Smather1972
Where does my story start? Well, I guess it starts around age 11. That's when I had my first bout of real depression... my grandmother had just died, and my parents decided to fix up her old house and move in to help my grandfather out. This meant changing schools. I had THE hardest time starting 6th grade in that school. I had changed schools before, but these kids were ROTTEN to the CORE! I was the new kid getting picked on. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my thyroid was shutting down. I was slowly gaining weight and losing energy. I guess my family thought it was just some depression over moving and losing my grandmother (we were quite close...) and didn't think much of it. I wasn't suicidal, just 'blue'. I started spending more time with video games since I had no real friends. This continued for a couple years, the blues were mostly gone, but the weight was still inching on and the energy level was dropping, my grades (which through 5th grade had been good) were also dropping. I was accused of being lazy and even on drugs. I was sleeping ALL the time. This went on until age 16-almost age 17. Let me tell you, my mother had to FIGHT with the HMO to get my pediatrician to order me a thyroid test. For every symptom I had (by this time, it included hair loss... this was big haired 80's!!), the doc would just blame it on my being a teenager. My mom had to say she would pay out of pocket if the test came back negative. Well, let me tell you, my TSH (thyroid Stimulating Hormone) was in the mid to high 500.'s. It's supposed to be between about 0.4 to 4.0. No wonder I felt like crap! MY biggest problem was, after getting started on thyroid replacement hormones, I ALWAYs forgot to take them... still do, sometimes. So, the weight has been going out of control, I eat whatever I want and the old habit of playing video games hasn't petered out much. It's only been in the past year or so that I've decided that I can't go on this way. I can barely walk the mall without getting winded! My joints ache after work every day, especially if it's been a busy day! Yet everyone tells me to go for a walk!! I tell them, "you strap on 150 extra pounds, sleep with it, work with it, live with it, and tell me in a few months how you feel about going for even a short walk!!" So, now that I've been VERY good about taking my thyroid pills for a few years now, I"m ready to deal with the rest of the problem. Even with me taking my meds correctly, the weight just isn't coming off. I'm hoping to have the Lap-Band surgery sometime next year... maybe in a year and a half. I don't want to rush the process, I want to be ready physically and mentally/emotionally. So, say a prayer for me, because I need all the help I can get. I don't have alot of family around, so my support system is small, but my boyfriend is 1000% behind me, and so is the rest of my family... I'm VERY lucky for that. I also work in a physician's office who can help me post-op with supplements, and I have the support there, too!
