Hyperthyroidism is a condition that cannot be fully captured in words. Many things are wrong with you at the same time

I must apologize for the delay in my wrap up story… It’s been a hectic and wildly demanding period for me and my family… But we are here now, and we give God all the glory….

 

Before I continue, let me correct a perspective. Many people have been asking me, “Is this fiction or a story of someone close to you?” Well, unfortunately, it is my own story. I lived it for several years!

 

Hyperthyroidism is a condition that cannot be fully captured in words. Many things are wrong with you at the same time. As you are trying to understand one symptom many more are juggling for space in your body. Thyroidism owns your body, once it starts.

 

Oh! I died several times during the period. Each time I pulled through a crisis, I would ask myself,    “how did I survive that?” Many a time, it seemed the end had come. Always very scary!!! I escaped death by the whiskers.  Not being able to explain how I was feeling was a dilemma.

 

HYPERTHYROIDISM: OTHER SYMPTOMS

I could be feeing hot in my body but my feet and hands would  be as if I had dipped them in ice. I could stay awake all night and yet not feel sleepy in the morning. I was also very sensitive to sound. I was always telling my children to reduce the volume of the TV… Sometimes, I would ask my husband, “can you hear my heartbeat? Because it seemed so loud. I could not concentrate on anything! Three fingers of my right hand just went numb. Each time I was walking on the road, it was like I was  waddling on air.  Whenever I had malaria, people around me would be wondering ‘is it not just malaria?’  Oh! My fibroid became worse.  Blood was dripping out of me endlessly. I became anaemic. I dropped from 60kg to 40!!! I had to go through a fibroid operation in that my fragile state!

With hyperthyroidism whatever condition or illness you have becomes worse.

… All these and more going on in your body…can play pranks with your mind and make one go berserk.

 

MEETING DR. BELLA…

My first contact with Dr. Andrew Bella, the Endocrinologist and founder of Bella Specialist Hospital (Ibadan, Oyo State) was on phone. He has this welcoming voice, that puts some calmness in your soul. He asked me to do a new Thyroid function test and bring it immediately the results were out. He however gave me a subtle warning, “make sure you come early”. I didn’t take that warning serious. I just thought ”sebi it’s a private hospital. Patients can’t be that many”. And again how early could I be? I was coming from Lagos.

When it was my turn, the cashier asked for my consultation fees. I thought I didn’t hear her well. I had to ask her again and be sure it was consultation fee

My husband and I arrived at the hospital at a few minutes past 8 o’clock  in the morning. And we could count about 10 people already on ground, to see the doctor! I looked at all of them, they were older people. None could have been less than 60years old… I now began to wonder, “do these ones too have thyroidism?”  As I was waiting for my turn, more people were coming in, some in stretchers and few in wheel chairs. From the conversations, quite a number of people were from outside Ibadan.

 

Under one hour, in and outside of  the main building were full. But the good thing about it was that it was orderly. I became more curious and afraid. My thoughts “these people are still battling Thyroidism in old age. What type of ‘wahala’ is this?” I was watching out for the expressions on the faces of every one coming out of the Doctor’s room. If they were not wearing a smile, they were not as uptight and morose as they were when entering. I felt hmmm ‘Doctors, they know how to take your money and make you smile on top of it’!

Dr. Bella

When it was my turn, the cashier asked for my consultation fee. I thought I didn’t hear her well. I had to ask her again and be sure it was consultation fee. It was ridiculously low! OK! I now understood one of the reasons why he had plenty of patients. God bless the Doctors in Lagos! They charged me about 10 times that amount. Yet, no head way!

 

Dr. Bella is an unassuming elderly man. He welcomed my husband and I with a smile. He went through my referral letter from Dr. AKINGBADE and studied the results of the Thyroid Function test.   I had met many doctors, so I was waiting for his own abracadabra…As if he was reading my mind, he said, “I want you to relax. I have seen you have been going through it for a long time. I am not just going to manage the condition, I am going to help you overcome it, God willing….” Hen hen! Ok… let’s see”, I thought. He advised that I take my drugs as prescribed. Do tests as often as required. And cooperate with him. I had to ask him, “if it’s as simple as you make it seem, why are there so many old people still suffering from it, as evidenced by the patients waiting for you?”  Dr. Bella smiled and responded, “they are all diabetics, and I will attend to everyone.”

 

Peace flooded my heart. He gave me time to ask as many questions as I wanted. He made me feel like his daughter. He made me feel as if healing had started.  Even the drugs I bought at his Pharmacy were not expensive….

A few visits with him convinced me that I was in the right place. I made sure I arrived there around 7:30am each time I had an appointment. So I was always among the first five patients.

 

This doctor knows his onions. I was the only thyroid patient from Lagos at that time. I saw him once every three weeks. Sometimes, every month… depending on the Thyroid function test results.  He had to make sure I was not oscillating between hypo and hyper. I could call him any time. He responded to my text messages. Even at midnight! He was not overly expensive. He was the God-sent!

 

I  always made sure I came early because the diabetic patients were so many. My visits became fewer. Then it became once in six months. Then I became U-thyroid (Stable Thyroid). He observed me for two years. He gave me a clean bill.  He advised that I stop taking Carbimazole.

 

Within three years, I had overcome thyroidism. I had suffered it for so many years. I am not sure, it didn’t predate when the symptoms started manifesting.

 

CONNECTION POINTS…

In the past few weeks I have received messages  from different categories of people which include both sexes.

Yet another category of people have been placed on some radio iodine therapy which went wrong

There is the set of people who having read my story (published weeks ago) and believe that with the symptoms they are experiencing…they are suffering from Thyroidism.

 

They have done different tests until now.  I have advised them on some home remedies and suggested they see an endocrinologist immediately.

 

The second category has been diagnosed, but the doctors have told them “you will have to take the medication for life”. This set has a renewed energy to want to overcome it. They are interested in taking home remedies and seeking a second opinion from another endocrinologist. May God keep Dr. Bella alive to help more people….!

 

Yet another category of people have been placed on some radio iodine therapy which went wrong. Radio iodine therapy on its own is not bad. What is scary is when the patient is given too much of it, which can lead to the Thyroid being destroyed. Even when you hold the giver of iodine responsible, can he give you another Thyroid?  Yet I believe THE ONE that gave it is able to give a new one!

 

There is also a category of people known as concerned husbands. They now appreciate the trauma their wives are passing through. They are the husbands of women with thyroidism.

 

I must acknowledge that I have heard from just two people who say, ‘I have overcome it’!

 

THE LAST WORD: THE CONLUDING PART COMING SOON…

 

 

AND JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED ANY OF OUR STORIES…:

–To read Part 1 of “My Struggles with Thyroidism”, please click: https://rot0808.wordpress.com/2017/02/11/hormonal-imbalance-how-i-learnt-the-very-hard-way/

 

–To read Part 2, please click:https://rot0808.wordpress.com/2017/02/16/hormonal-imbalance-part-2-when-supplements-water-leaf-stewless-rice-became-my-food/

 

–To read Part 3, please click:https://rot0808.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/hormonal-imbalance-part-3-my-struggles-with-thyroidism/

 

–To read Part 4, please click: https://rot0808.wordpress.com/2017/03/09/thyroidism-when-all-drugs-failed/

 

AND FAJ’s Story: https://rot0808.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/my-little-letter-which-gave-birth-to-angel-of-hope/

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOD BLESS….