What Happens When Your Thyroid Stops Working

Lifestyle Actions To Improve The Health Of The Endocrine System

Besides supplements there are ordinary everyday habits to get into to assure you of a healthy endocrine system.

• Working out/exercising can dramatically increase growth hormone levels by 100-800%, depending on the type of exercise.

• Get adequate sleep. When we are low on sleep we need to call on our adrenalin stores to get us through the days. This wears out the adrenal glands and disrupts our entire system.

• Handle your stress by breathing deeply, getting massages to detoxify the body, and spend time in nature.

• Find your optimum weight and stay there.

• If you have gut health issues address them immediately, as this can restore health to your entire endocrine system.

How Are Thyroid Nodules Treated

Treatment depends on the type of nodule or nodules that you have. Treatments include:

• Watchful waiting. If your nodule is not cancerous, your doctor may decide to just watch your condition. You will get regular physical exams, blood tests, and perhaps thyroid ultrasound tests. If your nodule does not change, you may not need further treatment.
• Surgery. Surgery may be necessary to take out nodules that may be cancerous or large nodules that cause problems breathing or swallowing.
• Radioiodine. This type of treatment is helpful if you have nodules that make too much thyroid hormone. Radioiodine causes nodules to shrink and make smaller amounts of thyroid hormone.

If An Underactive Thyroid Isn’t Treated

It’s unlikely that you’d have many of the later symptoms of an underactive thyroid, because the condition is often identified before more serious symptoms appear.

Later symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:

• a low-pitched and hoarse voice
• a puffy-looking face
• thinned or partly missing eyebrows
• a slow heart rate

Don’t Miss: Icd-10 Code For Thyroid Eye Disease Unspecified

Why Do People Get Ptosis

There are several reasons an eyelid might droop. Some babies are born with ptosis in one or both eyelids. These children must have a thorough eyelid examination.

Ptosis can occur later in life if the muscles or ligaments that normally raise the eyelid are weakened by injury or disease. Sometimes the drooping is a result of damage to the nerves that control the eyelid muscles.

Most ptosis just happens with aging. As a person ages, the skin and muscles of the eyelids stretch and weaken. Sometimes, previous eye surgery speeds up this change because the instruments used to keep the eye open during surgery can stretch the eyelid.

What Causes Thyroid Problems

Problems with the thyroid can be caused by:

• iodine deficiency
• autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, leading either to hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
• inflammation , caused by a virus or bacteria
• nodules, or non-cancerous lumps
• certain medical treatments, including radiation therapy, thyroid surgery, and some medicines
• some genetic disorders

Occasionally, pregnancy can cause thyroid problems to start or get worse. If left untreated, this can cause problems for mother and baby, including miscarriage, premature birth, preeclampsia and bleeding after the birth.

Also Check: What Type Of Doctor Checks Thyroid

How Does Eating Diet And Nutrition Affect Hypothyroidism

Your thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. However, if you have Hashimotos disease or other types of autoimmune thyroid disorders, you may be sensitive to iodines harmful side effects. Eating foods that have large amounts of iodinesuch as kelp, dulse, or other kinds of seaweedmay cause or worsen hypothyroidism. Taking iodine supplements can have the same effect.

Talk with members of your health care team

• about what foods to limit or avoid
• if you take iodine supplements
• about any cough syrups you take because they may contain iodine

If you are pregnant, you need more iodine because the baby gets iodine from your diet. Talk with your doctor about how much iodine you need.

