Glimpse into your loved one's Hashimoto's disease

Hello there,

My name is Hashimoto's disease, and your loved one is my host. She does me well. When I attack her thyroid and she produces too much hormone, I feed on her. I drain the energy from her, I make her feel anxious and jittery, and just for thrills, I make her dizzy and I upset her stomach. I make her muscles ache all over, I make it hard for her to move. I make her eyes blurry, and I stop her from having any fun with friends. And then when she runs out of hormone, well I don't like that, so I make her feel flat, and tired, and sad. She struggles to get out of bed, and if she manages that, I make her feel so weak and nauseous that she can't go to work. I enjoy what I do; one week I attack, another I rest; it is fun to watch her on the roller coaster.

You know that time she was crying in pain and sadness, and you left her to go to your dinner with friends thinking "she can manage, she does it all the time"? Well thanks buddy! You weakened her strength against me and helped me get a stronger foothold on her; it was just what I needed!

Remember that time she yelled at you just because your hand got in the way when she was trying to pick up those books that had fallen over? Well that wasn't her, no you fool, that was me! I was churning up her head so it was so thick and muddy it was like a mouldy fish pond. It was so hard for her to concentrate on picking up the books, that your hand just made her crazy!

And all those times she can't decide something, and just wants you to take control? Yep, me again! Her body is so tired and achey, her heart is thumping, her mind so foggy and dizzy, and her limbs so shaky, that she can't make decisions! How lame do you think I am?! She would have to be superhuman to fight through all that and give you the decisions you want!

So next time, you think it is her being angry at you and walking twenty steps behind you, please think of me! Give me the credit! I am the one who is making it hard for her to keep up with you! I am the one who is making it impossible for her to smile at you! I am the one that makes her say no to all those social occasions, and yet her friends continue to fall for it and end their friendships with her because she never comes out! I am fed up with not getting the appreciation that I deserve.

Thank you for your time. Maybe one day, I will come and visit you, and you can be my host.

Love and kisses from Hashi, your loved one's Hashimoto's disease.