Please explain what this new diagnosis is. OMG i cant imagine what you are going thru, this is unbelievable.........

I'm so happy that you've found out what's wrong and are starting to feel better. That's great news. Hypogirl is good - much better then thyroidgirl. I say own it!

fuckin awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!good fer you whatever ur name be

This is good news, right?

I like Hypogirl! So nice to leave the fibro behind. I have it...as does my friend, a former employee, etc...diagnosis de'jeur. Unfortunately, it, like many autoimmunes, is complicated.....

Well... yay! I know what you mean about the one friggin doctor and one friggin test, having had similar experiences myself. So glad you've found a solution and the loss of an internet handle is a small price to pay for your life back. Here's to you, whatever you decide to call yourself!

Fantastic. I always knew that fibro was a trashcan diagnosis. So glad that you are feeling better and that you have found the root of the problem. HypoGirl is just fine. Peace Out. Snap. Fibro Sufferer and perimenopausal mess. Rated

What about RoidWoman?

As long as you're feeling better, that's great news!

Snap - Roidgirl is kinda scary...

Oh my. How about Super Healthy Healed Girl? Followed by Suing the Stupid Doctor Girl? Because, holy toledo, that should have been checked out ages ago! Why didn't the doctor do that?

OMG this happened to me too! I was just diagnosed last year and started meds for hypothyroidism and started feeling better. I, too, just wanted to die!
I am so glad for you that someone did the right test!

Hypo girl is much more delightful than Fibrogirl. Truly. I'm actually glad for you, because hypothyrodism is usually so easily treatable. I had hypothyriodism for a while, years ago. It was like having flu for a long while, then getting progressively more slow-thinking; and having progressively less energy (before my diagnosis a walk across a grocery store parking lot seemed like a walk to Siberia, complete with chills and dizziness); my hair started falling out; and I constantly felt chilled, so much so that I wore sweaters on summer days. It was awful. Luckily, one day I happened to feel a lump on my neck (the throat side), and went to see a different doctor than the one I had been seeing. He took a biopsy of the lump, did a blood test, and diagnosed hypothyroidism (the lump turned out to be harmless, and went away after treatment started). The good news: After you start taking replacement thyroid hormones (and they get the levels right), life returns to normal. It's about the easiest disorder to have, if you're going to have one (at least, in my experience). Hypothyroidism is very common in women. Again, Hypo/Thyroid/NoLongerFibrogirl, my congrats for shedding the old name and picking up a new one. May your life be filled with energy.

@ArianaPaz - Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland in your neck takes a bit of a vacation. My level of hormones fall with in the "normal" range, but I also tested positive for anti-thyroid antibodies. I'm also very deficient in vitamin D and progesterone. Any M.D. would not prescribe replacement hormones based on my numbers - but if you can get someone to listen to the symptoms, which I finally did, you can get a correct diagnosis.

@Randy Smith - Yes, this is very good news. Such good news I went out tonight, stayed out till the bars closed, laughed my ass off, made crude jokes, drank with my friends and never, not once, had a twinge of pain. I am in glorious heaven on earth.

@cberg - please - I beg you go to a integrative specialist. PM me and if you are close but not close enough, you have a place to stay in order to visit my clinic.

@snap - I kinda like it. But the negative....ugh. :P

@OD - can't sue any of them. But I'm going to have a lengthy talk with the last one. Then giggle a bit.

@OS in general - thank you for sticking around. This is still a secret to anyone who is around me IRL, so to be able to throw it out there and have someone shout back is irreplaceable.

Damn!! Congrats on the final correct diagnoises from your doc!!!! Sheesh....

I think Hypogirl sounds cool too....:)

How about a new name that is NOT associated with an illness or disease. I tend to find that people who identify too much with an illness tend to be bores; present company excluded, of course.

Wow, now you can identify yourself with something that you love insteady of something you thought had you. Congratulations!

That's amazing. I'm so glad that you're feeling better physically, and I can empathize with how you might be feeling otherwise.

I've had several docs diagnose FM; it was a diagnosis I didn't (and don't) want to accept, mostly due to the issues with treatment and a lifetime of pain to look forward to. My current doc is treating me based on a presumptive diagnosis of FM.

I have some questions, but they'll keep for the moment. I'm going to see if any of them can be answered by the other stuff you've written (I've haven't come across any of your other posts yet).

Again, congratulations on your new diagnosis, much luck to you getting the meds straight, and enjoy being able to look forward to life without constant pain and exhaustion.

That is incredibly good news. A much more manageable malady.

Great news - glad that you were so proactive and kept pursuing getting your health back. Our oldest son has hypothyroidism too, and responded very quickly once he started taking synthroid.

Maybe you do a "branding transition" like Sandra (no longer) Miller . . . something like "Hypo (formerly Fibro) Girl" and then move to your new online persona. Whatever you choose, congratulations!

I'm very happy and relieved for you that you finally got a correct diagnosis, but sorry that you suffered for so long...and now you have to change your identity but hypogirl works...or maybe you could do a completely different theme for the new, feeling better you...

Better living through chemistry - that's what I say.

How about these: synthro-sister? levolady? progogrrl?

Congratulations - I hope that your long nightmare is over.

