The Day of the Space Voyager

I thought tonight we'd take a little journey. One where we travel through my bloodstream and explain how things work for me ... or rather how they don't!

This blog's original aim was to be one part journal and one part detailling my reaction to levothyroxine. Somewhere along the line I've used it to discuss life in general.
So I figured this should be a good time to explain what hypothyroidism does, and what it is.

Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroxine. It is often called an under active thyroid. This causes many of the body's functions to slow down.

Thyroxine is a hormone (body chemical) made by the thyroid gland in the neck. It is carried round the body in the bloodstream. It helps to keep the body's functions (the metabolism) working at the correct pace. Many cells and tissues in the body need thyroxine to keep them going correctly.

Many symptoms can be caused by a low level of thyroxine. Basically, everything 'slows down'. Not all symptoms develop in all cases.
Personally one of the most serious effects in my case is the extremely high cholesterol. Think of the blood in your body transporting everything you need to be healthy and full functioning. Mine just so happens to be clogged up with garbage. No fun for me!
I never guessed that I had this condition, my symptoms came on separately and gradually since I was seventeen. In that time I've experienced;

Poor muscle tone
Fatigue
Depression
Muscle cramps
Thinning hair and hair loss
Paleness
Insomnia

I always just brushed it off with some excuse I told myself.

Insomnia at 17? "My parents have weird sleeping patterns"
Hair falling out in clumps at 19? "Must be Uni stress"
Tired and sore. "Man I must've killed it at the gym today!"
Paleness? To be fair, I haven't had a sunny holiday since I was 16!
Depression? "Everybody hurts... sometimes...!!!" :P

The great thing is that I think I manged to sail through those years pretty well. I've always been an exuberant, happy-go-lucky kinda dude. I always worked around those things in a silly way. When you only sleep four hours a night it makes you an extremely useful person to know, and rather awesome at parties!!!
For the past month or so and for the next month or two, I'm living what my doctor and I call a "restricted lifestyle" you name, if its fun, I probably am not allowed to do it... except I am allowed to drink - nice!
But as long as my dosage stay steady, these ailments will be a thing of the past. First thing I'm going to do is grow my hair back and rock a proper "emo" haircut, then I can't wait for my holiday in the south of France , mmmmmmm sun!

This has been an oddly self-indulgent post, but it's not bad to take time and study yourself a little bit!

"The most interesting person you ever meet in your life may be yourself"

Goodnight all, since today's blog has been about the body, and I already spoke about the heart, I guess tomorrow will be the soul!

- Nevin xxo
(even though those are cyber hugs and kiss, I would totally be cuddling you right now and plant a few wet ones on ya!)