THYROID DISEASE

Read and learn more about thyroid disease treatments. For more, visit the Thyroid Disease website ThyroidDiseaseWiki.com.

Q: What are some treatments for Thyroid diseases?
I’m doing a group project on Tyriods and we’re having a hard time finding information on treatments. They don’t have to be complex, just to give some ideas.

A: here check out webmd.
on the left side there are bullet points and several of them have to to with treatments.

here is the link for hyperthyroidism:http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hyperthyroidism-topic-overview

and here is the link for hypothyroidism:http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hypothyroidism-topic-overview

hope this helps you out.

Q: treatment of hyperactive thyroid disease?
im 13 years old and i’ve inherited hyperactive(not hypo) thyroid disease from my mom. i get shaking hands, loss of sleep and anxiety. what are the treatments for this for someone my age? is there a medication or any home remedies??

A: Hi there,

Please get medical treatment. I had thyroid symptoms over 5 years ago but was never treated. By the time I went to see a specialist, my symptoms had changed so I thought they went away, and I couldn’t afford the medical care. Now it’s 5 years later and I have been diagnosed with Graves Disease as the cause of my hyperthyroidism. I have been dealing with severe adrenal fatigue and hypoglycemia for the last 6 months since they’re common with thyroid problems, along with a LONG list of thyroid symptoms (both hypo and hyper symptoms). For a list of symptoms of both hypo and hyper, go here: http://thyroid.about.com/od/symptomsrisks/a/symptomsrisks.htm
If you don’t get treatment, your condition will eventually worsen.

If you’re hyper, you should get an Uptake & Scan thyroid test (it’s not scary or painful) to determine the cause and the best course of treatment. I’m on a low dose of PTU, as well as megadoses of vitamins. Please do a lot of research so you can understand your condition and what you can do to treat it. Unfortunately, not all doctors (even Endocrinologists, who specialize in thyroid disease, along with disorders like diabetes) understand thyroid disease so you must be own best advocate. There are tons of good books on Amazon about thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue and vitamins, and helpful websites like thyroid.about.com. Eating whole and organic foods, and avoiding white sugar, white flour, processed foods, caffeine, alcohol and smoking helps a lot. Don’t rush into a treatment like RAI (Radioactive Iodine Treatment) until you understand what it entails.

I highly recommend vitamins in addition to thyroid medication. Vitamins are 2,000 times safer than drugs! And they rarely have dangerous side effects, unlike drugs. Amino acids like L-tryptophan and 5-HTP are helpful for insomnia. Minerals like selenium, magnesium and zinc will help with anxiety. It’s also important to remember that no single vitamin is a magic bullet and a good multivitamin is recommended. I’ve been taking vitamins for over two months and most of my symptoms have greatly improved and/or disappeared (I noticed a difference within a day or two with some symptoms, and some symptoms take longer to correct, depending on how long you’ve been dealing with a deficiency). These two books are very helpful for which vitamins to take:

Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled?

http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Fat-Fuzzy-Frazzled-Reproductive/dp/0452285569/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195420741&sr=1-2

The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Vitamin-Mineral-Book-4th/dp/158333274X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195421588&sr=1-1

To clarify Bitsy’s comment, hyper is overactive & hypo is underactive.

Good luck!

Q: Radioactive Iodine or drug treatment for thyroid disease?which is better?
Please enlighten my mind about this two type solution for thyroid disease, maybe if there’s no hope for short medication with my thyroid problem i chose Radioactive treatment.

A: Whatever you do, do NOT have radiation.

I’m assuming that you have Grave’s disease. Did the doctor who offered you radiation tell you that radiation is NOT a cure for Grave’s disease? Did he tell you that it makes Grave’s disease worse? And did he tell you that after you have the radiation, you will not only still have Grave’s disease, but you will also have an additional disease (iatrogenic hypOthyroidism)? Did he tell you that while radiation will get rid of one symptom of Grave’s disease only (hyperthyroidism) that it might come back?

