When you are born, you are born alone. When you are diagnosed with a disease, it's only yours. And when you die, you die alone...

I lost friends prior to my diagnosis, because of the way that I felt. I have been criticized, shamed, ridiculed, and pitied. I am different now because of the disease, but in part also, by the way that I have been treated.
I am stronger, more empathetic, and passionate. I can't ask those that have not been down my path to understand it fully...I have experienced a paradigm shift.

I believe that anyone with this disease has...experienced a paradigm shift.

When I say "It's hard for family...blah,blah,blah" I mean that. However, that doesn't mean you hang on to toxic relationships (especially NOT with this particular problem). And, it does not mean that you accdept less than compassionate care from friends, relatives, co-workers, etc.

I have (more than one physical problem) that can cause me to appear "fine" one day and "on death's doorstep" the next.

I don't have time for people who don't WANT to understand or somehow feel "put upon" because *I* am the one who's sick.

Sometimes, therapy for both parties in a relationship is called for. In other cases, a chastising (coworkers mostly). And in still other cases, kick 'em to the curb (frenemies, toxic "relationships", and even a job that might be "killing" you). Changes are hard...but when you're sick - staying stuck is sometimes harder.

Life...and periods of wellness...are WAY too short to accept anything less.

When I decided very recently after the destruction of my private life that I was NOT this disease, that helped a whole lot. Our loved ones confuse that, they think we ARE the disease, and when it goes on for 8 years with no resolution, they are convinced that we ARE the disease and they give up really, expecting right or wrong that it will never resolve. That is a nasty reality and it does not matter how educated or sophisticated they are, it might just be human nature.

And yes vonpat, a diagnosis of cancer is far better to be perfectly honest. As I have said before, with cancer, you are diagnosed, you get your treatment of choice, you either recover or you die. Basta. With this hideous disease it drags on forever, no one knows crap about it, there is no consensus, no real information, doctors are morons, there is little if any expertise. We are left out in the cold.

Except for this forum of course.

Very true, StillListing!!

jwlee, maybe buy A book or TWO and lay it on a table where it is easily accessible and maybe your wife will pick it up. There are some in paperback like Mary Shomon's books. You may even learn a thing or two, especially how to speak to a doctor. I was reading one in the waiting room and stumbled upon some valuable info that became a defense during my office visit. I thought I knew a lot about this disease but there was one more thing in there that helped me get on Armour.

I've read a book or two so I think a book may help to understand that this is a real disease and the symptoms are real.

On a different note, Thyroid Month, January, I never heard anything about this disease with the media. There was no RACE FOR THE CURE, NO TRIATHALONS, NO AWARENESS EVENTS where they distribute info like they do for diabetes. People think that we are faking our symptoms because there are no bruises, no skin problems, no bones that are crippling, no heart attacks, strokes, no hospitalization. Diabetes was silent till the MEDIA got involved. People die from Diabetes and have physical debilitating symptoms to the outside of their bodies that are visible to the eyes, NOT thyroid disease!! WE are silently dying inside but no one knows how debilitating the symptoms are.

HORMONES ARE POWERFUL:
Hormones make us to be who we are and WITHOUT them producing normally, WE are like wilted lettuce or like fruits and vegetables that slowly die each day once pruned. WE no longer have energy, a personality, happiness, hair, pretty nails, pretty skin, pretty eyebrows, a spark in our step, a good memory, an internal compass, no smiling, and there are other internal symptoms going on that is even more unnoticeable! Now, with all of these symptoms going one AT ONE TIME, why would someone want to fake having a quality of life such as this!!

Hormones are so powerful that when someone is changing from a male to a female (female to male), it changes them completely. WE would never know that someone went thru the change, this is how powerful Hormones are. Hormones changes a man's voice to a woman's voice. Anyone can choose to change to be a male or female WITH HORMONES, this is how powerful they are. Without them, we have no quality of life. Fertility pills, prevent the normal process of conceiving; how powerful is that. Why would someone want to fake that the THYROID HORMONES are not working!!

Doctors are working with an influx of patients and still they don't even understand how powerful HORMONES are, especially lack of. They even deal with this in a mild manner, like a headache -- take 2 of these and see you later. So if doctors don't see the severity of this debilitating disease, how can anyone else. And maybe they're the ones that should be our advocates. AACE & ATA should bring awareness to this disease just like the ADA.

I used to think that the brain controlled the body, NOPE! Hormones (T3 & T4) control the brain, the body. I had no brain without T3!!
'nuff said, maybe too much!

My husband is supportive..he goes to the endo with me..and saw my damaged T. Gland when I did the ultrasound as the endo showed him..saying "Look husband, isn't that something..rarely seen one so badly consumed!?" However, he still can't be inside what I feel..I have had anx. and wimpy hair since I was in my 20's..I have been fatigued for years..no explanation..so it's not easy to grasp.. As said before, on another post..why now that I am taking T. meds..aren't I better?.. We know otherwise! Actually some days I think I felt better before supplementation!
My closest friend has been awful..literally saying in the beginning, 4 yrs ago "OMG those T. meds can kill you!" There is so much ignorance out there on the subject of hypothyroidism..
Other friends just ignore the subject..and simply don't think it's worth asking about.. It's a frustrating thing fer sure!
TG for you guys!

My hubby doesn't always quite understand why I feel like I do at times,I try to explain it but I don't know if he truly gets it but he never thinks I'm making it up or anything.I just have seen SO many people I come in contact with that seem to have symptoms of it and I have actually diagnosed people I work with,at least 4 or 5 over the years and I have been right.
It seems so prevalent these days.It seems more people have it then don't! It's very weird.

Someone on the board said something profound and SMART the other day (I'm sorry, I don't remember which member - my life is crazy and so am I - apologies) but they said they told certain family members and coworkers they had "migraines" instead of hypothyroidism and they completely understood....or at least understood "better".

I was like, "Why didn't *I* think of that!" Brain fog...that's why.