Disclaimer: This is a sponsored collaboration with Health Grades.
Trigger warning: This article discusses eating disorders, body image, and weight gain/loss as a symptom of a serious medical condition.
I became aware that something was wrong with my thyroid as I was trying to fall asleep one night. Why did my heart feel like it was rapidly pounding out of my chest? Yes, I had a stressful moment that evening, but I was mostly calm when I got into bed. No amount of breathing exercises helped, and I called my doctor the next morning.
It took several months for me to transition off of a medication I was taking, get an EKG, find a different, kinder endocrinologist for a second opinion, receive my official Graves’ disease diagnosis, obtain the correct medication, and finally start navigating treatment. Those months were incredibly scary. With a resting heart rate of 120 bpm (normal is about 60-90 bpm), forget exercise – I was scared to bring my heart rate up too high by doing simple activities like walking up the stairs. My body was practically running a marathon while sitting down. I decreased my physical activity and focused on resting.
tasty meditation 