strange...

it's strange to have a doctor tell you that there is a medical reason for all of these things about your body that you just thought were normal, because you've lived with it your whole life. it's even more strange that a doctor can give you a tiny little pill to fix such a tiny big thing that controls so much in your body. just weird.

i got diagnosed this week with autoimmune thyroiditisosisosisososos....just kidding, I just don't know how to spell it or really say it. basically, it's hypo-(low)0thyroidism. my thyroid gland is about 1/2 the size it should be, and barely functions at all. i don't know why it took me so long to get it tested. all it took was a simple blood test. my sister had been nagging me about it forever, because she also suffers from low thyroid function, and so does my dad, and brother, and I think my mom does, and both of my grandmothers did too. you'd think I would've had that checked out a LONG time ago. but i never really thought anything was wrong. i finally went and got the blood work done because my dad basically made me, because there are SO MANY autoimmune disorders running ramped in my family, that he thought I should just finally get it done. so i did.

turns out that i've most likely had a severely low functioning thryoid gland since i was a kid. it's genetic in my case, from both sides of the family. however, because I was SUPER active all the way through high school, meaning hard core sports every day, several hours a day, for years on end, I probably saved myself a lot of the more severe symptoms of a low thyroid. but, all these other things I've just had my whole life that i thought were just normal to me, are actually symptoms. many of these include: my eczema (dry skin) all over my body, the fact that I bruise very easily, have always suffered from severe sinus problems despite where I'm living and the environment, the aching in my shins and joints (not from soccer), struggling with losing weight despite exercise and healthier eating, being constantly exhausted (which I always attributed to the insanity of my life and busy schedule, which it does play a part, but it's likely much more genetically influenced), etc.etc.etc. I could go on. All of these little things that I never thought much about - are all directly connected to my lack of thyroid function. weird huh?

your thyroid essentially controls your metabolism, or the rate at which all of your cells function and regulates all your cells and tissues. when there is a lack of hormone produced by your thyroid, all of your bodily functions slow down. and I never knew. wow.

somehow, I've been able to fight against it for so long, still suffering the effects of this autoimmune disorder, and get by. in jr.high and high school i beat a lot of the symptoms off because I played sports so much. in the rest of my life I seem to have just dealt with it unknowingly, not functioning at my best capacity. I think if I was a lot lazier person, I would probably see more of the severe signs of it. however, because I'm a crazy person, work super hard and am always on the go, I've always attributed my weariness and fatigue to my hectic lifestyle. boy was I wrong......

it will be interesting to see how the medication helps and if I really do start gaining more energy and feeling overall healthier. i don't really know anything else than what I've known about my body my whole life, so I feel like I might be in for a shock. strange.

that's all.