Chronic Fatigue

I finally got my official June ER lab records today, and seeing the raw machine data on the screen completely rewrote my understanding of my own body.
For months, I thought my acute collapse this past summer was bad. But the actual numbers show a level of systemic failure that leaves me stunned I was even awake. My Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) didn’t just spike—it reached an astronomical 478 uIU/mL (with a normal range being 0.4 to 4.0). My Free T4 was critically low at 0.11 ng/dL, meaning my bloodstream was carrying virtually zero circulating thyroid hormone.
To have your metabolic engine completely bottom out like that is terrifying. It means my cells were operating in a state of severe hibernation. It completely validates every single scary physical breakdown I’ve endured since then.
Without thyroid hormone, my peripheral nerves lost their signaling power, causing debilitating left-arm numbness that mimicked a stroke. My gastrointestinal smooth muscles were literally paralyzed, causing profound slow-transit constipation that alternated with sudden, high-volume overflow leaks. My autonomic nervous system completely lost control of my bladder and bowel sphincter lines.
Because adult incontinence carries such intense societal shame, it’s a relief to have the hard machine data prove it wasn't a personal failure or a lack of willpower—it was a literal, mechanical consequence of a near-coma level endocrine emergency.
My primary care clinic appointment today was a mixed bag. The doctor was busy, distracted, and nonchalantly asked if my symptoms were "all in my head" before slapping a generic "depression" label on my chart and dipping out. She had no idea my system was surviving on zero hormone just three months ago because the hospital records never forwarded.
But I pushed back, I spoke up, and I held my ground. My current TSH is down near 4.5. We are adjusting my Levothyroxine, adding a twice-daily active T3 medication (Liothyronine) to jumpstart my cells, and trying a non-stimulant ADHD med (Qelbree) to help anchor my severe brain fog and executive dysfunction.
The best news is I successfully unlocked an affordable $10-per-visit care pipeline to Nashville General Hospital, bypassing the clinic gatekeepers to get direct access to the experts who can actually help me build my state adult disability case: an Endocrinologist, a Psychologist, a Neurologist, and a Physical Therapist.
This recovery process is going to move at a much slower, more glacial pace than I originally anticipated. My chronic fatigue, joint pain, migraines, and interoception gaps still decimate my daily spoons, and my independent living landscape is incredibly high-friction. But today, I hold the absolute laboratory truth of my condition in my hands. My symptoms are real, my history is verified, and I am moving forward one mechanical step at a time.
#IdiopathicHypersomnia #HashimotosThyroiditis #NeurogenicBladder #adultautism #ADHD #AutismSpectrumDisorder #ChronicFatigue #Incontinence #selfadvocacy #ChronicPain
#MightyTogether #Nashville #Migraine #Hope

since i don’t have insurance, i go to a state funded clinic that has a sliding scale option. the doctors are often busy, distracted and my visit are short because the have to be. today we covered some things like adjusting my thyroid meds and trying an adhd medication. this is all fine but the doctor was out the door before i could even talk about all my symptoms or illnesses or inquire about programs or ensure my official records reflect my reality and if not, what we need to do to make it so. she literally said me, “are you sure this isn’t mental? amd wrote “depression” in my chart before she dipped out. while i do have depression, i have a reasonable and mostly realistic outlook on life. not a positive one, but a reasonable one and depression isn’t what’s plaguing me. my fatigue has been long lasting for more than a decade. it isn’t mental. we didn’t even mention my incontinence. just never got to it. on my list of symptoms, incontinence is actually pretty low in terms of how my quality of life is affected since i have a management solution to that (pads, briefs, etc), whereas the rest (fatigue, pain, migraines, brain fog, confusion, weakness, exhaustion, executive dysfunction, interoception deficit) just absolutely wreck me every day with no real solution yet. this whole process is going to be much slower than i anticipated and i need to keep a realistic expectation. #MightyTogether #Doctors #ADHD #Fibromyalgia #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Incontinence #bladderleaks #bedwetting #rant #HashimotosThyroiditis #ChronicFatigue #ChronicPain

Picked September blackberries yesterday.
Small but sweet. Small pleasure) Do you like blackberries?
What is your favorite berry?

#MentalHealth #Anxiety #MultipleSclerosis #Depression #ChronicFatigue #ChronicIllness #fragilebeauty #Nature