Female Reproductive System and Thyroid Health

Thyroid disease and dysfunction can affect the menstrual cycle and reproductive system through one big axis.

The Hypothalamus Pituitary Thyroid (HPT) and the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA) are intimately connected. And then there is the Hypothalamic Pituitary Gonadal (HPG) that is associated to ovaries in womxn.

So when one axis is stressed, it can stress the next, which can stress the next, and then you're caught in this cycle. This is why learning tools and modalities to support you during times of stress and help you to navigate through them is KEY to healing any chronic or inflammatory disorder - including the thyroid.

Thyroid dysfunction can effect the reproductive system by:

#1 Causing irregular periods or even loss of menses altogether

  • Hypothyroidism can increase frequency/heaviness of periods by: 

    o Increasing prolactin 

    o Decreasing progesterone 

    o Worsening PCOS 

    o Robbing body of energy for reproductive functions

  • Hyperthyroidism can result in lighter/shorter periods further apart, or even amenorrhea (absence of period) 

#2 Infertility, trouble getting pregnant or miscarriage

  • Hypothyroidism interferes with ovulation by affecting prolactin. 

#3 Pregnancy complications (thyroid disorders are the 2nd most common endocrine issue in pregnancy)

Thyroid disorders are the second most common endocrine issue in pregnancy 

  • Usually with hypothyroidism: 

    • Thyrotoxicosis: Extremely elevated thyroid levels with many serious effects, including spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, low birth weight, stillbirth, and preterm delivery 

    • Subclinical hypothyroidism

  • Hyperthyroidism is associated with preeclampsia, fetal loss, low birth weight, and heart/blood vessel malformation 

  • Thyroid changes are normal during pregnancy, but always refer clients to healthcare professional if you suspect possible complications

    • Look for symptoms like thyroid tenderness/swelling, heat/cold intolerance, and thin, yellowish skin (especially around eyes) 

#4 Postpartum thyroiditis (which affects 5-8% of women)

  • Usually begins 1-8 months postpartum and resolves within 6 months 

  • Early symptoms might be confused with typical postpartum symptoms 

  • Autoimmune disease caused by combination of: 

    • Stress of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period

    • Stress, poor diet, toxins, EMF exposure, leaky gut, too much sugar, infection, gluten intolerance

  • The typical phase is Hypothyroid > Hyperthyroid > Resolution (though 20% stay in Hypothyroid)

How can you improve your thyroid and reproductive health?

  • Avoid radiation and EMF exposure as best as you can (read more about EMF and radiation HERE)

  • Eat a nutrient dense diet that includes grass fed meats, wild caught fish and organic fruits and vegetables

  • Drink and use filtered water and avoid using plastic containers or bottles to store water

  • Avoid sugar and instead opt for natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave and monk fruit sweetener

  • Eliminate gluten

  • Include fermented foods and/or probiotics in daily diet

  • Increase fiber intake

  • Consider supplementing with B-complex to aid estrogen dominance (check with your doctor or healthcare professional before adding any supplements to your regimen)

  • Explore possible non-hormonal birth control options, if possible

  • Limit alcohol 

  • Find ways to limit stress

    • Creating grounding morning routine & relaxing bedtime routine

    • Deep breathing exercises 

    • Epsom salt baths, using essential oils 

    • Journaling 

    • Meditation practice 

    • Prayer 

    • Reading fiction 

    • Quality time with friends 

    • Seek the support of a professional (therapist or coach)

    • Walking barefoot on the earth or beach 

    • Yoga, especially Yin Yoga

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Hair Health for Thyroid Health

Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause changes to hair. 

When hormone production is disrupted, specifically of hormones T3 and T4, it affects other processes in the body - including the development of hair at the root.

Thankfully, changes to the hair are temporary and can be controlled as the thyroid begins to heal.

And as every other organ we have discussed thus far, treating the hair as a separate entity is just as important as addressing the bigger picture.

