You're NOT Crazy and You're NOT Alone

The title of this post should be the mantra of everyone with MCS, however, it just happens to be the title of the latest book on Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Unlike most other Hashimoto's books that explain in detail what is happening, how it is happening and why it is happening, this one refreshingly addresses the emotional and mental challenges faced by those diagnosed with this debilitating condition.

Naturally I was skeptical. I was anticipating another dry, scientific consumer health book. Yeah, I know about the TSH labs and the T3/T4 conversion and the adrenal connection and the five hundred supplements I should be taking. I even know about the miracle diet. When one has years of first-hand experience with Hashimoto's and has read nearly every book on the subject, finding new information is rare. Most books say the same thing over and over again boring me to tears. I'm very happy to say I actually learned something new with this book and it was surprisingly entertaining! Thank you Stacey Robbins!

Author Stacey Robbins is writing from her own personal experience and right away claims she's not a doctor nor a scientist. She doesn't even pretend she has any authority on the subject other than her years of suffering. She is sharing and that's all. I love people who share! Her writing style is conversational and at times hilarious. The text is broken into short digestible paragraphs and more often single sentences with double-spaced lines for conversational emphasis. It's rather creative and makes the book really easy to read. It feels fun and her stories are often charming, but I have to admit I felt irritated by the style at times. She often babbles and constantly says, "But I digress..."  I also didn't care for the constant references to religion and often found myself skipping over anything that looked like God talk. I skipped over most of the chapter on supplements. Still, overall I liked it anyway. She confesses dietary challenges, weight gain, bathroom traumas, child abuse, crippling exhaustion, and bad doctor experiences. Commiseration is easy and more times than not I was overwhelmed with the feeling finally someone who understands me! Hence the title, You're Not Crazy and You're Not Alone. It doesn't matter if I know thousands of people out there have MCS or Hashimoto's, I always think I am alone with my experiences. I'm really not!

Here are the highlights I found especially enlightening:

She calls bad doctors "Orange Cones". You know, the construction cones that are put out to warn and protect you from dangerous situations. LOL Her advice on how to handle bad doctors...go around them! They are only obstacles on our paths to finding quality information. "Orange Cones don't do the work. They simply point to you, in their bright orange color to 'Go around.'" She suggests as a path to forgiveness to take them "out of the "The Asshole Who Didn't Help Me" category and put them in the "Orange Cone" category". She's heavy on forgiveness which I also found a bit irritating.

Fettuccine Alfredo is a "formula for weapons of mass destruction."

"If you eat that way with Hashimoto's and it's not your last meal, you'll kinda wish it were."

Most people with Hashimoto's have been abused as children and experienced love patterns of rejection.

Perfectionism is a side effect of child abuse, but it is a form of self-rejection.

Most people with Hashimoto's were in a car accident or experienced whiplash just before they were diagnosed. Hmmm...now that is interesting.

People with Hashimoto's don't like water. Sometimes it makes them sick. Consequently, dehydration is a common problem and contributes to EMF sensitivities. Anxiety is a symptom of dehydration.

People with Hashimoto's have severe mitochondrial dysfunction. Our cells aren't working optimally and that makes exercise difficult. Mild exercise is good; strenuous exercise is a trigger for an autoimmune response and it weakens the immune system.

She talks about walking as the perfect exercise for Hashi's people, but she says resist the urge to run. "Let go of romantic notions of what looks good." (Too bad I didn't read this book before I got the bright idea to jog last year! It might have saved me a whole lot of misery.)

Synthroid (thyroid medication) has gluten in it! WHOA!

Flappy, wiggly underarms are a symptom of hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue! She calls them "lunch lady arms". HA! That's probably not a nice thing to say, but I thought it was funny.

Soy pulls iodine from your thyroid.

People come into your life to give you gifts of information.

She uses bentonite clay for cleansing especially if you eat something bad and need it expelled quickly.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is a Japanese modality of healing, or energy work. It sounds fascinating and I already believe our bodies are total health systems. I need to do some research into this...

She's big into gratitudes. I like people who focus on being grateful.

A lot of her information is directly related to MCS and at times thought I was reading a book on chemical sensitivity. I believe it's all related anyway.

HOORAY!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!