LITMIR.BIZ

       PART ONE

      Fatigue and weariness can slowly take over your body. You may find it difficult to motivate yourself, to become excited or express enthusiasm; body and mind are slow and heavy. Some of you may be painfully aware of this change in energy level, others may have experienced tiredness for so long it seems natural and cannot remember a time they felt vital or energetic … if ever.

      However, with the guidance of this book you can return to health. Here is the success story of one woman I helped through fatigue, stress and depression to finally recognize and treat her undiagnosed mild hypothyroidism.

      Liz’s Story

      Liz had felt exhausted for four years. Prior to her total hysterectomy four and a half years ago, she had been a slim, active mother in her early forties with two teenage children and the happy wife of a successful caring husband.

      She had hoped that after her hysterectomy she would enjoy a future without the monthly burden of heavy, painful periods caused by endometriosis. However, after three months convalescence, she felt certain that in her own words — ‘something was wrong’. Within six months of the operation, Liz looked a different person. She was 20lb over her normal weight of 125lb, and her usual robust colour was replaced by an unhealthy pallor with dark shadows beneath her eyes. All of which made her look 10 years older than her 46 years. Although Liz was concerned about her looks, she was far more worried about how she felt.

      The Tiredness

      We all feel tired — or fatigued — now and again. Usually we can put it down to a few too many late nights, or maybe an unexpected stress or illness, maybe even just working too hard. This transient fatigue lifts after a few early nights or a restful holiday. Unfortunately the type of chronic fatigue you might be experiencing does not go away. You may constantly feel tired, your body may feel heavy all the time and simply concentrating on your work or completing the household chores may take all the energy you have. You — like Liz — may be suffering from a type of fatigue which cannot be solved by early nights or a holiday. Liz realized that her energy levels and work capacity compared very unfavourably with her pre-hysterectomy vitality; although, you may not be able to pin down your exhaustion to a single event or cause, you probably realize that you are not your normal, energetic, and happy self.

      Liz ached with fatigue. Her neck, shoulders and lower back were stiff and painful. Her hands and feet were always cold and occasionally numb, and dull frontal headaches had become a daily pattern. Far from sleep refreshing her, she felt worse on waking and claimed that she ‘didn’t really surface until mid-day’. The physical exhaustion was accompanied by mental exhaustion, this caused her to feel depressed. Her increasingly poor concentration and memory were the cause of many problems. Although she could remember her childhood with some clarity, her short-term memory was unreliable. She frequently lost her car keys and shopping lists, and missed appointments. On several occasions she could not recall where her car was parked and was obliged to take a taxi home.

      The Domestic Stress

      For Liz everything was an effort, she felt drained, confused and unhappy. Her exhaustion and depression lead to frustration, irritability, and anxiety. Her husband Mike, found that his business as a garden designer begun to suffer. Liz had looked after his books and accounts for many years, but now her poor concentration and moodiness resulted in lost and dissatisfied clients. Arguments between Liz and her husband became daily events. We can all absorb stress from our partners, and certainly Mike was becoming anxious and increasingly baffled by his wife’s attitude and behaviour.

      Their marriage was not helped by Liz’s loss of interest in sex. The sexual side of their partnership had always been mutually satisfying and relaxing, but for Liz this had lapsed under the familiar excuse of ‘too much effort’. For the same reason Liz felt unable to continue the dancing and golf that they had both enjoyed for many years. Mike had complained to his doctor that he thought the hysterectomy had changed his wife’s personality. By the time Liz consulted me her weight had risen to 1701b, being 45lb over her ideal weight.

      In addition to her exhaustion and other symptoms, Liz complained that if she did not eat every two or three hours she would tremble and feel dizzy and breathless, and often experienced a sugar craving. Because of this she had increased her meal frequency to include snacks of sugar-rich pastries and drinks. This new habit, coupled with her lack of exercise and general sluggishness, served to further increase her weight.

      After four years of ill health, Liz had become trapped in a vicious circle of exhaustion, depression, obesity and anxiety. Her natural optimism and self-esteem were at zero.

      When Liz discussed her symptoms with her doctor a few months after her operation, she was told that she was simply suffering the after effects of major surgery, and the consequences of an overnight menopause. He requested a blood screen including full biochemistry, haematology and thyroid profiles. The only test ‘out of range’ was a slightly raised cholesterol. There was no evidence of anaemia and the thyroid hormone levels appeared normal. Liz was told that her blood pressure was also normal, but she was advised to lose weight by reducing the fat and sugar in her diet. She was prescribed a low dose HRT and an antidepressant. Unfortunately after trying several antidepressants and attempting unsuccessfully to diet, Liz was still overweight, depressed and exhausted. Moreover, she was confused, the doctor had said her tests were ‘normal’ and yet she felt far from her ‘normal’

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