Hi. My name is Janie, and I am the creator of this patient-to-patient informational site, which is based on better health and treatment of thyroid patients around the world.
Tell me: have you glanced at this site and think it has nothing to do with you? That may be.
But before you leave, would you humor me and answer a few questions just for yourself? These questions, if answered candidly by you, can be an eye-opener. And please note: there are no right or wrong answers. There are just a combination of yesses or no’s.
1) Have you been putting on weight the last few years?
2) Do you have a hard time getting pounds off and keeping them off?
3) Do you feel sad or depressed a few times a week?
4) Is your hair or skin dry?
5) Do you ever feel cold when others are comfortable?
6) Do you feel you tire more easily than a good friend of yours?
7) Has your throat ever felt tight when you swallow?
8 ) Are you being treated for low B12, low iron, celiac, digestive problems, depression, anxiety or aches & pains?
9) Do you have any family history of thyroid disease?
10) Do you have a hard time falling asleep at night?
11) Does it take you awhile in the morning to get going?
12) Are you more irritable than you used to be, or have mood swings?
If you answered yes to two or more of the above, there’s a good chance this site pertains to you!
How might this site pertain to you? Because most all of the above questions apply to hypothyroidism, and some to Hashimotos Disease which results in hypothyroidism, even if there are individual differences in who manifests which. And there are literally MILLIONS of individuals all across the globe who are hypothyroid and don’t know it. You could be one of those millions. Many of us have been!
Why would you just now be finding this out? Part of the problem is that doctors do the wrong lab test to detect hypothyroidism, called the TSH, which stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. For most folks, the TSH lab result will be “normal” for years before it reveals to your doctor that you’re already hypothyroid, and have been all those years. Another part of the problem is that doctors ignore clear signs of hypothyroid repeatedly, and want to connect them to other conditions. And a final problem is just US. We hate to admit we have certain problems, or we hope they’ll go away. We’ve all been there!
What about other problems related to being hypo? There’s another problem! If you answered yes to either #10 - 12, you are probably in the early stages of adrenal fatigue. When a person is hypothyroid for awhile and no one has identified it, your adrenals work extra hard to keep you going. And in time, they first overreact (causing problems falling asleep) and they then start to become fatigued, preventing you from waking up refreshed. Chronic irritability is a common symptom of struggling adrenals. Other symptoms of struggling adrenals are feeling the need to drink coffee or caffeinated beverages, being bothered by bright lights more than normal, startling easily, wanting to avoid people, feeling less patient, etc.
What’s the bottom line?? This site may apply to YOU if you answered yes to a few of those questions! And if it does apply to you, this site will guide you to CORRECT diagnosis and CORRECT treatment. Unlike many of us, you can avoid many of the problems millions of us have experienced by using this site to educate yourself, and then taking this information to your doctor’s appointment!
I’m glad you visited STTM.
Janie
