[at-l] Hiking and Thyroids...

Hi all -

I am compelled to share this story with you because I would like to save any
and all of you from the last 10 months of health-hell that I have been going
through.


My advice:  today -- or soon -- while you're feeling great and have no
reason to suspect otherwise, scare up the $$ that it would cost to have your
GP order a thyroid test for you.  Why?  Because if you, like me, should be
stricken with thyroid disease, you'll wish like everything you had a
baseline reference in your file to compare to.  You'll be much better  able
to interpret your numbers.

Having thyroid disease will, in all likelihood, seriously affect your
ability to hike.  My own experience was that after being able to knock off
anywhere from 8 - 16 miles a day depending on pack weight and terrain, I
was, at my worst able to walk, oh, a mile around my neighborhood.  This was
depressing to say the least.

If you're a guy, the statistical likelihood is that your doc probably won't
think of ordering the test for you.  Statistically speaking, thyroid disease
isn't a "guy thing," though guys do get it.

If you're a gal, your doctor may tell you that your problem is, say, chronic
fatigue, or simply depression, or menopause, or too much caffeine, or "all
in your head."  For 1 out of 10 women, it's really all in their necks.

This disease is treatable but you have to get the right diagnosis and the
right data -- not to mention the right doctor.  (I had to fire my first
doctor.)

If any of you suspect this about yourselves or are curious about the
signs/symptons and want to discuss it privately, just send email.  I'll be
glad to tell you what I know/don't know.  All of the literature I've read
recently -- and I've read bunches -- says over and over that diagnosis is
the hardest thing because most people don't think of it immediately.

In the next few months I hope to be back in hiking form...


Lynn







* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *







* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================