Vanity Fair: Your appearance and your thyroid condition.

[Oneinthehand]

We all know our appearance can reflect our general state of health. Get a cold, you look pants while you recover.

Thyroid people can get a raw deal. Weight gain, weight loss, dry skin, disappearing outer eyebrows, hair loss, thin hair, puffiness, swelling, protruding eyes, the list is endless. Mine are thin hair, panda eyes, dry skin and fat that must be welded to my thighs.

A family friend crowed at me some years ago, “Don’t you look well!” (translation, “Who’s been at the pork pies then?”), that was my “puffy” phase.

Last summer we saw fellow Thyroid person (fortunately now much recovered), Sarah Balding lambasted for telling a Jockey after he had won a race, how could now afford dental treatment. What makes one comment about a person’s appearance acceptable and another not?

Your turn! What’s your biggest annoyance? What comments have you had on your appearance that are due to your misbehaving thyroid? How do you explain changes in your appearance?

Don’t be shy, please do leave a comment. I’d really, really like to know what you think. You’re the only people who understand!

A little Vanity in thyroid people? I think Fair enough really.

[burras]

My thyroid nightmare began in earnest and I had lost a stone in just 3 weeks (I'm about a stone and a half overweight) I was soooo frustrated at the"you're looking great!" comments,when I actually felt so ill. I tried not to respond,and usually my sad eyes made people realise and apologise. It made me realise how fickle and "weight" orientated we are, I knew this to be so,but when friends and family are part of the "lie" it disappointed me.

[Netty]

Well I've just looked in the mirror and I don't recognise myself anymore! One comment I had when I was first diagnosed(Ive had UAT for 7 years) was 'Is Annette pregnant?

Used to like my face when I looked at myself now I hate it...i look pale, puffy and spotty.

I have an endo appointment on Thursday so will tell him how crap I'm feeling....my levels have been constantly up and down for a long time and dose keeps getting changed!

See how that goes.....probably tell me same thing.....your levels are normal!!! Aaagghhh!!!