Ways to Holistically Support Your Hair Health

Optimal Iron Levels

Thyroid issues can affect the body’s ferritin levels, which are associated with your iron stores. Low ferritin may contribute to hair loss. Have your iron and ferritin levels tested periodically, to be sure they are in optimal ranges. If supplementing is needed, discuss with your doctor for best practices.

Treat Nutritional Deficiencies

Even without a thyroid condition, certain nutritional deficiencies can cause hair loss. Specifically, check that these are in optimal range and discuss with your doctor for best practices if supplementing is needed.

  • Vitamins B7 and B complex

  • Zinc

  • Copper

  • Vitamins C, E, and A

  • Coenzyme Q10

Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition

We cannot talk about hair health, without mentioning the importance of the foods you’re putting in your body. In general, foods that cause inflammation (sugar, alcohol, fried foods) can cause hair loss, along with other inflammatory conditions. Focus on eating real, whole foods rich in the nutrients needed for thyroid health, including iodine, selenium, zinc, iron, vitamin D, B vitamins, and vitamin A. And add more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet to support your overall health (PURCHASE ANTI INFLAMMATORY GUIDE)

Add Collagen

Collagen gives your hair its strength and while our bodies produces collagen on its own, the production of it decreases as we age. If you are chronically ill or stressed, that production is reduced even more. Consider adding a high quality collagen to your drinks, smoothies, oatmeals and incorporate more bone broth into your diet. Further Foods is my favorite brand of collagen, use discount code furtherwithneeyaz10 for a discount.

Incorporate Herbs

Nettle, rosemary, peppermint and burdock all have properties that help with hair regrowth. Drink these herbs as a tea infusion or put them in a smoothie, soup or stew.

Make Hair Care Part of Your Routine

Coat your hair, from scalp to end, in a nourishing hair mask once a week. Castor oil is one of the best to help encourage hair regrowth and thickness. Apply it to your scalp and run it down the length of your hair. Coat the rest of your hair in coconut oil or avocado for soft subtle hair.

Give yourself a scalp massage weekly, using something like a bamboo brush bristle. The pores on our scalp are the largest on our bodies, making scalp health upmost priority. Consider a scalp rinse every week or two to wash off any build up from product use using a mixture of apple cider vinegar.

Rinse your hair with cold water, as hot wash dries out the scalp and can lead to further inflammation and dandruff.

Limit your use of hot tools and be sure to get a routine haircut, to reduce the growth of split ends.

Balance Your Hormones & Address Adrenal Fatigue

For women especially, changes to hormonal profile can cause a multitude of symptoms, including hair loss. Understanding the status of your hormones through diagnostic testing (done with a Functional Practitioner and/or Naturopathic Doctor) can give you a clear picture as to the status of your hormones. By addressing these areas as their own, it can greatly support your thyroid health and in turn, reverse symptoms.

Be Gentle and Patient

When handling your hair, be gentle with it. Avoid pulling it into tight braids or ponytails, as this causes stress to the scalp and slows down hair growth. Treating hair growth can be emotional, as women especially identify with their hair and use it as a form of expression. Please bear in mind that hair regrowth takes time, don’t feel discouraged if you don’t notice regrowth after several months. The healing is happening, trust your journey.

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Oral Health for Thyroid Health

If you want to heal your thyroid, you have to pay attention to how you're caring for your dental and oral health too

"Thyroid dysfunction is the second most common glandular disorder of the endocrine system which may rear its head in any system in the body, including the mouth. The oral cavity is adversely affected by either an excess or deficiency of these hormones." (PMC3169868)

The importance of oral health was not brought to my attention until 3 years ago when I began to hear more about it. And it made so much sense, once I connected the dots. Our digestion for one, starts in the mouth. So shouldn't we also be caring about the products and practices we use that directly affect our entire mouth as well?

As it relates to thyroid health, while treating your thyroid hormonal imbalance can help heal dental ailments, treating the dental problems separately can help you remedy them much faster.

