Extreme Fatigue Or Just Feeling Wiped Out
Feeling tired and not having enough energy to get through the day can mean a lot of things. However, its a common symptom of hypothyroidism . If youre having a hard time getting through the day without taking a nap, or you sleep longer than usual but still find it challenging to get up in the morning, then you may be experiencing a decrease in thyroid hormone production.
Early Warning Signs Of Thyroid Issues
Thyroid issues can be difficult to diagnose on their own. This is due to the fact that they can be mistaken for other health issues such as menopause or cognitive problems. On the other hand, there are early warning signs of thyroid issues that you should be aware of.
7 early warning signs of thyroid issues include:
- Sensitivity to heat
- Sensitivity to cold
While these symptoms may point to a problem with your thyroid, only a medical professional will be able to confirm it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Our team of board certified physicians are here to help diagnose your thyroid disease and develop a treatment plan that will help restore your health.
Undetected Low Levels Of Thyroid Hormone May Underlie Subtle Changes That Can Increase Your Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease
For a gland only two inches in size, the thyroid has a huge influence on our health. It produces a hormone that is carried in the bloodstream to all parts of the body. Thyroid hormone plays a major role in regulating metabolismthe process by which body cells convert nutrients into energyand thereby helps regulate body temperature, heart rate, and even brain function. So when thyroid hormone levels fall, the body slows.
You’re probably aware of the common symptoms of low thyroid hormonefatigue, fuzzy-headedness, weight gain, cold hands, and dry skin. But if you’re like most of us, you’re likely to blame your diet and exercise regimen instead of your thyroid if your cholesterol levels and weight are creeping up, especially if you don’t have any of the other symptoms of low thyroid. “Symptoms are often nonspecific, and since women over 60 generally have more of these nonspecific symptoms, their doctors may not think to test for hypothyroidism,” says endocrinologist Dr. Jeffrey Garber, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Overcoming Thyroid Problems.
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How A Doctor Checks A Thyroid
If you go to your physician about a thyroid issue, chances are they will physically examine your thyroid. But you will also need to get blood tests that break down your thyroid levels. Dr. Block explained to me the TSH Test is what is used to diagnose thyroid issues. It measures these “signals from your pituitary to your thyroid,” but she explained that the TSH levels are “the opposite of what people think.” A high TSH level indicates hypothyroidism and a low level indicated hyperthyroidism.
She said that a “high TSH is seen in hypothyroidism because your brain is yelling at your thyroid to speed up,” while a “low TSH is seen in hyperthyroidism because your pituitary is telling your thyroid to slow down or stop making thyroid hormone.”
The Role Of Your Thyroid
First, its good to know what your thyroid does in the body. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland right near the larynx that produces hormones, said Naresh Rao, a board-certified family medicine physician, partner at Sports Medicine at Chelsea and founder of Max Sports Health in New York City.
The thyroids main function is to produce triiodothyronine and thyroxine , which help regulate almost all bodily functions, including your weight, metabolism, energy levels and body temperature, as well as how your skin, hair and nails grow.
Theres also something called the thyroid-stimulating hormone, which is produced by the pituitary gland and tells your thyroid to make more T3 and T4. There are tests to check your TSH, T3 and T4 levels, all of which can tell doctors if you have a thyroid problem.
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Too Much Or Too Little
Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid produces too little of these hormones. This is the most commonly diagnosed form of thyroid disease, affecting nearly 5 percent of Americans. Although it can be hereditary, hypothyroidism is often triggered by autoimmune disorders such as Hashimotos or inflammation called thyroiditis. Symptoms can include:
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Feeling cold when others do not
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Weight gain, without eating more
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Joint pain and muscle weakness
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Exhaustion
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Weight loss
Living With Thyroid Disease
Leaving my doctors office that day, I remember thinking, Wow, I have thyroid diseaseI have a disease! I began to take Synthroid, an inexpensive prescription that built my thyroxine levels back up so that in a matter of weeks I was feeling brighter, brisker and less weirdly arthritic. The puffiness ebbed, and I could concentrate again.
Novel as it was to suddenly be saddled with a chronic disease, I mentioned it to everyone I met and was startled at the number of other women who nodded in recognition. They, too, were taking Synthroid or, because theyd gone in the opposite direction into thyroid overdrivewere taking another medication. One of them was my cousins partner, Michelle Kellner . She was less fortunate in her initial encounter with doctors than Id been. When she turned 30, she knew she was too young to be going through perimenopause, and yet her period had stopped for a year. Uncertain why, she consulted a number of specialists. No one knew what was wrong with me. No one, Kellner says, checked her thyroid hormone levels until she met a gynecologist who confirmed via a blood test that she was hyperthyroid.
