THYROID DISEASE

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

Q: thyroiditis?
can someone explain this to me. i have a series of blood test, tsh – 0.258 (slightly low-ref.range 0.27 -4.0) then tsh irma above normal, normal free T4, thyroid scan showed thyroiditis, low level of activity according to iodine uptake. sometimes feel irritable, mild anxiety, mild nervousness, no palpitations, no high blood pressure.

A: Only a minor treatable condition. 3 in 10 people have it. You are slightly hyperthyroidism. They may prescribe low dose of synthroid.

Q: Thyroiditis?
I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism after the birth of my son. Have been taking Eltroxan for a month now,but my ears are still aching and it feels if there is something stuck in my throat! Get horrible neck pain and headache as well. My thyroid levels have been tested recently and it was normal. Could my thyroid be inflamed???Should I rather go and see an ear,throat and nose specialist?

A: Check out The American Thyroid Society at www.thyroid.org.

Q: How long until Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is gone if taking meds properly?
I know that it’s never really GONE, but how long until the person is back to normal.

****ALSO does Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis cause a person to be hard to handle and become a completely different person?

A: I had the tumor remove thirty years ago, and no I didn’t change at all, I don’t even take syntheroid now, but losing weight is a problem.
Generally you perk up more when you get your thyroid or thyroid substitute working again.
So you might be more active or cheerful. But not manic or crazy or a completely different person.

Q: What Did They Do For Your Thyroiditis if you had it?
I have thyroiditis, it is not comfortable, and my swelling seems to get more infront of my neck. I am worried about my heart, it is in good shape, but can this thyroid mess with my heart at all? Should I be worried about my heart or anything? I’m tired of the swelling but can live with it, if it is not upsetting my heart any.

A: You treat the cause, if possible. With the most common thyroiditis, (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) you can’t treat the cause though, so you treat the symptom (the hypothyroidism) with synthetic replacement thyroid hormones.

Q: Does thyroiditis have anything to do with loss of vocal range and singing ability that was once there?
I sang all through high school and have continued to sing and had an extensive range. Now, after being diagnosed with thyroiditis it has drastically decreased and many times i cant sing at all through songs i once could. is this caused by my condition and will it go away?

A: There is a possiblility that you have inflamation of your thyroid and you may have an enlarged thyroid, or nodules on your thyroid. There is a possibility that an enlarged thyroid is pressing on your vocal chords, due to its location in your neck. Has the doctor done a physical exam of your neck to see if you have an enlarged (called a goiter) thyroid? If not, it is time for an exam. People diagnosed with thyroiditis may have a sonogram or ultrasound to make sure the thyroid doesn’t have any nodules. Nodules are almost always non-cancerous.
If the thyroid is not enlarged, then another condition may be causing your loss of vocal range. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or acid reflux disease can cause problems with your voice. It will start with loss of vocal range, then you may find that you cannot sing at all like you used to, or you can’t make it through a song. If you have frequent heartburn or a sour taste in your mouth after you eat, then definately go see yoru doctor.
When I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (Grave’s Disease) I had a enlarged thyroid and I was starting to lose my vocal range. I used to be able to sing first soprano through first tenor. Now my voice sounds hoarse and horrible, and I cannot make it through a song. I have been treated for the thyroid problems, but still have problems with my voice. I used to think the thyroid was to blame, but it is my allergies, sinus problems and my history of acid reflux disease.
Have your doctor examine your thyroid, and if that is not the problem, explain your problems. Once the doctor determines what is going on, hopefully you can get your voice back.
Good luck.

Q: Is it safe to concieve when i have Thyroiditis?
I have been diagonised as having Thyroditis & have started having hormone tablets since 2 weeks now. I have a 2.5 yr old child & I want to conceive as soon as possible for the second time. Is it safe concieve this month? What extra precaution do i need to take during preganancy? I want for sure a 100% normal child. What do I do for it?

A: My mom conceived 4 children with thyroiditis, and we were all completely healthy. However, it can be hard to conceive with thyroid disorders. I to am being tested for thyroid problems, and have been trying to get pregnant for the past year, and still no luck. Good luck to you!