Thyroid Related Dental Symptoms:

In those with Hyperthyroidism, dental symptoms include:

- Burning mouth syndrome

- Accelerated dental eruption

- Susceptible to cavities

- Osteoporosis in the jaws

In those with Hypothyroidism, dental symptoms include:

- Salivary gland enlargement

- Delayed wound healing

- Tongue enlargement

- Gum disease

Below are ways in which you can better care for your oral and dental health, that will greatly benefit your thyroid health and your entire body’s wellbeing as well.

ORAL HEALTH PRODUCTS

Toothpaste Recommendations:

Redmonds

Revitin

Rise Well

David’s

Schmidt’s

Hello

Jason

Auromere Ayurvedic

When looking for a toothpaste, look for ones that are free from damaging ingredients and have sustainable and natural ingredients.

Mouthwash Recommendations:

Essential Oxygen BR

Rise Well

Olas

Schmidt’s

Georganics

Briotech

When looking for a mouthwash, look for ones that are free from damaging ingredients and have sustainable and natural ingredients.

Floss Recommendations:

Silk Floss

Bamboo Floss

Waterpik Water Flosser

When looking for a reliable floss, stay away from plastic flosses such as those from Oral B. Studies have shown that those who used plastic floss overtime had small plastic particulates found in their bloodstream.

ORAL HEALTH PRACTICES

Tongue Scraping:

Tongue scraping is an alternative and holistic practice to remove any residual bacteria from the surface of your tongue. Tongue scraping is meant to supplement a healthy oral routine, one that includes regular flossing and brushing. It is done using a small rounded tool, best to use one made with metal such as copper, versus plastic. Copper is antibacterial and restricts pathogen growth that can lead to bacteria, yeast and viruses.

  • Benefits:

    • Improves sense of taste

    • Improves the appearance of the tongue

    • Reduces bad breath

    • Removes bacteria

    • Decreases oral odor

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is another alternative and holistic practice, that helps to remove excess bacteria from the inside of the mouth. Using sesame, coconut or olive oil, swishing the oil in your mouth encourages the bacteria to be dissolved in the oil, which you then spit out. Oil pulling can also moisturize the gums and encourage an increase in saliva production.

  • Benefits

    • Kills harmful bacteria in the mouth

    • Helps reduce bad breath

    • Reduce inflammation and promote healthy gums

    • Reduce plaque and gingivitis

Vitamins & Minerals for Oral & Dental Health

  • Vitamin A: helps to keep salivary glands active, which helps against tooth decay; saliva helps wash away bacteria from the mouth

  • Vitamins B2 and B3: helps keep oral inflammation down

  • Vitamin D: helps the body absorb calcium and boost bone mineral density

  • Vitamin E: an anti-inflammatory, helps to protect against gum disease

  • Vitamin K: helps block substances that break down bone and helps your body produce osteocalcin, which contributes to bone strength

  • Vitamin C: helps strengthen your gums and the soft tissue in your mouth, protects against gingivitis and protects the teeth from loosening

  • Iodine: has been shown to be more beneficial than fluoride, to protect teeth from decay and gum disease

  • Iron: helps your body fight off infections and disease, such as gum disease and gingivitis

  • Potassium: improves bone mineral density

  • Calcium: supports bone health, hardens the enamel and strengthens jawbone

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Brain Health for Thyroid Health

Thyroid hormones are essential for brain development.

Thyroid hormones influence neurogenesis (neuron processing), neuronal migration (pathway of neurons from origin), neuronal and glial cell differentiation, myelination (formation of the myelin sheath), and synaptogenesis (formation of synapses). Thyroid hormones (which includes TSH, T4 and T3) are essential for brain maturation and functioning all throughout life. When someone has a thyroid dis-ease, the functioning of the brain is also affected and it can lead to a variety of clinical manifestations.

Hypothyroidism causes lethargy, hyporeflexia, poor motor coordination, bipolar affective disorders, depression, and loss of cognitive functions, especially in the elderly. It can also cause mood disorders, dementia, confusion, and personality changes.

Subclinical hypothyroidism is often associated with memory impairment

Hyperthyroidism causes anxiety, irritability, hyperreflexia, mood disorders, dementia, confusion, and personality changes. (NBK285549)

The good news is that most of these disorders are usually reversible with proper treatment and care.

