Several medicines may lower thyroid hormone production, leading to hypothyroidism. These include ones used to treat psychological conditions, cancer, or heart disease, such as:. Two primary tools are used to determine if you have hypothyroidism, a medical evaluation and blood tests. Your doctor will complete a thorough physical exam and medical history. A thyroxine T4 level test is also useful in diagnosing hypothyroidism.
T4 is one of the hormones directly produced by your thyroid. Used together, T4 and TSH tests help evaluate thyroid function. Typically, if you have a low level of T4 along with a high level of TSH, you have hypothyroidism. Other thyroid function tests may be necessary to properly diagnose your condition.
Hypothyroidism is a lifelong condition. For many people, medication reduces or alleviates symptoms. Hypothyroidism is best treated by using levothyroxine Levoxyl, Synthroid.
This synthetic version of the T4 hormone copies the action of the thyroid hormone your body would normally produce. The medication is designed to return adequate levels of thyroid hormone to your blood. Once hormone levels are restored, symptoms of the condition are likely to disappear or at least become much more manageable. Once you start treatment, it takes several weeks before you begin feeling relief.
You and your doctor will work together to find a dose and a treatment plan that best addresses your symptoms. This can take some time.
In most cases, people with hypothyroidism must remain on this medication their entire lives. To make sure your medication is still working properly, your doctor should test your TSH levels yearly. Discover other treatment options for hypothyroidism.
Animal extracts that contain thyroid hormone are available. These extracts come from the thyroid glands of pigs. They contain both T4 and triiodothyronine T3. You can also purchase glandular extracts in some health food stores. Use either of these products at your own risk. However, do tell your doctor if you decide to try these products so they can adjust your treatment accordingly.
Discover other alternative treatments , such as selenium and vitamin B. Hypothyroidism can also result in infertility or pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia. Find out more about the complications of hypothyroidism. However, here are some recommendations to keep in mind. A balanced diet of whole grains , beans , lean proteins , and colorful fruits and vegetables should provide enough iodine. Discover other iodine-rich foods. Soy may hinder the absorption of thyroid hormones.
If you drink or eat too many soy products, you may not be able to properly absorb your medication. You need steady doses of the medication to achieve even levels of thyroid hormone in your blood.
Avoid eating or drinking soy-based foods for at least 4 hours before and after you take your medication. Like soy, fiber may interfere with hormone absorption. Too much dietary fiber may prevent your body from getting the hormones it needs. Instead, avoid taking your medicine within several hours of eating high fiber foods. If you take supplements or medications in addition to thyroid medications, try to take them at different times. Create a hypothyroidism diet plan with these tips.
However, there are ways to lessen the effect of hypothyroidism on your quality of life. Hypothyroidism often goes along with other conditions, such as:.
Despite taking medication, you may still experience fatigue from time to time. Find people you can openly express your feelings and experiences to.
This can be a therapist, close friend, family member, or a support group of other people living with this condition. Many hospitals sponsor meetings for people with conditions such as hypothyroidism. Learn more about how hypothyroidism can affect your relationships. This causes a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, weight gain, and even depression.
A study found that 60 percent of people with hypothyroidism exhibited some symptoms of depression. Some people with hypothyroidism may only experience mood difficulties. This can make diagnosing hypothyroidism difficult. Instead of only treating the brain, doctors should also consider testing for and treating an underactive thyroid.
Thyroid hormones control the way your body uses energy, so they affect nearly every organ in your body, even the way your heart beats. Nearly 5 out of Americans ages 12 years and older have hypothyroidism, although most cases are mild or have few obvious symptoms. Women are much more likely than men to develop hypothyroidism. The disease is also more common among people older than age Left untreated, hypothyroidism during pregnancy can affect both mother and baby.
However, thyroid medicines can help prevent problems and are safe to take during pregnancy. Hypothyroidism can contribute to high cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, you should get tested for hypothyroidism. Myxedema coma requires immediate medical treatment. Hypothyroidism has many symptoms that can vary from person to person.
