Lately I’ve been thinking about how little I listen to what my body is trying to tell me, and to a degree how little I take care of my health.

I’ve had a couple of really busy weeks. I’m wrapping up uni for the semester and have had exams and assignments to complete. I’m also gearing up for a seven week Euro trip and am trying to tie up loose ends at work. I also have quite a to-do list of bills to pay and things to organise before I get on the plane. Amongst all of this I’ve been trying to make time to relax and get some exercise in.

A couple of weeks ago I was surprised to begin waking up several times throughout the night – usually my days are so busy that my head hits the pillow and I don’t wake up until my alarm goes off. I also noticed that I was getting irritable and anxious at the smallest of life’s hiccups or events and was eating much more than usual but not gaining any weight. Even though I noticed all of these small changes, it wasn’t until I took a blood test that I began to connect the dots…

 

I’ve had problems with my thyroid gland since I was eleven. The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that sits below the larynx (Adam’s apple) in the neck and is responsible for many metabolic processes in the body, including growth and energy use. Along with the nervous and immune system, the endocrine system helps the body cope with different events and stresses by secreting hormones directly into the bloodstream.  

I was diagnosed at 11 with hyperthyroidism, a condition where the body starts releasing much higher levels of hormones. This left me with a rapid pulse, hand tremors, weight loss (despite an increased appetite), nervousness, anxiety and fatigue (despite not being able to sleep). Before being diagnosed I felt like I had been rolled over by a steam roller – my body was trying to fire on all cylinders but I felt awful.

After years of medication, I had radioactive iodine at 15 to completely destroy my thyroid gland and I now have to take a couple of tablets every day for the rest of my life to release the right amount of thyroid hormone into my body. Usually a healthy thyroid gland will automatically regulate the amount of hormone needed in the body for normal function, but the only way for my doctor to determine if I am getting too little or too much is through a blood test. The first sign I experience that my levels are out is that I usually start to have trouble sleeping, and at that point I head straight to the doctors for a blood test.

 

I went up to my doctors recently to prepare for my trip and realised I hadn’t had a blood test in over a year! Not exactly the best way to look after your health! I’ve just gotten back my results and my thyroid hormone levels are no where near where they should be. The funny thing is, when I walked out of the surgery after my appointment I slowly started to realise that I had all the symptoms that my thyroid levels were out – I was just too busy to notice!

It makes me really annoyed at myself because it means that my body hasn’t been working at its most optimal peak, and a simple blood test months ago could have alerted myself and my doctor to make a simple medication dosage change! 

I’ve decided that I’m going to make the time to see my doctor every 3 months for a blood test until my medication is regulated and then every 6 months after that to stay on track. I’m also going to try and pay more attention to my body. I’m sure I’m not the only one that brushes off a trip to the doctors as an annoying inconvenience and time waster, but I’m realising more and more that I can’t take my health for granted.

 

When was the last time you had a check-up?