You may want to double check with your doctor, but if you are taking a med such as synthroid, that is to balance out the thyroid hormones, and I’m pretty sure it is safe to take while trying to conceive and during pregnancy. Again, double check with your doctor.

Q: What body systems are affected with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
And how are they affected?

A: Technically all body systems (and cells for that matter) are affected because your thyroid is controlling T4/T3 levels… In reality, however, only the thyroid should be of concern, and chances are you probably have already noticed it is enlarged and warm to the touch… It is fairly easy to treat as well, I might add…

Good Luck and I Hope this Helps…

Q: My wife has hoshimoto thyroiditis and cannt loose any weight?
she has gained at least 120 pound in 2 years, she is seeing a personal trainer, but actually looks like she is gaining more weight, she has absolutely no sex drive at all. I love her I want to be there for her but I am loosing my attraction to her. Is there anything that will help her loose the weight, I don’t want to loose her I want her to be healthy. I want my wife the way she was before this disease

A: Is your wife on Synthroid? She should be. She should have a blood test every 3 months or so to see if her hormones are regulating. She has to have a sono of her thyroid to make sure there are no nodules. She should, and I know this is hard, avoid carbs. No more than one fruit a day, stay away from sugar, make sure her intake of carbs is no more than 35grams a day. She should eat foods high in dietary fiber.
Say she has a rice-cake with 8g of carbs, yet that rice cake has 3g of dietary fiber, that means the total amount of net carbs is 5! 8-3=5 Easy to do! Next, along with personal training she should see a nutritionist. (if it is too much considering it is cosly, go on sparkpeople.com) it is an amazing, informitive website designed ecactly for what your wife needs, advice, tons of info, menues, personal meal plans etc. FREE!!! Good luck! It sucks to have thyroid problems, it affects sleep, weight, menstruation, mood, hair, nails, skin, etc… IT SUCKS!!! Please be kind to your wife, it is overwhelming enough to deal with this, best of luck!!

Q: I was diagnosed with Hoshimoto’s thyroiditis, but told there was not any treatment necessary?
I have many of the symptoms, joint pain, unable to stand cold, headaches. The doctor says that all of my thyroid levels are normal, including my t4, so no treatment is necessary. My thyroidglobulin level was 346. That is what caused my diagnosis. She said that my tyroid will be fine.I feel tired all the time. I walk and eat right. Does anyone have a further suggestions as to how I might treat this from home or with natural remedies since I require no thyroid at this time.

A: Read this article it may help you. It depends on your levels as to whether it needs treatment or not.

http://www.useless-knowledge.com/1234/may/article378.html

Q: What is thyroiditis and how is it treated?

A: This going to be a long post but will answer the bulk of your questions. Hope it helps. This is taken from a powerpoint lecture on Thyroiditis so the formatting may be off.

Thyroiditis

Inflammation of the Thyroid Gland

Thyroiditis is an inflammation (not an infection) of the thyroid gland. Several types of thyroiditis exist and the treatment is different for each.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (also called autoimmune or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis) is the most common type of thyroiditis. It is named after the Japanese physician, Hakaru Hashimoto, that first described it in 1912. The thyroid gland is always enlarged, although only one side may be enlarged enough to feel. During the course of this disease, the cells of the thyroid becomes inefficient in converting iodine into thyroid hormone and “compensates” by enlarging (for a review of this process see our function page). The radioactive iodine uptake may be paradoxically high while the patient is hypothyroid because the gland retains the ability to take-up or “trap” iodine even after it has lost its ability to produce thyroid hormone. As the disease progresses, the TSH increases since the pituitary is trying to induce the thyroid to make more hormone, the T4 falls since the thyroid can’t make it, and the patient becomes hypothyroid. The sequence of events can occur over a relatively short span of a few weeks or may take several years.

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.

De Quervain’s Thyroiditis. De Quervain’s Thyroiditis (also called subacute or granulomatous thyroiditis) was first described in 1904 and is much less common than Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. The thyroid gland generally swells rapidly and is very painful and tender. The gland discharges thyroid hormone into the blood and the patients become hyperthyroid; however the gland quits taking up iodine (radioactive iodine uptake is very low) and the hyperthyroidism generally resolves over the next several weeks.

