My April Health Update – A New Diagnosis

Well, I’ve not shared too much here on The Inspiration Edit about my health in the past six months. In fact, I’ve almost avoided talking about my health issues as I got to a point where I was just sick of being sick.

Having chronic illness is never fun and sometimes it can make you feel so down and sad but I always try to remain positive as much as I can despite suffering from chronic pain and other unpleasant symptoms.

Since 2019, my health went really downhill. I’ve continued to blog, however my abilities have really suffered. I’ve had brain fog a lot, been in pain, had nausea, a crazy racing heart and chronic exhaustion.

New Zealand Health

I was supposed to get tests at the start of 2020 but due to the pandemic hitting the UK, my appointments were cancelled. Then all consultations were over the phone and I was placed in shielding for so long. My health got worse and worse and I didn’t know why. I still don’t know everything but moving to New Zealand and being able to see a new Doctor and Endo team has really helped.

I did my research and found an affordable medical centre here in New Zealand. You have to pay for every visit and I found a doctor that was a good price. I visited the Doctor and she was great. She listened and made referrals to the correct hospital specialists. The doctor even rang me personally to ask me to come in when the hospital contacted her. I didn’t have grumpy receptionists who know all your personal details and try to control everything. The system is just better here.

A Good Doctor

So I have had some good support from my Doctor and was set up on the medications I need.

I saw an Endocrinologist at my local Hospital and he was great. In fact, a few days after my appointment I received a letter stating I have a new diagnosis. I have an underactive thyroid. This is in addition to my growth hormone issues and Adrenal Insufficiency.

I felt angry, upset and mad. Why did it take me moving overseas to get diagnosed with a thyroid problem? Why could the GP in England not have done that simple test? Why have I had to be sick for 18 months not knowing what’s wrong? I felt cross that I had not been taken seriously at my previous doctors, cross that they had not tested my thyroid and upset that I have another health issue.

Underactive Thyroid

Whilst I am happy to learn what is wrong, it is a big blow to have yet another hormone deficiency. However I now have issues with all the hormones produced by the Pituitary gland in the brain and that points to the Hypopituitarism that I have had for seven years. Maybe I can get it written on paper or something and actually get medication that can help me improve?

It’s hard to live with Adrenal Insufficiency and it’s hard to be chronically tired and to be in pain and suffer daily but I’m hoping deep down that by going onto thyroid medication I might be able to improve some of my current symptoms. That would be nice. I also hope that I can reduce my steroid dose and maybe even one day lose some weight. We shall see. I gained 15kg during the lockdown period as I was too unwell to walk around and I am hoping the thyroid issues are part of that! Maybe I can get my hormones in better balance with the right medication and care.

I’m staying on my adrenal pump for now in New Zealand, well at least for the next three months and I’ve reduced my daily medication from 70mg a day down to 48mg and so far I am coping with that.

So yes, I’m annoyed that I didn’t get good care over the past two years in the UK and I’m frustrated about it. I’m upset and scared to have a new health condition which I will have to learn to manage but I am also hopeful my health might improve and that I can do more here in my new home. Fingers crossed.

Angela