It all started almost 3 years ago... Part One

I was married in late spring 2008.  I was soooo happy to have found my prince at 32 years old and to have a fairy tale wedding.  About 2 weeks after we got back from our honeymoon, I began having weird pain in my right upper abdomen, feeling exhausted all the time, wild mood swings from happy, to angry, to suicidal depression, and weight gain.  The symptoms persisted for the rest of the summer and come fall, I knew I was physically sick.  I asked my GYN to run some thyroid testing during my annual exam.  She did and my TSH (the only test she ran) was 13.1 (normal is 0.35-5.5, although many don't feel optimal when it's above 3.5).  She gave me the standard levothyroxine (T4 only replacement) and sent me on my merry way.  Six weeks later, I felt worse and my TSH had climbed to 13.5.  My GYN accused me of not taking my medicine, but upped the dose of levothyroxine and I continued taking it with no results.  In November 2008, my TSH was still greater than 10, and I was to the point where the only reason I was getting out of bed was to work.  Scary stuff for a newlywed!!!

DH & I on our honeymoon in Dominica