Request An Appointment To Screen Your Thyroid

356 24th Ave. North | Suite 400 | Nashville, TN 37203TEL 615.329.7887 FAX 615.340.4537

FOOT & ANKLE SPECIALISTS OF NASHVILLE4230 Harding Pike | Suite 202 | Nashville, TN 37205TEL 615.662.6676 FAX 615.662.8371

300 20th Ave. North | Suite 301 | Nashville, TN 37203TEL 615.284.2400 FAX 615.284.4644

4230 Harding Pike | Suite 525 | Nashville, TN 37205TEL 615.385.1547 FAX 615.297.9161

3443 Dickerson Pike | Suite 600 | Nashville, TN 37207TEL 615.865.0700 FAX 615.865.0701

4322 Harding Pike | Suite 326 | Nashville, TN 37205TEL 615.620.7800 FAX 615.620.7805

397 Wallace Rd. | Suite 301 | Nashville, TN 37211TEL 615.425.0550 FAX 615.833.8287

4535 Harding Pike | Suite 304 | Nashville, TN 37205TEL 615.269.9007 FAX 615.269.3448

356 24th Ave. North | Suite 300 | Nashville, TN 37203TEL 615.301.5264 FAX 615.340.4537

85 White Bridge Rd | 2nd Floor | Nashville, TN 37205TEL 615.938.7545 FAX 615.938.7546

Also Check: Treatment For Thyroid Cancer That Has Spread To Lungs

Reason #6 Your Thyroid Medication Feels Like It Has Stopped Working

The Thyroid gland makes T4, it makes T3 and it makes small amounts of something called Reverse T3. High levels of Reverse T3 can cause Low Thyroid symptoms. Under periods of chronic stress such as low-calorie diets, malnutrition, excessive cortisol production, severe illness, inflammation, your body will take T4 and convert it into Reverse T3.

Heres the problem, Reverse T3 is not the same as T3. High levels of Reverse T3 bind to the thyroid receptors that are meant for T3. The end result is low thyroid hormone levels. This can happen despite having normal T3 thyroid levels on bloodwork.

If you have a doctor who ran a comprehensive Thyroid panel and you have your Reverse T3 and total T3 levels then you can calculate your T3/Reverse T3 ratio.

If you visit my website, you can plug in your values and you can find out what this ratio is as well as learn more how High levels of Reverse T3 cause Thyroid problems

Other videos To Watch

What Are The Complications Of Thyroid Problems

If you have a thyroid problem that is not treated properly, serious health complications can result.

An overactive thyroid can lead to a number of problems including:

• eye problems, such as bulging eyes, blurred or double vision or even vision loss
• heart problems, such as rapid heart rate, problems with heart rhythm or heart failure these problems can usually be treated
• red, swollen skin occurring particularly on the shins and feet
• thyrotoxic crisis, which is a worsening of symptoms causing fever, rapid heart rate and delirium this requires urgent medical attention

An underactive thyroid can cause a range of complications, including:

• an enlarged thyroid, or goitre, which may cause problems with swallowing and breathing

Recommended Reading: Selenium For Thyroid Eye Disease

What Are The Symptoms Of Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism has many symptoms that can vary from person to person. Some common symptoms of hypothyroidism include

• thyroiditis, or inflammation of the thyroid
• congenital hypothyroidism, or hypothyroidism that is present at birth
• surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid
• radiation treatment of the thyroid

Less often, hypothyroidism is caused by too much or too little iodine in the diet or by disorders of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.1 Iodine deficiency, however, is extremely rare in the United States.

Hypothyroidism Is The Most Common Thyroid Disorder

The thyroid does a lot for your body. It makes hormones that keep organs running properly. It also controls the way you use energy: for example, how you burn calories and how fast your heart beats.

But sometimes this powerful gland doesn’t work like it’s supposed to.

One common thyroid condition, called hyperthyroidism, causes the thyroid to make more hormones than the body needs.

But the most common thyroid disorder is hypothyroidism, which affects about 4.6% of people in the U.S. This condition causes a lack of hormone, which leads the thyroid to slow down. People with hypothyroidism often gain weight and feel tired, but some may not have any symptoms at all.

Also Check: Symptoms Of Recurrent Thyroid Cancer After Thyroidectomy

What Are Thyroid Blood Tests And Why Are They Taken

Thyroid blood tests are used to tell if your thyroid gland is functioning properly by measuring the amount of thyroid hormones in your blood. They are done by withdrawing blood from a vein in your arm. These blood tests help to diagnose thyroid diseases.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front part of your neck. Its job is to produce thyroid hormones, which travel through your bloodstream and regulate many aspects of your bodys metabolism, including temperature, weight, and energy.

