Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Living with a complex diagnostic profile—navigating the profound sleep inertia of Idiopathic Hypersomnia, the systemic pain of fibromyalgia, and active recovery from a severe endocrine crisis—means my body rarely cooperates with a traditional schedule. Alarms get silenced entirely offline, and mornings can start in a deficit before my feet even touch the floor.
Today started exactly like that. I woke up hours behind schedule, dealing with heavy physical exhaustion and an immediate, intense autonomic plumbing spasm that required an urgent, high-stakes cleanup.
In the past, a start like that would have triggered an avalanche of frustration and anxiety. But today, I chose to look at my body through a lens of absolute mechanical neutrality. I didn't panic. I relied on the high-performance adaptive containment gear I’ve learned to treat like an essential trade tool, and it did 100% of its job behind the scenes. My skin was protected, my clothes stayed clean, and my privacy remained intact.
The real test came immediately afterward. When I touched base with my project manager, I learned he is currently on-site running an active fever with a confirmed contagious exposure. For my fragile, recovering system, a viral infection right now is something I cannot afford—both physically and financially.
Instead of letting the circumstances run over me, I used my independent contractor status to engineer a compromise. I adjusted my gear to a lighter, high-stealth layout to maximize my physical comfort, put on my reusable mask, and mapped out a high-focus sprint. I am going onto that site to knock out my specific technical tasks as quickly as possible, enforcing a strict 10-foot physical distance buffer from the illness, and then pivoting to tomorrow's jobsite ahead of schedule.
I am logging my hours, securing my paycheck, and keeping my health 100% insulated from a hazardous environment.
My logistics are automated, my support systems are in place, and I am managing a volatile physical day with elite-level clarity. Every small boundary is a massive win.
#selfadvocacy #HashimotosThyroiditis #IdiopathicHypersomnia #ChronicIllness #neurodivergent #trades #pelvichealth #bowelincontinence #IndependentLiving #judithsspecialpanties
#Fibromyalgia #Masking #Work #ChronicFatigue

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

Living with an autoimmune condition is complex, involving fluctuating and unpredictable symptoms, as well as adjusting various parts of your life to accommodate your health needs—or even getting a proper diagnosis and treatment.

What's the most challenging part about your condition?

📖 Want to read more on what Mighties have shared? Check out this story here: What Others Often Don't Understand About Autoimmune Diseases

#AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #CheckInWithMe #Disability #RareDisease #ChronicFatigue #Migraine #Insomnia #Fibromyalgia #HashimotosThyroiditis #GravesDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Type1Diabetes #Psoriasis #SjogrensSyndrome

Having an autoimmune condition can affect your life in many ways due to the unpredictability and fluctuations of symptoms, changes in energy levels, and impacts on your overall health and productivity.

What lifestyle changes have you made because of your health? Why were these changes important to you? How did making them make you feel?

#AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #CheckInWithMe #Disability #RareDisease #ChronicFatigue #Migraine #Insomnia #Fibromyalgia #HashimotosThyroiditis #GravesDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Type1Diabetes #Psoriasis #SjogrensSyndrome