THYROID DISEASE

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

Q: What if I have symptoms of both hyper-thyroid and hypo-thyroid?
I am experiencing symptoms of both sides of thyroid disease. Is this possible that it is a thyroid problem or would it be more of a hormonal problem?

A: You cannot have both conditions concurrently. It must be either one or the other, either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. This is how we say it and you can use the same terminology. Click on these links for symptoms and more information, including diagnostic tests.

Hypo: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS003!/DSECTION=2

Hyper: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperthyroidism/DS00344/DSECTION=2

I strongly suggest that you be seen by a doctor for an eval and a diagnosis.

Q: What are symptoms of hyper thyroid or thyroid failure?

A: Here are two great links to look up these symptoms; just
have to click on them:
http://www.allthyroid.org/disorders/index.html

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/

Hyperthyroid symptoms:
rapid and/or irregular heartbeat
tremors, weakness, heat intolerance, weight loss,
mood swings, more frequent bowel movements,
lighter..less frequent menstruation in women, eye problems.
and others.

Hypothyroid symptoms:
run down, slow, depressed, sluggish, cold, tired,
hair brittle, skin dry and itchy, muscle cramps and
others

Q: what cure, symptoms of hyper thyroid. food that is favorable to eat and foods to ignore?
also need to know possible cures beside surgery

A: You can click here and this webpage tell you a lot about what you can/cannot eat, options, etc.

http://www.compassionateacupuncture.com/Thyroid%20Disorders.htm#RECOMMENDED%20FOODS%20%20FOR%20%20HYPOTHYROIDISM
http://www.ithyroid.com/foods_for_hypers.htm

http://thyroid.about.com/od/thyroidbasicsthyroid101/u/treatments.htm

RECOMMENDED FOODS FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM Primarily grains, vegetables, seaweeds, legumes, sprouts, herbs, micro algae, omega-3 and GLA foods and oils, and small amounts of spices. Include some raw vegetables or sprouts if desired, but most food should be cooked, either moderately for those with signs of severe coldness or deficiency or cooked lightly for all others. Seaweeds are taken unless there is diarrhea. Non-acidic fresh fruits (not their juices) should be taken in moderation. Supplementation with fish or other animal products such as eggs is useful. Proportions of foods in the daily diet: 45% grains, 35% vegetables, 10% fruit, 5% beans and other legumes, 5 % other recommended foods. Also include molasses, egg yolks, parsley, apricots, dates, prunes, fish or chicken, raw milk and cheeses. Drink distilled bottled water only. Eat plenty of broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, peaches, pears, rutabagas, soybeans, spinach and turnips. These help to suppress thyroid hormone production.

FOODS TO AVOID IN HYPOTHYROIDISM
Avoid dairy products for at least 3 months. Also, avoid stimulants, coffee, tea, nicotine, alcohol, and soft drinks, because all these increase metabolic rate.
Broccoli, turnips, cabbage, mustard greens, cassava root, kale, soybeans, peanuts, pine nuts and millet. These foods contain goitrogenous chemicals, which disrupt the body’s ability to use iodine. Cooking usually inactivates goitrogens. Eat only moderate amounts of peaches, pears, spinach, and Brussel sprouts. If you have severe symptoms omit these foods entirely. Avoid processed and refined foods, including white flour and sugar.

Avoid fluoride (including that found in toothpaste and tap water) and chlorine (also found in tap water). Chlorine, fluoride and iodine are chemically related. Chlorine and fluoride block iodine receptors in the thyroid gland, resulting in reduced iodine-containing hormone production and finally in hypothyroidism. Also, garlic, it can reduce iodine uptake.

hope this helps, have a good day

Q: Hypo thyroid, Hyper active symptoms?
I have been diagnosed as Hypo thyroid; however I have every symptom of hyper active. I am very under weight. My arms and legs are twigs, I weight 120lbs, and I’m 30 years old. 5′10 height. I eat large healthy meals, I exercise regularly. My symptoms are continues headaches, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, tired during the day, underweight, depression, drop in sex drive.

