Thyroid

Thyroid questions and answers

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Q: Thyroid...?
my mom keeps complaining about some kind of a thyroid disorder' she keeps asking me that is there a some kind of a thyroid diseases where you feel hungrey and you gain weight and you feel something in you throat'is it a contagious diseases..........I dont know anything about it so please help

A: No it is not contagious. It may be inheirted though. many women have thyroid problems , less men. She needs to see a dr. and have a blood test taken. This is easily diganosed and not a problem to control with the proper meds. Weight gain and tiredness go along with thyroid disease that is not treated. Good luck

Q: thyroid...............................................?
what precautions one should take to control thyroid level when it is increased ?

A: just have the medicines that ur doctor has prescribed on time... for HYPERthyroidism, avoid foodstuffs like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, turnips, soybeans, peanuts, linseed, pine nuts, millet, cassava, mustard greens, etc. Also avoid refined foods, dairy products, wheat, caffeine, and alcohol. its importnat to get urself into a healthy diet & get ur weight under control... u could ask ur doctor for suggestions... and also YOGA is very good... for mental & physical health... here's a link: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/hyperthyroidism-000088.htm hope it helps....

Q: THYROID???????????? =/?
Hey everybody. I hope you can help me.. I'm a 16 year old female (almost 17). I've been losing my eyebrow hairs for about a year. The skin around the eyebrow area is dry and flaky. Could this be a sign of a thyroid problem? I mean... when I look on websites, it says OUTER THIRD OF EYEBROW.. But I'm losing eyebrow hairs from ALL parts of the eyebrow. I have seen a derm and a doctor - both were no help. I had a blood test done in January and my thyroid levels came back normal I tried the basal thermometer (with a regular digital thermometer), and my temperature was 96.5. Do you think I have a thyroid problem? How can I know for SURE? other symptoms: constipation, dry flaky skin all over my face, eyebrow loss, acne, cold hands and feet. please help me =/ thank you! No one in my family has a thyroid problem (not that we know of)... and yes, I did fast for 10 hours. =( thank you for answering.

A: I'd never heard about the eyebrow symptoms (and I wouldn't say the outer third is an absolute - everyone is different) but your other symptoms certainly support thyroid. Are you also having bowel problems? irregular periods? drop foot? any other symptoms? Does anyone else in your family have underactive thyroid? It's very hereditary. When you had the bloodwork, did you fast for at least 8-12 hours? That's important too. Labs make mistakes, plus it's been a year and the symptoms haven't changed. If your GP will support it, maybe ask to have the test done again, this time from a different lab. Good luck!

Q: How much does your thyroid play on being overweight?
I take thyroid medicine and it seems that when I started taking thyroid medicine years ago I started putting on weight. Now I am quite a bit overweight. Nothing seems to help. My thyroid has never been regulated right. Doctors just don't seem to pay much attention when I bring this up.

A: Find another doctor and insist. I'm severely hypothyroid. Without meds my TSH is 128 (normal is 4-10'ish). I still lost 198 lbs in 11 months on the Kimkins diet, which is low calorie low carb. Another member, Lynda, lost 213 lbs in 10 months (see her story below). If you have insurance ask for a referral to an endocrinologist. It's not just about body weight, your thyroid regulates every single organ in your body, including your heart and liver (cholesterol).

Q: How do I return my thyroid levels to homeostasis?
I have been on Mitotropin for 30 days and I am afraid that my thyroid levels have decreased post-mito since mito increases the amount of T3 cells in the body. I am 18. I do not know for sure if Mitotropin has done this, but I am always fearing the worst. How can I return thyroid levels to homeostasis if they have been effected?

A: Go see your doctor. Really, there's no point in trying to treat a problem that you're not even sure exists.

Q: How Often should you get your thyroid checked?
I had my thyroid checked about 6 months ago and the dr's found nothing wrong with it. I have panic attacks and get really bad anxiety attacks and jst worry about pretty much eveything. So I was just wondering if I needed to get my Thyroid checked again or am I just over worrying?? Thank you!

A: First ask for the results. Different labs have different ranges they consider normal. If there is no other symptoms besides anxiety, once a year at most. I had thyroid cancer and have my thyroid hormone levels checked every 4 months. Anxiety attacks can happen for a variety of reasons and many times no reason is found. It can be treated. You just need to find the right treatment.

Q: How much blood is taken for a thyroid blood test?
I have to get a blood test to check my thyroid, I think it's a full thyroid panel or something like that. I want to know if it is a lot of blood/many tubes of blood. I tend to pass out if it's a lot of blood, so I want to know. Thanks.

A: Probably two small tubes but it's no big deal. I have had blood taken for thyroid tests for many years, and many more tests for other matters. Try looking at something else and concentrating on that and it will be over in one minute or less.

Q: What does a surgery to remove the thyroid consists of, recovery time, is it an outpatient procedure?
I noticed a pea sized nodule on my throat, thyroid. I have had an ultrsound and needle biopsy. The biopsy showed abnormal cells so I am going to have surgery to remove the thyroid. What takes place in this surgery? Don't know what to expect!! Kinda scared too!