When thinking about treating the thyroid, many mistakenly think to treat the thyroid first. What should be nurtured first, especially in the case of someone newly diagnosed, is the state of mental health and any neurological symptoms that person may be experiencing. This is one of the reasons why thyroid disease often goes undiagnosed, because if we’re looking at just the neurological symptoms without adequate lab work, someone could be categorized under a general category and not given the care they truly need.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms at minimum and have a history of thyroid disease on either side of your family, I urge you to ask your doctor to fun a full thyroid panel on you. A full thyroid panel includes:

  • TSH

  • Total T3

  • Total T4

  • Free T3

  • Free T4

  • Reverse T3

  • TBG (transporters)

  • TPOab (for Hashimotos antibodies)

  • TSI (for Graves’ antibodies)

Furthermore, if you have been diagnosed with thyroid disease and haven’t turned your attention towards nurturing your brain health, here is where you can start.

Ways to Holistically Support Your Brain Health

Nutrition

The foods you eat, play a large role in your brain health. Having a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, healthy fats such as olive oil and avocados and a limit on red meat contributes to a healthy mind.

Movement

Your brain is a muscle, therefore practicing in movements to support this muscle is key to optimal brain health. Regular exercise increases the number of tiny blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to regions of the brain that are responsible for thought. Exercise also helps to develop new nerve cells and increases the connections between synapses, brain cells. Aim to practice a form of movement daily, even if for 20 minutes a day. This can include walking, yoga, pilates, swimming, aerobic exercise such as tennis or dance. Find something that you love, practice a variety of movements and have fun with it.

Mental Stimulation

If you brain is a muscle, then you need to use it. Keeping your brain sharp and in shape helps stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells, developing neurological "plasticity. Challenge and activate your mind, any mentally stimulating activity will help to build up your brain. Reading, taking courses, word puzzles, drawing, painting and card games are all accessible ways. Challenging your mind may have short and long-term benefits for your brain.

Quality Sleep

Those with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, often have trouble with sleep. Sleep plays an important role in brain health, with some theories stating that sleep can help clear abnormal proteins in your brain and consolidate memories, which boosts your overall memory and brain health. Aim to get 7 to 8 consecutive hours of sleep per night. Creating an evening ritual is just as important as a morning ritual. Use tools such as candles, essential oils, sound therapy and meditation to create a tranquil environment. Keep electronics away at minimum 30 minutes prior to sleeping and make sure your bedroom is cool, dark and comfortable.

Communication and Socialization

For those struggling with depression or anxiety especially, having a safe and supportive outlet is so important and vital for deep rooted healing. Having a support system that you can turn to as a sounding board and shoulder to lean on can do wonders for supporting the health of your mental landscape. If you feel that you need emotional and mental support beyond friends and family, seek professional help through therapy or coaching. As someone who suffered from debilitating anxiety for years, I wasn’t well until I dealt with the “stuff” going on up there *points to head*

Social interaction can also help ward off feelings of depression, anxiety and overall stress. Remaining socially active can help strengthen the health of your brain. Pursue activities that are meaningful to you - join a club, charity program, sign up for a class or simply share activities with friends and family.

Sources: Harvard Health, Alzheimer’s Association, MayoClinic

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My Journey with Thyroid Eye Disease and Tepezza

Less than two years after I was diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, my eyes began to show signs of Graves’ Ophthalmology or Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) as more often referred to.

I didn’t even notice it at first. The bulging of my eyes; “the stare” is what they call it.

Through a referral by my initial Endocrinologist (I went through a handful before I found the right one), I made an appointment to visit one of the top Oculoplastic Surgeons in the country, who also specializes in TED, to receive a diagnosis.

*In referencing the first Oculoplastic Surgeon I was referred to, he is renamed to Dr. Rogers, since I no longer see him*

2013: My First Appointment with Dr. Rogers

My first visit was beyond intimidating. I was escorted into an examination room with close to 10 residency students and soon after, Dr. Rogers. Understanding that this was a teaching opportunity for all of them, I gave consent for each student to run the same tests and measurements on me.

