My Thyroid Story
My Thyroid Story
When I first discovered a lump on my thyroid, I had no idea how much it would shape the next decade of my life.
It all began around the time I was going through my separation. I was feeling exhausted and wired — no surprise, really — so I went to my doctor for a check-up. That’s when they found a lump, or nodule, on my thyroid. It’s actually quite common, but because it looked a bit suspicious, they did a biopsy — the first of many fine needle aspirations (FNAs) I’d come to know.
At the time, I was referred to a general surgeon who recommended removing my entire thyroid. His thinking was: one side had a suspicious cold nodule, the other had a goitre, so why not just take it all out? Even without my later naturopathic training, that felt extreme to me. I decided to get a second opinion with an endocrinologist — a thyroid specialist.
That turned out to be a good decision. The endocrinologist did another four or five FNAs and concluded that while the nodule wasn’t cancerous, it would need lifelong monitoring. So began years of check-ups, tests, and biopsies.
Along the way, I often questioned the link between thyroid function, weight, and mood — but my endocrinologist didn’t agree. Over time I became disillusioned and stopped seeing him for a while.
Fast forward nine years. I had just gone through a stressful retrenchment, and unsurprisingly, my thyroid flared up again. The nodules were growing, and my doctors were increasingly concerned. I also needed a new endocrinologist, as my original one had passed away. This new specialist was convinced it was cancer and recommended surgery — but thankfully, they aimed to preserve as much as possible. I had a partial thyroidectomy, removing the left side and preserving the right gland and my parathyroids. If the remaining half stayed healthy, I might avoid lifelong medication.
The surgery was in late 2013. About a year later, I began studying naturopathy — and that completely changed how I understood my thyroid. I learned about the genetic links, the role of stress, and how some people can swing between hyper- and hypothyroid states (though many doctors still resist this idea).
Today, I’m still living with thyroid issues, and another nodule has developed on the right side. I can’t say for certain that I won’t need surgery again — this journey is ongoing.
But here’s what I can say: there is a lot you can do to support your thyroid health.
Stress plays a massive role. When we’re under stress, we produce cortisol, which increases inflammation — and that inflammation can disrupt thyroid function.
Many people are told, “Your TSH is fine,” but TSH alone doesn’t tell the whole story. As a naturopath, I look beyond TSH, ideally testing:
T3 and T4
Reverse T3
Autoantibodies
Cortisol
Unfortunately, not every GP is willing to order these tests — even with half a thyroid, I often have to advocate for myself. Luckily, I have access to testing through my work.
Most recently, just before Christmas, my bloodwork showed elevated TSH (for me), and sure enough, I was feeling the classic fatigue of hypothyroidism. What’s fascinating is that I also have autoantibodies consistent with hyperthyroidism, and so does my sister — while my mum, whose thyroid was removed, was always hypo.
If you know thyroid symptoms, you’ll recognize the general patterns:
Hyperthyroid: weight loss, anxiety, palpitations, sweating, feeling wired
Hypothyroid: weight gain, low mood, menstrual issues, fatigue
But what if you gain weight, feel low, and are labeled hyperthyroid? This mismatch is why I believe — and research increasingly suggests — that some people fluctuate between hyper and hypo states. I can feel the difference: from sluggish, heavy fatigue to an adrenaline-driven, anxious energy.
Could some of this overlap with mood disorders like bipolar? Maybe. The thyroid plays an important role in mental health — and a proper diagnosis matters.
So, how can you support thyroid health?
First, know that it’s not a “fix it once and forget it” situation. The thyroid is a hormone-regulated organ, meaning it’s always shifting. But you can develop a treatment approach that helps bring you back to balance.
Right now, I’m focusing on my own reset:
Prioritizing self-care
Reducing inflammation
Improving nutrition
Cutting back on alcohol
Moving my body more
My DNA testing recently confirmed what I suspected: I have multiple genetic variants that affect how my body handles inflammation. When stress piles on, my system gets overwhelmed — and my thyroid feels it. So, reducing inflammation is my top goal.
If my story resonates with you, and you want to explore your own thyroid health, I invite you to reach out. You don’t have to navigate this journey alone — and there’s so much we can do to help you feel your best.
If you would like to talk about it, then book in for a chat.