A: I had my thyroid removed 3 weeks ago. I only just went back to work today. ( and im not a sook:)) I went in at 7am, and was in the recoverry room by 1.30pm, and was sent to my ward by 3pm. I woke to a huge sore throat and neck,and could not move very much at all. My voice is still husky, as they move your vocals cords around a bit. and I stayed in hospital for nearly 3 days so they could keep and eye on my calcium levels, as your calcium ducts are behind your thyroid gland. I did have nerve damage to the right hand side of my neck, but it is healing slowly,and I am the only one that hates my scar (either that or everyone is just being nice to me lol) The scar is only about 2 inches wide on me, and i coldnt bring myself to look at it for a few days. You will be able to move your head and drive after a few days, but do find yourself a compfy pillow as sleeping was highly uncomfortable as you dont realise how much you need to use your neck muscles in every day life. All I can suggest is ask people that have had it done. Good luck and I hope this has helped. :) Oh and I forgot to say that I am only 29 years old, so all of this CAN happen at any time of your life too.

Q: Is it possible to control an underactive thyroid through diet and exersisie alone?
I don't want to go to the doctor but my thyroid is not working real well. Just curious if it could be controlled with out medication? I heard that iodine and selenium were both good for your thyroid. Want to know if that is true? I've never been on the medication for it and i'd prefer not to start if I can help it.

A: Not usually. A rare few might be able to be helped with iodine if it was an iodine deficiency that caused the thyroid condition and it was caught early. However, most will need thyroid medication. If your body does not priduce thyroid hormone, it will continue to cause symptoms until you cannot stand it any longer. It can even cause heart problems if left untreated, as hypothyroidism causes elevated cholesterol levels. If you want a natural approach, you could try Armour or Nature-throid.

Q: What are the most common treatment methods for thyroid problems?
My docotor is testing my blood for thyroid problems, and I would like to know what treatments they may suggest if I do have any problems. Also, what are the possible issues with my thyroid that they may be checking for? Signs and symptoms? Not sure if this makes a difference, but I am a 22 yr old female - two children/c-section.

A: FIRST THING~ If your doctor won't listen to YOU, get a new one! YOU KNOW when your body is good & when it's not! I refuse to listen to someone who won't listen to me...because they think they know it all since they "went to school for the degree". Well, they didn't go to school & study MY BODY! So, get a new doc, and don't feel bad about it. What if something bad happened to you? Would you hesitate to let that doc know at that point? DON"T LET IT GET THERE! I have given several links below to read & perhaps you can read through & understand the different thyroid symptoms & problems. Here is some information about myself, plus some symptoms since you seemed to be interested: I have low thyroid. I've had it for 10 years. I got it after I had my second child at about the age of 25. If you have low thyroid...here's a great question to answer: Can you see the floor of your house? That was what was asked of me at one point, and to my amazement, the answer was no! My signs are: messy house, no desire to do anything...go anywhere, spend time with my kids or my guy, sleep a lot, hard to keep my eyes open at times, HUGE weight gain that over the past years have not found an easy way to take off...so I give up a lot, I have terribly dry hair & don't wash it a lot so it stays strong, I have bumps on my face...not like pimples, but I think it's from dry skin, and perhaps some others that I can't remember at this time...that's another symptom--forgetfullness. Here are the "GENERAL" signs for most people: fatigue and lack of energy. Women suffering from underactive thyroid experience heavier menstrual periods. Sluggishness and forgetfulness are symptoms of underactive thyroid problem. Other symptoms of this thyroid disorder are dry skin and hair and constipation. If you have high thyroid, or an overactive one, the signs are: increased body metabolism. This is followed by weight loss and excessive warmth and sweating. Persons suffering from overactive thyroid experience trembling hands, irritability and rapid heartbeat or palpitations. Women with overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism may experience shorter or lighter menstrual periods. I take medication, and sadly will have to take 1 pill everyday for the rest of my life. There's a blood check that they will do to see if you have low or high. I hope i've helped you!!

Q: How to fix hypothyroidism after thyroid being removed via surgery?
A friend of mine have part of her thyroid being removed several years ago (not sure exactly why), and logically she's having hypothyroidism problem currently, although the doctor gave her medicine to meet the requirement. Anyone know how to fix this problem? Thanks. Oh yes, she's been having bad mood and seems to forget simple things. She is also gaining weight, but unfortunately no none seem to be able to stop her from consuming hi-fat/cholesterol food. Is this common in such problem?

A: There is no way to fix the problem. She will be on a thyroid medication for the rest of her life. After you start synthroid it will take about 6 weeks for the medication to start really kicking in. I bet the reason she had part of her thyroid removed was due to hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Now that she doesn't have all of her thyroid it has become underactive. They do the procedure because it is much easier to treat hypothyroidism tan to treat hyperthroidism. I hope this helps. She just needs to take her medication at the same time every day and in a matter of a few weeks she will likely be okay. Tell her to take care of herself to. Eat right and exercise.

