Assembled by Mary Shomon, Your Thyroid Guide
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"Dear Oprah,
I would like to ask you to consider doing a show on thyroid disease. I am only 29 and was lucky enough to be diagnosed with this disease early. At the age of 25 I had my daughter, my first and only child. After having her I thought all of my symptoms were due to being postpartum. I lost all of my weight what seemed like right away, I thought wow that is great. But then I had alot of other symptoms like frequent bathroom stops almost directly after eating with severe stomach cramps. I was exhausted as if I couldn't even function mentally, physically or emotionally. My husband thought I was a different person after having the baby and I had no desire to have any sexual relations with him. I never thought of going to a Dr. about the problems until one day my husband happen to notice a lump in my throat. I was very worried and thought right away that I had cancer, because cancer runs in my family. I was very scared; my daughter was only 4 months old. I went to my family Dr. right away and was sent to an Endocrinologist because my Dr. thought it was a nodule (goiter) and had to do with my thyroid. I have been a healthy person with no major illnesses and was very nervous. I had very little knowledge of what a thyroid did let alone what effect it has on your body, mind, and spirit. I had a biopsy and was cleared of cancer. I have since been on synthroid medication. It has been nearly 4 years and I am still trying to get a regulated prescription. I have attempted to ask my Dr. about the disease but I feel that I never really get a straight answer and he has never taken the time to discuss the seriousness of the disease with me and what to watch for. Yes, I am currently looking for a new Dr. since I have read information on the Internet about the disease I have grown to understand the influence it has had on my life and the loved ones around me. You truly think it is just you and find yourself feeling depressed as to why you can't be energetic, happy, sexual, and an all around joyful person. I think if more people are aware of the disease and understand that you cannot just make up excuses for what is happening to you, you can turn it around and make a difference to yourself and others that are involved in your life. I understand that it is sometimes easy for a Dr. to over look something that has the same symptoms as many other diseases, however it should not always be left up to the Dr.. If you are aware of certain things that have as many effects on the body as this disease does you will then have the knowledge and "power" to at least ask that this be ruled out. If you have no idea of how this disease can affect your life, you can go on for years' just wondering what in the heck your problem is and why won't it just go a way. At the age of 25 with a young daughter and loving husband, these things make a difference in the way you live your life everyday. If something like this was talked about by yourself, I think alot more people could have a better understanding of how serious this disease is and that it can affect even younger people without even knowing it. I know that when you have a topic on like this it may not bring in the ratings, but as a tape and view person of your show I know the influence you can have on people. This is something that I feel would be of a great deal of help to many of your viewers. I am a firm believer of "Knowledge is POWER" and the more people can know about this disease the better they can feel about themselves. Thank you very much for your time and I hope this is something that you will seriously consider as it can help millions of people fight what they are unknowingly battling everyday of there lives."
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