Hi, I believe I have Hashimoto disease. It runs in my family. I just found out and my Dr's have been trying to figure out what is wrong with me for years. They thought it was lupus even though mu lupus tests came back negative and had me on medication for lupus for a couple of years until I just got sicker. It all started in 1994 when I was pregnant with my daughter. I got very sick during my pregnancy with several boughts of pancreatitis. It was a very difficult pregnancy. Then during my second pregnancy I was borderline diabetic and had a kidney infection. Things started to get worse for me over the years with pain a fatigue. Then with my third pregnancy in 2000, I had a kidney infection, pancreatitis, and them pericarditis. I have had a very hard time the 13 years because my pericarditis became chronic with very large effusions. They kept saying it was idiopathic and didn't know why my body kept attacking itself every time they tried to take me off of steroids. Anyways to make a long story short, haha, I had several surgeries for my pericarditis including open heart surgery to have a pericardectomy. I still suffer from boughts of pericarditis as well as steroid induced diabetes, osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, thyroid disease, arthritis in my back, fibromyalgia, and pain in my hips, and joints in my hands, feet, neck, and knees. I have days I sleep all day and night and cannot get up. As well as I sometimes suffer from sleep paralysis, and other sleep disorders. The list goes on and on. But I wonder if all this could be caused from Hashimoto disease. I recently found out that my 1st cousin has it, my aunt had it and it runs on my mothers side of the family. Where do I start on trying to get back on a road to recovery. What is the course of action for hashimoto? I am already on levothyroxine but it does not seem to be enough. I'm in desperate need for help and wand my life back. Please tell me there is hope.