So I had my long awaited appointment with the endocrinologist and, as most autodidacts will suspect, if I want any real information on my disease I need to get it myself. So I've already ordered two books about thyroid and autoimmune disease. The doctor told me that the hives and facial swelling are not connected to my thyroid even though the allergist and my primary doctor used those as indicators of a thyroid problem. So irritating. He couldn't tell me anything to do for them or to make the facial swelling go down. Sunday was Easter but we didn't go to church because my top lip was swollen. I've posted the picture of my swollen lips but this was just the top lip. I looked like daffy duck. Nope, no church for me. My husband was kind of depressed because in the Philippines this is a big holiday, here its really for those who are very religious and for kids. He didn't want to go without me. I think it made him home sick, holidays do that.
What it is, what is happening, is that my immune system is attacking my thyroid. One interesting thing he told me was that I may have developed the thyroid problem while I was pregnant and that is why I had preterm labor. It's impossible to know now but its interesting because I was never given a reason it happened. A woman whose baby was in the room next to ours was told after her placenta was analyzed that she had had an upper-respiratory infection and that is why she had her baby at 26 weeks. It must have been so upsetting for her to hear that something so stupid was causing her baby such pain, but it would have been nice to know. She was also told that it would be highly unlikely that it would ever happen again. They couldn't tell me anything of the sort. HD will eventually cause me to have an under-active thyroid, hypothyroidism, which can cause miscarriages, infertility and preterm labor. In addition to weight gain, it also makes me more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. My husband and I are hoping to give Sophie a little brother or sister. We've already picked the names, Daniel or Lila.
We are moving to Everett Washington in two weeks. Once we get there I am going to find a Dietitian, an OB, and maybe a Fitness trainer. Exercise can help with thyroid function. And of course I have a lot of reading to do. Now if you'll excuse me I am going to go scratch at the hives that have nothing to do with my thyroid.