QuestionI am 30 years old, and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, after the birth of my first son. I've had two surguries, the last one my thyroid was removed. I'm approximately 225 pounds and around 5'4. I am on thyroid medication through a clinic in my area. I have no health insurance and can't get any kind of help at any social services due to my husband's income. I am also on anti-depressants and a high blood pressure/fluid medication. I am desperate to loose weight, and possible to gain some energy. When I diet it is really hard for me because of my thyroid. The dr.s say my thyroid level is normal, but I stay exhausted, kind of sad, poor memory, and just slow. Dieting makes it even worse. I have even had some people tell me to try to get on disability. Do you have any advice for me? I will appreciate any you can give me. Thanks!
AnswerHello Dana,
I've been thinking of your question a few days. You are in a tough situation and my heart goes out to you. This is out of my expertise, but I have some advice that maybe your friends won't tell you.
First, I want you to keep a few things in mind. You have very good reason to feel down, but not out. You are young, though you may not feel that way. You have a long time to make progress, and I bet you will since you have been thinking of it - which is the first and most important step.
I would leave your weight to the side for now. You should not let it bother you or let it make you feel less a person or even less fit. You may find yourself standing next to someone a lot thinner than you are but who may be 50% fat with clogging arteries while you have good muscle and are a lower percentage fat and more fit. Just because a scale is easy to buy and everyone can get their weight, doesn't mean it is the whole story. You carrying around that weight is big weight-bearing exercise, so you have good muscle that someday you will be able to enjoy. But that is not now.
I would also set aside any energy you are expending over your thyroid, or blaming that for your predicament. Thyroid levels are easily measured (assuming the clinic isn't totally incompetent and that you have regular access to the medicine) and can be treated. Saying your thyroid is shot when your thyroid levels are normal is like someone insisting they are anemic even though they have enough iron in their blood. So stop dealing with that, it's a dead end as far as your getting to where you want to be.
I would pass on the disability if you can afford it. There's a perverse incentive to not get well or progress towards your goals once you get used to collecting it. I have two friends that that has happened to and, frankly, it is sad. The days that go by are gone. Better to use them struggling towards improving yourself than to, consciously or unconsciously, be wary of getting well and losing a check or benefits that have become intrinsic to your lifestyle. If you do find that you need to go on disability, I suggest that you set some time limit so you don't fall into the trap.
Your blood pressure medicine probably doesn't help your dieting to lose weight. But, since that is set to the side for now, it doesn't matter either. The key to getting out of a bad situation is to simplify your focus. Dieting makes you feel worse, so do not do it. You have more important things on your plate.
That leaves me with two observations. Physically, I think what you need to worry about is diabetes. Your weight is a risk factor, but that can be addressed by trying to cut back on sugars. Not to lose weight per se, but just to cut your chance of becoming diabetic and having that on your plate to deal with on top of everything else. A very easy way is to stop eating foods with corn syrup. That's all, just avoid foods with corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup or any other related super-sugar. This will eliminate a lot of prepared foods from your diet that probably have other chemicals in them that stand in the way of your making progress. Feel free to substitute with other sweets or cookies or whatever. Even donuts, if they are made with plain old sugar. I am not suggesting you do without "fun" food, just that you teach yourself to choose better ones. Ones that may help you feel better and which may also help your weight stabilize or even go down. The real purpose though is to avoid becoming diabetic.
Next is your depression. Hey, your life looks pretty stressful to me so it's not surprising that your serotonin just isn't enough. And your symptoms scream depression. This means that your antidepressant is not working for you. Getting the right kind is not straightforward. You may have to press your doctor harder about it. This is why you need to drop the thyroid thing from your list. As long as that lurks in the background, you will not muster the strength you need to focus on treating your depression. Focus, focus. Tell him what your life is like and that you need either a new drug or more of the one you are taking. Don't soft pedal it. Too many times woman your age are not taken seriously or dismissed as having the blues or being too fussy. Have none of it! I know that finding the right medicine for depression is tough, but really you have no choice. Give your new dose/med time to work, often a month. But if you don't get what you need, go through the effort again of getting the doctor to do his job. It's an ugly process, not for the weak, but it really is the only way forward.
In the meantime, there are steps you can take that may help your depression. The good thing about a mind is that it is shaped by your experiences and that gives you a tool. It really is true that forcing yourself to smile helps. Your brain feels you smiling so will make the happy chemicals associated with a smile. Don't think I am telling you to just pretend to make things look nice, I am not. I am advising you to actively seek out and perform activities that you should enjoy and look like you are, even though you may not feel that way. It is a two way street between your brain and "you". It's time for you to start pushing back and encouraging it to make the chemicals you need.
Another step is to consider buying a therapy light. I know this will not fix your depression, but every little step can help. If you look on the web you can learn about them. It is important to get a real therapy level lamp, not just a bright light. I suggest this in case you feel more depressed in the fall/winter. I have a light and I love it. I realized that light mattered to my mood when I went into a tanning booth before a trip to Hawaii and then my perception of the day (which was dragged out, yucky) totally changed. Again, there is scientific evidence for the effect of light on your brain - I am not a touchy feely person. I have read papers in peer reviewed science journals that, even without my personal experience, would make me try one out. You may be surprised at how much the seasons effect you. The holidays get the blame, but I think it's just the winter light.
If you decide to cut out foods with corn syrup, and maybe eventually to cut down on sugars/carbs, then you will have already taken a step to help your mood. We all know the pleasures of the sugar high and the disappointment when the low strikes. Imagine that you are putting your body and brain through this roller coaster ride over and over again. This drains you of chemicals that you need desperately now to dig out of the pit you are in. Again, you have more than enough on your plate as far as physical and emotional stresses (with children on top of that!), so getting off the roller coaster whenever you can manage is well worth it. Remember to pat yourself on the back whenever you avoid "the ride". It is an achievement.
Well, Dana, I really have gone on too long. But I just feel so badly for you and would love to help. In the end, it is all up to you. Seize whatever happiness you find and dwell on it. Work on improving your mood, I know you will find tools in your life that will help you. And get that doctor to address your depression. Give no room for dawdling or ho-humming. Tell him you are doing your part and its time for him to do his.
I wish you well. Remember to keep things simple (subject: depression. Period) and I know you will get on track. Let the weight loss wait for now. Don't fall for the "if I only lost weight everything would be okay" line - it's false.
Very sincerely, and with good wishes again,
Arlene
- Prev:Anthroposophy and eating fish or seafood.
- Next:last 10 pounds!!