If your doctor didn’t tell you these things, then he is not allowing you informed consent. That is malpractice. And you should RUN away from this doctor as fast as you can, and find a new one.

The correct treatment for Grave’s disease is methimizole (or PTU in the UK). You take it until your body naturally goes into remission, or for the rest of your life, whichever comes first. There is absolutely NO cure for Grave’s disease. There is only treatment. Any doctor who tells you that he can cure you is telling lies and commiting malpractice.

Q: 3 thyroid disease questions?
Okay a few questions…please provide the website where you found this info…so i can prove it to my MORONIC doctor…

#1. Is there another way to detect thyroid disease besides blood tests ( I HATE NEEDLES!!)

# 2. How much blood needs to be taken for a blood test to detect thyroid disease

# 3. What is the solution/treatment for thyroid disease?

Thanks in advance…it would be helpful if people who have (or have had) thyroid problems could answer…but anyone else can too.

A: 1 the only way to test the thyroid levels (TSH, T3, T4, thyroid antibodies….) is through blood tests.
there are addtional blood and non blood tests that can be done if those results suggest something is wrong.

#2 2-4 small tubes depending on the exact blood tests that are done. (if just thyroid levels are tested it would be about 2 tubes but many times for the first time at least they will want to do a few routine blood tests too like a cbc (complete blood count) so thats when it would be about 4 tubes.)

#3 treatment would depend on what they find out from the tests. you may not need treatment, you may need to take thryroid medication if your thyroid levels are too low, you you may need to take a beta blocker if your thyroid levels are too high and your heart rate is too high. there is not just one treatment or solution.

are is a great link to learn about hypERthyroidism (overactive thyroid):

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hyperthyroidism-topic-overview

and here is a great link to learn about hypOthyroidism (underactive thyroid):

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hypothyroidism-topic-overview

not too sure what you wanted to prove your dr wrong about but somehow i have a feeling this is only going to prove you wrong.

i’ve had thyroid issues since 2007. at first i had severe hyperthyroidism and was put on a beta blocker to lower my heart rate while they hyperthyroidism calmed itself on its own. now recently i found out that i have hypothyroidism and a nodule on my thyroid. i’m going for further tests to see if it is cancerous or not.
i hate needles as well but as long as you have visible veins in your arms or hands it will be relatively painless. (i have no visible veins so it hurts)
most blood work labs have at least one reclining chair for the fainters although its also a good thing for people that hate needles cuz you can lay back and “relax” and they will talk to you and you won’t even see what they are doing and it won’t be so nerve wracking. so make sure you let them know you hate needles and would like to sit in the reclining chair if possible.

Q: does anyone have a thyroid disease? what treatment is the best.?

A: There really is no best treatment. You try one medication and if it doesn’t help you try a different one. For myself, I started on T4 (Levoxyl) It did nothing for my thyroid symptoms. Eventually Cytomel was added and it help with about half of my symptoms, Over time, I switched to Armour thyroid and it helped about 95% of my symptoms and I feel better thanI have in years.

The keys to this is learning about your condition, getting copies of your blood work, and never giving up until you are almost completely symptom free.

Links below

Q: What is a thyroid disease ?Can it be cured permanently or one is required to take medication life long?
Is it a disease or a distubed gland condition which needs one time treatement or life long treatment? Can it be corrected for once and for ever with the modern day medicines? If not treated out of ignorance then what are the extreme harmful effects of the disease? Can any medical professional guide me about this disease as to help me approach the doctor to be guided properly to overcome the problem?

A: I know a few people with thyroid problems and it does require you to take a drug called “synthroid” for the rest of your life. It really isn’t a big deal at all, hopefully you have an over-active thyroid in which case you won’t have to worry about the side effect of weight gain as you do with an under active one. Your primary care doctor should be able to feel if your thyroid is enlarged at the base of your neck, he may or may not refer you to a specialist, depends on your doctor, some primary care doctors can treat the condition. It’s really nothing life threatening and shouldn’t really effect much except possible weight gain or loss, being very tired all the time and other minor problems. Good luck and call your doctor, again, it’s not much to worry about

Q: Thyroid disease Questions Very Important Please Help !!!! Thank You So much !!!! Its Means a lot for the help?
the symptoms of thyroid disease
what causes thyroid disease
what medical doctor diagnoses thyroid disease
what tests and medical instruments are uesd to test for thyroid disease
what are the treatments
and is age related to thyroid disease

Thanks For Your Help!!