He referred her to an endocrinologist, who noticed five little nodules on her neck . A biopsy found nothing cancerous, and he decided to simply monitor the condition, without appearing to realize that her original condition wasnt being medicated.
Read Also: Doctors Who Specialize In Thyroid
How To Test Your Thyroid Function
What’s covered?
22nd Jun 2022 6 min read
Your thyroid gland produces hormones that help control your metabolism. If you dont make enough of these hormones its called hypothyroidism . If you make too much of these hormones its called hyperthyroidism . Thyroid disorders are sometimes caused by an autoimmune disease. If your thyroid isnt working properly it can cause tiredness, weight gain or loss, and mood problems. A blood test can check for a thyroid disorder and autoimmune thyroid disease.
If Part Of My Thyroid Is Surgically Removed Will The Other Part Be Able To Make Enough Thyroid Hormones To Keep Me Off Of Medication
Sometimes, your surgeon may be able to remove part of your thyroid and leave the other part so that it can continue to create and release thyroid hormones. This is most likely in situations where you have a nodule thats causing your thyroid problem. About 75% of people who have only one side of the thyroid removed are able to make enough thyroid hormone after surgery without hormone replacement therapy.
Also Check: If Thyroid Levels Are High
Thyroid Levels During Pregnancy
Thyroid hormone levels change during pregnancy. In fact, the ranges considered normal also change throughout pregnancy. What is considered normal may be slightly different depending on the lab where you get your blood test.
Thyroid levels are measured in milliunits per liter and picomoles per liter . A mole is a way to measure large amounts of very small things like atoms and molecules. A picomole is one-trillionth of a mole.
Normal ranges for non-pregnant people are as follows:
- TSH: 0.5-4.7 mIU/L
- Free T4 : 8.0-18 pmol/L
- Free T3 : 2.30-4.2 pmol/L
Normal ranges for pregnant people are different:
First Trimester:
- FT3: 3.67-5.81 pmol/L
How Is Thyroid Disease Diagnosed
Sometimes, thyroid disease can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are easily confused with those of other conditions. You may experience similar symptoms when you are pregnant or aging and you would when developing a thyroid disease. Fortunately, there are tests that can help determine if your symptoms are being caused by a thyroid issue. These tests include:
- Blood tests.
- Physical exams.
Blood tests
One of the most definitive ways to diagnose a thyroid problem is through blood tests. Thyroid blood tests are used to tell if your thyroid gland is functioning properly by measuring the amount of thyroid hormones in your blood. These tests are done by taking blood from a vein in your arm. Thyroid blood tests are used to see if you have:
- Hyperthyroidism.
- Hypothyroidism.
The specific blood tests that will be done to test your thyroid can include:
These tests alone arent meant to diagnose any illness but may prompt your healthcare provider to do additional testing to evaluate for a possible thyroid disorder.
Additional blood tests might include:
Talk to your healthcare provider about the ranges for these thyroid blood tests. Your ranges might not be the same as someone elses. Thats often alright. If you have any concerns or worries about your blood test results, talk to your provider.
Imaging tests
An ultrasound typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Physical exam
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How To Know When To Request Thyroid Tests
In our new Butterfly Club support group, we’ll tackle every thyroid-related mystery you’ve told us you want solved, and demystify every function and health issue controlled by your butterfly-shaped thyroid gland.
That small gland shaped like a butterfly at the base of your neck has massive sway over your body and wellbeing. Approximately 20 million Americans have a thyroid condition such as hypothyroidism, with roughly 60 percent still unaware of it, according to the American Thyroid Association. Its also a key organ that keeps us alive and functioning. As part of National Thyroid Awareness Month, were getting the lowdown on this powerhouse gland, with its wide array of functions and symptoms that can snowball when somethings gone awry.
Thyroid Test When Is The Right Time To Take A Thyroid Test
Almost twenty years ago, the American College of Physicians, a pretty conservative organization, stunned the medical community by issuing a guideline that women over 50 should have a thyroid test at least once every five years. At that time, most physicians thought that they could diagnose thyroid problems themselves and that testing guidelines were unnecessary.
At our clinic, however, we werent stunned: we were excited! We knew first-hand how challenging it can be to identify and treat thyroid symptoms without testing. It felt like the beginning of a new understanding among conventional medical practitioners. Sadly, even all these years later, with testing guidelines in place, many practitioners still fail to diagnose thyroid concerns. Thats because over or under active thyroid problems can be hard to pin down the symptoms may also resemble those of many other conditions, including aging.
