THYROID DISEASE

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

Q: thyroid disease?
about a year ago i was diagnosed with graves disease, which is a thyroid disease, and i was treated for it about 6 months ago by having my thyroid killed off with a radioactive iodine pill, and now i’ve been taking thyroid hormone replacement medication for about 6 months now. i was wondering what kind of effect thyroid diseases have on your weight. in about 2 years, i’ve gained 20 lbs (my lifestyle and diet have changed slightly, but not much), and i’ve been dieting and exersicing for 5 months now, but have only managed to lose 10 lbs. i lost that 10 lbs in the first 3 months, and since then, i havent lost any weight. i was wondering if this was due in part to my thyroid disease. please let me know what you think!!! i need some advice about trying to loose weight while still having a thyroid (metabolism) disease.
sorry inspiredbeme, but i have been dieting and exersizing for 4 months now, and i have only lost 3 lbs. i was 118 two years ago, and now i’m 140. i have been changing my diet and i exersize 1 hour a day, and i still havent seen any results. i just want to know if it’s because of my thyroid that i’m having such a hard time. and you’re only 118! what do you have to worry about?!
*oops, sorry, 113!

A: Technically, you don’t have a thyroid disease as you don’t have a thyroid anymore. I have had Graves for over seven years and am now in remission. I lost 40 lbs when it started before I went to see a MD; I learned my lesson. It is now a matter of regulating your hormone medication to regulate your weight and not a Walmart pill. I am surprised that your MD decided to destroy your thyroid instead of trying Tapazole to get it under control. You are going to gain weight as you are in a permanent “hypo” state.

Q: Thyroid Disease?
I have a thyroid disease that boosts my metabolism and makes me gain weight quickly, is there any way that I can stop it without taking pills(not enough money)?
Sorry, accident. I meant that it lowers my metabolism.

A: Hello,

There are thyroid diseases that boost metabolism and thyroid diseases that cause weight gain, unfortunately they’re not one and the same. Hyperthyroidism causes increase in metabolism which is accompanied by a voracious appetite, and weight loss. It also has heat intolerance, possible hair loss, increase heart rate and blood pressure, etc.

Hypothyroidism is the exact opposite. If it’s making you gain weight then this is probably what you have. There are various causes for hypothyroidism and so that needs to be investigated by a doc. Most of the time Levothyroxine is used to supplement what you’re body is missing. There is no reliable way of replacing this hormone by any other means.

If cost is a concern there are probably assistance programs you can get on to help cover the costs of your prescriptions. However, Levothyroxine (Synthroid), has been out long enough that you should probably be able to get generics which are relatively cheap.

www.rxlist.com has great info on various drugs, how they work, dosages, side effects, etc.

Check out Walmart’s pharmacy listing for $4 generics. My computer is fritzy and won’t load the PDF but this is the link:
http://www.livebetterindex.com/4drug.pdf See if Levothyroxine is on that list. If so- cost shouldn’t be much of an issue.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Q: Thyroid disease?
What is thyroid disease and how do i know if i have got it?

A: There are several kinds of thyroid disease. Sometimes it is underactive (hypothyroidism) and sometimes it is overactive (hyperthyroidism). A goiter and Graves Disease are other examples. The thyroid hormones have a lot to do with our metabolism, and if you think you may have a problem, a simple blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels will tell your doctor. The symptoms vary from person to person, some don’t have any, but treating it is essential.

Q: What is thyroid disease in childen around one year to two years old?
This one year old’s soft spot has not healed over and he has some dry skin problems and a small loss of weight. This is some signs of thyroid disease. Hopefully it will turn out to be just a coincidence.

A: I would assume this child has been tested for thyroid disease. In the US, mandatory thyroid testing of infants has taken place since 1976. If this child has not been tested, then get him to a doctor as soon as possible. He may have congenital hypothyroidism. Even if he had been tested, it may be a good idea to test again. Hypothyroidism in a child can be devastating.

