Remember the freshman 15??
How about the sophomore 20??
Well, the sophomore 20 isn’t really a thing… Usually by sophomore year, college students learn how navigate the cafeteria ( ie. hit up the waffle bar on a weekly, *not daily*, basis OR avoid capping off every Thursday and Saturday night at Ian’s pizza ).
As a SUPER Type A dietetics student, I honestly never really had an issue with the freshman 15 : I ate extremely healthy ( oatmeal with cinnamon, almond milk, and protein powder for breakfast and salad with hummus for lunch and dinner basically everyday ), I worked out, and I got SO MANY steps in because the UW-Madison campus is huge and my dorm couldn’t be further from my classes. I enjoyed my routine and was totally fine with eating the same thing every day, especially if it meant that I would dodge the dreaded freshman 15. But then, sophomore year came…
First off, I felt like a walking zombie for my entire undergrad career, especially earlier in my four years. I was taking extremely difficult classes and competing against pre-med students ( I was never pre-med, but a lot of the earlier dietetics classes line up with their classes ). I studied until library close and would often wake up at the crack of dawn to study so I could keep up with my classes. Naturally, I felt very sleep deprived. I mean, so is 99% of America!
At the end of my first semester sophomore year, I was DYING to go home. I was so burnt out from first semester finals and wanted nothing but sleep, but of course when you come home for break, you have to catch up on your doctors appointments!
OH GOODY!! Just what I wanted!!
My first appointment was my annual checkup. Ya know, we reviewed the usual stuff like my medical history, vital signs, heart and lung exams, and of course, weight.
They weighed me and I went into the room to meet with my doctor.
The doctor asked me about my eating and exercise habits because… I gained twenty pounds.
TWENTY.
LIKE.. “TWO ZERO”
BISH WHAAAAAT ??
My clothes felt tighter, but on a day-to-day basis, I would just wear leggings and a sweatshirt because… #comfort. I didn’t have half the confidence I have now because I struggled to stay in shape despite my healthy eating habits and exercise routine. I always assumed that I gained weight due to my lack of sleep and late nights out, BUT didn’t think that I packed on an additional 20 lbs…
At this point, I wasn’t really embarrassed about my weight gain, I just wanted to know WTF was going on with my body!
My doctor asked me if I experienced fatigue, cold intolerance, dry, thinning hair, and a few other symptoms. ( Weight gain was on the list but that was already V. OBVI 🤣 )
It was difficult for me to distinguish what my fatigue was – sleep deprivation or something with my health – but either way, I experienced it really bad. This is probably around the time that I developed an addiction to coffee 😅
Both my mom and maternal grandpa have hypothyroidism so my doctor predicted that I had the same situation going.
FYI : Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. This gland is included in the endocrine glands which make hormones. The thyroid hormones control various activities in your body like : how fast you burn calories, the speed of your heart beat, among other activities. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which your thyroid gland isn’t active enough and doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone to meet your body’s needs. Hypothyroidism is more common in women and those over 60 y/o. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is “Hashimoto’s disease”. Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder in which antibodies directed against the thyroid gland lead to chronic inflammation.
I got blood tests, went to an endocrinologist, and got diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. The endocrinologist explained to me that the cause of Hashimoto’s disease ( an autoimmune disorder ) involved the production of abnormal antibodies which was confirmed by my blood tests.
I was prescribed with “Levothyroxine” to restore normal thyroid hormone levels. This didn’t stop the autoimmune disorder, but it improved the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Very quickly, I lost 5 pounds and had significantly more energy. We followed up by monitoring my TSH ( Thyroid Stimulating Hormone ) levels.
I continue to take Levothyroxine every day, first thing in the morning with a large glass of water because levothyroxine needs to be consumed on an empty stomach and 30-60 minutes before eating. T-GOD my morning routine is so long…
Fast forward to second semester and I’m taking a physiology course and learned all about Hashimoto’s disease! I shared this experience with many of my friends and about half of them thought they had hypothyroidism. My two main symptoms were fatigue and weight gain which are both common experiences that undergrads have, whether they are diagnosed with hypothyroidism or not.
With that said, I am not an expert in hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease and this ISN’T intended to diagnose anyone with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s. Rather, I created this post to share my story and my journey. I briefly mentioned my Hashimoto’s on Instagram and talked to a few of you about it and wanted to continue to share my story.
This experience has taught me to stay in touch with my body and when I experience a problem, to take action and talk about my symptoms and experiences with a doctor.
Mayo Clinic’s website listed some ways to prepare for your doctor’s appointment. I wish I had this list prior to my appointments so I could give more precise and tangible answers.
- “Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. When you make your appointment, ask if there’s anything you need to do to prepare for common diagnostic tests.
- Write down any symptoms you’re experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. For example, if you’ve been feeling more forgetful than usual, this is important information to share with your doctor. Also tell your doctor about changes you’ve noticed in your physical appearance, such as unexplained weight gain or a difference in your skin.
- Write down key personal information, including any changes in your menstrual cycle and in your sex life. Let your doctor know if your libido has changed.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you’re taking or have used in the past. Include the specific name and dose of these medications and how long you’ve been taking them.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.”
Again, this isn’t intended to diagnose anyone. Weight gain and fatigue are very common and can be caused by lifestyle, dietary choices, exercise, or health. Rather, I encourage you all to use this story as a reminder to be your own advocate if you think something is wrong and to stay in touch with your health!!
xx hails
References:
Hypothyroidism | Hashimoto’s Disease. (2019, February 07). Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/hypothyroidism.html
Hashimoto’s disease. (2018, March 03). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hashimotos-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351860
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thyroid.org/hashimotos-thyroiditis/
Thyroid Function Tests. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-function-tests/