Thyroid blood tests show if you have:

• Hyperthyroidism: Overactive thyroid producing more thyroid hormones than your body needs. Hyperthyroidism speeds up your metabolism, which can cause weight loss, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, puffiness around the eyes, anxiety and other symptoms. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves disease.
• Hypothyroidism: Underactive thyroid producing too few thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism slows down your metabolism, which can cause weight gain, menstrual irregularity, dry and puffy skin, fatigue and other symptoms. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimotos disease.

Thyroid blood tests are used to diagnose thyroid disorders associated with hyper- or hypothyroidism. These include:

Reason #1 Vitamin Deficiency

Most patients with Thyroid disease find themselves with many vitamin deficiencies not only vitamin D or B12. While I highly doubt that a deficiency in any one singular vitamin is causing your thyroid to stop working, multiple vitamin deficiencies and mineral deficiencies increase your odds. Some of the most deficiencies seen in thyroid disease include Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K Zinc, Selenium, Iron, Iodine, and your B- complex vitamins .

Selenium and zinc help convert T4 into T3- Iron, Zinc, Vitamin D, and your B vitamins all help in making Thyroid hormones

Vitamin A is needed for improving cellular sensitivity

Read Also: Papillary Thyroid Cancer Recurrence In Lymph Nodes

Reasons Your Thyroid Medications Stopped Working

Every morning, I get anywhere from 20-30 new emails from people who have being diagnosed with thyroid disease, most of them have been on thyroid medications for months and years and they still dont feel better, they still suffer with all the symptoms of low thyroid, despite taking thyroid hormone replacement.

Before I get into this video, I know on the surface that it makes sense that if we could just raise those low thyroid levels to that normal range, that would fix all your problems, everything would fall into place, the weight will just melt off your body, the brain fog, anxiety and depression would vanish and you would jump out of bed in the morning feeling refreshed!

Unfortunately, If you took a survey of all the doctors who treat patients with thyroid hormones and asked them how many of your patients feel great, now that their thyroid hormone levels are within normal range- you would find an incredible low number of patients who would report feeling good despite having normal thyroid levels- Most still suffer with unresolved thyroid symptoms

So, let me peel back some of the reasons this happens, and give you some of the most important areas of your health that you should start focusing in on. If you Do these things, I promise you will start feeling better.

How Is Thyroid Disease Treated

Your healthcare providers goal is to return your thyroid hormone levels to normal. This can be done in a variety of ways and each specific treatment will depend on the cause of your thyroid condition.

If you have high levels of thyroid hormones , treatment options can include:

• Anti-thyroid drugs : These are medications that stop your thyroid from making hormones.
• Radioactive iodine: This treatment damages the cells of your thyroid, preventing it from making high levels of thyroid hormones.
• Beta blockers: These medications dont change the amount of hormones in your body, but they help manage your symptoms.
• Surgery: A more permanent form of treatment, your healthcare provider may surgically remove your thyroid . This will stop it from creating hormones. However, you will need to take thyroid replacement hormones for the rest of your life.

If you have low levels of thyroid hormones , the main treatment option is:

• Thyroid replacement medication: This drug is a synthetic way to add thyroid hormones back into your body. One drug thats commonly used is called levothyroxine. By using a medication, you can manage thyroid disease and live a normal life.

You May Like: How To Control Thyroid In Female By Food

Diagnosing An Underactive Thyroid

It’s very important that an underactive thyroid is diagnosed as soon as possible.

Low levels of thyroid-producing hormones, such as triiodothyronine and thyroxine , can change the way the body processes fat.