Some common symptoms of hypothyroidism include. Because hypothyroidism develops slowly, you may not notice symptoms of the disease for months or even years. Many of these symptoms, especially fatigue and weight gain, are common and do not necessarily mean you have a thyroid problem.
Less often, hypothyroidism is caused by too much or too little iodine in the diet or by disorders of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus. With this disease, your immune system attacks the thyroid. Thyroiditis, an inflammation of your thyroid, causes stored thyroid hormone to leak out of your thyroid gland. The thyrotoxicosis may last for many months. After that, your thyroid may become underactive and, over time, the condition may become permanent, requiring thyroid hormone replacement.
Some babies are born with a thyroid that is not fully developed or does not work properly. Early treatment can prevent these problems. When surgeons remove part of the thyroid, the remaining part may produce normal amounts of thyroid hormone. But some people who have this surgery may develop hypothyroidism. Removing the entire thyroid always results in hypothyroidism. There is no way to prevent hypothyroidism, but people who may have a higher risk of thyroid problems, for example, women during pregnancy, should check with their doctor about the need for additional iodine.
Screening is not recommended for those who do not have symptoms, unless they have the following risk factors:. These people can be tested for early signs of the condition. If tests are positive, they can take measures to prevent the disease from progressing. There is no evidence that a particular diet will prevent hypothyroidism, and there is no way to prevent hypothyroidism unless you live in a region with low iodine levels in the diet, for example, some parts of Southeast Asia and Africa.
No specific diet is recommended for hypothyroidism, but individuals should follow a varied, well-balanced diet that is not high in fat or sodium. Research suggests a link between celiac disease and autoimmune thyroid disease, and both have inflammatory components. Avoiding gluten may help in nonceliac autoimmune diseases, but it is important to speak to a doctor first before cutting out foods that contain gluten. Consuming additional iodine can interfere with the balance involved in treatment.
If hyperthyroidism develops, iodine can be hazardous. Hypothyroidism can occur if the thyroid gland fails to work properly, or if the thyroid gland is not stimulated properly by the hypothalamus or pituitary gland.
The most common cause of hypothyroidism in the U. The condition causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, leading to inflammation and interfering with its ability to produce thyroid hormones. Thyroiditis is an inflammation of the thyroid gland. It causes thyroid hormones to leak into the blood, raising their overall levels and leading to hyperthyroidism.
After 1 to 2 months , this may develop into hypothyroidism. Thyroiditis can be caused by viral or bacterial infection, an autoimmune condition or following pregnancy. This can lead to physical and mental growth problems, but early treatment can prevent these complications. Most newborns in the U. Several conditions such as hyperthyroidism, goiters, thyroid nodules , and thyroid cancer can be treated by partially or fully removing the thyroid gland.
This may result in hypothyroidism. Radiation treatment of the thyroid can also lead to hypothyroidism. Radioactive iodine is a common treatment for hyperthyroidism. It works by destroying the cells of the thyroid gland and decreasing the production of T4.
A number of drugs can interfere with thyroid hormone production. These include amiodarone, interferon alpha, interleukin-2, lithium, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. If the pituitary gland stops functioning properly, the thyroid gland may not produce the correct amount of thyroid hormone.
Pituitary tumors or pituitary surgery can affect the function of the pituitary gland, and this can adversely affect the thyroid gland. If a woman loses a life-threatening amount of blood or has severely low blood pressure during or after childbirth, the gland can be damaged, causing it to under-produce pituitary hormones.
Iodine is needed for the production of the thyroid hormones, but the level must be balanced. Too much or too little iodine can lead to hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Some natural remedies are proposed for hypothyroidism, but it is important to speak to a doctor first, because the treatment for thyroid problems must be delicately balanced. Selenium : People with some types of thyroid problem may benefit from taking selenium , but this should only be used after discussing it with a doctor.
Probiotics : Some people with hypothyroidism may have changes in the small intestine, where bacteria from the colon spread into the small intestine where they are not normally located, known as small intestine bacterial overgrowth SIBO. In one study , 40 patients had abnormal results on a glucose breath test. After taking the probiotic Bacillus clausii for one month, the test result for 19 participants was normal.
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