THYROID DISEASE

Read and learn more about hashimotos thyroiditis. For more, visit the Thyroid Disease website ThyroidDiseaseWiki.com.

Q: Hashimotos thyroiditis?
Just found out my dad has hashimotos thyroiditis. I know it’s genetic, but what are the chances of me having it? And if I do have it, what are the symptoms? I’m 18 and female

A: Hashimoto’s disease is about seven times more common in women than men. Although it often occurs in adolescent or young women, the disease more commonly appears between 40 and 60 years of age. Hashimoto’s disease tends to run in families. Scientists are working to identify the gene or genes that cause the disease to be passed from one generation to the next. Possible environmental influences are also being studied. For example, researchers have found that excess iodine consumption may inhibit thyroid hormone production in susceptible individuals. Certain drugs or viral infections may also contribute to autoimmune thyroid diseases.

People with other autoimmune disorders are more likely to develop Hashimoto’s disease and vice versa. These disorders include

1) Vitiligo, a condition in which some areas of the skin lose their natural color
2) Rheumatoid arthritis
3) Addison’s disease, in which the adrenal glands are damaged and cannot produce enough of certain critical hormones
4) Type 1 diabetes
5) Pernicious anemia, a type of anemia caused by inadequate vitamin B12 in the body.

Hashimoto’s disease does not have unique signs and symptoms. The disease typically progresses slowly over a number of years and causes chronic thyroid damage, leading to a drop in thyroid hormone levels in your blood. The signs and symptoms are mainly those of an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).

The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary widely, depending on the severity of hormone deficiency. At first, you may barely notice any symptoms, such as fatigue and sluggishness, or you may simply attribute them to getting older. But as the disease progresses, you may develop more obvious signs and symptoms. Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

> Fatigue and sluggishness
> Increased sensitivity to cold
> Constipation
> Pale, dry skin
> A puffy face
> Hoarse voice
> An elevated blood cholesterol level
> Unexplained weight gain – occurring infrequently and rarely more than 10 to 20 pounds, most of which is fluid
> Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in your shoulders and hips
> Pain and stiffness in your joints and swelling in your knees or the small joints in your hands and feet
> Muscle weakness, especially in your lower extremities
> Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
> Depression

Without treatment, signs and symptoms gradually become more severe and your thyroid gland may become enlarged (goiter). In addition, you may become more forgetful, your thought processes may slow, or you may feel depressed.

Hope you got your answer.

Feel free to ask if you have any further querry.

Regards,
Dr. Zeeshan Chattha.

Q: Who has Hashimotos Thyroiditis and/or Polycystic Ovaries?
I found out this week that I have both but I haven’t been to my follow up visit to discuss treatments. What should I expect? Has either of these conditions effected your life alot or are they no big deal with proper treatment. I know what the websites say but I would like to hear from actual people.
And if you could tell me how old you are I would appreciate it. I am 24 so finding out I all of a sudden have 2 conditions that make you feel rotten is not fun, lol.

A: I am 19 and have polycystic ovaries. So far I haven’t had any problems, but I’m trying to have a baby with my husband right now…and we’re not having the greatest of luck, but my doctor said that we might have some problems. Birth control pills are a good thing to invest in to keep symptoms at bay, other than that: watch what you eat and workout, and get regular check ups.

Q: DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE MY SAME HEALTH CONDITIONS? FIBROMYALGIA, LUPAS, HASHIMOTOS THYROIDITIS, AND OSTEOARTHRIT?
i have and suffering from the following health conditions: fibromyalgia, lupas, hashimotos thyroiditis hypothyroidism, osteoarthitis,

A: I’m not sure if you are saying you have symptoms of these things or you actually have ALL these diagnosis. If you have one or more of these illnesses, then I am with you! I have a couple of these diagnosed illnesses. They all (as well as a few others such as MS & RA) have such similar symptoms that they’re often misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed. If you feel you have any of these things you need to seek medical attention. Don’t give up on getting a real diagnosis, don’t let doctors or anyone tell you that you are a hypochondriac or that you’re not really sick, some times it takes YEARS & YEARS to get a decent enough medical professional to help you. YOU know you’re sick, & that is the most important thing. If you have a diagnoses already, then seek support, if you can’t get support or help from your friends & family, try a local or on-line support group. There are PLENTY of really good ones here right on Yahoo Groups.

