Chronic tiredness

Hi everyone

Today I'm feeling lekker tired, which is my own fault because I watched a movie until the early hours of this morning and woke up at abut 8:30. This made me think about some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.








A quick Google search will give you a list of things, but as we all know you can't always believe Google. Instead I want to share some symptoms that I experience:

• Fatigue
• Dry and sensitive skin
• Thin hair
• Cold body temperature (I'm always colder than the average person)
• Dry, brittle and flaky nails
• Struggle to concentrate
• Terrible handwriting
• Less stamina or energy than others
• Very emotional
• Depressed at times

Being born with this condition does give me an advantage compared to people who have felt "normal" before. Normal as in their thyroid was in perfect condition before being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism or after their thyroid had to be removed. They know how they use to feel where I've been like this all my life. I honestly didn't realise this until I talk to someone who was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and she telling me how she use to feel. This doesn't mean that I'm not aware of the symptoms, I just think acceptance is different since I don't know how it would feel otherwise.

I call it chronic tiredness because that is honestly how I feel. I hope there are some of you that can relate, please feel free to comment below. I've felt tired all my life and it doesn't matter how much I sleep. Obviously I feel better when I get enough sleep then when I get to little, but after 9 hours of sleep I promise you I can still do with a nap. The most I've slept in a day was 12 hours and that was in the middle of the holiday and I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to make me exceptionally tired. The fact is I'm always tired, no matter how much sleep I get and this won't change. Whether I'm having a long full day or a day where I do nothing at all I'm always tired. And when it gets too much I cry and should just be sent to bed.

Some people will tell you to exercise, but I've learned that you should listen to your body. I did netball from grade 1 till 11. I wasn't very good but to some extent I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the time with my team mates and being in the middle of the school vibe. By the first half and even after doing a warm up run I would be so exhausted that it felt like I could pass out and I usually got very dizzy. It didn't matter how fit I was, I always felt that way. In matric after I found out that the degree I wanted to apply for didn't look at things like sports and my marks were good I decided not to do any sports in my matric year. In my experience exercising made me emotionally feel a bit better, but physically just reminded me all the time that I don't have the necessary stamina or energy to do it. Stopping to exercise didn't make me feel like I missed out or change the way I physically feel.

I feel exhausted and out of breath ever after the simplest take like climbing some stairs, taking a bath and cleaning the house, just to name a few. When I'm really tired I get really emotional.

Being tired all the times doesn't mean you can't achieve all you want to in life, it just means that you have to take care of yourself and be honest to yourself about your limits.

I know most people with thyroid problems are much older than me and I want to inspire all of you. I am almost 22 and currently studying Bcom Investment Management at Stellenbosch University, by the end of this year I will graduate. In my first and second year I studied Mathematical Science, attended the same classes than the Actuaries in first and second year. I've always wanted to be a math teacher and decided to study math to keep my options open. This is a very demanding degree, 24/7 job and I had to work very hard to pass. I passed my first year, but in my second year things went bad. Not because I didn't work, I studied very hard but still couldn't succeed. This was partly due to the fact that I wasn't happy with my degree and that it was so demanding. I just felt like I physically couldn't do it anymore.  I could have redone the modules I failed, but I was honest to myself about the demands of the degree and my physical abilities. I belief I am mentally able to do the work, but I can't cope with the little sleep and I don't have the energy to succeed. Still doesn't mean it can't be done, a girl with hypothyroidism got her actuary degree last year. Setting aside my physical abilities, I just wasn't happy. I've changed to Bcom Investment Management which isn't a completely different field just a different direction, I'm coping with about 7 hours sleep and getting good grades.

Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do something, because you can. I believe in always giving your best.