Congenital hypothyroidism is a disorder that affects infants at birth, and occurs in about 1 in 4000 live-born babies. It is characterised by the loss of thyroid function, due to the thyroid gland failing to develop normally. In some cases, the gland is totally absent. About 10 per cent of cases are caused by an enzyme defect leading to deficient hormone production, iodine deficiency and a brain pituitary gland abnormality. If the diagnosis is delayed, and immediate treatment is not given, congenital hypothyroidism can lead to growth and developmental defects, and severe mental retardation (cretinism).

Fortunately, routine testing for thyroid function in newborns has been mandatory since 1976. Within the first week of life, a heelprick blood sample is taken to assess an infant’s thyroid hormone level. If any abnormality is found, a repeat blood sample is taken. If this confirms congenital hypothyroidism, the infant is immediately given thyroid hormone replacement therapy (T4 — thyroxine). Normal growth and development should then continue, with no adverse effects on the child’s mental capacity.

Before newborn thyroid screening began, this condition was easily missed. Even within a few days, subtle symptoms would emerge, such as poor feeding, constipation, low body temperature, cool skin, slow pulse, prolonged jaundice, increased sleepiness, and decreased crying. After a few weeks, other physical signs would become more noticeable, such as poor growth and development, dry skin and hair, poor muscle tone, slow tendon reflexes, hoarse crying, enlarged tongue, umbilical hernia, and puffiness or swelling. By this time, there would already have been some devastating consequences. Treatment with thyroid hormone replacement would have resolved most of the physical symptoms, but the child would more than likely have had permanent brain damage.

Q: What is the difference in hypothyroidism and thyroid disease?
I have hypothyroidism and want to take some sinus medication. It says don’t take if you have thyroid disease.

A: It sounds like hypothyroidism is classified as thyroid disease. I wouldn’t take that medicine!

Q: Why is thyroid disease called the butterfly effect?
I have hypothyroidism, and i was wondering why thyroid disease is called the butterfly effect?

A: It actually has a double meaning. The thyroid gland is shaped like a “butterfly”, but also regulates so many other parts of the body that it can cause a “ripple” effect if not functioning properly.

The “butterfly effect”, or “chaos theory” states that, essentially, a butterfly flapping its wings on the other side of the world can cause a breeze that eventually will result in a tornado over here.

Basically something seemingly insignificant can have major consequences to something else that appears unrelated. So a diseased thyroid can result in hair loss, for instance, although hair seems unrleated to the thyroid.

Q: Why does allergy medicine say consult a doctor before use if you have thyroid disease?
I’ve been looking at allergy medications and most of them say consult a doctor before use if you have thyroid disease. I left a message with my doctor, but what would be the side-effects of someone taking allergy medicine if they had thyroid disease?

A: The otc medications can affect your heart rate, blood pressure, etc things that are already being controlled by another medication. My doctor told me DO NOT take it, but I also had thyroid cancer. They did however prescribe me Singular. If you are having serious issues with your allergies i suggest you also speak to your doctor about an allergy prescription

Q: Why does it say to consult a doctor if you have thyroid disease?
On a lot of antihistamine and sinus medications it says to consult your doctor if you have thyroid disease. What is the reason for this? I have hypothyroid and a bad cold so I need to take something so I can sleep. I know this is a question I should ask my doctor (and I intend to when I see her on Monday) but is it dangerous for me to take sinus medication?

A: I have hypothyroidism also. If you’re on medication, certain meds can counter-act with the meds your on. Call a pharmacist and ask them. Tell them what you’re on and tell them the med you want to take and they’ll tell you if its safe or not. Im on synthroid and have never had a problem with being able to take any sinus meds. To ease your mind and make sure, just call the pharmacy, they will gladly help you with anything you need to know! Good luck! Hope ya feel better soon!

Q: How do I get my horse to gain weight if he has a thyroid disease?
My horse has a thyroid disease. It is the kind that makes him loose. If if were to up his food, not by much, but still up it, would it hurt his thyroid problem. He is on Strategy right now and I dont know if I should add a weight gain supplement or not.

