This is making my life easier.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

Something I am very grateful for is that during my recent 13 day hospitalization, numerous tests were ran on me, one of which discovered I have hypothyroidism, which would explain why I have been constantly tired for the past fifteen or so years. I have started on generic Synthroid and for awhile I noticed no difference but the past few days it's been like BOOM - all of this energy out of nowhere, it has been amazing. I have not felt this energetic since the age of 32. I had no idea there was a medical reason for it - I figured it was burnout from struggling and I was stuck with it. So nice to experience life beyond that!

I'm using the newfound energy to get things done that I have been putting off for some time as they seemed too energy-centric and could be kicked out into time indefinitely. Feels good to get some of these things checked off the list! Not much to say but color me grateful on this one. Rob

[JaneV2.0]

A constellation of fun conditions come with hypothyroidism: weight gain and depression among them. Improving energy is a good sign.

[Jilly]

That is pretty cool.

[Tussiemussies]

So glad for you!

[chrisgermany]

Did they also test your blood for Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
It makes sense to run the test, as you then will need to avoid iodine in salt and food to prevent damage of the gland.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Did they also test your blood for Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
It makes sense to run the test, as you then will need to avoid iodine in salt and food to prevent damage of the gland.Hi! I'm not sure about the test for Hashimoto's. I know they tested TSH and T3 and T4 at a minimum because a few days after I was released from the hospital I took some painkillers and got into a cab and went back to the hospital to get copies of all my lab work results and there I was able to see my T numbers. I'm just so glad that this was discovered and looking this over - I think this issue is another reason I remained waiting tables for so long - there is so much stress and so much fear involved in serving that I was able to keep creating some kind of chemicals in my body to keep me going. Better to take the meds and not struggle and have a better shot at doing something less crazy and potentially more fulfilling. Rob

[Gardenarian]

It's always good to get a diagnosis - let's you know you are not nuts!! I'm glad they pinned this down.

[ejchase]

Great news - congratulations on your new energy!

[Selah]

Enjoy that newfound energy, Rob! I didn't know men could also suffer from low thyroid--I learned something today!

[gimmethesimplelife]

Enjoy that newfound energy, Rob! I didn't know men could also suffer from low thyroid--I learned something today!From what I have learned through online research, hypothyroidism strikes women at much higher rates than men, but men also can have it. Just percentage wise not as frequently. And I'm loving having energy, seriously, I feel like I'm 30 again and it's wonderful. Rob

[CathyA]

That's great to hear, Rob!

[flowerseverywhere]

You have posted numerous times how awesome the Mexican healthcare system is. How did they not pick this up? Wait, maybe the US healthcare system, gasp, actually worked!

[gimmethesimplelife]

You have posted numerous times how awesome the Mexican healthcare system is. How did they not pick this up? Wait, maybe the US healthcare system, gasp, actually worked!It did work in this case....when I was able to finally access it due to ObamaCare allowing for expanded Medicaid access and Arizona allowing this expanded Medicaid access to happen. Care to explain why my life was not worth access to such services for the prior 15 years, and care to give one logical reason under such conditions I should not have fled to Mexico all those years to access health care? Rob

PS To be fair to Mexican health care, I never did see a doctor in Mexico in regards to my exhaustion. I really thought it was due to constant struggle - such as the reason why I was in Mexico in the first place for health care. As far as getting tested in the US on Medicaid, I never raised the issue here, either. Numerous tests were taken during my hospitalization and it was picked up from blood work. Were it not for Obamacare and expanded Medicaid, quite likely this would never have happened and I would have continued to suffer. I will take responsibility for this, though, as I should have raised the issue with my doctor in Mexicali. Rob

[Tammy]

Low thyroid has a lot to do with mood also. Some people are thought to have depression until their thyroid is treated, then they no longer need treatment for depression.

[Alan]

Care to explain why my life was not worth access to such services for the prior 15 years, and care to give one logical reason under such conditions I should not have fled to Mexico all those years to access health care? Rob


I'm pretty sure we've gone over this several times before, but I continue to be curious whenever you make the claim that in this country your life was not worth access to health care. If you want an accurate explaination for why you believe that to be true, I'd have to say it's because you placed expense above benefit. You have the same access now, under Arizona's Medicaid program, as you did previously. The only difference is that the cost of that access has been transferred to the State.

All access has an associated cost, it's always simply been a matter of who would foot the bill. In your case I think you were right to go to Mexico in order to minimize expense, in much the same way I believe a shopper should take advantage of sales and specials. The absence of opportunity to pay less doesn't mean you don't have access to the product being sold, it means you've chosen not purchase.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I'm pretty sure we've gone over this several times before, but I continue to be curious whenever you make the claim that in this country your life was not worth access to health care. If you want an accurate explaination for why you believe that to be true, I'd have to say it's because you placed expense above benefit. You have the same access now, under Arizona's Medicaid program, as you did previously. The only difference is that the cost of that access has been transferred to the State.