Take care & don’t give up, there is help out there, you just have to do a lot of research & put forth a lot of effort in finding it!

Q: Why isnt there any treatment for HASHIMOTOS THYROIDITIS?
??????????????????????????????? i was told i ahve this 4 years ago and evenutally it will BURN off my thyroid gland and now i have symptoms of hypothyroid yet my tsh is normal WHAT DO I DO>????

A: First of all your disease is an autoimmune disease in which your own body is attcking the thyroid. i have a book called Women and Autoimmune Disease which I suggest you get and it is by Robert G Lahita MD. He says he treats Hashimotos by giving the patient lifelong thyroid hormone replacemnt such as Synthroid. If I understand what i read correctly he believes Hahimotos to be the first sign of more autoimmune disorder like Lupus. You need to see a doctor who knows what is going on. If you are not being treated in this manner you must seek another Rheumatologist because as I have said other autoimmune disorders ride alongside the obvious ones in some instances!

Q: Soy – Good or Bad? I heard soy is bad for people with Hashimotos Thyroiditis. I’ve also heard that’s a myth.
Are there any doctors, patients or nutritionists who would like to weigh in on this? Does the soy interfere with the absorbption of thyroid medicine (in this case, Armour Dessicated Thyroid)?

What if you waited a few hours after taking your thyroid medicine to eat the soy? Would that make a difference? Or is soy just plain out bad for anyone with a thyroid condition, no matter when you eat it in conjunction with taking your meds?

What if the person suffered premature ovarian failure due to the Hashimotos and had early menopause in her mid-30s?

Soy is supposed to be good for menopausal symptoms, but was just wondering if this was in conflict with the thyroid condition that caused the early menopause in the first place.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies with any info about this.

A: Soy is one of the many foods that is labeled a goitrogen. From what I read it does not seem to effect everyone. I think if your iodine intake is borderline it may effect you.

http://www.ithyroid.com/goitrogens.htm
Goitrogens work by interfering with the thyroidal uptake of iodine.

I can not tell you if it would be good or bad for you. I can suggest you let your doctor know, so they can take blood tests and see if it does effect your thyroid. I think I read do not take soy within 3 hours of taking your thyroid medication.

Q: Hashimotos Thyroiditis + associated treatment?
Looking for feedback re hashimotos and associated treatment, thyroxine replacement, and it’s non effectiveness, am experiencing aching legs, burning feet and visual deterioration. Any one else ???

A: It is both an autoimmune and endocrine disorder. Which specialty doctor do you see? If you are still having symptoms it would indicate your medication isn’t strong enough to alleviate symptoms. Talk to your specialist about the things you are experiencing. It may be just a simple thing of dosage adjustment.

Q: anyone else have hashimotos thyroiditis?
I have hypothyroidism and recently was diagnosed with Hashi’s, which is actually a relief because now I know what’s causing all my crazy symptoms. I am confused however, it sounds from what I’ve been reading online and a book that I bought that Hashi’s doesnt really go away but is controlled with the levothyroxine and acts up once in a while. It sounds like eventually my thyroid will just not function anymore or I will get a goiter and have to have it removed. I asked my doctor about this and he didn’t really give me aclear answer. he made it sound like this is just a one time thing (need to find a new doc). Anyone have more info? Also, I’ve been feeling a kind of hot/cold feeling in my throat, around the thyroid area, for the past couple days, like I swallowed some ben-gay (didn’t). Anyone else experience this? Thanks!

A: Ask you doctor for a referral to an endocrinologist. Endocrinologists can tell you all about the thyroid and its various problems, and can get you on the right medication. Physicians in general/family practice are not all that skilled in this area.

Q: hashimotos thyroiditis… does anyone have it?
i just found out that i might have hashimotos and i am having a difficult time loosing weight. i really dont want to be the weight i am when i turn 25, which is in june, and no they haven’t found the correct amount to keep me on yet(the levothyroxin).

i walk on the tread mill, i have a work out video (turbo jam) and i have dance dance revolution for the xbox360 and i am not having any results and i know that i might not have any until they get the right medicine for me, and my family doctor also told me that it could be something on the thyroid. and yes i am watching what i eat.

thanks for any advice or help in advanced!!
hashimotos was named after the doctor who found it, so that is why it sounds japanese.