Q: Does your thyroid gland have to be swollen for you to have a thyroid problem?
I have all of the symptoms of a thyroid problem except a swollen thyroid gland. So does it sound like I have a thyroid problem or does it sound like a different problem?

A: No, it does NOT have to be swollen and you should NOT be diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel only! Especially if the doc only blood tests for TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). If he/she does then run do not walk from their office. TSH is your body's thermostat which is secreted by your Pituitary Gland. I learned the hard way from experience and now due to doctor's misconceptions I had to have my thyroid surgically removed. I missed thyroid cancer by a hair width. I will be taking 2 pills 3 times per day for the rest of my life because of doctors solely relying on blood tests. I had a sub-clinical thyroid condition (meaning blood tests within the normal to low normal range) which later resulted in a autoimmune disease thyroid condition. I should have been diagnosed based on symptoms, but it takes a doc with a lot of knowledge to think outside the 4-corners of their medical textbook and guts too. My symptoms began 15 years ago and it took 15 years to hit rock bottom for my disease to surface on blood tests but then it became an autoimmune disease and was TOO LATE. Autoimmune disease is where your immune system turns against you and it begins to attack your body. Also, I found that specialists such as Endocrinologists were the least informed. I found that they were quick to push mental health drugs treating only the symptoms and not getting to the root of the real problem. Go to the library and SELF-EDUCATE, read all books by patient advocate Mary J. Shomon, Doctors Ridha Ahrem and Steven F. Hotze. Once you learn just how important the thyroid is to your body's well being and how it functions, then you will be able to connect the dots. You know your body better than anyone. If you can remember one key important fact which is that some/most doctors medicate using the T-4 hormone (a thyroid pro-hormone) only, but a patient's problem could lie with the assimilation of the T-3 hormone (the thyroids active hormone). After T-4 enters cells it must be converted into T-3 which is the active active form of thyroid hormone (active OUTSIDE of your blood stream) it is what effects your mental health (depression), memory, fatigue, body temperature, muscle strength, cholesterol level, weight, hair, skin, nails, etc. A complete hormone panel is key too (estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol,melatonin). I prefer hormone testing using saliva over blood, which unfortunately, the majority of insurance plans do not cover. I feel it is money well spent. Good Luck and Be Well.

Q: What does your thyroid have to do with body hair?
I was reading a question, and someone had answered that your thyroid is responsible for hair on your body. What is a thyroid and what exactly does it do? What are its responsibilities in females?

A: You need your thyroid for the hormones it produces. The thyroid—a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck—makes hormones that control the way your body uses energy. Your thyroid controls your metabolism, which is how your body turns food into energy, and also affects your heart, muscles, bones and cholesterol. While thyroid disorders can range from a small, harmless goiter (enlarged gland) to life-threatening cancer, the most common thyroid problems involve an abnormal production of thyroid hormones. Too much of these vital body chemicals results in a condition known as hyperthyroidism. Too little hormone production leads to hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism happens when the thyroid becomes overactive and produces too much of its hormones. People with hyperthyroidism have problems that reflect overactivity of the organs of the body, resulting in symptoms such as sweating, feeling hot, rapid heartbeats, weight loss, HAIR LOSS, and sometimes eye problems. Unlike hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism stems from an underproduction of thyroid hormones. Since your body's energy production requires certain amounts of thyroid hormones, a drop in hormone production leads to lower energy levels, causing you to feel weak and tired. Hypothyroidism will also cause HAIR LOSS. Pretty much, if your thyroid produces too much or too little of the T3 hormone... then you will suffer the effects of hair loss. If you need more information regarding thyroids (what they do and how they contribute to hair loss)... then check out a few of these links. http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/health/wellnessandprevention/slideshow1_ss_soh_200803/1 http://www.wilsonssyndrome.com/ThyroidAndHairLoss.htm http://www.thyroid.ca/Articles/EngE9B.html http://www.zrtlab.com/Page.aspx?nid=20 http://symptoms.wrongdiagnosis.com/cosymptoms/reduced-body-hair/thyroid-problems.htm

Q: If my mother had an overactive thyroid am I likely to inherit it?
Her thyroid became over active in her twenties and I am still mid-teens. How likely is it that I will inherit this disorder?

A: Both of the above answers are good, i myself am a hypo sufferer and so is my mom and both of my grandmothers maternal and paternal. My father is hyper so needless to say thyroid problems are rampant in my family.Mine started acting up in my early twenties but my little sister and brother don't have any problems yet.

Q: Why would a doctor make a teen get a thyroid ultrasound? What thyroid conditions are there?
The doctor believes that a 17 year old has a lump in her throat. What could show up in an ultrasound? What conditions result from thyroid problems?

A: I recently had an ultrasound. They are looking for what appears to be a "pouch" like skin inside your throat. It could be serious, like cancer. However, at the age of 17 that is unlikely. They found I have excess mucous building up near the thyroid. Not serious.