All access has an associated cost, it's always simply been a matter of who would foot the bill. In your case I think you were right to go to Mexico in order to minimize expense, in much the same way I believe a shopper should take advantage of sales and specials. The absence of opportunity to pay less doesn't mean you don't have access to the product being sold, it means you've chosen not purchase.Alan, what is it about the fact that access to health care has been priced out of reach to millions of Americans that you don't understand? I don't mean to be rude but I thought I had made this crystal clear and that it didn't need to be brought up again. I could not afford American health care before the Medicaid expansion - like it or not, discuss it all day long, the reality is that my life was not worth access to US health care via lack of access due to cost. No way around that one, that was the truth before expanded Medicaid. On the one hand,I'm grateful to have access - on the other, I have leaned not to trust America and have no basic faith this wlll continue in the future or that things won't change somehow and my access will once again be blocked. I don't know how to forgive America for all the years of lack of access that I would not have endured in any other country in the developed world but I'm trying. I would imagine this is not a burden you carry in life - how to forgive something that seems completely inexcusable and is completely based on social class that involves (potentially) life and death.....not very pleasant to have to deal with. Rob

PS One thing I can say - deal with what I have posted above for any length of time and you will never see America the same way again. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

Low thyroid has a lot to do with mood also. Some people are thought to have depression until their thyroid is treated, then they no longer need treatment for depression.Hi Tammy! Good to see you here. I am finding this to be the case myself. I am finding my depression lifting and will talk to my doctor about kicking the anti-depressants to the curb. Wonderful that generic Synthroid is working for me.....Rob

[danna]

Years ago when I was put on Synthroid (the wonderful part is there are no known side effects) like you
after several weeks I started to feel so much better. They only way I could describe it was that I felt like ME again.
It was amazing after feeling exhausted for so many years.
The blood works is very simple (and not expensive) they only test they need is the TSH for this, there are
many symptoms the should clue a doctor into doing this test. Years ago it was missed a lot but these days
it shouldn't be.
A lot of seniors get low grade hypothyroidism and should be tested.

[frugal-one]

Years ago when I was put on Synthroid (the wonderful part is there are no known side effects) like you
after several weeks I started to feel so much better. They only way I could describe it was that I felt like ME again.
It was amazing after feeling exhausted for so many years.
The blood works is very simple (and not expensive) they only test they need is the TSH for this, there are
many symptoms the should clue a doctor into doing this test. Years ago it was missed a lot but these days
it shouldn't be.
A lot of seniors get low grade hypothyroidism and should be tested.

Just so you know... there ARE side effects of Synthroid or generic.... it depletes calcium and later down the road causes osteoporosis. Also, can cause heart palpitations. ANY drug you take depletes your body of something. This is what I have been studying. Terrifying... YES!!!! It is a choice as to which is more of a problem.... I too, chose synthroid and am now dealing with the consequences. I wish I would have researched taking iodine or other natural choices.

[ApatheticNoMore]

By no means would I assume that just because you have even good insurance and go to the doctor regularly thyroid issues will be found! No way. I've seen it happen too many times, that it's only found when the patient themselves demands the test or under extreme circumstances (yes only found in hospitalization or checking into drug rehab or etc.) even if people regularly see the doctor and have insurance. Of course if you ask the doctor to test at that point if the insurance is decent it will kick in to pay for the blood test.

[Lainey]

Rob,

I know exactly what you mean about access to health care and the consequences.

My co-worker just buried his sister whose breast cancer was discovered before her Obamacare health insurance kicked in. She had just taken retirement after 33 years in retail, and was not old enough yet for Medicare. There was no doctor willing to treat an un-insured breast cancer patient. She applied as soon as Obamacare was available and she was accepted because, thank god, pre-existing conditions were eliminated.

Unfortunately however about a year had passed between initial diagnosis and receipt of her insurance card. She lived about another year and then died last month in her mid 50s. Would the outcome have been different if she had been treated right away? No one can say for sure, but I'm 100% sure that no one would willingly delay cancer treatment for a year.

The insanity of our old system had direct and dire consequences. Obamacare is not perfect but lives are being drastically improved and even saved every day.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Rob,

I know exactly what you mean about access to health care and the consequences.

My co-worker just buried his sister whose breast cancer was discovered before her Obamacare health insurance kicked in. She had just taken retirement after 33 years in retail, and was not old enough yet for Medicare. There was no doctor willing to treat an un-insured breast cancer patient. She applied as soon as Obamacare was available and she was accepted because, thank god, pre-existing conditions were eliminated.

Unfortunately however about a year had passed between initial diagnosis and receipt of her insurance card. She lived about another year and then died last month in her mid 50s. Would the outcome have been different if she had been treated right away? No one can say for sure, but I'm 100% sure that no one would willingly delay cancer treatment for a year.

The insanity of our old system had direct and dire consequences. Obamacare is not perfect but lives are being drastically improved and even saved every day.Lainey, Thank You for your post. I see your point entirely and could not agree with you more. You have stated something I would have liked to have posted in a very real but yet classy way and I really appreciate your post. Rob

PS This is something I am having problems with - forgiving America for the people who have passed under the previous system so that corporate profits could be maintained. I don't like carrying around this toxicity, but caring for people as I do - how do I forgive the passing of such folks denied access to health care simply to maintain profits? On the one hand I'm grateful for the care I have received this year - on the other - the reality of those who passed due to their lives not being worth health care in the prior system, that is a rough one for me to deal with and I'm closing here as I'm about to get all emotional. Thanks again, Lainey. Rob