-and I'm glad that you aren't choosing to sue the doc but instead are planning to discuss this outcome. Not all doctors are created equal and you may have drawn an overworked and undertrained one.

I hope she/he will learn from this error. Expect defensiveness though. You will probably not get an apology but you may get an interesting explanation. Keep us informed.

I'm so glad you found out that you have something that is easily treatable. It's a travesty that it took this long to find out.

Now I hope you'll find something besides your disease to base your identity on, you have so much more to offer than that.

what bullshit, glad the geniuses finally got it right or did they?

It's amazing how many doctors you have to see to get the right diagnosis! I won't go into my experience, but suffice it to say...it sucks!

SOOOO happy for you. Fibro can be hell. Did you call in Dr. House? It's a miracle...

The Vargas fibrogirl masthead is officially retired.

How I will miss thee - she had the bosom I could only wish for.

Great news!

Yes, the banner is splendid and rejuvenating. Here's to the dawn of your new day.

i'm so thrilled for you. hypothyroid can wreck havoc, for sure. and there's such a straightforward solution, once you get the right dosage. i envy you a bit since i'm on thyroid and it's not the answer but it helps. so still struggling with the fevers and body aches, etc. but one day at a time... and tumor george is gone if you're able to take in others' lives a bit now. love lvoe love

I wanted to direct a comment at those who--with the best of intentions, I am sure--are suggesting that you avoid creating a new, diagnosis-related, positive moniker:

After spending 4 years living through a nightmare of constant pain & exhaustion, missing important events or appointments because you can't bring yourself to go though the additional pain of getting appropriately dressed to go out in public, and watching many of the most enjoyable portions of life pass you by, an OS identity based on a diagnosis that allows for a life can BE positive.

Also, after spending that amount of time basically being forced to identify yourself by your diagnosis--because it can be difficult or impossible to concentrate on anything else, as your condition seems to consume your entire existence--the potential certainly exists to be more than a little confused about who you are now that the characteristics by which you once defined yourself no longer apply.

Fortunately, the opportunity exists to ponder this not insignificant question at your leisure, as you now possess both energy and pain-free hours to while away at your discretion. But screw the deep thoughts for now (Jack Handey can handle them). Just enjoy yourself; the rest will come.

My suggestion, for now:

Be whoever you feel like, whenever you feel that way until you figure it out.

I'm sure your friends and readers have the ability, the will and the patience to keep up with any changes and provide support as you evolve.

How 'bout thyroidgirl? Makes you sound like a super hero. :) Congrats on finding a doctor who finally figured it out.

Wow! It will be an adjustment- but how awesome an adjustment! I'm so happy for you that you're feeling better. This is incredible.

This sounds like really good news for you. Congratualtions. We don't know each other but I offer a suggestion. Try not to identify with a disease or condition. You are way more than that. Maybe a "fresh start" OS name and avatar is in the offing. Just a thought.

Hypogirl sounds just fine.

That's absolutely *fabulous*! Call yourself whatever you will: I hope sometime very soon you might be able to consider "Pain-free" as a moniker...

Hey! I am hypo too...welcome to the club! This is a much better thing to have than fibromyalgia as long as you pay attention to it!

Congratulations! What a shame you had to go fours without an accurate diagnosis when you would think this would have been investigated at the outset considering how common it is with women.

You could name yourself Phoenix, that would be an appropriate name and would mesh well with your stunning banner. Have fun rejoining the human race and be grateful for your renewed appreciation of good health, something I doubt you will ever take for granted.

I am a hypogirl too! And I had to see many doctors and feel really very bad until I was diagnosed it by a doctor whose neurones made the right synapsis... It´s OK, you will be fine!. I feel much better now, two months after starting treatment, good luck with you too!

Congrats!!! You must be so relieved (and pissed about the last 4 years), but mostly just relieved. I'm really happy for you!

fibrogirl - I have a lady friend who suffers with various painful symptoms; many of which could be diagnosed as FM. The thing is she is an M.D. of internal medicine. I have health problems myself for which I get treated by and alternative MD who Rx me thyroid a long time ago even thought tests do not show that I need it. I cannot say that it was as clear cut as you for helping me. But my problems are not specifically FM.
As for my friend, she considers my doc a nut and will not treat herself or allow her doc to treat her with thyroid.
You are not the first person to be treated for sub clinical thyroid
for various disorders. Happy it worked for you. I cannot convince my friend to give it a try.

ThyGirl - That could mean you also have great thighs!!!

Glad to hear you got the test and it turned out to be your thyroid. The struggle to get that damn pill nearly killed me too! It may take a year to get to the right dosage and DO NOT be afraid to ask your doctor to raise it when you feel the need (tiredness has always been my trigger). They may try to make you feel that you are not qualified to determine more thyroid but remind them that YOU are the one feeling lousy..... Congrats!!!

More info here that might help http://open.salon.com/blog/sheryl_whitney/2009/03/04/gluten_free

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH on so many levels. Yeah, you're feeling better! Yeah, you're back! Yeah, you're going to start writing again! Yeah, it's you!!!! Congratulations on your new freedom.

I am delighted for you and delighted you are writing. As for a new avatar, how 'bout "Happygirl?"