I was just prescribed hypo medication. Will this not just enhance my current symptoms?

This is affecting my entire life, and I need help.

Thanks

Matthew

A: Hi. I have somewhat of the same issue. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism a couple months ago. I am very underweight also, 5′8, and i weigh 98 lbs. Most people gain weight with Hypothyroidism. My other symptoms are insomnia, extreme fatigue and weakness, anxiety and depression, loss of appetite, stomach problems, etc. I don’t have a life anymore because i’m so sick everyday, i can’t go anywhere or do anything. I’ve been on medicine for about 6 weeks, but i’m not getting any better, so i’m losing hope. So you see, you’re not alone. We both have hypo and hyper symptoms ( which i still don’t understand ). I hope the medicine will help for you. I’ve heard that it takes a while to work ( i’m still waiting ). Good luck, feel better soon

Q: Can someone relate the effects of hormones on metabolism to symptoms of Cushings disease, Hyper/hypo thyroid?
and type 1 and type 2 Diabetes.

A: like what do u mean i can probably help!

Q: hypo and hyper- active thyroid disease show similar symptoms?
Because I am having blood tests done this week to test whether my thyroid is underactive or overactive and I looked at some symptom lists online and it appears that I have lots of symptoms that match both conditions.

A: Over active thyroid tends to speed up your metabolism, make you very active and make you slightly thin. Under active slows you down, tends to be associated with weight gain and tiredness, low moods and the like. I think these are the biggies. You have aroused my interest so I’ll have to find out for myself about the other, less obvious symptoms.

Under active is easy to treat: They’ll prescribe thyroxine, gradually building up the dose over a period of weeks and re-testing until the level is right. Over active: Well, let’s not speculate … but it is very treatable.

NB: Thyroxine treatment is a lifelong daily treatment which, in England (don’t know about Wales or Scotland since partial devolution) entitles you to a Medical Exemption Certificate for prescriptions.

Q: Can someone with a thyroid disorder have symptoms of hypo- and hyper-thyroidism simultaneously?

A: Yes, abnormal thyroid gland may prodruce more or less thyroxin,same is true in the insulin production.a type2 diabetic may have more or less insulin. See your endocrinologist.

Q: Why does ‘vitamin c’ affect my thyroid levels?
I have an underactive thyroid and take thyroxine.
When i take vitamin c (250mg) my thyroid levels seems to go up, and i get hyper-thyroid symptoms.
Does anyone know why this happens?
Has anyone had similar experience?

A: Vit C is involved in the hormone synthesis of norepinephrine & thyroxin

That’s why Vit C a water-soluble vitamin accummulates 10- 50 times in the blood plasma in the thyroid gland. which produces the thyroxine.

Q: What are the symptoms of an elevated thyroid?
I got a blood test and it shows that my TSH is a bit elevated. My neck feels a lil swollen and I feel a bit hyper. Is this overreactive thyroid? I also have shortness of breath at night when I am going to bed. But not asleep yet.

A: Is you TSH elevated high (big number) hypothyroid or low (small number) hyperthyroid??

I am currently hyperthyroid on purpose to suppress any cancer and the symptoms that I have is elevated heart rate/ pulse with a TSH of .26. When I was even more hyperthyroid (TSH .08) I had extreme anxiety/ nervousness, jittery/ hyper, every elevated heart rate at rest, fine hand tremors, increased sweating, sensitivity towards heat, insomia, and I felt like my breathing was heavier at night.

Well symptoms of hypothyroidism usually include tiredness, weakness, feeling cold or chilled, dry hair and skin, brittle nails, depression, constipation, trouble thinking clearly, and for women, Heavy or irregular menstrual periods.

I went into extreme hypothyroidism (TSH 162) after a total thyroidectomy and being off any thyroid replacement hormone for a month made me feel mostly lazy and my heart rate/pulse was lower/weaker.

