My Thyroid Journey as an ND
Author: Dr. Mollie Brennan, Naturopathic Doctor
If you have brainfog, struggle to get up off the couch, and feel like you’re working twice as hard to get through the day, I’ve been there and I understand! Living with a slow metabolism can feel like moving through mud sometimes. My thyroid journey started in university with fatigue, brain fog, and anxiety gradually creeping its way into my life. I took medication because I knew it was important, but still felt like I was to blame for how I felt somehow.
I pursued a science degree in nutritional biochemistry, followed by a naturopathic medicine degree at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto. The thyroid was a topic in many classes--botanical medicine, physiology, pharmacology, women's health--but the foundations were never provided in a complete way. They were always in separate lectures alongside cardiovascular health or liver disorders.
Fast forward to after graduation, writing multiple board and licensing examinations, and getting a career off the ground. I was definitely suffering from burnout and my thyroid medication steadily increased. This was the moment I started diving into thyroid health and what I could be doing differently.
My symptoms were:
Tired every day, all day. Coffee was no help!
Sleeping alot or not enough--either way my energy was always low.
Anxiety and depression
Constipation and bloating
Weight gain
Poor post-exercise recovery
Hoarse voice and feeling a 'pit' in my throat
High cholesterol and uric acid on bloodwork
My medical doctor was timely with my care, but I was sent home with the 'exercise more and watch your diet' advice. It was so frustrating! Why, as an educated health professional, couldn't I advocate for myself?
The thyroid is still mysterious and unfortunately a poll of hundreds of women showed they aren’t happy with their symptoms, despite having proper medication. (1) I can say that a higher medication dose, 9+ hours of sleep a night, regular eating patterns, and supplements like selenium have made a big impact on my symptoms. A chronic condition has to have ‘chronic’ lifestyle changes.
Do you resonate with some of this? Are you freezing in bed at 7 PM every night and wondering if there is something really wrong? Book a free 15 minute meet-and-greet phone call to discuss more. I’ll give you all the latest evidence based knowledge.
Reference:
1) Saravanan P, Chau WF, Roberts N, Vedhara K, Greenwood R, Dayan CM. Psychological well-being in patients on 'adequate' doses of l-thyroxine: results of a large, controlled community-based questionnaire study. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2002 Nov;57(5):577-85. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2265.2002.01654.x. PMID: 12390330.