In fact, a couple of years ago, Time Magazine reported that hypothyroidism is one of the top 15 leading conditions doctors most often get wrong.
At our clinic, we have helped thousands of women to restore healthy thyroid function. We know how an under or overactive thyroid can wreak havoc on your life, weight, health, and mood. Its not just a part of getting older and you dont have to live with it!
Also Check: Thyroid Cancer In The Neck
Stay Aware Of Changes
Because symptoms of thyroid disease can be attributed to other concerns, it can be hard to tell if theres a problem. Look into your health history for clues and see a doctor if you have symptoms. Your doctor may want to check your neck for thyroid nodules or order blood tests.
The severity of your symptoms and potential cause will dictate the next course of action. There is no official cure for thyroid disease, but with managed care, there are a number of effective treatments that can restore thyroid function.
Reasons To Get Your Thyroid Checked Regularily
So, how common is it to move through life with subtle symptoms like mine and Kellners with no diagnosis or appropriate treatment? Women may suffer from a range of misdiagnoses, notes Rosenthal, who has authored several peer-reviewed publications and consumer health books . She says symptoms of thyroid disease may mask or be mistaken for other problems, such as stress, anxiety, panic disorder, depression, fatigue and weight problems. Without treatment, the thyroid will eventually burn out completely.
Rosenthal recommends that all women have their thyroid function checked annually as a matter of course. And if youve been feeling out of sorts lately, dont wait for your annual checkup to have your thyroid tested. While there are many remedies out there that promise a quick, pain-free cure for health and diet trouble, with thyroid medication the claim happens to be true. Its often the diagnosis, rather than the treatment, that turns out to be painful.
This article was originally titled “Diagnosis: Thyroid disease,” in the . to get the full Best Health experienceand never miss an issue!and make sure to check out whats new in the latest issue of Best Health.
Are There Different Types Of Thyroid Removal Surgery
If your healthcare provider determines that your thyroid needs to be removed, there are a couple of ways that can be done. Your thyroid may need to be completely removed or just partially. This will depend on the severity of your condition. Also, if your thyroid is very big or has a lot of growths on it, that could prevent you from being eligible for some types of surgery.
The surgery to remove your thyroid is called a thyroidectomy. There are two main ways this surgery can be done:
- With an incision on the front of your neck.
- With an incision in your armpit.
The incision on the front of your neck is more of the traditional version of a thyroidectomy. It allows your surgeon to go straight in and remove the thyroid. In many cases, this might be your best option. You may need this approach if your thyroid is particularly big or has a lot of larger nodules.
Alternatively, there is a version of the thyroid removal surgery where your surgeon makes an incision in your armpit and then creates a tunnel to your thyroid. This tunnel is made with a special tool called an elevated retractor. It creates an opening that connects the incision in your armpit with your neck. The surgeon will use a robotic arm that will move through the tunnel to get to the thyroid. Once there, it can remove the thyroid back through the tunnel and out of the incision in your armpit.
- Are not at a healthy body weight.
- Have large thyroid nodules.
- Have a condition like thyroiditis or Gravess disease.
Can I Take Thyroid Tests During Pregnancy
Yes, you can if need be.In fact,it is not uncommon to have thyroid changes during pregnancy. While overactive thyroid affects about one in every 500 pregnancies, underactive thyroid happens in around one in every 250 pregnancies. If you have a pre-existing thyroid condition or develop a thyroid condition during pregnancy, your doctor will monitor your condition and ask for blood tests too. Most likely, your thyroid hormone levels will be checked every 4 to 6 weeks during the first half of your conception, and at least once after 30 weeks.
A thyroid panel test can help identify various conditions including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Graves disease, and thyroid cancer. For all your lab test related needs, visit Metropolis.
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How Long Does It Take To Recover From Thyroid Surgery
It will take your body a few weeks to recover after your thyroid is surgically removed . During this time you should avoid a few things, including:
- Submerging your incision under water.
- Lifting an object thats heavier than 15 pounds.
- Doing more than light exercise.
This generally lasts for about two weeks. After that, you can return to your normal activities.
What Does Your Thyroid Gland Do
Your thyroid gland is a gland found at the front of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple. Your thyroid gland produces hormones that play a key role in regulating your metabolism and affects things like your heart rate, body temperature, and breathing. These hormones are:
These hormones are controlled by thyrotropin-releasing hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone .
Knowing When To Check Your Thyroid