That shortness of breath you have is associated with hypothyroidism, some with the swelling. However, your hyperactivity is not associated with high TSH levels, lethargy is. A hyper felling is generally associated with hyperthyroidism (I’m am currently this) or an over dose.

Sorry this is so long, I was confused if you are showing “hypo” or “hyper” symptoms. Hope this helps.

Q: I just found out my thyroid is hypo. I have all the symptoms of hyper. Can anyone explain how this is?
I am now taking Centhroid. I am still extremely hyper but tired. The bottoms of my feet started hurting again and half way up my calf. I am still not sleeping without Ambien and even that is taking up to two hours to put me to sleep. Someone help. I don’t go back to the doctor until December.
I have been exercising my butt off, in the evenings and relaxing before bed. It is a no go. Have to take the Ambien or I can’t sleep. I just upped my Alora patch to .050 today, without the Doctor’s consent. Feeling better already. I have been on the Synthroid for 6 days now and the symptoms of pain are back with a vengence.

A: This is fairly common. At the early stages on your thyroid not functioning properly, you will often feel the opposite symptoms and then you will start to feel the hypo symptoms. Many people with hypo suffer from insomnia but try not to take the pills as they could mess with your thyroid meds. Start doing more exercise in the evening and relaxing when you get home to help wear yourself out. Its also good for your thyroid.

Q: TSH thyroid question.?
as far as i can tell i don’t have any hypo/hyper thyroid symptoms except and enlarged thyroid. you can barely see it on my neck. i mean BARELY. sometimes i have eye floaters and bleeding in between periods.
The doctor is recommending a ultrasound to see why it’s enlarged. my TSH is 2.74 0.80-5.60 uIU/mL, is this normal? what could this be?
i think they tested it around 2pm. they have actually tested it every year and it’s always been normal.

A: TSH range at Quest is 0.3 to 5.5 and is outdated. AACE recommends range be 0.3 to 3.0. Some doctors believe that a TSH over 2.0 is causing problems within the body. My very first TSH was 2.6. 9 months later, it was 6.8 and I finally got diagnosed. TSH is a very poor test because TSH changes throughout the day. If you didn’t test first thing in the morning, the result is worthless. I will put some TSH related links below. Next time you test, do so first thing in the morning only. TSH is at its lowest point around 2PM. As you can see by the below links, that the TSH of 2.74 is not normal. You may also want to get a free t4, free t3, and an antibody test.

What could it be? You are most likely hypothyoid.

Q: What are causes of an enlarged thyroid besides cancer or hyper/ hypo thyroidsim?
I’m a 23 year old female. I was told my two different doctors that I have an enlarged thyroid. The both gave me the thc test and it came back normal. Neither doctor went any further with it and I’m worried. I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

A: That is called a goiter, and it has no other causes. If you have all of the other symptoms of hypothyroidism too, in addition to the goiter, you need to get treatment for your hypothyroidism.

Get your ducks in a row first though. You had a TSH blood test. Thyroid stimulating hormone. You didn’t have a blood test for pot. It’s really hard to get a doctor to take you seriously when you have a thyroid condition in the first place (as you found out). You have to do your research before you go in, know more than the doctor, and know what tests to demand. If you do things like get he names of the tests wrong, you’ll never get treatment.

That being said, TSH is a useless test. All it means is that you need further testing. Every Dr. will use it for diagnosis, but it can’t be used for diagnosis. It is an indirect test, so it’s ridiculous to diagnose based on it. You need a direct test of your thyroid. That is Free T3 and Free T4. See how those come out. They are the definitive tests for a thyroid problem.

It took me until my 3rd doctor to get a diagnosis of my thyroid problem, and until my 6th doctor before I could get some help with my symptoms. So I know what you are going through. Hang in there. Find a new doctor. If that one can’t help you, find another one.

