“What do my thyroid test results mean?”

This is a question often asked by many thyroid patients. We know that these blood tests are a measure of thyroid hormone production and that they provide a diagnosis of your thyroid function
Have you ever had your doctor diagnose you with hypothyroidism and then show you the test results saying your TSH levels are way above where they should be so you have hypothyroidism an underactive thyroid? Now you are slightly confused because above is under and under is above. The next thing you know the doctor is telling you about this t4 and t3 with numbers associated to those as well only this time there’s something in the thyroid test results where under is underactive. This can become confusing at a time when you are being told that you have a thyroid disorder. Hopefully the following will help you to understand how these thyroid test results measure thyroid hormone levels and what the diagnosis means.

Thyroid Test Results – What is TSH?

TSH is a thyroid stimulating hormone that is secreted out of the pituitary gland. TSH stimulates or signals the thyroid gland to release t4 and t3 hormone. When your thyroid isn’t releasing enough t4 and t3 the pituitary gland releases higher levels of TSH as an effort to get the thyroid gland to produce more t4 and t3. This is why your doctor will diagnose you with hypothyroidism when your TSH levels are higher than normal.

The pituitary works in reverse where hyperthyroidism or an over active thyroid is present. Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland is releasing too much t4 and t3. When that happens the pituitary gland releases less TSH in effort to slow down the thyroid glands production of t4 and t3.

Thyroid Blood Test Results

Now let’s take a look at thyroid tests, thyroid test results and how they apply to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism

The TSH thyroid test normal range is 0.5 – 5.5

Total t4 thyroid test normal range is   4.5 – 12.5

Free t4 thyroid test normal range is     0.7 – 2.0

Total t3 thyroid test normal range is    80 – 220

Free t3 thyroid test normal range is     2.3 – 4.2

*The differences between total t3 and total t4 and free t3 and free t4 is that things like proteins and medications can alter total t3 and total t4 hormone levels giving them inconsistent unreliable totals while free t3 and free t4 hormone levels are not altered by these things so they give more accurate thyroid test results.

With this in mind we can now look at how these test results help your physician diagnose your thyroid disease.

If your:

Thyroid test results – Pituitary gland Issue:

Total t4 = below normal – less than 4.5 and TSH = below normal less than 0.5 – There could be an issue with your pituitary.

Thyroid test results – Hyperthyroidism Issue:

TSH = below normal less than 0.5 – You may have hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid condition

Thyroid test results – Hypothyroidism Issue:

TSH = above normal more than 5.5 – You may have hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Total t4 = below normal – less than 4.5 and TSH = above normal more than 5.5 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition.

Free t4 = below normal – less than 0.7 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Total t3 = below normal – less than 80 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Free t3 = below normal – less than 2.3 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

*A lump or swelling in the front of your neck could indicate thyroid cancer and your doctor should send you for an ultrasound of your thyroid and other thyroid cancer tests available.

Hopefully this post on thyroid test results will better help thyroid patients understand what the doctors are talking about when they discuss your thyroid test results with you from this point forward.

Are EBV (Mono) and Autoimmune Thyroid Possibly Linked?

In answer to the question are EBV (Mono) and Autoimmune Hypothyroidism Possibly Linked? Evidently there seems to be a large number of Autoimmune Hypothyroid cases out there in which the patient has previously had or carries the Epstein Barr Virus or Mononucleosis.

I came across this information after reading a question that I found on an online answers page. The question was from a woman who had EBV but described symptoms of hypothyroidism. I thought hmm, and decided to research the possibility of a connection between EBV and Hypothyroidism.

My Research – EBV (Mono) and Autoimmune Thyroid

Interestingly, during the course of my research on Hypothyroidism and EBV I found many comments posted by thyroid patients who had in fact been diagnosed with Mononucleosis and still carried the Epstein Barr Virus in their system, (Which from what I gathered doesn’t actually go away), prior to the onset of their autoimmune thyroiditis.  I also found a good bit of information that states that based on reports and observations of usually unscientific observers (perhaps some statistics) these reports and observations show numerous patients that have actually reported having mononucleosis or recurrent EBV a few years before they were diagnosed with Hashimoto’s or Autoimmune thyroiditis as well.

