mother - grandmother - womens health advocate

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and had a partial thyroidectomy, but the journey to this point was long and challenging. It wasn’t until I truly understood my body and learned to interpret my own pathology results that I uncovered my Hashimoto’s diagnosis.

Back in my 20s, I was constantly exhausted. My iron levels were always low, and my thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was elevated, yet I was repeatedly told that everything was fine. I would take iron supplements, but the moment I stopped, my levels would drop again. Doctors attributed this to my heavy periods but never investigated further. No one ever looked into the cause of my painful, heavy periods. (I now know I have adenomyosis). I was prescribed antidepressants for my fatigue, but I refused to take them—I knew I wasn’t depressed.

For the next 20 years, this cycle continued. Every doctor visit was the same: “You’re fine,” they’d say. But I was far from fine. I was exhausted, constantly cold, and my body ached. Despite a visible enlargement on my thyroid, I was dismissed again and again. At times, I began to wonder if I was just imagining it all—maybe I was lazy or a hypochondriac—because, after all, the doctors said I was fine.

In 2021, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I ordered my own blood tests online, and unsurprisingly, my thyroid antibodies were through the roof. Armed with this information and my visibly enlarged thyroid, I returned to the doctor. Still, I wasn’t eligible to see a public endocrinologist. Fortunately, I was in a position to pay for a private specialist, who diagnosed Hashimoto’s and raised concerns that my thyroid nodule might be malignant. This led to surgery, and thankfully, the nodule was benign.

I knew long before the diagnosis that something was wrong. As a health science student, I had the knowledge to investigate my symptoms and start healing even before receiving a formal diagnosis. 

Now, with part of my toxic thyroid removed, I feel much better and can focus on improving my health.

What saddens me most is how the medical system let me down. Year after year, I was dismissed and unheard. As women, we deserve better. Luckily, I had the tools and knowledge to advocate for myself, forcing the medical system to take notice.

Today, I know how to support my body nutritionally, environmentally, and through lifestyle changes, but it should never have taken this long to get the care I needed.

That's why I am passionate about supporting women through health education so that they can take control of their own health journey.

Kerri-Anne xx