Patients frequently become ill with fever and prefer to be in bed.

Thyroid antibodies are not present in the blood, but the sedimentation rate, which measures inflammation, is very high.

Although this type of thyroiditis resembles an infection within the thyroid gland, no infectious agent has ever been identified and antibiotics are of no use.

Treatment is usually bed rest and aspirin to reduce inflammation.

Occasionally cortisone (steroids) (to reduce inflammation) and thyroid hormone (to “rest” the thyroid gland) may be used in prolonged cases.

Nearly all patients recover and the thyroid gland returns to normal after several weeks or months.

A few patients will become hypothyroid once the inflammation settles down and therefore will need to stay on thyroid hormone replacement indefinitely.

Recurrences are uncommon.

Silent Thyroiditis. Silent Thyroiditis is the third and least common type of thyroiditis. It was not recognized until the 1970’s although it probably existed and was treated as Graves’ Disease before that. This type of thyroiditis resembles in part Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and in part De Quervain’s Thyroiditis. The blood thyroid test are high and the radioactive iodine uptake is low (like De Quervain’s Thyroiditis), but there is no pain and needle biopsy resembles Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. The majority of patients have been young women following pregnancy. The disease usually needs no treatment and 80% of patients show complete recovery and return of the thyroid gland to normal after three months. Symptoms are similar to Graves’ Disease except milder. The thyroid gland is only slightly enlarged and exophthalmos (development of “bug eyes”) does not occur. Treatment is usually bed rest with beta blockers to control palpitations (drugs to prevent rapid heart rates). Radioactive iodine, surgery, or antithyroid medication is never needed. A few patients have become permanently hypothyroid and needed to be placed on thyroid hormone.

Q: Does symptomatic depression caused by Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis have to be treated independently of Hashi’s?
Are separate meds usually prescribed, or does the depression usually clear up over the course of treatment?

A: Hello, I’m a doctor. Use alprazolam. I think that you want to get more info about it. Please go to —-> http://treatment-table.notlong.com/?q=alprazolam&qid=20090611205630AAAqb2j

Q: Has anyone know of a treatment for HASHIMOTO THYROIDITIS?
If anyone knows of any type of therapy for this disease, whether is alternative medicine or diets, I would really appreciate your info. The doctor says there’s nothing that can be done until she’s ready to take thyroid medicine but I am hoping there my be something out there that could help. THANK YOU

A: there are alternative ways for treatment of such diseases and many people have been succesfully cured using this alone.

Foods that depress thyroid activity are broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, turnips, soy, beans, and mustard greens. These foods should be included in the diet for hyperthyroid conditions and avoided for hypothyroid conditions.
• Avoid refined foods, sugar, dairy products, wheat, caffeine, alcohol.
• Essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and necessary for hormone production. Take 1,000 to 1,500 mg flaxseed oil three times per day.
• Calcium and magnesium help many metabolic processes function correctly. Calcium and magnesium must be present together in sufficient quantities, or the body can’t use either. The optimal ratio is 3 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium. Never supplement calcium without also supplementing magnesium, because if you do so, the body will actually use its stored Mg to try and process the supplemented Ca, the end result of which is that the body actually depletes its stored calcium reserves because the Mg holding it in place was taken away trying to process the supplemented Calcium. If you think about it, all the extra calcium added to foods and drinks these days only results in us having lower calcium levels overall – due to the Mg not being supplemented… not good, not good at all! So, if you supplement Ca, make sure to supplement 1/3 as much Mg at the same time. 1000 mg of Ca needs 334 mgs of Mg; 1500 mgs of Ca needs 500 mgs of Mg.

Regardless of which alternative treatment you decide to use, thyroid function needs to be carefully evaluated and is likely to need specialist medical advice. Some people have had great success using only alternative medicine, while others must utilize a combination of alternative and conventional medicine.

Q: any softer remedy to thyroiditis, inflamation due to medical treatment. ?
finally its its not hypothyroid but thyroiditis. inflamation of thyroid (due to an interferon treatment now ended)
If I dont act quickly with softer or alternative remedy I ll have to get on the hard and slippery slope of synthetic hormones, blood test says only problem is high TSH, T3 T4 are ok.
physical symptoms are real ennoying.
thanks to any sensible advice.