According to some Medical Research on EBV and Autoimmune Disease

At this point there isn’t any definitive medical conclusion to the link between EBV and Hypothyroidism. It’s still under research but so far according to a report by: Michael P. Pender, Neuroimmunology Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, and Department of Neurology,Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, In some studies they have determined the following:

“5.5. Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Patients with autoimmune thyroiditis have increased titres of anti-EBV antibodies in their sera compared to healthy subjects [58]. Thyrotoxicosis can develop immediately after infectious mononucleosis due to primary EBV infection, and autoimmune hypothyroidism can develop in association with acute EBV infection [59]. Intrathyroidal EBV-infected B cells could be the source of the monoclonally expanded B cells in the thyroid gland in autoimmune thyroiditis [60] and might be responsible for the increased risk of development of B-cell lymphoma in the thyroid gland in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis [61].

*Paragraph 4 of this report has interesting information on how EBV can promote autoimmune diseases.

It certainly will be interesting to see the outcome of the research being conducted on the links between the Epstein Barr Virus and autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.

In the mean time if you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid condition such as Hashimoto’s then maybe you could ask your doctor to find out if you also carry the Epstein Barr Virus in your system. I’ve seen reports that state that up to 95% of all adults do actually carry EBV even if they never actually had full blown Mononucleosis.

Is it any wonder why autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s seem to be on the rise? Who would have thought something as simple as a kiss or sharing a drink with a friend as a kid might ultimately have caused your autoimmune thyroid disease?

Maybe studies will provide answers to the question is EBV (Mono) and Autoimmune thyroid Possibly Linked.

The connection between Hypothyroidism Weight Loss and Attitude

It is important to remember that to succeed with any kind of Hypothyroidism weight loss, attitude become a major factor in your overall physical being and can help in losing weight.

Some of the symptoms such as fatigue, uncontrollable weight gain and memory loss can in fact cause depression or a lack of wanting to do much of anything. It’s quite easy to develop a complete loss of interest in everything. This in turn makes it extremely easy to convince yourself that making necessary life changes will be a useless waste of your time.

Think again, because this is exactly what you want to condition yourself to avoid doing. There are steps that you need to take in order to keep your weight gain under control when you suffer from an underactive thyroid.

Hypothyroidism Weight Loss and Attitude – First Step to Weight Control

The first step for hypothyroidism and weight loss is the absolute necessity for thyroid medication regulation as well as regular medical examinations that ensure that your thyroid hormone levels stay where they are supposed to be.

Having proper levels of thyroid hormone processed through your body each day will curb the hypothyroidism symptoms of fatigue, weight gain and depression enough to be able to start changing your attitude and focusing on your hypothyroid weight loss.

Second Step to Weight Control and Hypothyroidism

The second step or requirement in the diet and weight loss process for those who suffer from hypothyroidism can be a difficult task. This step is keeping your attitude positive and realistically in check.

I say that this can be a difficult task but in reality it very often is A VERY DIFFICULT task, especially if your medication isn’t regulated yet.

Once your medication is regulated and your metabolism is back up and running, you have to get rid of that why bother it’s just a waste of time attitude. You can’t keep thinking that you are doomed. This just isn’t true and with this type of attitude you will have a long road ahead of you. A road that’s much longer than it has to be.

You have to take some initiative to remove any negative attitude, bad mood or stress that you might be harboring and replace that with pleasant thoughts and a positive attitude. Keeping an upbeat attitude will make a world of difference in weight loss once you have your symptoms of hypothyroidism under control.

So How Do You Change Your Attitude?