A: Here’s info on all the different types of thyroid disease: http://www.medicinenet.com/thyroid_disease/article.htm

Q: What treatments work best for an overactive thyroid – hyperthyroidism?
My son is 12 and dealing with an overactive thyroid with severe weight loss. He may also be showing small signs of Graves Disease with leg rash/itching. I am meeting with the doctor next week, but I wanted to have some info on treatments before we go. (serious answers only, please!)
What about Beta Blockers?

What kinds of food should he eat?

A: If he does have it, it would be strange. It usually affects people much older than him. But it’s good that you’re catching it now, if he does have it. They have different treatments available. I had Grave’s in the early 80’s and opted to have the gland removed. Now I suffer from hypothyroidism. Which I think is worse in many ways. Regardless of the treatment, you’ll have to make sure he is monitored for the hypo after wards. Former President Bush & Barbara Bush had Grave’s and they both had the radiation treatment. Both seem to be fine. I wish you luck….

PS Yeah…. one person mentioned Prozac…. And depression is a big part of having hypothyroidism. Make sure he is well disciplned and has a strong work ethic… those two things will help him down the road.

Q: What are the symptoms and consequences of Thyroid Disease?
Most common diagnosis & treatment…
And… I was hoping to hear from people who have this condition.

A: The symptoms of hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid — tend to mirror the slowing down of physical processes that results from insufficient thyroid hormone. Common symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, constipation, fuzzy thinking, low blood pressure, fluid retention, depression, body pain, slow reflexes, and much more.

The symptoms of hyperthyroidism tend to reflect the rapid metabolism that results from an oversupply of thyroid hormone. Common symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, rapid weight loss, diarrhea, high heart rate, high blood pressure, eye sensitivity/bulging and vision disturbances, and many other concerns.

Go to: http://thyroid.about.com/od/symptomsrisks/a/symptomsrisks.htm

Hope that helped

Q: Do you still have Graves disease after your thyroid has been terminated by radio active treatment?
My friend wants me to ask this for her. Thanks

A: Yes, you do. Grave’s disease is an autoimmune disease. That means that it is caused by antibodies created by your body. The antibodies are created by the immune system, not the thyroid. The antibodies attack the thyroid. Destroying the thyroid does not stop the production of the antibodies. You will still have the antibodies, and you will still have Grave’s disease. The antibodies can find other things to attack besides the thyroid. Namely the skin, and most notably your eyes.

Check this out. This is what Grave’s disease of the eyes looks like:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001204/mediaindex

By destroying the thyroid, you will also be giving yourself a disease in addition to the Grave’s disease. Now you will also have hypothyroidism. You will have to be treated for the hypothyroidism for the rest of your life.

Q: Thyroid Disease & Synthroid need advice?
I developed a small rash on my face at the same time my doctor started me on Synthroid. (I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease) After various home treatments i finally caved in and went back to see the dr about my new problem. He gave me some antibiotics and creams and told me to call him in 5 days if the rash was not gone because it meant i was having an allergic reaction to the meds and we needed to switch to the generic version. Its been 7 days and the rash is not gone, and i am terrified of having to switch my meds. (because other than the rash, it’s working) I have read and been told numerous times that the generic version isnt good because it can have different doses of the drug from batch to batch which isnt good when your thyroid depends on a stable dose. Also in the last week, my night sweats have come back and are almost as bad as they were a few months ago before starting the meds.

Has this happened to anyone else and what does it mean that the sweats are back? Do you think the rash is a big problem and should i call my dr to have the brand switched?

