Aromatherapy and Yoga for Holistic Healing; My Personal Journey with,"Graves" (Thyroid Disease)

My journey with “Graves” disease started over 18 years ago I was just into my second trimester of pregnancy when I had a late, (after 12 weeks) unexpected miscarriage. A miscarriage after 12 weeks is not so common so my doctor decided to run a few test. It was then I was diagnosed with “Graves” disease.

I did my research and found out that, “Graves” disease is an auto immune disorder in which the thyroid over produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones putting the body into a chronic state of “overdrive”.
I was told that I would not be able to carry a baby to term until I got my thyroid condition under control.
I was given 3 choices:
My first choice was to take a radioactive iodine pill which was meant to kill off, “most” of my thyroid. The problem with this choice was that my doctor really could not tell me how much it would “kill off” in fact, the radioactive iodine pill would probably extirpate my thyroid leaving me taking synthetic thyroid hormone for the rest of my life.

My second choice was to remove my thyroid by surgery, (this sounded a bit dramatic to me) not to mention removing my thyroid would leave a really nasty scar on my neck and again I would have to take a synthetic thyroid hormone for the rest of my life. NO WAY.... NEXT!

My third choice:
I could take a take a prescription drug called, PTU propylthiouracil.
I was told this was not a cure to my hyperthyroidism, (remember my other 2 choices were a cure because I would end up with hypothyroidism) but this drug “might” help me “manege” my condition”... for awhile.

Ok, not great but more promising... Until I read the, “fine print”.

Possible side effects when taking PTU:

Rash
Itching
Hives
Abnormal hair loss and skin pigmentation
Swelling
Nausea
Vomiting
Heartburn
Loss of taste
Joint or muscle aches
Numbness and headache
Decrease of white blood cells
Infectious lesions of the throat
An overall feeling of illness and fever
Failure of the liver due to hepatic necrosis may lead to severe brain swelling, gastrointestinal bleeding, and death”.

In other words, I had 3 really bad choices I was simply being offered hypothyroidism as a cure to my hyperthyroidism. I decided to take the prescription drug and very quickly find an alternative a more holistic approach to my illness. Thus, my lifelong journey, a deep love and passion for yoga and aromatherapy began.

Because “Graves” disease is a serious health condition first consult your doctor. It is best to begin with a western medicine therapy then you can add aromatherapy and yoga to support these therapies.
Once diagnosed with a thyroid condition I recommend periodically checking in with your doctor and asking for a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test, this is the most common test used to check thyroid function,(* There has been some discrepancy about the accuracy of TSH test your health care provider can go over your testing options).

Because that tiny little gland in your neck is the” bodies “thermostat” “Graves” disease has a long list of symptoms :

Irritability
Anxiety
Irritability
Difficulty sleeping
Fatigue
A rapid or irregular heartbeat
A fine tremor of your hands or fingers
An increase in perspiration
Sensitivity to heat
Weight loss, despite normal food intake
Brittle hair
Enlargement of your thyroid gland (goiter)
Change in menstrual cycles
Frequent bowel movements
Difficulty sleeping
Fatigue
A rapid or irregular heartbeat
A fine tremor of your hands or fingers
An increase in perspiration
Sensitivity to heat
Weight loss, despite normal food intake
Brittle hair
Enlargement of your thyroid gland (goiter)
Change in menstrual cycles
Frequent bowel movements
Here are a few easy simple aromatherapy tips that have worked for me.

Therapeutic grade essential oil of Lavender acts on the central nervous system, relieving depression, anxiety; reducing stress, lavender is relaxing it can restore both physical and emotional well-being.

Put a few drops of essential oil of Lavender on a cotton ball or Kleenex and tuck in your pillow at night.

Mix a few drops of essential oil of Lavender in a carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil and rub directly on your neck.

Run a bath and right before you get in add a few drops of Lavender.

I also recommend a restorative/therapeutic yoga practice:

One wonderfully healing pose for the thyroid gland is modified “Salamba Sarvangasana”, (Shoulder stand) sometimes called, “Waterfall or “legs against the wall”. This pose gives your thyroid a nice massage, helps stabilize your metabolism and calms your nervous system.

It has been over 18 years since I was first diagnosed with, “Graves” disease and I can say that over the years I have become pretty darn good at self monitoring my thyroid levels. They say, (they being the western medical doctors) that Graves disease never goes away “they” tell me that I am in,“remission”. When my stress levels go up I can feel my thyroid telling me, “hey missy slow down” so, I check in with my endocrinologist to get my thyroid levels, (I even place bets with him on where my thyroid levels are at... I am always right). My doctor knows that I prefer not to take any prescription medications and that I don’t prescribe to any of the standard methods of treatment.

As a yoga instructor and a healer sometimes I just forget to take care of me. Now I look at my “Graves” disease as a gift it is my bodies way of telling me that I need to slow down and let the teacher become the student for awhile.

It has been over 18 years since I was first diagnosed with “Graves” and I have never taken a radioactive iodine pill, I have never had surgery to remove my thyroid, I stopped taking prescription medication over 16 years ago and I did carry a pregnancy to term. My son Joshua is 17 and has grown up into an amazing young man.