Q: Hypo or Hyper Thyroid?
I was diagnosed with a thyroid disease, but forgot to ask which specific one I have (either hypo or hyper). I think I have a hypothyroid, since my symptoms match best (fatigue, depression, ect.). My TSH was over 11, so would that mean hypo (low thyroid) or not?

The more I look stuff up, the more I confuse myself. It would seem since I have a high TSH I would have a hyper thyroid, but since that seems to indicate me having a low one (still not sure though) it seems to contradict with what would make sense. (Sorry if I sound confusing.)

Anyway, I just want to know if anyone knows the correct answer. Oh, and I’m taking 50 MCG of Levothyroxin at the moment. Would I only take that if I have hypo? Or do hyper take that too??

Thanks is advance….

A: It is hypothyroidism. If your TSH level is less than .5 to .7, that is hyperthyroidism. Normal TSH level is between 1 and 2.

Levothyroxine is used to only treat hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is treated by different medications or other treatments.

Q: My thyroid seems to be in a push-pull tug of war sort of dilemna? Also, symptoms of synthroid overdose?
I’m not really sure if I have been currently experiencing symptoms of too much medication, or if it’s my thyroid in a push – pull situation. About 6 months before I was diagnosed with hypothyroid, I was getting bad anxiety feelings (adrenaline rushes) and then feeling lightheaded. ( keep in mind that I never experienced this until I became physically ill ) My hypo was discovered by an ER doctor after a trip to the hospital with a racing heartbeat. I did say HYPO, not HYPER. So yeah, the doctor (looking puzzled) said, but……a fast heartrate would be a symtom of hyper, not hypo. That’s why I’m so confused. Some days I feel calm, and other days I get very edgy and anxious, it it makes me snap at my husband or whoever is around. I have been on synthroid for months now. Currently, I have had slight headaches, and achy body, and my legs feel heavy, and I feel jittery and can’t sleep. but I am only on a low dose – 75, and I would get like this even on 50 or 25mcg.

I keep reminding my doctor that I am baffled because I am getting all the HYPER symptoms, and he will not check my adrenals, nor will he have my antibodies tested to see if I have high antibodies for both hypo and hyper. Instead, he just writes me a script for ativan. I keep telling him that the palpitations even happen sometimes when I am waking up or resting, and I don’t necessarily feel anxious before I get them, The anxiety comes after the fact – in that order. I know this is not a very common condition ( if I have both ) but I can almost bet I am swinging back and forth and it’s making me miserable. I think it’s time to see a new doctor? I have been a wreck for two years now, and I still don’t feel well. I can’t keep going on this way, I am too young for this. and I’m about to lose my mind.

A: I went through something very similar. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and started with 50mcg. After about six months, I started getting the anxiety and racing heart like you are experiencing. Those are symptoms that your dosage is too high and needs to be lowered. Is your PCP currently treating you for your hypothyroidism? I recommend that you see an endocrinologist because I found that my PCP had no idea how to treat my hypothyroidism. Also, it is possible that you may not need medication at all. After seeing the endocrinologist, he told me that the results of my labs suggested that at this point I do not need medication and he was baffled as to why my PCP put me on the medication to begin with. If you do come off the medication, I recommend that you do it gradually rather than all at once. I tried coming off of it cold turkey and it is horrible because your body just crashes. I hope this helps.

Q: can anxiety be mistaken for hyper-active thyroid?!?!?!?
all my symptoms; tightening throat, fast heart beat, the shakes,fatigue, just started getting irregular periods(it was like clock work every month before these last 4 months),feeling warm even when the room is ice cold, and irrability. If anyone could give me information who has had a hyper active thyroid that would be great.

A: Hyperthyroidism is constantly misdiagnosed as mental illness. You need to insist upon being tested, and not being dismissed with a pat on the head. Demand free T3 and free T4 tests. If those are positive, then you need antibody testing. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are depressed, or bipolar, or that you have “anxiety” until thyroid conditions have been ruled out.