Disability? Do we ever get better?

[Amanda0220]

I just have a general question...I know a lot of us are suffering and having a lot of issues and I know I am not alone in that.  Has anyone tried to get disability or gotten it?   Is it possible to get better with this disease?  I feel like I take 1 step forward and three steps backwards.  Beginning to feel a little better physically and now I have nodules.  
Thanks for any replies. Amanda

[dawnangela]

Oh yes i can sure relate to that...I was going back and forth to doctors for 25 yrs with those symptoms..Im now 47 and only just dx in June Hashi/Hypo...By that time my whole body was down to a snails pace, I gained 16 kgs on my small frame..i stopped work as i could not care for my clients anymore ( i was in aged care ) I am slowly improving on treatment, I am hoping im able to look for a job not as strenuous nxt year..It is hard on one wage, and i was so angry that it took so long to dx me and my health had to get so bad by incompetent doctors..Dawn

[Amanda0220]

I just wanted to say that I really am grateful for this site and being able to share, it really does make a difference.  I ask about the disability since I lost my job the very day I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's - I knew I had low thyroid, but not Hashimoto's.  My endocrinologist told me I was undermedicated for over 8 months and threw my body not to mention my mind into havoc. I do not know if any of the rest of you have any kind of mental issues with this - like brain fog, memory loss, word loss, anxiety, panic attacks.....this aside from the extreme fatigue is the most scary for me. I am trying to find a job before things get too bad financially. Again, thank you all for your support!!

[Smilerdeb]

If its any consolation...I am sitting here at 1.05pm in my pj's lol :)

[stella5349]

Peg -  You know I am here - you can reach me anytime.

[peggy64]

Sitting here reading all these posts, makes me want to just squall. To have someone else know what it is like helps so much in making me not feel like I have just gone off the deep end .

I have such a hard time putting words down like the above posts, and they are so therapeutic to me. I have not been able to explain how this disease makes me feel.My family has a hard time dealing with this. I used to be the one that handled all the details of household and family living, plus work up to 60 hours a week, and I just have not been able to for such a long time now. I still try to handle things, and feel bad because I am not able to, which impedes the healing process. Its really something, because I feel guilty when I am not handling the household like I should, but then I feel terrible physically when I do try to keep up the duties, so its a catch 22.

I was bedbound during my sons senior year this past year, and that really devastated me. And does even when I think about it today. I think sometimes the family just tries to steer clear and I just deal with it the best I can, which is not so good some days. I don't have the raging and anger, I just shut down and can't say anything regardless of what is going on.  It gets very lonely because they don't know what to do, and being around others is scary because you don't know how you are coming across, and then my memory is just plain shot,  so I am wondering "did I act stupid, did I say something I shouldn't have?", among other thoughts.

So because of that, I am so thankful to be able to come here read everyones posts and think "yep, I understand that, I know exactly what they mean, I feel that way myself."

I have so many family members that have this disease, and they have not had the horrible time that I have had. Albeit, I did have it 19 years before it was ever diagnosed, and then had adrenal exhaustion after beginning armour thyroid therapy.

Trying to stay positive and maintain some joy is very hard. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I  have a  hard time understanding why He does not heal me, but I try to remember that His ways are not my ways, and I see only today, while He sees the whole  picture. So with that I just try to keep trusting and leaning on Him. But I must admit, it gets very hard at times.

[Nelly57]

Reading all of your posts is helping me so much.  I have other friends with thyroid issues but sometimes I still felt alone in my struggles.  I'm so glad I found this forum, it's helping with that a lot.  Also, I am finding so much good information here that I never knew before.  

I have an appointment scheduled next month with a surgeon here in town who also has an integrative medicine practice.  I called and talked with his staff and they said he truly understands and knows how to treat thyroid issues.  I am still waiting on the endo in Tallahassee to decide if he wants to see me or not so I figured I would check out this guy in the meantime.  I always prefer the natural approach to anything and if this guy can help me I will be thrilled.  

I will say the last two days have been a bit better.  I am into the 4th week of being back on my Levo so hopefully my levels are coming back up to normal now.  I had one small episode of body/muscle aches later yesterday afternoon but other than that I haven't felt too horrible.  Still not much energy of course but I've been like that for 2 1/2 years now.