I was diagnosed in September of 2003 with Hyperthyroidism. I had been sick for a while and was trying to blame all my symptoms on stress. It had been quite a stressful year. I had lost a significant amount of weight, my skin looked terrible,I shook all over and  I had all but lost the use of my legs and couldn't climb stairs or curbs. And the most dangerous thing was that I was in Atrial Fib and my heart rate was skyrocketing. I was pretty close to dying at that point. After a few radio active iodine treatments, a slew of drugs and a specialist, I was finally diagnosed correctly and on my way to ending my intimate relationship with hyperthyroidism.....While two rai's didn't do the trick, three might have been too much. My thyroid has slowly died and I have very little if any thyroid function left. I converted to hypothyroidism in 2005. I can't tell you that hypothyroidism is easier. While I can climb stairs and I don't shake, an entirely different set of problems has come from this nasty disease. My TSH has been hard to control and it continues to rise, indicating that my body needs more Synthroid. Sometimes I go through periods of very dry, itchy skin. My hair feels like straw and is dull. I feel dizzy and my brain gets foggy. I get weepy and depressed. I have developed type 2 Diabetes. My face is puffy. My periods are only happening once a year. And the most scary thing...I have chest pains sometimes. I am not alone. Approximately 11 million people worldwide also have this disease. Many more have it and it's gone undetected. There are good days and bad. It's a misunderstood disease by many. Some have the common opinion that taking a pill a day will fix things. I know I will live with this disease for the rest of my life. I hope to get to a point where I have good days, weeks and months rather than good hours. I wouldn't wish this disease on my worst enemy. On the flip side, I have hope that one day I will feel good again.