Why did I create Hypothyroid Mom?

I have spent countless hours over the last 5 years pouring over published studies on hypothyroidism. I have scoured the Internet every day searching for the very best thyroid experts and doctors. I have answered email after email and social media comments and posts from people struggling with hypothyroidism at all hours of the day and night. I have devoted my life to this blog that I created called Hypothyroid Mom. And you may wonder. Why?

Rage.

Yes I said rage.

On a cold, snowy day in New York City on January 20, 2009, I lay on a medical exam table on what would be one of the worst days of my life. I had miscarried at 12 weeks and was being prepared for a D&C, a surgical procedure to remove my baby. A technician had just taken an ultrasound and walked out of the room to reconfirm to the medical staff that my fetus had no heartbeat. I sprang off my bed and ran to the image on the screen. I felt my body shake and my fists clench as I stared at the image of my unborn child. From a place deep in my soul came a wail, “What happened to my child?”

I had unnecessarily lost my unborn baby all because my doctors had not read the Endocrine Society guidelines for pregnancy. Yes. Seriously. A TSH of less than 2.5 in the first trimester was clearly stated in the 2007 guidelines and mine was close to a whopping 10.0 with raging symptoms.

Why had I trusted my conventional doctors to have the answers?

Why had I not done my own research and been my own advocate?

Why had I not told my doctors to go to hell when they insisted that my symptoms were all in my head?

I should have fought like a ferocious lion for my child.

And I have to live with that regret for the rest of my life.

I will tell others.

I promised myself as I lay on that medical exam table.

I will let the world know.

I promised.

And Hypothyroid Mom was born.

I was determined to get to the bottom of this. I wouldn’t rest until I got myself well again and all my Hypothyroid Mom followers with me.

I searched high and low for thyroid experts when I first created Hypothyroid Mom in 2012. At that time there weren’t as many health experts and doctors writing about thyroid as there are today. I had to really search for the best information and I struck gold when I landed on this man.

Chris Kresser.

I hope he knows how many people he has helped. Including me.

I recently had a chance to connect with Chris and ask him some of my lingering thyroid questions. I know there is much written about thyroid but I wanted to dig deep into some of the issues that are not usually covered. [Read more…]