Honestly, changing your attitude is a lot easier than most people think it is. Think about this. How many times in your life have you been in a blah mood and had some function that you wanted to attend? You’re stressed out, feeling down and keep telling your self that you really don’t think that you want to go but then again you do want to or should go. Then eventually you motivate yourself to get out to this event and before you know it your attitude has changed and you are enjoying yourself. Your blah attitude somehow just went away.

The point that I’m making here has everything to do with a reality check on your attitude. It’s about learning to decipher the difference between actual symptoms of hypothyroidism and a lack of wanting to do anything due to everyday stresses and attitude.

If you’re suffering from symptoms of an underactive thyroid then your blah attitude isn’t going to change when you attend this event.  In this case your blah attitude is being caused by very real physical symptoms of your thyroid condition and you should discuss this with your doctor.

Now if your attitude does change and become positive while you are attending this function then this is an indication that your attitude was simply psychological and you’ve successfully changed that attitude. There’s your reality check.

Simple, Subtle Tips for Changing Your Attitude

Making very simple, subtle changes to your general surroundings is a great way to change your bad attitude. Here are some ways to create a necessary distraction that will steer you away from being consumed by a negative attitude:

• Turn on your favorite music. Listening to your favorite music is a surefire way to consume the space in your mind that your negative mentality is starting to take over.
• Call an upbeat friend who you know always makes you feel good. It’s all about feeling good.
• Watch a comedy or go read some jokes, laughter also fills that space and helps to overcome a negative attitude.
• Find anything to add into your current surroundings that just makes you feel good. Good feelings always overpower negative feelings.
• I have to add in here that it’s important that you DON’T turn to eating to make yourself feel good. (That’s going to defeat the purpose)

The basic idea of taking these simple steps is that they are the fuel that you will use to gravitate away from your slump so that you can grow towards conquering the affects brought on by your hypothyroidism symptoms with a positive attitude. Motivation is everything here.

Once you’ve learned to successfully maintain a positive attitude you will be more willing to follow a proper diet and exercise regimen. A positive attitude is a major key toward weight loss when you suffer from hypothyroidism. A positive attitude is the very thing that will get you moving if you just keep in mind the words Hypothyroidism Weight Loss and Attitude.

Hypothyroidism and the Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise – How it Affects You

Are there any benefits that a person with hypothyroidism gets from adding cardiovascular exercise to their daily routine? Absolutely, Hypothyroidism and the Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise is very real. They are the same health benefits that everybody gets when they include cardiovascular exercise to their daily routine. Let’s take a look at those health benefits so we can see exactly where this makes sense.
• Cardiovascular Exercise is extremely beneficial to first and foremost your heart because it strengthens your heart muscle. A stronger heart muscle means that your heart pumps blood better and lowers your risk for heart disease. This is a huge benefit to people who are hypothyroid. Think about Hypothyroidism symptoms. When you have an underactive thyroid everything slows down including the way that your heart pumps blood. It only makes sense to improve your heart functionality if you want better quality in your daily living.
• Cardiovascular exercise also improves lung function for batter oxygen flow. A better oxygen flow through your body helps to strengthen your immune system.
• Cardio exercise will strengthen muscles. Stronger, larger muscles burn more calories aiding in weight control.
• Cardio exercise improves circulation and promotes better muscle function which helps to ease up on or eliminate some of the stiffness that we experience with hypothyroidism.
• Cardiovascular exercise lowers stress levels and improves sleep quality. This is something that can help to eliminate depression which is yet another symptom of hypothyroidism.

Notice that cardiovascular exercise on a normal level will improve many areas of your body and well being that are affected by the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism and the Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise – Thyroid Medication Regulation Before You Start

Again I have to stress here the importance of making sure that you have your thyroid medication regulated. The thyroid medication is where you will first get your body and metabolism into a position where it is going to function in a normal manner. Once your doctor has your medication regulated and your body is functioning at a normal level then it’s time to start reaping the same rewards of cardiovascular exercise that everybody else is capable of reaping.
So where do you start?

How do I Start my Cardiovascular Exercise Routine?

