Journal Entry #2 - A Second Beginning - Gina Dierolf

4/15/2019 - Sometime around 2016 or 2017 I was diagnosed with thyroid issues. This diagnosis was made when I changed from my pediatrician to a new primary care doctor and they did new patient blood work. Upon receiving the phone call I was told to go to my pharmacy to pick up a prescription and that I should start taking one pill a day immediately. Then they set up a follow up appointment and put me in contact with an Endocrinologist in my area.

According to The American Thyroid Association hypothyroidism is defined as “...an underactive thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid gland can’t make enough thyroid hormone to keep the body running normally. People are hypothyroid if they have too little thyroid hormone in the blood. Common causes are autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto’sthyroiditis, surgical removal of the thyroid, and radiation treatment.”

Within less than a year this definition would go on to make more sense to me. After more blood tests and a thyroid ultrasound it would be confirmed that I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disease where the body creates antibodies that attack the thyroid causing inflammation. This later leads to a gradual decline in function and to an underactive thyroid.

In the beginning it was a struggle being freshly diagnosed with this disease and every I turned not many doctors could give me any information about it since they didn’t know much about it. As time went on it made more sense and I was able to connect some of the symptoms that I was experiencing to my thyroid issues and I couldn’t understand how my previous doctors had never thought of it as a reason to some of my problems. I had been experiencing weight gain and it was not easy for me to lose weight for years, hair loss, and problems with my menstrual cycle. These all happen to be related to thyroid troubles.

Now I have been taking levothyroxine for a couple years and see my primary care doctor every 3 to 6 months and get blood work regularly. My thyroid levels have been steady and my thyroid ultrasounds come out normal. However, it is still a big struggle to lose weight. I have been seeing a nutritionist every month and try to be more active daily in my activities. I believe in the past six months I have lost about 6 pounds. However, sometimes my weight continues to bounce up and down and is normally at a steady weight, which is not something that I am happy about. Since it is not a healthy weight.