THYROID DISEASE

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

Q: Thyroid problems?
I have fibromyalgia, which has a lot of the same symptoms as thyroid problems. But now I’m wondering if I might have that. I have an appointment for a physical next week (but I might have to cancel it since my period is due to start by Monday) and I plan on talking to my doctor about it.
What are some of the symptoms? My friend had a problem with her thyroid and I know everyone is different, so I’d like to know what your symptoms have been.

A: there are 2 types of thyroidism hypo and hyper, I personally suffer from hypo type the symptoms are tiredness slow heart beats, the link below may provide you with what you seek

Q: Thyroid Problems?
I have Thyroid problems. My doctor told me my T3 hormone is off. If I don’t take Synthroid I feel like I’ve been walked all over. I have been on the medication for about a year and just recently I have started feeling bad. I think it might have something to do with my Thyroid but I have never seen a specialist. People ask me what kind of Thyroid disease I have but no one has ever told me. What I am asking is, should I see a specialist? If I don’t need to see one what should I ask my doctor to get the information I need?

A: first off it is always good to see a specialist. 2nd your thyroid levels shoulld be tested every so often to see where they r at. This is important becuz most people need to adjust their Synthroid either up or down to accomodate theeeir thyroid levels. I would see a specialist becuz that is what they deal with all the time where as a family doc might not be as thorough. I would be willing to bet that your med needs adjustment. The thyroid disease the people are talking about is hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. One type the thyroid works to much and the other the thyroid doesn’t work enough. Sounds like hypothyroid to me but i am no Doctor. However I am into medicine and the body

Q: thyroid problems?
what are the symptoms of thyroid problems, is a deep voice one of the signs

A: I had an enlarged thyroid (goiter) and hypothyroidism. That caused my voice to become kind of hoarse so it sounded a little deeper. Other commong hypothyroidism symptoms include hair loss, weight gain, slow metabolism, fatigue, mental confusion, loss of memory, and feeling cold.

Hope that helps!

mari

Q: What are the most common treatment methods for thyroid problems?
My docotor is testing my blood for thyroid problems, and I would like to know what treatments they may suggest if I do have any problems. Also, what are the possible issues with my thyroid that they may be checking for? Signs and symptoms? Not sure if this makes a difference, but I am a 22 yr old female – two children/c-section.

A: FIRST THING~ If your doctor won’t listen to YOU, get a new one! YOU KNOW when your body is good & when it’s not! I refuse to listen to someone who won’t listen to me…because they think they know it all since they “went to school for the degree”. Well, they didn’t go to school & study MY BODY! So, get a new doc, and don’t feel bad about it. What if something bad happened to you? Would you hesitate to let that doc know at that point? DON”T LET IT GET THERE!
I have given several links below to read & perhaps you can read through & understand the different thyroid symptoms & problems.
Here is some information about myself, plus some symptoms since you seemed to be interested:
I have low thyroid. I’ve had it for 10 years. I got it after I had my second child at about the age of 25. If you have low thyroid…here’s a great question to answer: Can you see the floor of your house? That was what was asked of me at one point, and to my amazement, the answer was no!
My signs are: messy house, no desire to do anything…go anywhere, spend time with my kids or my guy, sleep a lot, hard to keep my eyes open at times, HUGE weight gain that over the past years have not found an easy way to take off…so I give up a lot, I have terribly dry hair & don’t wash it a lot so it stays strong, I have bumps on my face…not like pimples, but I think it’s from dry skin, and perhaps some others that I can’t remember at this time…that’s another symptom–forgetfullness.
Here are the “GENERAL” signs for most people: fatigue and lack of energy. Women suffering from underactive thyroid experience heavier menstrual periods. Sluggishness and forgetfulness are symptoms of underactive thyroid problem. Other symptoms of this thyroid disorder are dry skin and hair and constipation.
If you have high thyroid, or an overactive one, the signs are: increased body metabolism. This is followed by weight loss and excessive warmth and sweating. Persons suffering from overactive thyroid experience trembling hands, irritability and rapid heartbeat or palpitations. Women with overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism may experience shorter or lighter menstrual periods.
I take medication, and sadly will have to take 1 pill everyday for the rest of my life. There’s a blood check that they will do to see if you have low or high. I hope i’ve helped you!!

Q: How do I tell the difference bwtn anemia and thyroid problems?
I never had anemia till I had my first child, that was 5 years ago. I’ve been dealing with it ever since and every child I’ve had after him it has gotten a little worse. I’m thinking its a nutritional defincientcy that my children took and I never replaced it somehow. I want this taken care of and cured. But some friends of mine said that I might have thyroid problems and to get it checked. What is the difference btwn the two and how can I tell? I’m not sure what to do. If anyone has experienced this or knows what to do please help, I have to chase after three children and need my energy. lol I would love to go to a naturopath but just don’t have the money to do it.

