prompted my doctor to send me to get a thyroid scan, which confirmed that I had two abnormal nodules growing on my thyroid gland, which was causing my body to attack itself. This is known as hyperthyroidism.
This was the day that my life flashed before my eyes. I was always the healthiest person around, and the poster girl for good health. Sure, I would get a cold every now and again, but I was never seriously ill. I exercised every day, ate the right foods, and prided myself on an excellent sense of hygiene. Yet here I was thirty - something, minding my own businessand then learning that I might have a very serious health issue! What did this mean for me? Was I going to die? Did I need surgery? I was at a loss for words, and in my head I was simultaneously planning my will.
Hyperthyroidism, the doctor explained me, is the medical term to describe the signs and symptoms associated with an over-production of thyroid hormone. Although there are several different causes of hyperthyroidism, she said, most of the symptoms that patients experience are the same regardless of the cause.
A patient with hyperthyroidism usually has a metabolism that can increase easily, and they often tend to feel hotter than those around them. They can slowly lose weight regardless of how much they eat. The weight issue is often the most confusing part, since it becomes possible for patients to actually gain weight because of an increase in their appetite. Patients with hyperthyroidism can experience fatigue at the end of the day, but have trouble sleeping. Trembling of the hands and a hard or irregular heartbeat may also develop.
For some patients, like me, irritability and a shorter temper often become a part of everyday life. When hyperthyroidism is severe, patients can suffer shortness of breath, chest pain, and muscle weakness. Usually the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are so gradual in their onset that patients do not realize the symptoms until they become more severe. This means the symptoms may continue for weeks or even months before patients fully realize that they are sick.
Finding out that I had hyperthyroidism was not the most devastating part for me. The most devastating part of the experience for me was when my doctor informed me that there might be a possibility of cancer. The next step in the process for me was to have a biopsy. According to my doctor, the biopsy is the only non-surgical method, which can differentiate malignant and benign nodules in most, but not all, cases. The biopsy was done with a needle. The needle was placed into the nodule several times and cells were aspirated into a syringe. The cells were then placed on a microscope slide, stained, and examined by a pathologist. The nodule is then classified as non-diagnostic, benign, suspicious, or malignant. I had two biopsies which were both inconclusive; therefore, I made the decision, with my physician's advice, to remove my thyroid entirely. I would prefer to have no thyroid and take a pill for the rest of my life than to have cancer growing in my body and not knowing.
The surgery went well and I spent three days in the hospital. Although there are many risks with surgeries, the most serious possible risks of thyroid surgery include: 1) bleeding that can cause acute respiratory distress, 2) injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve that can cause permanent hoarseness, and 3) damage to the parathyroid glands that control calcium levels in the body, causing hypo-parathyroidism.
The great thing about this experience was the happy ending: all my levels went right back to normal and all the symptoms went away. I do not know if this happens to everyone, but it happened for me. Apart from a scar on my neck, and the fact that I have to take a pill everyday, I am as good as new!
One point that I would like to make is that some people can choose to remove all or part of their thyroid depending on how many nodules, the size of the nodule, whether or not they are cancerous and where they are situated. Be assured that there are many resources out there and you should never resign yourself to an end-of-the-world state of mind in the face of any health issues. The mind can be a very powerful asset in your recovery, just as easily as it can be a liability. Hyperthyroidism, specifically, can be treated and you can be back to your normal self after a few months.