A: You need to be tested to see what is really going on with your body. The thyroid is part of the endocrine that is a system of complex relationships. When you have a problem with one of the endocrine organs, it affects ALL the others. The TSH hormone comes from your pituitary gland that gets it’s commands from the Hypothalamus gland that is part of the endocrine “feed back loop.” If you focus just on the thyroid gland, you are only focused on a symptom and this is what doctors and the medical profession is trained to do. Their answer will be to treat the thyroid because that is where the symptom is coming from, but that will not solve the problem, only put a band aide on and not get to the “root cause.” Your original problem, thyroiditis may be due to what is called Hashimoto’s disease. The medical people will tell you that it is not from infection, but inflammation. lol. The “itis” at the end of the word thyroiditis means “infection.” There are many things that can cause this problem. The so called “autoimmune” problem basically says that your body is producing antibodies that are attacking the thyroid tissue.

If you believe that your body would just start making antibodies for “some reason” and then attack your thyroid for “some reason” and that the only thing you can do is take hormones, you will not be fixing the “root cause” and you will have to live with the so called “side effects” of all this for the rest of your life.

Personally, I believe you need to find the “root cause” and make your body healthy. The thyroiditis was a “result” not “the” problem.

There are many things that can cause this problem and I suggest you find a good Certified Nutritional Therapist that understands QRA testing to find the source of infection(s) in your body. Once you find that, you can focus on making your body healthy. Most likely you are also very iodine deficient. If you are not allergic to iodine, I suggest you do a simple test to determine that. Get a bottle of “tincture of iodine” and paint a patch about 2″ x 3″ on your forearm or on your chest. Note the time of day. Watch it throughout the day and note the time when it disappears. It should be visible after 24 hours. If it is gone in a few hours, you are very deficient in iodine. This is very common now in the U.S. due to all the Fluoridation and fluoride products being sold. Fluorine depletes the body of iodine. When this happens, glands dependent upon iodine as it’s primary mineral will “ENLARGE.” The thyroid is one such gland. Also the thyroid absorbs heavy metals very well because it is a very soft gland. Mercury is a huge problem for it.

I would first look to your teeth for the primary source of the infection to your thyroid or any scars or traumas to your head area next. ALL amalgam fillings, root canals, and extractions or traumas to the teeth create huge infection problems for the body. Dentists are not your friend most of the time. Many of the chemicals they use, procedures cause many problems like this for the body.

good luck to you

Q: Which autoimmune disease causes Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?
I know I have an auto-immune disease caused by mono and related to EBV, but what’s the name of the immune disorder itself?

A: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis IS the autoimmune disease itself. It is caused by the body attacking itself. Go here:
http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/hashimoto-thyroiditis.cfm
and here:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hashimotos-disease/DS00567

I think this is what you are talking about, you may want to use the links on the article to further explore:

http://thyroid-disorders.suite101.com/article.cfm/mononucleosis_and_hashimotos_thyroiditis

Q: Difference between hashimoto’s thyroiditis and subacture thyroiditis?
I understand that subacute can be set off by a viral infection that triggers T-cells which attack the thyroid gland after the infection has been killed, but I don’t really understand hashimoto’s thyroiditis and the difference between these two forms of thyroiditis.

thanks in advance…

A: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is caused by antithyroid antibodies and is an auto-immune disease. It is presented with hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) and is painless. This is a permanent situation. This type of thyroidism requires thyroid replacement therapy. Some of the symptoms include the following: fatigue, constipation, weight gain, dry skin, and poor exercise tolerance. Thyroid replacement therapy would be for a lifetime. The biggest difference between the two is that the actual thyroid gland would be enlarged.

Subacute thyroiditis is a viral infection. It originally looks like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, except that it is painful. Additionally, the infection usually dissipates within 12-18 months. Only 5% of those individuals fall into a category whereby permanent hypothyroidism remains. Additionally, as long as the disease goes away in that time frame, it rarely ever reoccurs. Thyroid replacement therapy is generally give for only 6-12 months to see if the Thyroid functions normally after that.

Hope this helps.