A: You need to get a blood test to determine what you have. There’s no sense messing around trying to figure it out on your own. It’s great that you’ve investigated it to a point, but once you realize you will need treatment regardless of which condition you have, you’re only delaying it by looking here. Call your doctor and make the appointment. The sooner you get it done the sooner you will be treated and you’ll be back to your old self.

Q: What are the risks of having Thyroid problems during pregnancy?
Some body I know is early in a pregnancy and just found out she has thyroid problems. What are the risks involved for the child? How severe are they?

A: There can be some potential risks ~ you didn’t mention if your friend is hyperthyroid or hypothyroid. I myself have hypothyroidism (underactive) and am currently 7 months pregnant. Continued use of prescribed meds should be taken and closely monitored by her endocrinologist & obstetrician as levels may vary while pregnant. The baby does not have it’s own thyroid function until the 2nd trimester. Also, with the thyroid medication, she should take it AT LEAST several hours before or after taking her prenatal vitamin.

Q: Does Alcohol affect the growth of someone with thyroid problems?
My daughter has a under-active thyroid, the condition she has is called hashimoto’s Disease. She is 17yrs old and her bone age is of a 12yr old. I found out she has been drinking alcohol when going out with her friends. Since her growth is already a problem with her thyroid almost non existent and will be gone in time, and trying to getting her growth development up to where she should be. I wanted to know how alcohol would affect someone with thyroid problems?

A: Alcohol has not direct effect on the thyrodi itself but it will effect pose as a problem with other systems in the body. Casual drinking is not a problem but it should be minized or avoided if possible.

The main affect is to slow metabolism of the body…more of an issue with weight gain in hypothyroid individuals especially after the teen years when the body begins to naturally slow metabolism. She wont grow much at this age but remind her she’s still an underage drinker . GOodluck

Q: How do they test for thyroid problems?
I’ve been having a lot of nasty symptoms for the past few months, and thyroid problems run in my family.

The problem is that I’m deathly afraid of getting blood taken from my arm. It’s like a phobia. I’ve avoid going to the doctor because of it.

Can they test for it some other way?

A: Basal temps are relatively accurate for some people but not others. The more reliable diagnostics require a blood draw. Bite the bullet.

Q: Do problems with your thyroid make a person irritable and hard to deal with?
I have a co-worker that used to be so easy to get along with. We laughed a lot and just got along great. Lately though she is often cranky and has such strong reactions to little things. She has been dealing with thyroid problems.
Has anyone had this happen?

A: Hi it can be possible as thyroid equalizes your hormones and then now that if it is her thyroid is causing trouble it is possible her hormones are all screwy which could cause the issues.

However I suspect it is more to do with the stress of having such a chronic illness is causing her. I have a chronic illness and it causes me a LOT of stress in a variety of areas.

I mean it could be causing her more medical bills and thyroid means expensive medication!

It could be causing problems within her home life with her relatives and husband & kids if she has them. Stress with money related and transfer into a HUGE variety of things.

Instead of looking at her as not your “fun work friend” right now, maybe start by offering her lunch on paydays.

Something that would help you both chill out, and spend some unrelated to work (thus unrelated to money) time together.

Ask her how things are going. Ask if she is finding it hard.

Just because she may be downplaying it–it doesnt’ sound like she is handling it well. That is where friends, family & even co-workers can help out!!

Trust me! Good luck!

Q: Does anyone know what the symptoms of thyroid problems are?
My sister told me see was having blood work done because her doctor thinks her symptoms may be explained by a thyroid problem. What are some common symptoms? She says one of her symptoms is her hair falling out. I can’t find anything about that symptom as related to thyroid problems!

A: The thyroid gland, which is in your neck, sets the rate at which you produce energy from your body’s stores by the release of thyroid hormones.

Hyperthyroid
If you’re producing too much hormone, and the gland is overactive, you’re said to be hyperthyroid. You’ll have too much energy, lose weight, feel warm and may have symptoms such as palpitations.

There are many causes of an overactive thyroid and you may need blood tests and scans to find out what’s responsible.

The most common reason is when your body’s defences falsely recognise your own tissue as an invader and begin to attack it. This is called autoimmune disease and it stimulates the thyroid to produce more hormones.

If you have a cyst or growth in the thyroid, it may also produce too much hormone.

Hyperthyroidism symptoms may include:

weight loss
rapid heartbeat
tremor
excessive sweating
heat intolerance
anxiety
muscle weakness
goitre
irregular periods

Hypothyroid
If your thyroid is underactive – not producing enough hormone – you’ll have too little energy and will feel slow, tired and lethargic. You’ll become hypothyroid.

