Hyperthyroidism

Few days ago, I got my blood test results. After that I was so distraught I needed someone to comfort me. I called ten people who might be in school, telling them I needed someone to accompany me when I was silently crying out for someone to hug me and pat me.

I got rejected by ten. Some were at home, some at class, some at project meetings. None of them, other than Agnes realised my voice was a little high pitched and trembling. I knew it really wasn't their fault but I wanted to vent my frustration on somebody. Calls of concern from Agnes and Siyi made me spill tears along the Law corridor.

But I have since recovered from the trauma. So not to worry. I will be strong.

Hyperthoidism (adpated excerpts from Wikipedia)

The thyroid is one of the larger endocrine glands in the body. It is located in the neck and produces hormones, principally thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), that regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body.

Hyperthyroidism (or "overactive thyroid gland") is the clinical syndrome caused by an excess of circulating free thyroxine (T4) or free triiodothyronine (T3), or both.

The production of thyroxine is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), released by the pituitary. The thyroid and thyrotropes form a negative feedback loop: TSH production is suppressed when the T4 levels are high, and vice versa. The TSH production itself is modulated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which is produced by the hypothalamus and secreted at an increased rate in situations such as cold (in which an accelerated metabolism would generate more heat). TSH production is blunted by somatostatin (SRIH).

Major clinical features in humans are weight loss (often accompanied by a ravenous appetite), fatigue, weakness, hyperactivity, irritability, apathy, depression, polyuria, and sweating. Additionally, patients may present with a variety of symptoms such as palpitations and arrhythmias (notably atrial fibrillation), dyspnea, loss of libido, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In the elderly, these classical symptoms may not be present and they may present only with fatigue and weight loss leading to apathetic hyperthyroidism.

Neurological manifestations are tremor, chorea, myopathy, and periodic paralysis. Stroke of cardioembolic origin due to coexisting atrial fibrillation (SHIT. Atrial fibrillation actually gives rise to stroke!!) may be mentioned as one of the most serious complications of hyperthyroidism.

Remember the doctor suspected I had thyroid? I was sent home for more than a week of heartbeat monitoring. Turned out my pulse rate is 80 - 107 at rest, when the average girl's was 60 - 70. So I went for a blood test. The test came back positive. And very serious positive. The anxious doctor called me the next day to ask me to go for treatment when was I scheduled to meet her a week later.

For almost ten years, my condition has gone untreated. My level of TSH was extremely high stopping my body to produce enough T4, resulting in faints, racing heart, trembling hands, tremors, fatigue and abnormal metabolism. Question: Since I have been neglecting the condition for years, it won't hurt if I don't do anything now right? No. If my TSH level continue to rise out of control, it would cause my heart to beat so fast that it might suddenly stop, or simply make me lose my mind. Lucky I'm born mild tempered, else my heart would have burst from the stress of anger long ago.

An estimated two years is needed for treatment. Now, I have to eat 5 tablets a day. The doctor has given me the heavy dosage for three weeks. By then, hopefully things will be much better. But hey, don't worry and ask me to take care and think I'm going to faint any time. The medicine supposed to make eliminate my faint spells. I can play sports as always. I don't succumb to flus as always. Only drawback of the medicine is it will reduce my white blood cells. So it'll be dangerous if I cough, catch flu, develop rashes, or cut myself.

As the medicine stablises my condition, my metabolism rate will go down too. There's a high possibilty that I will have to give away my Levi's 24. This is retribution for my cockiness.

Why am I down with this condition when someone in the States won the Toto there worth USD100 million?