• are pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• have just given birth
• have another health condition, such as heart disease, which may complicate your medication
• are taking a medication known to cause a reduction in thyroid hormones, such as amiodarone or lithium

How Does My Thyroid Work

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped organ located in the front of your neck just under the voice box . Picture the middle of the butterflys body centered on your neck, with the wings hugging around your windpipe . The main job of the thyroid is to control your metabolism. Metabolism is the process that your body uses to transform food to energy your body uses to function. The thyroid creates the hormones T4 and T3 to control your metabolism. These hormones work throughout the body to tell the bodys cells how much energy to use. They control your body temperature and heart rate.

When your thyroid works correctly, its constantly making hormones, releasing them and then making new hormones to replace whats been used. This keeps your metabolism functioning and all of your bodys systems in check. The amount of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream is controlled by the pituitary gland, which is located in the center of the skull below the brain. When the pituitary gland senses either a lack of thyroid hormone or too much, it adjusts its own hormone and sends it to the thyroid to balance out the amounts.

If the amount of thyroid hormones is too high or too low , the entire body is impacted.

Also Check: How Do You Check Your Thyroid Levels

What Stops The Production Of Thyroxine

Too little production of thyroxine by the thyroid gland is known as hypothyroidism. It may be caused by autoimmune diseases, poor iodine intake or caused by the use of certain drugs.

Can you live without a thyroid and no medication?

Aside from having your thyroid levels tested regularly and taking medication daily to give your body the thyroid hormone it needs, people without a thyroid live an otherwise normal life. Adjusting to life without your thyroid means taking medication and checking in with your doctor.

Hashimoto’s Disease And Hypothyroidism

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s disease. It’s an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body’s own immune system attacks the thyroid and causes inflammation. This prevents the thyroid from making enough hormones, causing hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto’s disease often runs in families, and it affects women more than men. People with other autoimmune diseases are also more likely to get Hashimoto’s disease.

Also Check: Can T Lose Weight Thyroid

What Causes Thyroid Problems When You Have Cancer

Thyroid problems have many causes. Thyroid problems can happen on their own, whether you have cancer or not. They are more common as you get older. However, thyroid problems are also a common side effect of certain types of cancer and cancer treatment.

The types of cancer and cancer treatment that raise your risk of thyroid problems include:

Thyroid cancer. Removing part or all of the thyroid gland is the main treatment for this type of cancer. This causes thyroid hormone levels to drop. The hormones are replaced with medication.

Radiation therapy to the head, neck, or upper spine. This is one of the most common causes of thyroid problems after cancer treatment. Whole-body radiation can also cause thyroid problems.

Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, especially in high doses before a bone marrow transplant , can cause thyroid problems.

Targeted therapy. Targeted therapy is a treatment that affects specific biomarkers in the cancer. Treatments called tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or TKIs, are an example of targeted therapies that can affect your thyroid gland. This includes the drugs sunitinib , sorafenib , imatinib , nilotinib and others.

Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts your body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. Some immunotherapy treatments can affect your thyroid. Interferon-alpha is an example of an immunotherapy drug that may lower thyroid functioning.

I Would Recommend This To Anyone That Is Having Thyroid Issues

My name is Margie and I have been coming to Dr. Heimlichs office for about two months now. And I have to say that I am seeing some significant results. I came here with feeling tired, sluggish brain fog, light-headedness, dizziness, overweight, and Ive seen results in all of those areas.

I am able to think clearer, I am able to get up from desk and not have any light headedness, have more energy and I can keep up with my children, which is huge for me, and get through my day and not feel so tired.

I was gone for five days, on vacation, and I was able to do the things that you recommended, even on vacation, and keep up with my children, which was at amusement parks, beach, all that kind of stuff. In the past I would have been very tired and needed caffeine to get through it and not anymore.

My coworkers are noticing more color, more vibrancy, and I look less sluggish to them as well. Yes, the mental fog, the unclear thinking, just always needed caffeine to get rid of that and not anymore, its gone. Which is wonderful.

I would recommend it to anyone that is having those same issues. Sometimes had spots or blurry vision, but that has stopped now as well.

– Margie

Also Check: Can Thyroid Issues Cause Erectile Dysfunction