Well, once your thyroid meds are regulated, there are many ways to get your daily dose of cardio exercise. You don’t even have to join a gym to accomplish this. In my opinion the best place to start is walking. You can start by walking a little each day especially if you’ve been experiencing stiffness. In this case I recommend starting with a simple walk around the block and then taking it from there. If you are able to you should try to push for at least 15 minutes on your first day, adding an extra 5 minutes per day until you can put in at least a 60 minute walk per day. Before you even realize it, this routine will become second nature and you won’t have to think about motivating yourself to get out and walk. You might even find yourself pushing beyond those 60 minutes.

Now what happens when the weather starts to get too hot, too cold, wet, snowy or just plain icky? You don’t have to avoid your daily dose of cardiovascular exercise. You can use something as simples as the steps in your house, your dvd player, television and any open space that’s available in your home. Do laps up and down your steps from one floor to the next. If you don’t have multiple floors then you can do laps up and down a hallway or from room to room inside of your house. If you have a dvd player then get a low impact aerobic dvd and use it. If you don’t want to do those things then turn on the stereo and start dancing to your favorite upbeat music. Music can be extremely motivational when it comes down to motivating yourself to move. There are so many simple answers to getting up and moving that we don’t even take the time to consider when we really do need to. This is especially true when you live with an underactive thyroid because you need to be able to counteract the effects and symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Whether or not you choose to do this for yourself, is going to be about how you handle your attitude which I will discuss in another post. There are many good things to be found in Hypothyroidism and the Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise.

Hypothyroidism and Constipation Symptom

Constipation, one of the many symptoms of Hypothyroidism is never a pleasant topic of conversation but as with the other symptoms of Hypothyroidism and constipation is definitely a necessary topic of discussion.

Before we get into why people who live with Hypothyroidism get constipated we should have a basic idea of how the upper and lower intestines function during the digestive process. This post will focus more on the lower intestines then on the upper intestine because that’s where constipation takes place.

Hypothyroidism and Constipation – Digestion and the Need for Fiber and Water

Both the initial and majority of the break down of the foods that we eat begins in the upper or small intestine. During digestion the upper intestine is responsible for breaking down foods enough to pass through the intestinal track while absorbing nutrients necessary for our bodies to function.

By the time digestions reaches the end of the small intestine, known as the ileum, what remains of the food that we have eaten is sodium and chloride, water and waste (unused portions of food, fiber and dead cells from inside of your stomach) The ileum absorbs water, sodium and chloride back into the body before passing the waste on for elimination.

There are a couple of things to take a look at here if your constipation is a result of having an underactive thyroid.

The first is the importance of high fiber combined with including plenty of water into your diet on a daily basis. This is important for all people and not just people who suffer from hypothyroidism. Although fiber is discarded as waste the reason why fiber and water are important to your digestion is that fiber acts like a sponge and absorbs water.

Sometimes the ileum can absorb too much water from what remains of your food causing your stools to become hard and difficult to pass. The fiber that passes through your digestive track holds on to the water that it absorbs and creates that balance that the body needs that helps to insure softer stools.

Exercise and Constipation

The next is exercise. Digestion requires healthy muscle movement throughout the digestive track. When you suffer from hypothyroidism muscles slow down, everything slows down, your blood pumps slower. The main reason for the need to exercise is for the purpose of keeping your blood pumping and maintaining strong healthy muscles. It’s pretty much common sense. It’s also as easy as getting up and going for a 30-40 minute walk each day especially after dinner. Keep moving no matter how fatigued you are.

Hemorrhoids and Constipation

Another issue is that hemorrhoids could be a result of constipation and in turn causing more constipation. Talk about one hand washing the other. Exercise, fiber and water are key to helping in this area. Softer stools eliminate hemorrhoids and constipation.

