Friday, December 9, 2022

Reminder: My Stores Will Close by Tomorrow Morning + Thyroid Stuff

I will deactivate all of my eBay and Etsy listings either tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. 

Jennifer's Series Books on Etsy

Jennifer's Series Books on eBay

This is of necessity due to some family stuff beginning next week.  My thyroid medication also has just been adjusted, which will cause deep fatigue.

I wrote this explanation in 2019:

I always feel better for most of the first week, then the drop begins.  I can feel the very beginning of the drop coming on.

This happens because the hypothalamus detects the sudden increase in thyroid hormone in the body due to the medication increase.  The hypothalamus then secretes a hormone that tells the pituitary gland to shut down the thyroid, which then makes the patient feel sick for two to five weeks or possibly even longer.  The lengthy adjustment period is caused by the long half-life of T4.  It takes weeks for the hormone to stabilize, which is why many thyroid patients feel bad for a lengthy period of time after any medication change.

I am four days in right now, and I can feel that the drop has started.  It's going to be a steep drop this time.  I will feel crushing fatigue and will probably experience brain fog and other assorted symptoms.  I do not use the word "crushing" lightly.  The worst fatigue I have ever felt is the fatigue that I feel after a medication increase.  It is extreme. 

I'll be okay.  It's something that I have to deal with periodically, and I will get through it.  I am really looking forward to winter break.  I hope that the worst of the drop is during those two weeks.

I don't mention this for sympathy.  I like helping people.  Sharing my experiences can help others who are being gaslit by their doctors.  Unfortunately, many doctors do not understand the thyroid condition and think their patients are mental. 

I am quite fortunate in that I'm being treated at an endocrinology clinic by someone who has the same condition.  She understands while most providers don't.  Interestingly, on Monday my provider told me a story about how she was gaslit when she first started medication.  Her body's negative reaction to the medication was dismissed as nothing.

On Facebook, experiences that are different from the "group think" get shut down.  I have only ever made one comment on a Facebook page where I told someone that it is normal to feel worse for a time.  Someone else responded, telling me rather harshly that what I wrote wasn't true and that my provider was an idiot.  I have never commented again on Facebook about anything related to my thyroid experiences.

On Facebook, people aren't allowed to be different from whatever the expected norm is.  We see it in all of the groups, regardless of topic.  It's annoying.  It really is like high school with all the silly cliques.

I have cautiously made a few responses on Reddit in the last week or so and was received well.  The thyroid discussion on Reddit seems to be less prone to the "group think" effect.

Once winter break begins, I might have a couple of listings available on eBay.  I have some Aquaphor ointment that I was using on my dry lips until I suddenly developed an allergy to it.  Of course my body would develop an allergy to something as mild as Aquaphor.

I want to get the Aquaphor sold, so it might get reactivated.  I also have a Half Price Books 2023 calendar with 10% off coupons.  They are of no use to me because I have an educator discount card.  I always get 10% off.  Discounts can't be stacked, so I can't use the coupons.

I'm still going to be around on Facebook.  I just won't be selling.  The hiatus will likely be at least a minimum of four weeks, but it could be good bit longer.

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