I Didn’t Even Know I Was Sick.
Some people have been following my thyroid exploration journey with great interest. Most people have been pretty bored with all the talk about food, while watching me continue to blow up like a balloon.
When I found the Chinese doctor, I’m pretty sure there was laughter behind my back. But the thing about the Chinese doctor was: she gave me herbal supplements. And when I took those supplements, I felt better. Up until that point, I honestly hadn’t known I was sick.
Before the Chinese doctor, I’d gotten a full-body virtual scan. The only issue they detected was an inactive thyroid. “Most thyroids I see have some activity,” the doctor said. “But there is no activity at all on this scan. Do you want to explore this further?”
“Nah,” I said. “That doesn’t matter.” And then I went merrily on my way.
That was eight years ago. I didn’t even know I was sick.
So the Chinese doctor was helpful; but when I translated all the Chinese herbs into English, I was able to get those supplements on my own.
And while I felt better, I didn’t feel right. I knew something was wrong. Sometimes I would be so tired, I could barely lift my head – at 2:00 in the afternoon. Other times I would scratch my head until it was nearly raw. And sometimes my gut would scream at me like I was being knifed from the inside.
Doctor number three actually took my blood. Anemia, he said. Severe Vitamin D deficiency, he said. The blood showed low-level production in my thyroid; he seemed to think I could do without desiccated thyroid (the thing all the books suggested).
Looking back, I think he just wanted me to continue to visit every three months and give him $300 – not covered by insurance – to read my blood test results.
Once, he told me, “You need to stop eating rice; it turns to sugar in your body.” He put me on the Mediterranean diet. Its main staple? Rice.
Another time he said, “Nine times out of ten, your problem is caused by gluten! You should avoid gluten at all costs!” A minute later, he said: “You can eat bread, but only Ezekiel brand!” I went straight to the store. Ezekiel doesn’t make gluten-free bread. I tried to eat it anyway; of course, it made me sick.
Meanwhile, he told me to take 625% the daily recommended dosage of Vitamin D, which literally could have killed me. When I had heart palpitations and expressed my concern, he actually increased my dosage.
That was the final straw.
I started reading books – again – and researching on the internet – again. For a problem that is supposedly incredibly common in this country, thyroid disorders and autoimmune diseases have virtually no professionals who know how to get to the root causes of either issue.
When someone told me about a test for food sensitivities, I was thrilled. And now, I have taken that blood test – and ordered my (researched and re-researched) supplements.
As a final step, I have found an endocrinologist who will finally prescribe natural, desiccated thyroid (medication) for me. My appointment with the endocrinologist is next week.
So, between the medication, the supplements and the food plan, I should be able to live a long, healthy life.
Of course, this assumes that COVID doesn’t kill me first. 2021 is going to be a tough year with food, new medication and new supplements. But maybe, just maybe, I will actually live to see my grandchildren.
Better yet, I might be even able to play with them.