I (18F)currently suffer from an underactive thyroid. It’s been going on for months, I get help from my GP who regularly tests my blood. The thyroid is an important hormone in your body, if it does not work properly, you will have several problems. Such as depression, low resistance, low energy, anxiety, weight gain, muscle pain, poor metabolism, sleeping problems and much more. I’m on vacation now, so my rhythm is different. I go to bed later and get up later. College starts for me at the end of August. I am an adult, almost 19. I’m pretty weak but two weeks ago I finally got meds for my thyroid, it takes a while to kick in. Whenever I’m feeling ill, or not great my mother has blamed it on my lifestyle. Even though my lifestyle isn’t that bad imo, on working days staying up till midnight/1 am, getting out of bed around 9:30 or 10 am. And in the weekends staying up till 2/3 am and getting out at 12 or 1 pm. Whenever I’m sick my mother says it’s because I sleep so late, and she totally ignores the fact that I have actual health issues. She never helped me, and always complains about it. Which makes me feel even more worse when I’m sick.
Last Friday night I had a drum&bass party. I didn’t do any drugs or drink alcohol at the time. That’s probably where I got the flu. A few people I know had the flu before and were sick for a week. I have a fever of 39.5 degrees Celsius. I think that’s 103.1 degrees Fahrenheit. So for two days I couldn’t sleep. Every time I fell asleep I woke up with a start, and for some reason I can’t lie in bed comfortably. This morning I came down crying, I felt so awful and I couldn’t sleep. My mother responded that I should maintain a rhythm and that I should not lie in bed all day. (Even though I don’t lie in bed all day, I’ve been painting at my desk for the past few days because I can’t lie comfortably)
I got the impression she didn’t care so I went back upstairs and called, while being very upset, my boyfriend who was at work.
He helped me calm down, and said it was best for me to take a pill of my old sleeping medication. Luckily it worked and I was able to sleep from 9 am to 3 pm. I did wake up many times, but it’s better than no sleep. My boyfriend was upset that my mom was acting like that to me again, while I need her help. When I just came down I told them how high my fever is. She then said this: ‘I don’t mean to be an asshole but you’re not living your life right, that’s why you’re sick’. I then said that I am not sick because I have a different rhythm than her. She then proceeds to say that I have poor resistance to my sleep rhythm. I said it was not because of that but because of my thyroid problems. She muttered ‘sure…’
Now she asked me if I used any drugs on friday!!! This is ridiculous, she thinks I’m being fake and that my thyroid problems are not that bad. It is so frustrating. 3 different doctors help me with my thyroid problems, it’s that serious. I just want her to care for me but she thinks she’s always right and that I’m being overdramatic. Always when I’m sick I get to hear that’s it’s my own fault.
What should I do about it? Talking to her seems to not work because she straight up ignores me and think she’s right.
tl;dr I have serious health problems and my mother ignores it, she says I’m sick because I don’t live my life right.
2 comments
I mean, really what does this mean in practice
>Whenever I’m sick my mother says it’s because I sleep so late, and she totally ignores the fact that I have actual health issues.
From what you posted, it sounds like your mom is supporting you going to these doctors and filling prescriptions, but then makes snide comments about you not sticking to a sleeping schedule. That *does* sound annoying, but also not like the end of the world. If she was interfering with actual medical care, that would be a huge problem.
I’d just tough it out until you go back to school, it’s only two months, do your best to sleep a regular schedule, and simply not expect to get this type of sympathy from your mom.
Misleading title. You just don’t get the level of sympathy you want from your mum and dislike her commenting on your sleep schedule. I get it that you are still young, you have a different sleep schedule right now than someone in work or at school and you want to be out with friends. But maybe she is trying to express that you need to make better lifestyle choices to manage your condition.