Again, there are many causes, but for some it seems to be part of the ageing process. Hypothyroidism is especially common in women after the menopause. Look for the following symptoms:

exhaustion, tiredness, sleep problems
difficulty concentrating or remembering
weight gain
dry hair, skin and nails
depression or anxiety
constipation
poor libido
breathlessness and swelling of feet
hoarseness
cold intolerance
face swelling and puffy eyes
in women, heavy periods

How many people are affected?
Hyperthyroidism affects up to one in 50 people and is ten times more common in women than in men. It can occur at any age but is most common between the ages of 20 and 50.

Hypothyroidism is ten times more common in women than in men and usually occurs over the age of 40.

What’s the treatment?
It’s difficult to prevent thyroid illness. Hypothyroidism is treated with thyroid hormone medication. Treatment of hyperthyroidism may involve medication to reduce the production of thyroid hormone, radioactive iodine therapy or a thyroidectomy (removal of part of the thyroid gland).

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in July 2006

Q: Can a teenager experience severe thyroid problems?
Hello. I’m fifteen years old and kind of curious as to if I have hypo/hyperthyroidism. I haven’t had a chance to get to a doctor just yet, but I plan on going soon. I did some research and it seems as though I have oh, so many of the symptoms. But I noticed that most people experiencing thyroid problems are in their mid-thirties. So maybe I can get a second opinion?
I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

A: It’s entirely possible that you have a thyroid problem, even though you’re so young. My friend (who’s 16) has had a thyroid problem for many years, which she inherited. Definitely head to the doctor with your concerns, a simple blood test with find out if it’s your thyroid, and if it isn’t, you’ll be in the right place to find out what the problem really is.

Q: How do you get thyroid problems? Is it genetic? Can you avoid them?
My aunt has thyroid problems, and its hard for her to lose weight, but that’s half her part.

I exercise regularly and eat a reasonably healthy diet. Is that all there is to avoid thyroid disease?

And is it life threatening? Sorry, but i know nothing about this condition.

A: The cause is not well understood. Genetics probably play a part, but not in a predictable pattern, just a slightly increased chance. But thyroid problems are relatively common in the general population. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you are taking precautions to prevent it, which always helps! These conditions are treatable, and not life threatening (unless of course your are taking about cancer, but that doesn’t sound like your concern).

Q: Has anyone here had thyroid problems and lost pregnancies because of it?
there is a history of thyroid problems in my family. and I lost two pregnancies. Do you think its possible for these things to be related?

A: I heard that it was a possibility. No with that being said…. I have Hypothyroid and had a healthy 8 pound 1 ounce baby girl who was a day late. But I also was taking a thyroid medicine while I was pregnant, and before an dafter. Maybe talk to your doctor about that if you already haven’t. Hope this helped.

Q: Can Thyroid Problems Cause Infertility in Women?
I have been trying to get pregnant for a few months now. I have been diagnosed with thyroid problems: mainly, they are underactive. I am not taking any meds to correct this currently, and have heard that it can cause infertility in women. Is this true? If so, how common is it? Thanks for taking the time to read.

A: I have an underactive thyroid and since being diagnosed my cycles have been irregular (even on medication). A few years ago my cycles were every 5-6 weeks and although they were longer than usual, they had some kind of pattern to them which helped me to track ovulation. I got pregnant with my son within 6 months. Now we are trying for our second baby and my cycles have gotten so much worse. The main reason is due to an ectopic pregnancy I had last year which resulted in one of my tubes being removed. After my surgery my cycles were 3-4 months apart so I am now taking Clomid. This is my first cycle and it hasn’t worked so I now need to increase the dose to see if that makes a difference. So in answer to your question, yes thyroid problems can cause problems when trying to conceive. It can play havoc with your hormones especially when you’re not taking medication. The good news is that there are drugs out there that can help you if need be so I wouldn’t worry too much about it just yet. Good luck anyway and god bless you x

Q: How long should blood work for thyroid problems take to come back?
I had blood work done about a week ago for a possible thyroid problem. I know that that is a pretty in depth test, they check cholesterol, t3, t4, and TSH, but its coming up on 8 days with no news from the Dr., just seems a little long to me. I asked them to call either way just so I know.

A: I have had thyroid tests and cholesterol work done. I would say that 12 days or possibly even 14 days would be sufficient time for these tests. Call your Doctor and ask to speak with Dr. or your Dr’s nurse. Let them know how long that it has been and that you feel the tests should be back by now and double check to see if they are in? Keep calling them and that will get them rolling.