Staying positive with thyroid fatigue

Prayer and belief in God and His power and pleasure to heal us. A close personal relationship with God. It is not about any particular religion. The truth is not all fatigue and depression /depressed feelings is related to our thyroid. Stress and life situations can expend a lot of energy we don't realize and many sad  and depressed feeling are situational. A lot of us have bodies that are simply out of balance chemically and once we start suppressing one system with a drug we throw something else out of kilter and before long we are like kittens chasing our tails and it is a bloody night mare. I don't write all that often, but I have been helped by some others on this thread and their shared knowledge and encouragement. I see them as blessings God has sent my way to help me find my way out of a medical nightmare. I wish you well. Technical questions I would trust with Catherine. She knows her stuff and is an excellent teacher. She can explain things and is open and non-judgmental..

My situation is similar. My doc has sent me for CBT (talk therapy, basically) and I feel it helps a little. I am also in a writing group and the homework as well as the meetings keep me from sitting around brooding. So I guess social interaction and pursuits that occupy the mind are somewhat effective. Also exercise: I live in a building with an indoor pool and I find that a daily swim really helps blow the cobwebs away, 

My situation is similar. My doc has sent me for CBT (talk therapy, basically) and I feel it helps a little. I am also in a writing group and the homework as well as the meetings keep me from sitting around brooding. So I guess social interaction and pursuits that occupy the mind are somewhat effective. Also exercise: I live in a building with an indoor pool and I find that a daily swim really helps blow the cobwebs away, 

Thanks for your kind comments that's reassuring. Exercise is out of the question for me at the moment as just walking from one end of the flat to the other drains me but I have just ordered a yoga dvd so will give that a try as I would like to do some form of exercise. I've tried CBT but found it didn't help me personally, but have just started counselling - it's an email counselling service which is good to just vent and get things off my chest if nothing else. I'm trying to plan things for the weekends but sometimes I'm so drained from working I have to cancel. Thanks again for your comments

Hi Caz, well, I guess we all struggle with holding it to get her with thyroid disease.  I’d say the most important things are do what you can, be patient and flexible, keep your goals in mind and be willing to change. I’ve inclyded some strategies I’ve found helpful. If nothing else, you’ll find that you aren’t the only one who’s desperate!

1- Counseling.

I’ve found regular counseling sessions to be helpful, as when the thyroid flares, my life falls apart. I’ve tanked so many times, and reassembled my life that I’m an expert now. I’ve been fortunate in the past to find low cost counseling services that were very helpful. Though they are often difficult to find. The key for the counseling is to find one that’s good. I like action oriented counseling. So find talking through some of the strategies is helpful. If you’re able to have ongoing meetings, it’s nice to be able to check in with someone when you get stuck and have setbacks. 

2- Meditation and Energy healing.

I meditate when I can focus enough to do so.  I take meditation classes  at a place that does energy healing and I find I get enormous non judgemental support. I always feel better after meeting with my meditation/ energy healing group.

3- Reach our to friends who understand and be willing to reciprocate. I tell a couple of my friends to be on guard and let me know if I’m having certain indications of low thyroid. So far, my friends haven’t been so good at just reminding me, have you checked your thyroid lately? Or a simple, could it be your thyroid?

I also have a couple of friends I can reach out to. When I’m in trouble, I call them and they offer compassionate words of encouragement and understanding, as well as some problem troubleshooting. 

Teaching out to help guide others can also be a way of taking your power back and using your difficulties and struggles in a productive way. If you can help others with your experience, it becomes a tool for wellness, rather than the dark abyss of a downward spiral.

4- Reminding myself and knowing my symptoms of danger zones.

 I know when I start crying that it’s an indication that I’m in trouble. I know that when my environment gets cluttered, it is an indication that I’m exhausted and have brain fog. I know that when I have food cravings, something is out of whack. 

5-  Last resorts.

If I’m in diar straights, I call the suicide prevention hotline. I find they aren’t as helpful as calling a friend, but if I can’t pick myself up from the depths of depression, hell and frustration to pick up the phone, a human voice on the other end can help me pull it together enough to get some sanity.

If all else fails, caffeine, diet soda and chocolate in reasonable quantities, or ice cream offer fleeting comfort. 

6- Find your passion!  Reinvent yourself. Turn your life focus back into yourself and your goals when you get distracted. Re-evaluate and be willing to let go of unrealistic goals. Be willing to change. Seek out what you are able to do. Take advantage of the opportunities that are available instead of lamenting lost causes.

As I navigate thyroid disease and life, I find often times, even best laid plans often come to nought. (Seriously, went to school for several years and got my teaching credential, only to tank so badly that I’ll likely never be able to teach as I’d planned.) Rather than focusing on the failure and lost efforts (truly heartbreaking), I find a new focus that I CAN do.  

While at my lowest, I wound up caring for my dying mother. I found I love to restore old furniture and could do this while looking after my mother. I was able to restore some beautiful pieces and redecorate my own space. As my mother’s health improved, I shifted my focus back to myself and healing myself. 

Not the most glamorous lifestyle, but I feel a sense of accomplishment and productivity, rather than feeling lost. When I’m frustrated, I work on furniture and find it sort of Zen. The furniture doesn’t demand, it waits,  it takes time, it requires gentle patience, it becomes beautiful when I work on it. 

7- Do the exercise you CAN do without judgement.

The exercise has been tough. As a former athlete, my attitude is always, just do it, no excuses. But with thyroid disease, it’s more like, just try, just do what you can.

If today, I can do five minutes of stretching, that’s what I can do. If another day I can walk for a half hour, great! 

Keep focused on the goal of being able to do more and recognize the strength and patience required to be able to evaluate yourself enough to just do what you can.