Thyroid treatment

What is hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism is the most common type of thyroid disorder. It means your thyroid gland is not active enough. This tiny gland is found in the front of your neck. Its job is to make thyroid hormone. If the gland is underactive, it may not make enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones control how your body uses energy. They affect almost every organ in your body. When your thyroid doesn’t make enough of these hormones, parts of your body slow down. What causes hypothyroidism? The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder. This means your immune system starts to attack itself. It makes antibodies against the thyroid gland. Another cause may be treatment for an overactive thyroid gland. That may include radioactive iodine therapy or surgery. A condition called secondary hypothyroidism can also sometimes happen. It’s when your pituitary gland stops working. The pituitary gland then no longer tells the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones. Newborns are tested at birth for hypothyroidism. This condition must be treated immediately. It can affect a baby’s brain and nervous system. Who is at risk for hypothyroidism? You may be more likely to have hypothyroidism if you: • Are a woman • Are older than age 60 • Have had thyroid problems or thyroid surgery in the past • Have a family history of thyroid problems • Have certain conditions, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis • Have Turner syndrome, a genetic condition that affects...

If the second test shows high TSH but T-4 and T-3 are in the standard range, then the diagnosis is a condition called subclinical hypothyroidism. It usually doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms. TSH tests also play an important role in managing hypothyroidism over time. They help your health care provider find and maintain the right dosage of medication for you. The results of these blood tests can be affected by some medicines or supplements. This includes biotin, a vitamin taken as a stand-alone supplement or as part of a multivitamin. Before you have blood tests done, tell your health care provider about any medicines or supplements you take. Treatment Treatment for hypothyroidism usually includes taking the thyroid hormone medicine levothyroxine (Levo-T, Synthroid, others) every day. This medicine is taken by mouth. It returns hormone levels to a healthy range, eliminating symptoms of hypothyroidism. You'll likely start to feel better one or two weeks after you begin treatment. Treatment with levothyroxine likely will be lifelong. Because the dosage you need may change, your health care provider may check your TSH level every year. Finding the right dosage To find the right dosage of levothyroxine for you, your health care provider checks your level of TSH about 6 to 8 weeks after you start taking the medicine. You may need another blood test to check TSH again six months later. Too much levothyroxine can cause side effects, such as: • Tiredness. • Increased appetite....

You should work with your doctor to treat any thyroid problem. For Drugs and surgery are usually effective ways to adjust hormone levels. Other treatments, including Before they decide which treatment is best for you, your doctor will consider your particular thyroid condition as well as your age, general health, and past medical issues. Blood Tests Your doctor can diagnose When you are One uncommon type of thyroid Iodine Uptake Tests Doctors often use this to identify the cause of hyperthyroidism. It tracks the amount of iodine absorbed by the thyroid gland. We get this mineral from the foods we eat. It's a key ingredient of thyroid hormone, so the amount of iodine your thyroid absorbs is a good way to tell how much hormone the gland is making. First, the doctor places a device over your neck to measure how much background radioactivity there is. Then, you swallow a small amount of radioactive iodine in a liquid or as a capsule. After a time, usually 4-6 hours and at most 24 hours, the doctor takes another measurement to see how much of the radioactive iodine has gathered in your thyroid. When the gland has a lot of iodine, the doctor may do a radioactive iodine uptake scan. They'll use a special film to make a picture that shows the exact location of the radioactive iodine in your thyroid. Iodine collecting in nodules suggests that they're responsible for the extra hormone. If the scan shows that the iodine is spread throughout the gland, the whole thyroid is involved. N...

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is normally located in the lower front of the neck. The thyroid’s job is to make thyroid hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body. Thyroid hormone helps the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should. When thyroid hormone levels are too low, the body’s cells can’t get enough thyroid hormone and the body’s processes start slowing down. As the body slows, you may notice that you feel colder, you tire more easily, your skin is getting drier, you’re becoming forgetful and depressed, and you’ve started getting constipated. Because the symptoms are so variable and nonspecific, the only way to know for sure whether you have hypothyroidism is with a simple blood test for TSH. KEEPING OTHER PEOPLE INFORMED Tell your family members. Because thyroid disease runs in families, you should explain your hypothyroidism to your relatives and encourage them to get periodic TSH tests. Tell your other doctors and your pharmacist about your hypothyroidism and the drug and dose with which it is being treated. If you start seeing a new doctor, tell the doctor that you have hypothyroidism and you need your TSH tested every year. If you are seeing an endocrinologist, ask that copies of your reports be sent to your primary care doctor. WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT OVER THE LONG TERM? There is no cure for hypothyroidism, and most patients have...