A: That’s hypothyroidism. You should call your vet and ask what you should do because the endocrine system is a delicate thing to mess with and the thyroid gland is a very large part of it.

Q: What can I expect if I have thyroid disease?
My doc said that my TSH level is low, so I need to get more comprehensive test for thyroid disease. Will I always need to take meds?

If my tests come back negative, what can I do to make sure I don’t get it?

A: I know women who personally like the natural thyroid hormone Armour Thyroid. http://www.armourthyroid.com/

It’s better than the synthetic thyroid drugs like synthroid. Also taking 1 tablespoon of raw virgin organic coconut oil with each meal will rev up your metabolism. And stay away from all Soy. Soy depresses the thyroid. Take a good mulivitamin. I like Dr. Ron Schmidt’s. His does not have any additives. http://www.drrons.com/

Salt your food only with Celtic Sea salt. It is unprocessed and has 84 minerals all good for your thyroid.

Dr. Rinds sight explains thyroid and adrenal problems. Check it out. Good luck to you.

http://www.drrind.com/

Q: Why is it advised to ask a doctor about taking Dayquil if you have a Thyroid Disease?
I have Graves’ Disease and am in remission right now. My thyroid is functioning normally. I have taken two doses of Vick’s DayQuil and just read on the back to ask a doctor before taking this product if you have a Thyroid Disease. Does anybody know why this is?

A: it is not recommended that people with thyroid problems take any products with pseudoephedrine or natural ephedra, ingredients that are sometimes found in natural weight loss, energy and cold remedies. There are anecdotal reports of people with thyroid disease becoming extra-sensitive to stimulants like caffeine, pseudoephedrine or ephedra.

this applies to phenylephrine, the decongestant found in DayQuil.

Q: Is having hot flashes a part of having thyroid disease, or am I still going through menopause?
I have thyroid disease and I am taking synthroid for it. If I start to get hot I will break out into a sweat. It is like a hot flash. I don’t have night sweats so I know I am over the menopause thing. Does anyone out there do the same thing that has thyroid disease? This is very bothersome to me… a real drag!

A: The symptoms of thyroid disease and menopause are almost the same. What you need to look out for are additional symptoms so that you can tell the difference between the two health conditions.

Aside from hot flashes, thyroid problem symptoms include pain in the neck and swelling of arms and legs. Visual disturbances and extreme fluctuation of weight are also signs of a thyroid problem.

If you are suffering from night sweats and vaginal dryness, you are most likely to be suffering from menopausal symptoms.

I’ve been visiting this site to learn more about hot flashes. http://www.hotflashfreedom.com/

Q: Can a Thyroid disease turn in to cancer?
I have been struggling with an underactive thyroid for 13 years. What is the worst that can happen? Is this a serious disease?

A: Any part of the body can become cancerous, but being hypothyroid doesn’t increase the risk of thyroid cancer. It just means that you will need to be on meds to control it for your entire life and your thyroid levels will have to be monitored. Thats about as bad as it will get.

Q: Why are weight loss supplements dangerous for those with thyroid disease?
Why are most weight loss supplements dangerous for people who are suffering from a thyroid disease? Is this reason still substantial for those whose thyroid is regulated with medication?

A: They can be dangerous because alot of them contain ephedra. Ephedra can affect your heart rate and blood pressure, things that are already slightly unstable because its being controlled thyroid replacement hormones, such as synthroid.

Q: Is it possible to be on hormonal birth control with an overactive thyroid caused by Graves disease?
I am a 20 year old female who was diagnosed with Grave’s disease 4 years ago. My gynecologist told me I was not eligible for hormonal birth control because of my thyroid disease. I plan on asking my endocrinologist my next appointment. Could my endo overrule my gyno in this situation?

A: You can take birth control pills. Just be prepared for them to affect your thyroid levels. You will need to have your medication adjusted. Get your thyroid tested a month after starting on the pill. Have your medication adjusted. Repeat every month until you are totally stable again.