Day One

DISCLAIMER: THIS BLOG IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY AND IS NOT TO BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE. I'M NOT MEDICALLY QUALIFIED AND I MAY GET THINGS WRONG. WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ME MAY BE WRONG FOR YOU SO PLEASE ASK A DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS.

This isn't intended to be a big diary: I want to keep tabs on my experiences as someone taking thyroxine, and if by blogging I can add to the general pool of information, I'm happy to do so.
I'm also happy to reply to emails, but can't guarantee that I will check them regularly.

So, then.

Today at 10.50am, I took the first of my thyroxine tablets, the first of a series that's expected to continue as long as I live. I'm a 46 year old female; I was officially diagnosed as in need of thyroxine supplements after some blood tests, but the doctor and I are of the opinion that I've probably needed them for a long time. That's the nature of thyroid problems: they can creep up on you, waving handfuls of symptoms that look like symtoms of all sorts of other things, and it's quite easy for nobody to notice what's going on.

I have a long list of symptoms which I'm not about to share with the world, but I'm keeping a check to see whether any of them responds to treatment. I'm hoping at least some do, otherwise this will be a very limited blog, because even if I'm not publishing a list, I want to talk about what changes. There are, I think, changes already. This is what happened this morning:

I had my visit to the doctor first thing, and was given my free prescription. I'm in the UK, and hypothyroidism is one of the conditions that entitles the bearer not to pay £7.20 every time the doctor prescribes something. In my opinion this is very fair for thyroid suffers, but not very fair on those people with certain other chronic conditions who nevertheless don't qualify.

Now, as those who have thyroid problems will already recognise, there is only so much energy available and it needs to be spent wisely. While I was out, therefore, I did the day's shopping in order to avoid a second trip later in the day. I live only 10 minutes' walk from a major supermarket, but the walk there and back, carrying shopping, would normally be enough to wipe me out for three or four hours. Lately I've even fallen asleep once or twice, but normally I have to keep going so I rest as much as possible between activities. The key is not to stay on my feet too long, or if I have to be active, to stay on the move. It's when I stop that it catches up with me. Today, then, I came home and put the computer on, read the instructions for my new pills and took the first of them (little white thing, no hassle to swallow with water, preferably before breakfast and away from any calcium intake). I then sat at the computer, feeling the beginning of the 'wiped out' feeling taking hold and wondering if I should go and lie down. Then I can only assume the pill took efffect, though I hadn't expected anything clearcut on the first day. Instead of getting rapidly more tired, I stayed awake and - wow! - began to feel more wakeful!

I've been like this the rest of the day. Right now, at midnight, I still feel as though I've had the benefit of a siesta. I'm aware of a slight heaviness from the bottom of my neck to the top of my chest: I wonder if that's anything? I found my feet were fidgetting - why? Am I restless because of the new hormone levels? I have certainly been going round with a spring in my step, even cleaning the kitchen floor late this evening (and it's been a while since I did housework late on, though I'm an evening person. How long? A year? More?)

The most obvious, quantifiable benefit has been that my vision has been clear most of the day. I've been short sighted since I was 10, and for about three years recently I've also had reading glasses and those things will continue, but since some time last year I've had real problems focussing and generally having blurred vision. This evening I've had a slight recurrance of the blurriness, but most of the day - since I took the hormone - it's not been a problem It's been so nice not to feel my eyes are struggling!

Well, enough for now. Even if I'm feeling fresher than usual, I still need sleep.