So as I'm preparing to leave Australia, and so-called civilization, to return to SE Asia, and people who do understand what civilized behaviour actually is, I went to the doctor for a few tests. The thyroid test was the most important one, but we decided to get a whole panel done as well.
Firstly, my thyroid is out of whack still, which it has been the whole time I've been in Australia. I still believe the primary reason for this is exposure to fluoride, even though I've only used bottled water here. Fluoride is still present on the fruit and veg that I buy, in any food product I use which needs water during the processing and in the water I shower in, so even though I've tried to avoid fluoride, that has not been entirely possible.
The doc I saw came up with another reason for my thyroid being out of whack, on this particular test. About 6 or 7 weeks ago, I had a quinsy, which is an abscess on a tonsil. I'm prone to nasty strep infections and get a really bad one every 3 or 4 years. I've noticed my entire life, that when I'm sick, I put on weight and continue to do so for months afterwards. The doc said that this is because we need more thyroid hormone when we are ill as well as for a period of time afterwards. In 'normal' people, their thyroid amps up production levels to compensate for the increased demand. People who take thyroid replacement hormones are on a fixed hormone intake so of course, this means the body is not getting what it needs, we put on weight, feel like shite for longer, yada yada yada. This is the first time I've heard of this, but I'm taking it on board and increasing my dose a little for the next few weeks, then repeating the test 6 weeks after the previous one.
Other interesting results were borderline low iron, low-normal vitamin D, despite taking 1000-2000 whatevers of it a day, and low B vitamins, again despite dosing myself daily. Basically, I'm going to amp up the vitamin intake and enjoy some chicken liver pate, and then get retested with the thyroid.
I'm really looking forward to my return to SE Asia, Christmas with Terrina and her family in HCMC, returning to Phnom Penh and catching up with everyone and everything there, and getting back into work that is challenging and rewarding in most senses of the word. More money would be good but we can't have everything all the time...
