Anna Nicole Clips

Upon inspection of the autopsy report of Anna Nicole I discovered something very familiar.

It can be found on Page 2: VIII – Chronic Thyroiditis (Hashimoto Thyroiditis).

Having this condition myself I found myself asking a number of questions. For one, why wasn’t there any Synthroid or Levithroxin in her system? I didn’t see that listed as one of the drugs in her system. Secondly, if she did NOT know she had this condition then that would explain a whole lot about her state of mind and her weight gain. It would explain why she didn’t know how much of the medications she was taking as it is difficult to think clearly.

The following is a little bit of information regarding this condition from Womenshealth.gov.

What is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroid disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. The thyroid helps set the rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy. Hashimoto’s stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. It is the most common thyroid disease in the U.S.

What are the symptoms of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

Some patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis may have no symptoms. However, the common symptoms are fatigue, depression, sensitivity to cold, weight gain, forgetfulness, muscle weakness, puffy face, dry skin and hair, constipation, muscle cramps, and increased menstrual flow. Some patients have major swelling of the thyroid gland in the front of the neck, called goiter.

Now not really knowing anything about Anna firsthand I am at a loss as to whether she knew she had this condition or not. I can surmise that this condition had a lot to do with her depression and weight gain though. I know that in years past if someone had this condition they were sent to a mental institution because of their despairing outlook on life. This was quite a few years ago, long before my time but it helps you understand how debilitating this condition could be.

I know firsthand that without proper adjustment of your thyroid levels on a regular basis (one pill a day nowadays) that you get cloudy thoughts. It makes decision making very difficult as you really don’t have clear headed concentration. I got the sensitivity to cold symptoms pretty tough. If I had a glass of ice tea, for instance, in my hand sometimes it would just seem to jump out of my hand. I didn’t have an inkling what caused this and just took for granted it was just my clumsiness. It embarrassed me on more than one occasion to the point that I didn’t want to go out to eat with anyone for fear it would keep happening. I got tired of having people mop up my messes.

Anna, I know, had experienced excessive weight gain, she attributed it to just losing total control over her eating. Yes this is true, but once you are on a spiraling course to “fatdom” you seem to lose the will to stop, especially if you have been starving yourself like Anna had for years to maintain her hourglass figure. If her thyroid condition started her spiral then she probably just followed it. Her guilt over gaining weight could have led to giving up restraint. My doctor explained that I would have not have been able to control it (my weight gain) without proper medication if I had tried, it is that strong of a condition.

I had the outward symptom of the goiter in the neck (that was my doctor’s clue) but not everyone get that lucky as to steer the doctor in the right direction. I also know that if a doctor suspects thyroid problems there are different blood tests to prove it. It has something to do with a titer (pronounced ti-ter – long “i”), and don’t ask me to explain because I can’t. But the tests are like a tiered level, and from what I understand the doctors start at the elementary level of testing and not do the T7′s (the higher level tiered titer tests) or so until later on if the condition persists. I remember having to get retested for my blood work a few times.

I know quite a few people who also have this condition, and it affects some quite strongly with the depression and weight gain, myself included. The reason for this is simply that the thyroid controls the metabolism of the body. Without the metabolism pushing the body to do what it needs to do, everything on the “conveyor belt of life” slows down to a dull pace! This includes oxygen to the brain, ability to digest food properly, etc.

What would happen without medication to regulate my thyroid function?

If left untreated, hypothyroidism can cause further problems, including changes in menstrual cycles, prevention of ovulation, and an increased risk of miscarriage. Symptoms such as fatigue, depression and constipation, may progress and there can be other serious consequences, including heart failure.

This is a serious condition if left untreated, my question is: Did Anna know she had this condition?

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