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PTSD?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Sunnylax01
Sunnylax01

Hi I don't know if my post will make any sense but here goes.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in May 2013. I still remember the conversation between my doctor and I very well. In it he said "you appear to have an underactive thyroid gland."

He prescribed me levothyroxine and when I went to the practice to collect the prescription script I filled out my part of the exemption form in a daze.

So when I went to collect my prescription at the chemist I remember sitting in the waiting area for my medication and I overheard the dispenser who served me say to her colleague "this is a prescription for levothyroxine for that young girl. She's only just been diagnosed." Her colleague replied "Aww." That made me feel so much better.

I left my job in November 2012 because of how poorly I felt and my manager was not very understanding as to why I felt so sick. I still managed to come in to work, every single day without fail, and I kept going without knowing anything about my illness. I kept going because that was the only thing I knew how to do.

Even now I still cannot come to terms with my illness. I get angry when I think back to when I left my job and how I could have stayed in it had I have been diagnosed at the time. I blame myself for leaving and I keep thinking to myself how selfish I could be when my partner works and I no longer do.

I have thought about looking for work because my grandparents keep going on about me doing so even though they know I am hypothyroid and they think that if I mention to any potential employer at an interview about my illness and that I took some time off to recover from it, that would perceive me as weak.

I have absolutely no support network and I used to find myself going on thyroid support forums, asking the same questions over and over again - I guess because the diagnosis has not sunk in at all and I cannot process it - and when I get blood tests done that come back normal I have trouble understanding why I still feel so bad.

I feel like I'm going crazy and that I am exaggerating my situation as there are people out there with so much more distressing backgrounds than myself.

sad

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • chrisxxx
    chrisxxx

    Posted

    The way you speak makes hypothyroidism sound like cancer or something! It's not - it's not a terminal illness and it just means that your thyroid gland isn't producing enough thyroid hormone (usually). It's generally quite treatable with replacement hormone. If you're still feeling not right then perhaps they haven't got the hormone level quite right - see your GP about this.
  • mary47679
    mary47679

    Posted

    I agree with chrisxxx above. You do NOT have to tell anyone about hypothyroidism. It is a simple, nonfatal disease and millions of your colleagues have it! And yes, you can live a completely regular, normal life! There are not even any support groups for it, it's so innocuous. This is not cancer. I've had cancer, and that is traumatic indeed.The question is why are you so upset and conflicted about this and feeling bad? For the answer to that, you need to see a counselor. Learn more about your condition --your reaction is way out of proportion to this illness.
  • mary47679
    mary47679

    Posted

    Wait a minute! Some sophomore medical student and her friends are having a little joke at the expense of those of us who really have PTSD. Sunnylax's Monty Python-like skit treating a trivial condition as a fatal traumatic business is her idea of a good hoax. Sunnylax are you counting the number of responses you get?
  • jessica05
    jessica05 Sunnylax01

    Posted

    My mom and sister have this and they have very normal life and work with no problem just followo with your doctor. they had doctor and treated them well.

    I wish you all the best 

    best of luck and have hope smile

  • najii
    najii Sunnylax01

    Posted

    Hi Sunnylax,

    Sorry I only found this post now , 8 months after the fact cheesygrin 

    Hope things are looking up (?)

    Welcome to the club. You'd be amazed to find out how common hypothyroidism is and  how long doctors have been successfully treating it. In fact, the first hypothyroid treatment was discovered in the late1800's!

    In the 1940's, my mother in law was just 16 when she was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism by a family doctor. Back in the "stone age" they didn't care about TSH, T3, T4 or the other stuff doctors are obsessed with today. The only information required for diagnosis was family history and clinical symptoms (!) The only remedy available was what we call today "dessicated thyroid"  -  natural thyroid hormone from pigs. In most cases it worked like a charm.  My MIL happily took her meds without a hitch for over 60 years.

    Check out the dozens of excellent patient thyroid forums including Mary Shomon, STTM, and this site. There's a wealth of information and folks to commiserate with and learn from  - all free and waiting for you .cheesygrin

    Good luck!

    With my hand on my heart, consider yourself lucky. At least you know the reason you feel so lousy. So many, many suffering people out there never will. 

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