This initial appointment took nearly 3 hours, and concluded with Dr. Rogers diagnosing me with early onset Thyroid Eye Disease. His prognosis was telling me that once my thyroid levels normalize and are stable for a period of time, the eye condition would also improve.

Please keep in mind that Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Eye Disease are two separate autoimmune conditions. The status of one, does not influence the other.

After that appointment, I visited Dr. Rogers annually to have my eyes measured and track the progression of the disease. My eyes were relatively stable for years to come, until 2017.

August 2017

I woke up one morning to find that I had a bout of swelling underneath my left eyebrow. It looked like an ingrown hair that maybe got infected. I didn’t think anything else of it and went on with my day.

The following morning, the swelling had grown large enough to cover my entire eyelid and made it impossible for me to open my eye. Needless to say, I began to panic.

I did hot compress that entire day, but the swelling wasn’t going down. Because I initially assumed that it was an ingrown hair, I had made an appointment to visit a Dermatologist that same week. At that appointment, because it was so swollen and thus hard to tell what it was or how large it truly was in size, I was given a cortisone shot to decrease the inflammation. The only way to determine that was to bring the swelling down and examine it from there.

Once the swelling had tapered down after two rounds of cortisone shots, I went back to the Dermatologist to have it looked at and she suspected that it was an infected cyst; which is very common and I was told not to worry. I was referred by her to visit a Plastic Surgeon to discuss removing the cyst, since this was on my face and in a very delicate spot, we wanted to make sure whomever removed it would do it with precision. Thankfully I was able to see the Plastic Surgeon that same day and after that visit, he reassured me that I was in safe hands. To this day, I would recommend him - his work is flawless and his demeanor is unmatched.

After a week or two, the swelling had decreased enough to where I could finally have the cyst removed. The surgeon removed what turned out to be a benign skeletal muscle tumor (again, super common), in one swoop and did an absolutely beautiful job of it.

The incision spot did get infected twice after the surgery, so I had to have two more rounds of cortisone shots on it. But other than that, the recovery period was quick and seamless.  

A month or two after the surgery, I happened to have a routine appointment with Dr. Rogers. I mentioned the cyst removal and asked him if this should raise any concern in affecting the progression of Thyroid Eye Disease. He expressed zero concern, but my gut told me otherwise. I decided to trust his instinct and professional opinion, but about 10 months after this appointment, my left eye, the one with the removed cyst, started to show signs of protrusion.

This all begged me to ask: was this happening because of the cyst or did the surgery to remove it perhaps cause atrophy?

I made an appointment to see Dr. Rogers and asked him these very questions. He again replied that this incident will not cause aggravation of Thyroid Eye Disease and what I was noticing of my left eye just happened to be a bump on the TED road - but the two situations are not related.

Again my gut, was telling me otherwise…

When something feels out of alignment in my body, I notice it immediately. I am grateful to know what it feels like to not be symptomatic, so I will notice when something is even slightly off.

2019,

Time since then had passed and my left eye progressively got worse. And then there was a point where I felt like something was in my head. As in, physically in my head. I kept having this really negative dialogue with myself that maybe there was something causing my eye to bulge forward. Maybe there was excessive swelling or inflammation from the surgery that hadn’t cleared. Whatever it was or wasn’t, I knew that something was off.

I wanted to address this concern with Dr. Rogers. At my next regular visit, I expressed these concerns with him, told him that I really felt like something was happening behind my eye and I wanted a CAT scan to prove/disprove this. He told me that a CAT scan would be useless and not give us any answers.

At this point, my gut instinct was screaming and sounding the alarms.

That same evening, on a whim I typed into Google “Thyroid Eye Disease.” I came across this ongoing study, being conducted by Dr. Raymond Douglas for a treatment for Thyroid Eye Disease. I fell into the Google black hole for hours, reading every published article and study available, as well as Dr. Douglas’ bio and credentials. I decided that I wanted to speak to him and when I saw that his offices just so happened to be located near my Endocrinologist’s, I called the next morning and made an appointment.

