My Pagan Beliefs and Western Medicine

I suffer from hypothyroidism. If you are unfamiliar with the disease, it results from an underactive thyroid. It causes many health issues including: insomnia, excessive sweating, fertility/ovulation issues, fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, poor appetite, weight gain, dry skin and hair loss.

I was diagnosed at a very young age with hypothyroidism. I was getting strep throat 2-3 times per season and my family doctor thought a screening of my TSH levels was in order. The way they do that is through a blood draw. My eight year old self was NOT happy. But the blood panel revealed a low level of TSH and I was sent to an endocrinologist and put on a synthetic thyroid hormone supplement.

I have taken, and will need to continue to take this synthetic hormone my whole life. I have tried to go without medication, both purposefully under the direction of a doctor and out of pure laziness, every attempt was unsuccessful. I would become easily fatigued and could never get enough sleep.

I have also looked into natural remedies and alternative therapies. More so since becoming pagan. There are some proponents of natural therapies for hypothyroidism. Some people also take a non-synthetic (aka organic) thyroid medication made from actual thyroid hormone. That is only available by prescription however. Some recommend vitamin supplements, dietary changes and therapies like acupuncture. However, even in combination, most natural therapies do not cure the disease or eliminate the symptoms.

Hypothyroidism is an exceedingly complex disease. Often getting even prescription drugs at the right dosage can take a long time. The effects of untreated or under-treated hypothyroidism, are extremely serious. Especially someone in my position, trying to start a family.

My husband and I have been married for about a year and a half. I also have a young stepdaughter, from my husband's first marriage.  She's two and we would like her to be close in age to her siblings. We are excited about the prospect!

I have only recently learned the effect hypothyroidism has on fertility. It prevents proper maturation of eggs and regular menstruation. [Sorry for the overshare folks] Needless to say I started being a lot more consistent in taking my medicine. Once pregnant, hypothyroidism can also cause stillbirths and other complications.

Scary stuff.

In my opinion, the most prudent choice is to take medication as directed. It's not worth the risks of possible complications in conception and pregnancy to forgo the synthetic hormone in lieu of alternative therapies.

Stress is a serious symptom and complication of hypothyroidism. I also have a stressful occupation. Being a practicing attorney is not glamourous. And working with disabled (physical and mental) people who can no longer work full time, as I did at the beginning of my practice, and also working with low income people on family issues is no cup of tea.

Getting to being a lawyer is not fun either, and in my third year of law school, I had to face some serious facts. I was extremely depressed and suffering from serious anxiety attacks. I was very reluctant to take medications to manage the illnesses, but I also didn't know what else to do.

Unfortunately the problems got no better when I got into practice. In fact, they got worse. I was working 70 hour weeks in a job where there was no personal leave time, health insurance or any other sort of medical benefits. So I continued with drug therapies.

Now however, as I am looking at potentially becoming pregnant, I need to reevaluate my treatment options. There are studies that link serious birth complications with the use of antidepressants. Recently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that treatment of depression with anti-depressants in pregnant women needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Doctors are cautious. There are studies that link the use of anti-depressants to birth defects. But depression left untreated can be extremely dangerous for both mom and baby. It is a difficult decision to make, for doctor and patient.

I am interested in hearing from you all about antidepressant treatment alternatives. How would you balance the possibility of birth defects against the possibility of worsening mental health?