A: You can call your pharmacist and ask about the rash – they are usually very helpful. I also have hashimotos and your body swings from hyper to hypo symptoms, so if your night sweats have come back thats not unusual.
Good luck.

Q: alternative medication for thyroid disease?
after i gave birth, i had gained 6stones in one year! after endless tests it showed i had thyroid disease. (underactive)
they are still getting my medication levels rite, at the moment i am on 125mg a day, but it is making no difference at all. i am constantly tired, i have no energy. is there anything else i can try. its bad enough putting on so much weight, but being so lathargic is awful, especially wen i am trying to raise a child.
please advise. is thyroxine the only treatment?

A: Also you may want to get another doctors opinion, My son and sister both had major issues(different doctors)with getting levels right,Took her almost 2 years with all the same symptoms as you, She went to another Dr and with consultation with her first Dr they finally all got it right, Dont be discouraged,keep looking for the right levels and ask many questions.

Q: Graves (Basedown) thyroids disease & organotherapy? ?
Im looking for thyroids organotheraphy treatment for my dad. Im still not convinced about traditional medicine like radio iodine, tapazole or beta blockers as propanolol for many reasons, since they only inhibit t4 and t3 production or destroy thyroids cells and dont regulate the organ metabolism, so he can become hypo all life.
Does anybody has a testimonial on Graves disease treatment with organotheraphy?

I would really apprecciate your answers
Greetings from Mexico.

A: I had to look up organo therapy… It’s natural hormone replacement. In the case of Grave’s there is an excess of thyroid hormone, adding more will not make it better.

There are three options when dealing with Grave’s, after confirming that it is Grave’s, and not a hyper phase of Hashi’s.

1. Antithyroid medications. Some are beta blockers, some affect hormone conversion, some are receptor inhibitors.
2. Surgical removal (thyroidectomy) of all, or part, of the gland.
3. RAI to destroy all, or part of, the gland.

With all three, there is a small chance that there will be enough of a change to eliminate the hyper symptoms, but the chances are greater that gland function will reduce to the point where he will be hypo.

But….

There are natural hormone replacements for hyPO. A case of taking whole dessicated thyroid glandular, in tablet form, the main brand in the US is Armour thyroid.

Most likely it will be lifelong hormone replacement.

It is good that you are looking for options for your dad!!! Keep in mind though that the longer you wait, the more hyper he becomes, there will come a point where he will be too hyper for either antithyroid medication or surgery and then RAI is the only option. RAI has a lot more risks to it than the other two do.

So do your research and sit down with him and discuss options so that the best decision can be made for him.

Q: Can I get the details on thyroid disease?
…Like a little more info than a medical website would give about hyperthyroidism..like where it comes from, the symptoms, treatment, etc..

A: I found you a few sites that give you symtoms, treatments & general information. I’m sure these will help you.

http://www.hormone.org
http://www-Well-Being.com
http://www.Healthline.com
http://www.righthealth.com
http://www.linx-best.com
http://www.Thyroid-Disorders.prsto.com
http://www.healthrecipes.com/thyroid_symptoms.htm
http://www.thyroid.about.com
http://www.thyroid-fed.org/intro/patients.html
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/thyroid_problems/article_em.htm
http://www.health.ivillage.com/thyroid/topics/0,,4twl,00.html
http://www.medicinenet.com/hyperthyroidism/article.htm
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art31605.asp
http://www.womentowomen.com

I’m only sending you the best ones. You have all the information you want at your finger tips. I hope this helps you

Q: i have a thyroid disease and i’m 6 weeks pregnant… ?
someone has told me that it can link to a miscarriage, i have been taking treatment for my thyroid for a very long time. how can i be sure that my baby is going to make it? what can i do to reduce the risk of having a miscarriage?

A: Let me tell you. You are very lucky to have gotten pregnant. My uncle is sterile because of thyroid disease, so is my sister in law, and my cousin. Don’t listen to what “someone” told you just go by what the doctor tells you.