Discovering Craniosacral Therapy

Prior to my visit with Dr. Douglas (actually, the same night that I Google deep dove and found him), I was researching holistic modalities for cranial and eye health. That was the night that I discovered Craniosacral Therapy (CST). After reading a handful of Yelp reviews, I came across Emma Julaud’s page. She seemed sweet, endearing, gentle – exactly what I wanted. We chatted on the phone a few days later and after hearing her voice and learning more about her and CST, I was eager to give it a try.

Craniosacral Therapy is a form of bodywork or alternative therapy that uses gentle touch to palpate the synarthrodial joints of the cranium. It can help to improve the functioning of the nervous system, relieve pain and improve mobility. CST has been used to treat a variety of conditions, both physical and psychological. 

My first session with Emma came at such a perfect time, because I was experiencing the most insane headache for nearly a week. The pressure and pain that I was feeling was only on the left side of my head and wrapped around my left eye orbit. I could barely keep my eyes open without feeling pressure every time I blinked and any exposure to light was excruciating.

Emma is a healer, without a doubt. I didn’t know what to expect during our session and I’m glad that I was able to go in without expectation and surrender to the experience.

After that first session with Emma, the headache went away completely and I knew that this was something I wanted to upkeep on a weekly basis. I continued with CST at that point, all the way until the end of my treatments with Tepezza.

My First Appointment with Dr. Douglas

The day came for my initial appointment with Dr. Douglas. I came prepared, with all my medical records, photographs and questions. Dr. Douglas sat with me for over two hours and I finally felt seen, heard and safe.

I was sharing with him my journey up until that day and eventually told him about the most recent incident with the cyst removal and my concerns related to it. When I told him my suspicion about whether the surgery could have caused atrophy and thus exasperate TED symptoms, he agreed. He confirmed that that surgery most likely did cause a trauma to my eye and thus, my eye is now showing signs of TED. Apparently this type of reoccurrence happens in 4% of patients - making me a rare case. I told him how I felt like there was something physically behind my eye and I wanted a CAT scan to see what that was about. He was already considering me having a CAT scan and put the order in on my way out the office.

CAT Scan Results

“Psuedotumor.”

I broke down in tears. And these weren’t tears out of fear, rather tears of relief. Finally, I had an answer. And all this time that I had been saying that I felt as if something was behind my eye. Turns out, it was true.

A Pseudotumor means “false tumor.” Essentially, it is a significant amount of inflammation that manifests into what our body thinks is a tumor - thus why I had been feeling so much pressure behind my eye.

As I was processing this newfound information, I knew that I wanted to do everything and anything to alleviate the inflammation, before turning to a more invasive approach.

A few weeks later, I went in to see Dr. Douglas for a follow up and review my CAT scan results in person. In the meantime, Dr. Douglas advised me to do what I can to alleviate the discomfort that I am experiencing – through whatever holistic modalities I had access to. We also discussed the possibility of me being treated with the new medicine he had been working on using for his TED patients, Tepezza.

Late November of this 2019, Dr. Douglas recommended that I proceed with a round of steroid IV treatments, to help alleviate the size of the pseudotumor and the symptoms I had been experiencing associated to it. These treatments were incredibly helpful and some of the biggest symptoms that I had from TED (such as double vision and pressure) were nearly 50% reduced.

March to April 2020

After almost a year of implementing holistic modalities and monitoring the progression of my eyes, the time came to consider the use of Tepezza.

Speaking with Dr. Douglas and reviewing my case, we decided that orbital decompression surgery would not be the first choice to alleviate the condition that my eyes were in. Given my recent history of experiencing atrophy from a minor cyst removal, it was likely that I would not respond favorably from surgery, and thus we decided to move forward with Tepezza.

Once the logistics were all taken care of, I made my first appointment to begin receiving Tepezza on April 22, 2020.

From April 22nd, 2020 to September 18th, 2020 I was receiving Tepezza treatments. The treatment is administered in an IV, 8 sessions every 3 weeks.

