Hypothyroidism is an interesting Disease. Right, it affects so much. About 12 yrs ago after I'd given birth to Skylar I noticed my body was off. We all know our bodies and when something is off you just think no worries. When it's a constant feeling of off, you know something's up.
For me, I was at work (after maternity leave was over) and I was typing up a document. I normally type over 90 words per minute. I looked up at the screen after typing a full page and noticed I had typed gobbly goop! What I thought I was typing and what I actually typed was not the same thing! I had started to stutter! I've never stuttered a day in my life and I was stuttering! I remember holding my mug ready to make tea and then next minute the mug was on the floor smashed to smithereens! I never told my hand to let it go but it did. The biggest clue for me was the overwhelming feeling I was OFF! I just didn't feel right. I explained these symptoms to my doctor at Sky's 6 month checkup and my doctor explained it might be MS. I was horrified. 25 yrs old and I just had a baby and now I might have MS! I was trying not to panic. I agreed to see an MS Doctor and he had me do a lot of physical testing. Jumping jacks, push-ups, jump rope, walk in a line, push on objects etc. After an half an hour he said “you do not have MS" you are fine. I don't know what is wrong with you. From there it was a lot of blood tests. After the blood test confirmed my Thyroid hormone was off, I then had an Iodine test with a huge scan machine that looked like a satellite dish with a point set at my throat. After that test is was confirmed my Thyroid was not working anymore. Then they had to see where I was in the Thyroid family. Was I Hypo, Hyper, or Thyroid Cancer? After another several weeks it turned out I had hypothyroidism. Why am I telling you all this; how does it relate to becoming a Vegan. Well I'll tell you. I have been on Lyvoxyl for 11 yrs or so. I've had this medication change dosage several times with new pregnancies and the hormones that come with it. After I had my son Luke 7 yrs ago my hormones were erratic since he gave me more Testosterone than I've ever had in my life! I only had put on 20 pounds with Luke. Literally lost it all in the hospital. Only to be home a month with baby # 3 and watch my body bloats up another 20 pounds in water weight! It's amazing what your Thyroid hormone does to you on top of weight there are so many other problems it can produce if not working right.
So fast forward to about 6 months ago and my friend Amy is diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. She was put on many prescriptions but none made her feel right. She then heard about this Hormone called Amour and it's from Pigs. I guess Pigs Thyroid hormone is very similar to ours and is the best thing to use if you want something as natural as possible. At the time I was not a Vegan. I was just interested in having anything natural in me as possible since I have to take a thyroid replacement pill for the rest of my life! So I inquired with my friend Amy, got the info and asked my current doctor if I could switch. Well after a time we were able to switch it and they wanted me to check my hormone levels in 6 weeks. The minute I opened the bottle I noticed the most horrible smell!! I put it in my mouth and noticed the most horrible taste! So far 2 strikes! But I said I'd try it and here we go. Fast forward a couple of weeks and I noticed I would have 100 plus degree's hot flashes! Then I'd be absolutely freezing! I knew this was a symptom of having Hypothyroidism and I've experienced hot and cold flashes since I was 25. But OMG this was insane. Literally would soak my clothes in minutes and then be freezing! I called my doctor to ask if this was normal. I was told because I am taking a very all natural hormone the dosage come out in huge amounts of hormone whenever since it's so natural, compared to generic. After several weeks of this I had enough and started to take the pill every other day. Well about 2 months ago, I took my pill as usual. As I opened the bottle to take my pill that horrible smell came at me again. I then had an aha moment! I am literally eating pig! It smells like pig, it taste not so good and my body is all over the place with this hormone. Then my new Vegan thinking kicks in and I think "what the hell am I doing!" I am not helping the poor pigs, I am helping slaughter the pigs for this hormone! How is this truly helping me or the pigs or our planet! I felt so incredibly guilty!! I was feeling so foolish and stupid for not thinking these thoughts since July 1st while I was still taking the meds. But I tell you; you are on this routine and until you have an aha you don't change your ways. So needless to say I called my doctor that day and said I am done with these pills. It's not working with my body and it goes against everything I believe in to take them. I am still in shock and horror that I didn't think of that sooner, that I had a pigs hormone in me for almost 3 months and that I was not feeling great but worse! But as you get older you grow and you become wiser over time. I finally get how incredibly powerful it is to be a Vegan and how your choices over food effects so much more than just what we put on our bodies. I do not wish to leave a carbon footprint. I want to help and I also want my body to thrive, not fall apart. Have any of you experienced anything like this? Please let me know I am not the only one! Now that you've read this, would you change from natural to generic? Let me know your thoughts.
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