Disclaimer: The following article is a description of an individual experience and should not be considered as medical advice. The author is not a medical professional nor an expert in any of the medical fields. Please consult a doctor for medical advice.
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December of 2019. On this particular day I was at the hospital. The general physician whom I met with, to consult, after looking at my reports recommended I meet with an endocrinologist. My TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) parameter was too low. I met the endocrinologist. He explained that my thyroid glands were overworking! My body has been overwhelmed by the hormones released by the thyroid glands. This was not good. My body had lost significant amount of weight. After performing a few tests and hearing my symptoms, he diagnosed it – Hyperthyroidism. There is nothing to worry right now and no action to be taken immediately – he said. Retake the TSH test after 2 months.
Overall, I wasn’t feeling well. I looked sick because of the lost weight. I wasn’t able to concentrate noticeably. During one of the technical discussions at office I stopped in between and told my team I was not able to think clearly. Until later I hadn’t realised that this was a symptom. I hated feeling cold. Palpitations sometimes. Body was not energetic.
I didn’t wait for 2 months. I retook the TSH test in 1 month. This time, TSH parameter was too high. I met the endocrinologist again. The overworking thyroid glands were now not working enough! My body needed those hormones to function but they weren’t getting produced. These hormone hold a significant role in the normal functioning of the body. I had to supplement them. Normally, I am reluctant to take any form of medicine/pills. But I started taking the hormone supplements.
As soon as I started taking it, I had discomforting experiences. I don’t want to attribute these discomforts to be the side effect of these hormone pills. They happened during the same timeline. The only comfort that I had – Hypothyroidism was a common enough problem. Allopathic system of medicine had a way of managing it.
Health wise, the first few months after I started taking those medicines were the most difficult days of my life. My mind would (over) react to most triggers of stress. Even hearing my daughter cry was difficult, sometimes unbearable. I stopped reading books, stopped reading all forms of content, I stopped watching television with the fear that it might trigger an overreaction. I wanted to read about this condition and if there are natural ways to get out this condition but didn’t dare to. Bad moods most of the time.
Today, I’m better. Much much better. 28th Dec 2021 was the last day I supplemented my body with these thyroid medicine. Its been over a year and my TSH parameters have been in the normal range since. I test them once in every 3 months.
So, what helped?
I have spoken to at least 3 senior endocrinologists and looking at the pattern of symptoms, parameters in the reports possibly being auto immune, the three of them said that I’ll never be able to stop taking this medication. They did not consider this to be a lifestyle disease. The Allopathic system of medicine, in this case, did not see any possibility of helping my body heal and live without thyroid medicine.
As this was a fundamental function in the body, I wanted my body to heal and naturally produce these hormones. I consulted with an Ayurvedic doctor. I went through panchakarma. The doctor said it might take few years to completely come out of this but was not entirely sure. One needs to take it slow – the doctor said. I did not feel confident about continuing treatment with this doctor. I got in touch with a Homeopathic doctor who was highly recommended and had helped manage/cure in many such situations. I started my treatment with her while not stopping the Thyroid medicines. I have also heard many testimonies that regularly practicing yoga asanas would help one heal.
Overall there were 6 areas that I slowly and steadily became conscious about. These I think helped me –
- Food: Avoid certain kinds of food & totally avoided outside food. Eat nutritious home cooked food / whole food.
- Exercise: Regularly practice Yoga
- Inputs to my mind: Slow down. Good music, positive talks. Avoided watching tv series, avoided reading news, articles.
- My behaviour patterns: I gave up some / many of the restrictions that I had put on myself and on others around me.
- Sharing: Once a week I would meet a friend close by and share what I was going through (Thanks KB for listening to me). Shared on a daily basis with my wife (She was extremely patient with me & took good care). On a monthly basis with my doctor.
- Medication: While I was taking the Thyroid medication, I was ensuring I got a lot of Vit D (supplement & sunlight), B12 (as I was not having any meat based food). I was also on a Homeopathic medication too.
While I do not wish this experience for anyone, I am thankful in a way for this experience. However, this experience helped me prioritise my mental health, my physical health and appreciate the reality that life is really, fragile. Going inwards frequently has become more important to me.
Many years ago, I had once listened to an audio discourse of Kapil Gupta. His take was that humans should have near death experience once in every 6 months. This he thought would be a quick way to clear the clutter, fake-ness and the falsity surrounding humans. I thought it was cool and wished it for myself.
I wonder if the nature, examining my sincere wish, said “so be it!” 🙂
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