What Brain Fog Taught Me About My Thyroid

I’ll never forget the day I found myself staring at my computer screen, knowing I had a task to do — but the words just wouldn’t come. I wasn’t just tired. I was foggy. Fuzzy. Detached from my own brain. At the time, I chalked it up to stress and a busy schedule. But as the days turned into months, it became clear something deeper was going on.

I was later diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and the fog I had been feeling finally had a name: thyroid dysfunction.

As a nurse practitioner, I knew the signs. But as a patient, I had to live through them to truly understand how life-disrupting they could be — and how often they’re dismissed, especially in women.

Common Signs of Thyroid Imbalance:

• Brain fog and forgetfulness

• Fatigue, even after a full night’s sleep

• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight

• Cold sensitivity

• Mood changes, like anxiety or depression

Here’s What I Learned:

1. You have to advocate for your own labs. Most basic thyroid panels don’t tell the full story. You need a comprehensive look at your TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and thyroid antibodies.

2. ‘Normal’ doesn’t always mean optimal. You can fall within the reference range and still feel terrible. The key is personalized care — not one-size-fits-all treatment.

3. You’re not lazy, broken, or crazy. You’re likely inflamed, depleted, or out of balance.

   
   

Today, I work with clients to help uncover the deeper issues behind their symptoms — just like I had to do for myself. If you're feeling dismissed or unheard, I encourage you to dig deeper.

You're not imagining it. You’re just ready to optimize.