THYROID DISEASE

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

Q: Thyroid Diseases?
Management of Goitres

A: Have you had any testing done? Are your levels high or low, hyper or hypoactive? Any symptoms of thyroid disease? Dry skin, insomnia, heart palpitations, dizziness, anxiety, depression, weight gain/loss, the list goes on and on. Is there a family history of thyroid disease? Managing goiters isn’t too difficult, there are some simple and not so simple tests that need to be done. Depending on the results of some of the tests below.

For instance, they usually start with a simple ultrasound, then a thyroid scan with radioactive isotopes. This will determine if the goiters are hot (working) or cold (not working). Generally if they are (hot), your thyroid levels may be elevated, determining that your thyroid is producing too much. If this is just the beginning, they could be borderline and your physician may just watch things for a while. If they are too elevated your physician may recommend having dose of Radioactive Iodine to shrink the goiters and reduce over activity, in some cases your thyroid levels will go back to normal. However, this may also lead to hypothyroidism at which time you will be placed on thyroid replacement therapy. But untreated hyperthyroidism can be very bad health wise (poor calcium absorbtion is just one effect) so better to be on replacement therapy.

Now if you have a scan and the goiters are cold, they are not functioning which can mean a number of things. They will have to do a fine needle biopsy. Not a big deal. If they are not functioning in most cases they need to be removed. It does not mean that if they are not functioning that you have cancer. This test will determine if in fact they are benign or malignate. If surgical intervention is required, they may be able to remove the just the part that is effected and hopefully your thyroid will resume normal function. In most cases they will try to leave a portion of the thyroid intact. If they find that your entire gland has to be removed, then after surgery you will be put on thyroid replacement therapy.

Hope you fine this information helpful. By the way, I am also a patient, I have multi-nodular goiters, July 2006 I just had the treatment with Radioactive Iodine and so far my thyroid is producing normally without any further intervention.
I am also a nurse. Good Luck!

Q: Are certain thyroid diseases heredity? Could it be passed down from mother to daughter if the mother has it?
Take a mother and daughter for example. The mother has some thyroid disease (I do not know what it is exactly, maybe the one where the thyroid is overworking) but the father does not have any disease. The daughter is still young, and so it probably is likely the disease won’t appear until she ages. Please name which diseases are heredity or if none of them at all are. Like if it just by chance its your body malfunctioning or what.

The mother has low hemoglobin, hematocrit, and iron, but has high TSH (high sensitivity in the thyroid I think?), and cholesterol.

Thanks. Need this for both educational reasons and possible reality situations.

A: from what i was told by an endo i saw from thyroid issues it can be passed on and occur younger and younger in each gereration….
my grandmother was hyper…diagnosed later in life
i was diag. hypo in my 30’s
my daughter was diag hypo at 9

ck out www.about.com and go to the thyroid section under health to get some great info about this…..

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: i would like to know if there is someone here specialized in throat ( Thyroid) diseases?
i have a problem with my thyroid, Hypothyroidism (Under-Active Thyroid)
and i would like to know what fruits and veg i should eat to improve its function and have a much higher metabolism. what should i avoid in my diet too. i don’t like the idea of pills, i would rather do it the natural way. Many Thanks.

A: Thyroid problems can very very tricky. You should speak with an Endocrinologist.

Q: Does a Complete Blood Count test for Thyroid diseases?
Just wondering if the basic complete blood count test checks for hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism?

Thank you.

A: CBC includes white cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. Thyroid disease is tested with TFTs (thyroid function tests) which typically include TSH (the initial test sent) which if it is abnormal then T3 and T4 are sent.

Q: What are 12 diseases/conditions in the endocrine gland that involve the thyroid?
What are 12 conditions and or diseases that happen in the thyroid gland that is related with the endocrine?

A: Thyroid cancer

Q: why thyroid diseases are more common in women than in men?

A: Probably because our hormones change more frequently. Many woman have thyroid episodes a few months after the birth of a baby. I know I did.

Q: positive and negative feed back of thyroid gland diseases?
im writing report right now.
please help me.
i checked wiki already.
anything you know about thyroid gland disease please.
thanks a lot n_n

A: All types of hyperthyroidism are due to an overproduction of thyroid hormones, but the condition can occur in several ways: In Graves’ disease, the release of excess hormones is triggered by an autoimmune disorder. For some unknown reason, the body attacks the thyroid, causing it to spill out too much hormone. At other times, nodules called toxic adenomas develop in the thyroid gland and begin to secrete thyroid hormones, upsetting the body’s chemical balance; some goiters may contain several of these nodules. In subacute thyroiditis, inflammation of the thyroid causes the gland to “leak” excess hormones, resulting in temporary hyperthyroidism that generally lasts a few weeks but may persist for months. Although rare, hyperthyroidism can also develop from pituitary gland malfunctions or from cancerous growths in the thyroid gland.

