Scary Starting Point

Everyone is on a health journey. To getting better, or not doing anything or not coping with disease or feeling that they are on a slippery slope with no control. 

That's EXACTLY how I felt: completely at the mercy of disease.

Totally out of control and the disease had it's own way and was unpredictable day after day, week after week. Slowly getting more fatigued; slowly more hair falling out; slowly having worse stomach issues; slowly recoiling from taking part in life as it made me feel worse and able to function less.

HASHIMOTO’S HYPOTHYROIDISM

It had me in it’s clutches and was spiralling me down into despair and disability.

My starting point was pretty grim.

When I finally wanted to do something about it all, I went to the doctor with this list of symptoms:

Fatigue – severe

Overwhelm – couldn’t even cope with taking a shower

Anxiety – severe

Paranoia – everyone was out to get me

Brain fog – severe

Confusion – severe

Stressed out

Heart palpitations – woke me up every night

Tingling hands and feet

Muscle weakness

Acne

Hair falling out – in large clumps

Uncontrolled sweating

Brittle nails

Light sensitivity – dazzled by lights so no night driving

Upset stomach – constantly

Bloating – looked like I was 9 months pregnant

Dry skin

PMS

Sore joints – would seize up after sat for 30 minutes

Sore muscles

Muscle cramp

Short term memory loss – forgot whole conversations

Long term memory loss – starting losing words

Insomnia – severe

Stomach cramps - every morning

So that was my NORMAL!

That’s what I lived with every single day and just got on and did my thing. I didn’t LOOK ILL, but I WAS – life alteringly ill.

OH MY GOD WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!

NORMAL????? WAS I CRAZY?!?!?

And then the doctor told me it was all in my head, offered me antidepressants and sleeping pills and thought he would send me on my merry way.

NOT A CHANCE MATE!

So I sat for 45 minutes taking up his precious time until he referred me to a specialist. Ideally an Endocrinologist, as I was sure it was related to my Hashimoto’s, but I got referred to General Medicine in the end.

But I got my referral. I fought for it. I stood up for myself and I didn’t opt for a pill to stifle my symptoms.

I am SO PROUD OF MYSELF for this first step. It was hard as hell when I could barely remember the conversation (remember those short term memory problems).

This means that I really know what it's like to have a starting point that SUCKS MAJOR ASS. But the silver lining is that you CAN change things up and get that normal kicked to the curb in favour of one that doesn’t suck.

And I want the same for you. I don’t want you to worry about the stumbling blocks that I had along the way, as I can steer you clear. I want you to have simple and easy to implement health strategies in place to get you feeling AMAZING!

It’s all a journey, but it’s so much easier to have someone to turn to when things get tough. For the support, for the encouragement, for the accountability.

I wish I had this in the beginning. I have now built an amazing health team around me so that the self-care and the attention I give to my health is my priority.

Let's get your HEALTH TEAM up and running.

Let’s BEAT chronic health issues together.

Let’s take that FIRST STEP on a whole new health journey, as no starting point is too scary.

Clare

xx