Thyroid Hands up if you know where your thyroid gland is? Ok you’re right it’s in your neck shaped like the letter ‘H’ it sits in your neck, working its little boots off keeping you fit and well. So now put your hands up if you actually know what the function of the thyroid gland is?(Is this an opinion or lecture?)
The reality is that thyroid disease affects 1 in 10 women and 1 in 100 men, and can make you feel absolutely awful. The thyroid gland produces ‘Thyroxine’, and the hormone ‘Thyroxine’ in turn affects every part of your body.
There are two main type of thyroid trouble, but I want to deal with hypothyroidism(under active thyroid) here. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland in your neck slows up on it production of the hormone ‘Thyroxine’ or indeed stops making it.~What exactly does hypothyroidism affect? ·
Skin, Hair, Nails: Is your skin: cold, thick, dry with little or no sweating, waxy, flaky, itchy, pale ivory or jaundiced? Do you bruise easily, do wounds heal slowly, and are you always feeling cold? Feeling cold is a big part of the diagnosis for many people. Your hair may become brittle and fall out. ·
Digestive system: Are you always constipated? Have you gained weight and feel’bloated?’ ·
Reproductive system: Do you have heavy menstruation(clotting is common), a tendency for low birth weight babies and early delivery? Have you recently given birth?
Cardiac System: Is your pulse slower than normal? Do you experience skipped beats followed by a’boom’, chest pain, shortness of breath? Are you sleeping excessively yet still feel totally’drained and lifeless’? Do you’sigh’ a lot? Is everything an extreme effort? ·
The Mind and Emotions: Does your mind feel’foggy?’ Does your mental process seem slower than usual making thinking and decision making more difficult? Is your memory poor? Do you feel depressed, sad, and cry easily for no reason? ·
Muscular: Do you have trouble keeping your arms up when doing your hair, or decorating? Do you lose your balance? ·
Ear Nose and throat: Does your voice seem deeper than normal? Do you have trouble listening to conversations? Is your speech slurred at times?(Although thyroid eye Disease(known as t.e.d) it can also be associated with hypothyroidism)
~Diagnosis I was diagnosed as having hypothyroidism after a routine blood test at a diabetic clinic. I was fortunate enough to have only the constant tiredness- associated with the disease. However, I have known many people(both men and women) who have been severely ill with the condition. Some have even needed hospitalisation; their symptoms were so severe. A lot of people also find they might put weight on or lose it. Hypothyroidism can occur at any age, although it is more common in older individuals.
~Treatment Treatment is usually by a tablet each day(which will be taken for the rest of your life). It’s a hormone replacement tablet. Doses start out low, and will be increased after a simple b lood test to assess how your blood Thyroxine count is.
For example: you may start on 50 mcg, then after a month of so a simple b lood test is taken if this says your Thyroxine levels are ok you’ll stop at that dosage, if not then it will be increased and the whole process repeated until the right dose is found.~Like I said I was constantly tired before my diagnosis. After months of increasing my ‘Thyroxine’ and the b lood tests, I am now on 150mcg of ‘Thyroxine each day’ As for the tiredness, well that did improve although tiredness is also a sign of diabetes – so it could have been that also. I still get that tiredness from time to time though. It is also recommended that each year you have a b lood test to check you ‘Thyroxine’ levels, they may need increasing or decreasing. Considering it is such a common disease, its surprising how many tales I have heard of people whose doctors only diagnose it as a last result. Meaning many months of unnecessary suffering for some individuals.
All it takes is a blood test, if you suspect you may have it ask your doctor for a test!