Between each infusion period, I also received vitamin IV therapy at my Naturopathic Doctor’s office; to help keep my immune system strong and also avoid some of the common side effects of Tepezza, such as muscle cramping. Throughout the course of Tepezza treatments, I started to notice first gradual and then drastic improvements to the physical appearance of my eyes and the symptoms associated with TED.

Tepezza FAQ

Some common questions that I am asked about my Tepezza experience.

“What side effects did you experience?”

The usual side effects that can occur when receiving Tepezza are:

  • Muscle cramps or spasms

  • Nausea

  • Hair loss

  • Diarrhea

  • Feeling tired

  • High blood sugar

  • Hearing problems

  • Taste changes

  • Headache

  • Dry skin

  • Loss of menses

The symptoms experienced are typically very short lasting and go away a month or two after finishing Tepezza. I spoke with two other ladies prior to beginning my Tepezza treatments and both of them also said that their side effects were very minor and went away soon after.

Personally, I lost my menses after my second or third treatment and it came back two months after I finished Tepezza. I also had very minor ear ringing and a temple headache 1-2x a week that lasted less than a minute at length. Incredibly tolerable and hardly noticeable.

“Did you do anything significant during the time you were receiving Tepezza?”

I focused on eating an anti-inflammatory diet throughout my treatment period and I received vitamin IV between every other treatment. My vitamin IVs were a Myers Cocktail with glutathione, magnesium and an extra dose of vitamin C. Please be sure to speak with your healthcare provider before incorporating vitamin IV into your regime.

I also focused on prioritizing my sleep, keeping my stress low and weekly visits to Emma for CranioSacral Therapy sessions.

“How did you feel after each infusion?”

I felt great! After my first infusion and the sixth, I was a little fatigued. On the day of each infusion, I made sure to not do anything strenuous even if I felt fine.

“Were you limited in your day to day activities?”

Nope! Not at all.

My progression from Tepezza #1 to Tepezza #8!

My progression from Tepezza #1 to Tepezza #8!

A Note of Gratitude and Guidance for all with TED,

I’ve come to learn that as long as we don’t associate or personalize ourselves to whatever the condition is, the less that very condition will further manifest to greater lengths. It is definitely a daily practice.

It’s so easy to drop into a state of judgement, disappointment, frustration and uncertainty. I have had days where I just burst into tears, days where I avoid looking at myself in the mirror, days where I resist taking a photo with a friend because the first thing I notice is my swollen eye. And even though this particular part of my journey has been trying, I knew that the light was there. I knew that I am going to be healed from this very soon.

The only way to get there, is to trust. Is to surrender. Is to turn love inward and remind yourself of how far you have come and how powerful you are.

I am so honored to be in this body. I am so grateful to have the fortune of taking care of this body. I am so inspired by what this body has, can and will continue to do. I don’t take any of that for granted. I really and truly am, so blessed.

Resources for those with TED:

  • ThyroidEyes.com was created with guidance from the TED community to provide education and community for those who are at risk of developing TED

  • oneGRAVESvoice.com is a resource made possible through an unrestricted grant to the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation to connect, educate and empower the Graves’ disease and TED communities

  • Bromberg Translation and Telephonic Interpreting Services at BrombergTranslations.com is a no cost program offering translation and telephonic interpretation services for Spanish speaking individuals and families impacted by specific health conditions

  • Patient Advocate Foundation’s Rare Disease CareLine at RareDisease.PAFCareLine.org provides support and assistance to patients with chronic, debilitating disease to help access care and treatment recommended by their doctor(s). Case managers will help navigate roadblocks to access to care and affordability to Americans with chronic, rare and ultra-rare illnesses

  • National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

  • The Assistance Fund at TAFcares.org

  • Patient Advocate Foundation at PatientAdvocate.org

  • And other organziations for those with TED including American Foundation for the Blind, American Thyroid Association, Autoimmune Association, Center for Chronic Illness, Global Genes, Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation, National Federation of the Blind and Prevent Blindness