Hypothyroidism, by contrast, stems from an underproduction of thyroid hormones. Since your body’s energy production requires certain amounts of thyroid hormones, a drop in hormone production leads to lower energy levels. A common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks thyroid tissue. The tissue eventually dies and stops producing hormones.

Hypothyroidism can also result when the thyroid gland has been surgically removed or chemically destroyed as treatment for hyperthyroidism. If you are exposed to excessive amounts of iodide — perhaps from a hidden source such as cold and sinus medicines, the heart medicine amiodarone or from certain contrast dyes given before some x-rays — you may be at greater risk for developing hypothyroidism, especially if you have had thyroid problems in the past. The drug lithium has also been linked as a cause of hypothyroidism. Untreated for long periods of time, hypothyroidism can bring on a myxedema coma, a rare but potentially fatal condition that requires immediate hormone injections.

Hypothyroidism poses a special danger to newborns and infants. A lack of thyroid hormones in the system at an early age can lead to the development of cretinism (mental retardation) and dwarfism (stunted growth). Most infants now have their thyroid levels checked routinely soon after birth. If they are hypothyroid, treatment begins immediately. In infants, as in adults, hypothyroidism can be due to a pituitary disorder, a defective thyroid, or lack of the gland entirely. A hypothyroid infant is unusually inactive and quiet, has a poor appetite and sleeps for excessively long periods of time.

Cancer of the thyroid gland is quite rare and occurs in less than 10% of thyroid nodules. You might have one or more thyroid nodules for several years before they are determined to be cancerous. People who have received radiation treatment to the head and neck earlier in life, possibly as a remedy for acne, tend to have a higher-than-normal propensity for thyroid cancer.

Q: Positive and negative feed back of thyroid gland diseases?
im writing report now.
please help
ANYTHING about thyroid gland diseases
* i checked wiki already… anything else?

A: The thyroid gland is a soft tissue gland and absorbs a lot of things that can effect it’s performance. A good example of this is the heavy metal aluminum. There is an estimated 13 million Americans suffering from hypothyroid (low thyroid function) condition that do not know they have the problem.

Much of the problem is associated with eating SOY products and peanuts found in peanut butter. Soy is being put in so many foods made in America today and is masked by naming it things like “textured vegetable protein” that is actually a refined soy food. Also soybean oil is being used in many things like salad dressings, cooking oils, etc., etc. It is even being used to make cheese cheaper by pizza companies like Pizza Hut, etc. Soy is a goitrogen and this inhibits mineral absorption, especially iron (over 50%). This isi why so many vegetarians are anemic. Soy slows the thyroid function down and can be found in the literature of drug companies that make thyroid products like Synthroid telling people to not eat soy because it counteracts the effectiveness of the drugs.

The rise of industrialization, corporate farming, and mass production of food has drastically changed our food supply from what our ancestors ate. Many studies show the detrimental effects of refined sugars and grains on our health. These foods are very taxing on the thyroid gland, and we consume them in large quantities.

Environmental stress such as chemical pollutants, pesticides, mercury, and fluoride are also tough on the thyroid. Fluoride widely used toothpaste and water treatment inhibits the functioning of the thyroid gland. Additionally, mercury will diminish thyroid function because it displaces the trace mineral selenium, and selenium is involved in conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3.

The food you eat, the environment we live in, and chemicals being added to the water supply and food can greatly affect the thyroid functions. It’s no wonder more and more Americans are suffering from thyroid problems.

Additionally, the solution doctors present is to take the easy way out and treat the symptoms by giving drugs to people like Synthroid rather than treat the cause. The problem is that the Synthroid drug basically kills the thyroid function and you become dependent upon the drug for the rest of your life.

A lot of thyroid problems could be solved by eliminating fluoride, mercury, aluminum, and other heavy metals from the diet and environment. Also, by eliminating all SOY products from your diet, you can greatly increase the health of your thyroid and in many cases restore the gland’s normal functions.

Another good food to eat for the thyroid is coconut oil. It contains a lot of lauric acid that is very good for the thyroid.

good luck to you

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.