There's no reason you can't have a successful career, even with Hashimoto's; it's not the end of the world. Hashimoto's, itself, doesn't cause your symptoms; it's the resulting hypothyroidism that makes you feel tired, hair fall out, etc.
Most likely, your doctor has, or will, put you on some type of synthetic thyroid replacement medication. Many/most of us do just fine on these.
Hashimoto's is progressive, in that thee antibodies are continually destroying thyroid tissue, and as they do, your thyroid makes less and less of the hormones you need. You will need to be tested periodically, to make sure your levels of the active hormones, Free T3 and Free T4 are adequate and that you have attained symptom relief.
Typically, when actively adjusting thyroid hormone medication, testing is done at 5-6 week intervals; as you get to your optimal dose, testing can be put back to the 3 month mark, then 6 months or even a year. Any time you don't feel well, you should contact your doctor for testing to be sure your levels are still optimal.
The key to getting to the symptom free stage, is having a good doctor who is well versed in thyroid. Many doctors believe on only in testing TSH and ignore the Free T3 and Free T4; others will insist that as long as one is "in range", they should be fine.... you need one who will look at, and consider the lab numbers, but who pays more attention to the patient and is more concerned about symptom relief than the numbers. Your doctor should also be willing to consider any type of medication that might help you get well. This includes the use of T3, such as that found in cytomel or generic liothyronine and/or desiccated hormones, which contain both T4 and T3 or even compounded meds.
Do you have copies of your lab work, so we can see what your status is now? You should get a copy of every lab test you get, so you have them for your record. I write on each lab sheet, the med(s) I was taking at the time of the blood draw and what, if any symptoms I had at the time. This has become my running record of my disease.
If you have a copy of your thyroid labs, please post the results, here, so we can see where you are with it all. Be sure to include reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
There are a variety of things that can cause hypothyroidism to worsen... the main one being that your thyroid will produce less and less hormones, as the antibodies destroy it, so you'll have to adjust medication periodically, to accommodate that. Once the thyroid no longer produces any hormones, you should level out, though there are still things that can cause you to go hypo again. If you become very "in tune" with your body, you'll be able to catch these changes before they have a very profound effect on you.
I can't stress enough, the need for a good thyroid doctor. Keep in mind that many endos specialize in diabetes and may not be good thyroid doctors.
I completely agree with everything Barb had to say.
I'm just throwing in my two cents' worth because I'm in the investment business, and I'm well aware of what the first couple of years on Wall Street are all about. Fiscally, the country is being run by a bunch of 22-25 year olds, and you're right...you have two years to make it. Lots of pressure, lots of work, pays big dividends when you're done.
That being said, there are off Wall Street ways to break into the business that don't come with nearly the pressure and physical stress. The investment business is highly lucrative in almost every aspect. I broke into it many, many years ago by going to work for an investment advisor. The first few years were still rough, but nothing like what you'll be going through. I'm just saying that there are other ways to get to the same place, so if you do find it too much to deal with, don't think your career is over.
That being said, you seem to have a great attitude, and that's a huge part of conquering this disease. Bear in mind that people who participate in medical forums are not the people who are satisfied and happy with their care. We are the people, who for one reason or another, did not fit the textbook treatment model. Many people take their pill every morning, and that's the end of their story.
Learn all you can. As Barb's already said, and I still have to re-iterate, find a doctor you can work with. Don't give up until you are feeling good again. Under treatment is rampant because so many doctors treat by the numbers.
Best of luck...
My hypothyroid symptoms worsen when I'm stressed (mental and/or physical stress). And this is not just my thyroid gland but also at a cellular level. Nutrients to help with stress: magnesium, B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C. And selenium may help lower thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb).