Going Hypo

Going hypo has also been written about as “hypo hell.” For the past 2 weeks I have not had a thyroid (duh, I had a thyroidectomy) and have been off of Synthroid, the replacement thyroid medicine. I was doing ok. Initially I was tired but that could easily be attributed to recovery from the thyroidectomy. I did notice a bit of a slowing down but I was getting through the days. It was easier for me because the kids were in school, I’m not working, Ken and the kids were helpful with laundry, dishes and other chores. I began to think I would get through this stage relatively unscathed.

 

I visited my endocrinologist on Wed. and told him I was feeling ok. I had a blood test to measure my TSH levels to see how hypo I was. I needed to be at 30 prior to receiving the radioactive iodine treatment. By the time Ken got home that evening I told him that I felt like I was starting to crash. I just felt more tired than I had been feeling. Thursday was ok, but I noticed a significant difference in my energy levels. On Friday we got the news that I was indeed hypo…my TSH was at 49. It will only continue to rise while I am not taking Synthroid.

 

Today, Saturday, I crashed and burned. Yes, I entered hypo hell. Ken had planned to run a half marathon today and with my full and complete approval he went. He was the top Master! I managed to crawl out of bed by 9 but was pretty groggy. I set the kids to work on some chores and cleaned up some dishes and quickly retreated to a chair to nap. It took me about 45 minutes to summon the energy to shower. I had high hopes that the shower would revive me, but no such luck. I headed back to the chair where I slept and tried to summon more energy to take the kids to a local event that they had wanted to attend. I realized that there was no way that I was going to be able to drive them there, walk around a bit and drive home. So I cried. That’s about when Ken came home. Poor guy – he should have been on a post-race high, instead he walks in on me crying, depressed and exhausted. I’m a lucky woman, he said all the right things, reminded me that I missing a critical hormone that my body needs and that this will pass!

 

So today, I slept, watched some tv, read a little, and slept some more. I had a few more breakdown moments – I still have about a week left without my little Synthroid pill and at times I wonder how I am going to get through it. My head feels like I am in a complete fog. I know I can do it, but I’m dreading it.

 

I’m scheduled to go to the hospital on Tuesday for the radioactive iodine treatment. I had a conversation with the nuclear medicine department and found out that I cannot bring in a laptop, phone or library book (unless I’m willing to leave it there 2-3 months to decontaminate). So I think I’m stuck with daytime tv. I guess the good news is that at the rate I’m going I’ll be sleeping all day anyway.

 

I’ll be in the hospital 1-2 days and will only be released when my radioactive levels reach a low enough point, but even then it will be several days until I can have contact with people. Ken and I have been talking about this and I realized how hard it is going to be to go several days without human touch, to go about a week without seeing and hugging my kids. I think I dread that more than these tired feelings that I have.

 

On a side note, I’m feeling extremely grumpy about “springing forward” tonight. I could really use that extra hour of sleep!