Navigating the Waves: My Journey with Graves’ Disease

You may know me as someone who talks about money, but what many people don’t know about me is that I struggle with Graves’ Disease. So when I say money isn’t everything, I’m not using that saying lightly. Once your health is involved, your priorities shift, your lifestyle alters, and your financial goals change along with everything else.

For me, 2023 was a challenging year due to my health. Graves’ disease, an immune system disorder that leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) has its own set of challenges. Everyone’s symptoms vary, but for me, the scariest was experiencing rapid heartbeats (palpitations), which, in my opinion, triggered my unexpected panic attacks. These moments have been alarming and have unfortunately impacted my personal mental and physical health along the way. As of today, I am blessed to share that I am doing much better and am in a position to share my thyroid story, my ups and downs, and everything in between.

Thyroid Awareness

With January being Thyroid Awareness Month, I can’t help but reminisce on my thyroid journey that I’ve been on for the last 5 years. The crazy part is that the more I talk about the side effects I’ve experienced with this disorder, the more others open up about their similar experiences. My neighbor shared with me that she was experiencing similar symptoms and got checked to find out she also has hyperthyroidism. A few common symptoms that I experienced in my thyroid journey include rapid weight loss/gain without diet changes, irritability, anxiety, hair loss or thinning, and, in addition to rapid heart rate, uncontrollable shaking. I remember trying to paint my nails last summer and not being able to because of my shaking hands. That was a serious wake-up call, leading me to step back and focus on my health, family, and getting my home in order.

Signs of Hyperthyroidism

Weight loss
Increased appetite
Fast heart rate
Anxiety/nervousness
Irritability
Shaking/trembling of the hands
Sweating
Feeling warm often/greater sensitivity to heat
Insomnia
Frequent bowel movements and/or diarrhea
Muscle weakness
Thin skin and brittle hair
Changes in the menstrual cycle (usually shorter, lighter periods)

Signs of Hypothyroidism

Weight gain and/or difficulty losing weight
Constipation
Fatigue
Forgetfulness
Depression
Dry skin and hair/hair loss
Slow heart rate
Feeling cold often/greater sensitivity to cold
Changes in the menstrual cycle (usually longer, heavier periods)

My Journey

Now, you may be wondering, how I discover my thyroid disorder. It began when my son was getting ready for his open heart surgery. I was drowning in stress, and losing a dramatic amount of weight. I know people joke about wanting to lose weight, but trust me, being 100lbs is probably not what they have in mind. I’ve always been on the slender side, but this was clearly a red flag. Being concerned, I saw my doctor, did some blood work, and was referred to an endocrinologist. My thyroid levels were off the charts. That’s when I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism, which I learned was hereditary. When talking to my dad, I found out that he had Grave’s Disease too. I was prescribed a medication called Methimazole, which couldn’t be taken if nursing or pregnant due to potential defects. Just my luck, I was still nursing my son, who was getting ready for open-heart surgery. So I had to made a tough call to delay my treatment until after my son’s surgery and recovery were a success. That meant struggling physically, but being there for him and ensuring a comfortable recovery with his favorite milk “Liquid Gold”.

Once everything calmed down, I started my medication, and thankfully my thyroid levels started to stabilize. For the past 5 years, I’ve been on this rollercoaster ride of getting off and back on medication due to my symptoms. The trickiest part of having a thyroid disorder is that your levels can go up, down, and leave you upside down wondering what in the world happened. There were times I was so desperate to control my symptoms that I literally tried everything – vitamins, eating gluten-free, and cutting caffeine, and you know how much I love my caffecito.

Fast forward to July of 2023, I made the decision to hit pause on my business. The stress of my condition picking up again, and I honestly felt like I just couldn’t do it all. Around this time, I started to frequently experience heart palpitations that were creating a new level of anxiety. I carried a fan and water bottle with me everywhere I went to comfort myself whenever my heart rate spiked. Even when my thyroid levels were improving, the trauma of feeling those dramatic heart palpitations stuck with me, turning it into a trigger for me. To the point where I got my first anxiety attack when I was in the Finding Nemo Submarine ride. From there it just got worse, leading to a full on panic attack while driving home. I had no clue what was happening, but luckily I purchased a Fitbit that tracked my heart-rate, which was at 149 while I was just sitting in my car. I felt like I was dying and I called 911. Since then, my family and I have been handling my health with a whole new level of grace. Understanding that this new trauma isn’t going to get resolved overnight and just taking things one step at a time for now.

Leaning on My Systems

Though I stepped back from ‘Poised,’ I continued focusing on systems like managing finances purposefully with the High-5 Banking Method, meal prepping, bulk buying, and holding Family All-Hands Meetings with my husband. Listen, instead of letting these health scares derail me, I used this time to lean on my partner and my systems. My husband and I stepped up our game during our Family All-Hands Meeting, especially discussing our kids’ school, their speech therapy, and my appointments. Collaborating and leaning on my partner has meant everything to me.

You might not believe this, but sometimes I underestimate the value of my systems because they’ve become second nature to me. But when life gets rough, I’m quickly reminded that these systems aren’t just “nice”, they work and make challenging times a bit easier. This isn’t to say that things improve overnight, but over time, my health improved, my kids are doing great, and my household is thriving. I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for my spouse and family’s support and flexibility.

Staying Poised

In life, there is always going to be something; it’s never going to be perfect. Staying poised through it all requires a new version of balance that isn’t a perfect 50/50 split. Sometimes it’s more like 60/40 or, in my case sometimes, 80/20. The balancing scale might tilt more to one side at times, but think about it, it’s still balanced because it doesn’t fall. In 2023, I learned a lot about myself, my health, and my drive to continue finding balance. Yes, my thyroid might be fine one month and off the next, but I’m a fighter. Thankfully my systems help my family and I find our less than perfect balance to it all, so we don’t fall during these challenging moments. Because at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.

If you’ve read this blog and are finding yourself experiencing similar thyroid-related symptoms, please bring up any health concerns you may have with your primary doctor. Detecting any thyroid irregularities usually only requires simple blood work. Remember, this disorder can be life-threatening, it’s vital to prioritize your well-being. You are more important!