In the year 2002, I was diagnosed with hyperactive thyroid and for eight months I have medical consultations, laboratory examinations and take various medications to cure my illness. I know that it was an expensive disease because I have gone thru laboratory examinations every month for my T3, T4 and Th levels. These are the hormones released by my abnormal thyroid. Anyway I was so glad because the company that I was with during that time had enrolled its employees to a health maintenance organization or commonly called HMO. The HMO is Phillamcare a leading insurance company in the Philippines. Having my operation and laboratory test is not really a problem because the HMO will cover all the expenses.
During that time I cannot sleep, I have LBM or diarrhea most of the time, I lost so much weight, and I have chest pain every now and then because my heart beats so fast and I have trembling hands. At night when I lay down to sleep I could hear my heart pounding so fast to a crescendo. I also noticed that my neck has enlarged and my eyes have started to bulge. My doctor has told me that I have two options since my condition has not really improve with the medications; the first one is total thyroidectomy, a surgical procedure to remove my thyroid gland and second is Radioactive Iodine, It is a pill to be taken in and the patient will be kept in isolation for one day.
My doctor advised me to have total thyroidectomy because she said I’m young and my body is still strong enough to undergo the operation but my main concern during that time is that the surgery will leave a scar on my neck. She told me that some people have adverse side effects like dry skin and obesity to radioactive iodine. I weigh all the options and finally I’ve decided to have thyroidectomy. I was just 23 years old during that time, single and recovering from heartache from my break-up with my first boyfriend. After the operation I have taken in levothyroxin sodium daily in 100mcg as my maintenance medication The scar as it turned out doesn’t bother that much to my social life because as you can see I have married my wonderful husband and he has given me two beautiful babies. The operation has in a way changed my life because I learn to value the blessings that were given to me especially my life. I appreciate the love and support that my family has given to me and my faith was strengthened because of the circumstances during that time.
During that time I cannot sleep, I have LBM or diarrhea most of the time, I lost so much weight, and I have chest pain every now and then because my heart beats so fast and I have trembling hands. At night when I lay down to sleep I could hear my heart pounding so fast to a crescendo. I also noticed that my neck has enlarged and my eyes have started to bulge. My doctor has told me that I have two options since my condition has not really improve with the medications; the first one is total thyroidectomy, a surgical procedure to remove my thyroid gland and second is Radioactive Iodine, It is a pill to be taken in and the patient will be kept in isolation for one day.
My doctor advised me to have total thyroidectomy because she said I’m young and my body is still strong enough to undergo the operation but my main concern during that time is that the surgery will leave a scar on my neck. She told me that some people have adverse side effects like dry skin and obesity to radioactive iodine. I weigh all the options and finally I’ve decided to have thyroidectomy. I was just 23 years old during that time, single and recovering from heartache from my break-up with my first boyfriend. After the operation I have taken in levothyroxin sodium daily in 100mcg as my maintenance medication The scar as it turned out doesn’t bother that much to my social life because as you can see I have married my wonderful husband and he has given me two beautiful babies. The operation has in a way changed my life because I learn to value the blessings that were given to me especially my life. I appreciate the love and support that my family has given to me and my faith was strengthened because of the circumstances during that time.
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