"Taking Thyroid Meds Doesn't Make You Weak."

ISSUE 156, 4th July 2024

Welcome to all members of our thyroid family, new and old. It's lovely to have you here and a part of our thyroid family. 🤗

This free email newsletter goes out every two weeks on a Thursday and is the best way to keep up to date on all my work and hear directly from me without relying on social media algorithms!

I hope you'll find this issue inspiring, reassuring and useful in your own thyroid journey.

My aim is to share the information you need to live well with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's, as well as keep you up-to-date with what I'm doing in the thyroidsphere!

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Thursday Thoughts

How do you look at your meds?

Let’s talk about something that crops up pretty often... The matter of “getting off your thyroid medication”.
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I’m not sure where it comes from that taking thyroid hormone replacement (medication your body NEEDS to function, by the way) makes you weak.
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Everyday, I hear from thyroid patients who want to know how to get off their meds. As if that’s their number 1 concern.
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Maybe they hate taking a pill and would rather address their condition naturally, and this isn’t necessarily a completely wrong outlook - approaching thyroid disease with a holistic mindset is so helpful in many people with thyroid issues getting better.
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But there shouldn’t be a focus to get off your meds in particular. Only if you discover your body no longer needs them i.e test results indicate this.

But I never focus on it as a specific goal, because the truth is:
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​Most people on thyroid meds won’t be able to go without them. By the time most of us present with the symptoms that get us tested and diagnosed, the condition is already very progressed and enough thyroid function lost that we must replace the hormones lacking.​
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So let me give you something to think about…
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🤔 Do you see your thyroid meds in the same way as food and water?
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🤔 Essential for you to live and for your body to function?
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Because that’s exactly what they are.
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I’m so thankful for mine. They are a necessity for me to live, just like food and water. Not having the correct amount of thyroid hormone in your body can lead to myxoedema coma and be fatal. Just like not having food and water can be.
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We shouldn’t feel ashamed about taking thyroid hormone replacement, just as diabetics need insulin.
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It’s keeping you alive. ✊🏻

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Read more like this in my bestselling thyroid patient book "Be Your Own Thyroid Advocate."

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Thursday Health Check-in

Lots to update you on! I have started tranexamic acid for the heavy periods as all investigations came back negative for now and my iron levels continue to drop further with each period...

I am being referred to specialists for acid reflux and itchy scalp causes... so hopeful to find out whats finally going on there!

And my iron levels will be retested again soon. Phew!

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Outro -

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​This newsletter includes thyroid research, events, news, articles, discounts, tips, advice, and links to popular social media posts from the last fortnight. Enjoy reading!

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- Rachel Hill, The Invisible Hypothyroidism

Follow Rachel on: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Twitter​

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Sponsor a future issue of this newsletter and share your services or product with over 9,000 readers. 😊

Interested? Contact me for more info!

• My LetsGetChecked discount code is 25INVISIBLE for 25% off.
• My Medichecks discount code is INVISIBLE10 for 10% off.
• My Facebook group "Thyroid Family" was archived on 7th June 2024.
• I am still updating all articles on my website (of which there are hundreds) to make sure they're up to date.
• I also plan to continue working on my fourth book this year and be able to publish it next year! Exciting!

TED Patients Maintained Improvement 2 Years After Infusions

"Most patients with thyroid eye disease treated with teprotumumab didn’t require additional treatments nearly two years later, according to industry-supported research being presented Sunday at ENDO 2024 in Boston, Mass., and published in the journal Thyroid..."

​Read this in full here.​

Here are some of my newest or recently updated articles!

Brittle and Dry Hair With Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s

Since thyroid hormone is needed for every function and cell in the body, effects when it is too high or too low can be far-reaching, however, the effects to hair is something that is experienced by many, many thyroid patients.

​Read this here.​

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Thyroid Patients Experience Medical Gaslighting

I hear from many other people, both men and women, who experience doctors gaslighting them for years; phrases such as ‘It’s all in your head’, ‘Your test results are fine so there’s nothing wrong with you’ and ‘These sound like a low mood problem. Have some antidepressants’, are not uncommon.

​Read more here.​

The Most Popular Post From My Instagram page in The Last Fortnight:

Most Popular Reels From My Social Media in The Last Fortnight:

• ​Brain fog impacts work​
• ​Only borderline hypothyroid​
• ​Medical gaslighting​

This is where I share my favourite thyroid health supporting tools and resources every fortnight. 😊

📖 Book: What You Must Know About Hashimoto’s Disease by Dr Henderson

Read my thyroid book review here!

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👂 Podcast Episode: Girls Gone Wellness - Acid Reflux and The Gut​

I found this episode really enlightening. Definitely give it a listen if you have stomach issues.

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🥘 Recipe: Becky Excell's latest gluten free cookbook!​

The whole family loves her gluten-free recipes, and as my husband is now lactose-free, it helps that her recipes are so easily adaptable for this too.

You can read more on my approach to diet / dietary changes with thyroid disease here.

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🧪 Test: Thyroid Function with Antibodies Blood Test​

This at-home finger prick blood test checks your TSH level, free T3 and free T4, as well as thyroid antibodies, for an in-depth picture of your thyroid health. Looking at thyroid hormone levels as well as markers for Hashimoto's.

And you can get 10% off with the code INVISIBLE10

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💙 Self-Care Nugget: Re-evaluating my time

I made the difficult decision to close my Facebook group after 125,000+ members had joined and stayed, thousands of questions had ben answered and thousands of people had been supported... because it wasn't the right call for my own health to run it right now. I have been reassessing where I spend my time and energy and it has been hugely empowering and helpful as I navigate life as a busy parent with this as my work.

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🌟 Other things I'm loving at the moment:

• Chamomile tea. How are we still drinking tea in the summer in the UK?! (it's so wet and cold still)
• New slippers!

That's all for this issue of The Thyroid Family Newsletter, but you can find more information and support:

⭐ In my website articles!

⭐ In my books!

⭐ On my Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Twitter!

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Keep an eye out for the next issue in two weeks time!

Rachel Hill, The Invisible Hypothyroidism

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Please Note: None of the statements in this publication should be taken as an official endorsement of any particular product, including any sponsored content. I strongly suggest consulting your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle or health regimen. The information included in this publication is not meant to substitute the clinical guidance provided by a healthcare professional. Rachel Hill / The Invisible Hypothyroidism is not medically qualified and does not offer medical advice. Read the full disclaimer here. By reading this newsletter, you agree to understanding this information.

This newsletter may also contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission if you purchase through it. This does not change the way I work or the products I link to, and it doesn’t change your user experience. To find out more information, please read my disclosure statement. For example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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