A: Hi, I have Hashimoto’s….I was diagnosed when i was 18. The disease did not affect my weight, but i felt weak and drowsy all the time. If you have gained weight only recently and your parents aren’t overweight, your weight will bounce back to normal once you start your medication, which is lifelong.

I don’t think any of your exercise is going to help as the body metabolism is too low due to the thyroxin deficit.

Q: could my hashimotos thyroiditis be causing chemical pregnancy syndrome?
hashimotos is a autoimmune disease i read, antibodies are attacking and killing off my thyroid, i take thyroid meds, but i was thinking if the antibodies attack the thyroid, couldn’t the disorder also attack pregnancies? i have had 2 confirmed chemical pregnancies, i just luckily caught them with ept pregnancy tests and hcg blood tests, i think i have had others too that weren’t caught, also i was just reading that taking 200 mcg of selenium will back off the antibodies that are attacking my thyroid and is also used on thyroid patients with recurrant miscarriage, why didn’t my doctor mention any of this?

A: I think what it could be caused from is just your thyroid not functioning right….there is a huge relation to thyroid issues with infertility and yet doctors don’t seem to tell us this. You might want to consider reading the book “fertility, cycles and nutrition” by merilyn shannon. Also consider taking iodine supplements for your thyroid function….when the thyroid isn’t working properly it also messes with your fertility…they are very much so connected!….reserach it on google…best wishes!

Q: Could my hashimotos thyroiditis be causing chemical pregnancy syndrome?
hashimotos is a autoimmune disease i read, antibodies are attacking and killing off my thyroid, i take thyroid meds, but i was thinking if the antibodies attack the thyroid, couldn’t the disorder also attack pregnancies? i have had 2 confirmed chemical pregnancies, i just luckily caught them with ept pregnancy tests and hcg blood tests, i think i have had others too that weren’t caught, also i was just reading that taking 200 mcg of selenium will back off the antibodies that are attacking my thyroid and is also used on thyroid patients with recurrant miscarriage, why didn’t my doctor mention any of this?

A: yes becaeful with it store in a cool dry place

Q: hashimotos disease? thyroiditis?
about 2 months ago, I started getting this on and off “lump” feeling in my throat. now, it is somewhat visible. I am always tired, always lethargic, depressed and my knees… my knees HURT so bad, I could cry. my knees have felt arthritic for about a year and a half now. I’m 23 and female. I am getting a blood test tomorrow, and a throat ultrasound today, because I SUGGESTED it to my doctor. He just contributed it to anxiety problems. But it lasts for hours on end, at night it is worse. i feel like I am suffocating. Ive gained a bit of weight, but I contributed that to my mother passing away. I am in so much pain, and so scared to go to sleep (when I finally can) that I will wake up choking. the lump feeling is right where my throat meets my chest, under the adams apple area. I also think my doctor is denying me pain medication because I look like a punk kid, (I am married with a daughter) and I dont do drugs. is that wrong for him to deny me pain medication for my knees? I can barely sit or stand to long. sorry so long.. any input would be much appreciated.

A: Treatment is to start thyroid hormone replacement. This prevents or corrects the hypothyroidism and it also generally keeps the gland from getting larger.

In most cases the thyroid gland will decrease in size once thyroid hormone replacement is started.

Thyroid antibodies are present in 95% of patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and serve as a useful “marker” in identifying the disease without thyroid biopsy or surgery.

Thyroid antibodies may remain for years after the disease has been adequately treated and the patient is on thyroid hormone replacement.

READ MORE

http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyroiditis.html

Q: does any body know if “Hashimotos Thyroiditism” causes infertility?
I am taking levothyroxine recently but as soon as i started it i got pregnant but ended up a miscarriage. I have been TTC salmost for 3 years and nothing is wrong with me, so i am guessing it is maybe the hashimotos thyroiditis causing this difficult.

A: I have low thyroid too, I’m not sure if it’s Hashimotos or not but I have tested high for antithyroid antibodies so I think probably it is Hashimotos..

I’ve been asking this question like crazy on all the boards I frequent.. the answer is yes it can affect fertility but yes you can still get pregnant..

my cycles were 41-45 days long with a tsh of 5.45… my synthroid was upped now my cycles are 28 days long, thats a start!!

Next week i go to see a reproductive endocrinologist to see about getting my antibodies down and what I can do to get pregnant..

we’re in the same boat fighting the same battle but I’ve done way too much research and I know we can still get pregnant and carry to term. just might take a little more work then some other ladies…

when you do get pregnant keep an eye on your tsh, if it gets over 2 you could miscarry.. i wish somebody would have told me that last year, i might have a baby right now if I would have known..

good luck and God Bless you!

Q: I have Autoimmune Thyroiditis & Hypothyroidism, How tired should I be?
I have just found out how very much my doctor doesnt seem interested in helping me, (I’m seeking a new one), and I was hoping someone could help me in the mean time. I was diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimotos Thyroiditis) 7 years ago, and hypothyroidism 13 years ago. I am so tired all the time, and i was just wondering how normal this was? My doctor told me it’s just something I’ll have to learn to deal with, but it’s interfering with my life. It wasn’t that big of a deal when I was in school, I would just go to bed as soon as I got home, but now that I’m out of college and trying to work full time it’s become impossible. I can only work part-time because of it, and even then I’m still exhausted. I probably sleep 10-12 hours a day, but if i dont sent an alarm I can sleep for 15-18. Is this normal for hypothyroidism sufferers? or should i be getting my doc to look for something else going wrong?

A: I’m so sorry you have this disease. I’m not a doctor, just another sufferer. I’ve get so tired I can literally barely move. I’ve been after my doctor and am also thinking about changing to another.

I had symptoms of this disease over 10 years ago, along with low thyroid levels. My gut instinct was that something was very wrong and getting worse. Long story short-several docs refused to start me on medication. After searching online, I went in armed with printouts from various sites. I was referred to an endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disorders. I wish I had listened to my gut instinct and been more persistent. I may have been started on medication earlier and avoided this getting so bad.

My point is, see an endocrinologist who treats thyroid disorders. If you don’t like the one you have, change. Listen to your own gut instinct – it’s usually right. I don’t think it’s normal that you sleep so long and are still exhausted. The doctor shouldn’t be blowing you off, imho.

I’ve got several links for you to check out. Bring in some print outs of your symptoms and the treatments to you doctor. You have to get some help with this. Move on, if you can’t get help where you are.

I hope you get help and begin to feel better. Good luck.

Q: Hahimotos Thyroiditis?
I just got diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis. I am a 19 year old female, 5′6 and 120 pounds. I havent started taking meds for it yet though. I hear that people with this disorder tend to have trouble losing weight and actually gain weight with this condition. My problem is just the opposite. I am actually LOSING weight. Since last year I have lost a total of 17 pounds, I used to be about 137-138 last year around this time. I am a competitive runner and have always been since I was younger, which may account for some of the weight loss but i highly doubt its the reason for a weight loss of 17-18 pounds. I have lost about 10 pounds since the end of last summer. Dont get me wrong, I’m not complaining but I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else. I dont think its normal to lose weight with this condition.
It is definatly Hashimotos, the doctors took tests that confirmed it.

A: Hi Amber. I just went to a Endocrinologist yesterday for the same thing. Last summer my weight was 105 lbs., i now weigh 90lbs. I’m 5′8, and i now look extremely unhealthy. They think i have Thyroiditis also, and are running tests to see if that’s what it is. They have thought i was Hypothyroid for the last 6 months, but i refuse to believe that because i have rapidly lost 15lbs. for no reason. Most people gain a lot of weight being Hypo, they don’t lose it. I’m very confused ( i think the doctors are also ). I’ve been to 5 different ones already, and still don’t know for sure what i have. Thyroiditis has been mentioned by 3 of the doctors i have seen already, but they say my thyroid is not enlarged, so i don’t get it. Just wanted to let you know that i’m going through the same thing ( except i am complaining about the weight loss, i’m way too thin now ). Best of luck to you

Q: Does having an auto-immune disorder make your immune system weak?
I have an auto-immune disorder and Everytime I come in contact with the smallest germ or there’s an illness going around I ALWAYS catch it. Could these be related?

I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis by the way.

A: We are all different, but having a couple of auto immune diseases my self, I have always been the opposite. The only times I became ill was when I took multi-vitamins. I worked with children in schools for years and seldom missed work. My understanding is that my immune system is in over-drive, destroying healthy cells along with the bad. Each auto immune disease is a bit different from the other, but I have been staying up to date on the antibodies that are attacking me. this site may help you to further understand autoimmunity.
Best wishes
( I have Antiphospholipid syndrome, antismooth muscle antibodies and psoriasis. Probable Lupus as well).

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/autoimmunediseases.html