Hypothyroidism and Constipation Points to Remember

• Remember always, always make sure that you are properly taking your thyroid medication as directed by your medical professional.
• Make sure that you see your doctor on a regular basis.
• Make sure that you are tracking your symptoms and discussing the things that you notice with your doctor at all appointments especially if your constipation is chronic.
• Treatment may be as simple as temporarily needing a stool softener or a hemorrhoid treatment combined with making simple adjustments to your diet and exercise routine.
• Consult a doctor if you start to become dependent on stool softeners and hemorrhoid treatment.
• If you are doing everything right and still suffer from constipation then it could be something unrelated to your hypothyroidism causing your issue.

Hormonal Changes

One last note or reason for the need to discuss the details of this symptom of hypothyroidism with your doctor is that hormonal changes brought about by an underactive thyroid can cause constipation. Your doctor will check your different thyroid hormone levels to make sure that you have proper T3, T4 and TSH levels in your system.

Remember keeping your digestion process healthy can eliminate unexplained fatigue, and the affect of Hypothyroidism and Constipation.

Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy – It Is a Possibility

There are so many questions out there surrounding Hypothyroidism and pregnancy. While I can’t tell you everything that you need to know on the subject, I can share the Hypothyroidism and pregnancy success stories of myself and another family member of mine who has Hypothyroidism. Maybe our experiences can help others understand some of the dynamics of having hypothyroidism or Hashimoto disease and being able to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies without complications.

Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy – My Success Story

My experience is as such; going back some years ago I had gotten pregnant and within twelve weeks was diagnosed as having a miscarriage. It was actually more of a false pregnancy because the fertilized egg only took long enough to provide my body with increased pregnancy hormone levels, giving the appearance of a pregnancy that turned out to be false.

A few months later I started to exhibit symptoms of Hypothyroidism. I made an appointment with the Doctor and sure enough I was suffering from an Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. I found out that if not treated properly ahead of time that hypothyroidism is a disease that definitely could cause issues in a woman suffering with hypothyroidism during pregnancy.

Well as my story goes over time, I was put on thyroid stimulating medication and in actually less than a year my medication levels were regulated. I tried once again to get pregnant and was quite successful. During my pregnancy the only thing that was done different from my first pregnancy was that at each of my visits my thyroid hormone levels were tested and if it was needed my medication levels were adjusted to keep my thyroid hormone levels normal. I had a healthy pregnancy and a very healthy beautiful baby girl without any complications. Doctors should always consistently track thyroid hormone levels in women with hypothyroidism during pregnancy.

Now in the case of my family member who also has an underactive thyroid, things weren’t quite as simple. There was an issue with her pituitary gland which is common in cases were hypothyroidism is concerned. Issues with the pituitary gland will affect the levels of prolactin that your body produces which in return will affect fertility, as was in the case of my family member. Once these things were discovered through a pituitary scan and blood tests and all of her various hormone levels were regulated and with the aid of fertility medication she has had 3 successful pregnancies and has a beautiful family.

The main point is that you can in fact have hypothyroidism and still have children. If you are a woman who has an underactive thyroid, what you have to do is to consult with your doctors, especially one that specializes in thyroid diseases to figure out what it is that’s causing your infertility. Once that’s determined it’s just a matter of keeping everything regulated through gestation and the entire development process of your little baby. It is possible with the aid of your doctor to have your own Hypothyroidism and pregnancy success story.

Best wishes and remember work closely with your doctor. Healthy children are definitely possible in cases of Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy.

The Connection Between Iodine and Thyroid Hormone Production

In previous posts we talked about how goitrogens affect the iodine and thyroid hormone production in our bodies, now I’m going to talk about iodine intake, how it works with, how it affects the thyroid and whether you should be taking iodine supplements for hypothyroidism.

Iodine and Your Thyroid

You might be asking; what does iodine have to do with hypothyroidism and thyroid dysfunction? Well iodine plays a major role in the overall function of the thyroid and its production of thyroid hormone. It’s for this reason that the bodies iodine intake needs to maintain a healthy balance.

Iodine is the key component in thyroid hormone production. There are two hormones produced by the thyroid gland T3 and T4. The numbers 3 and 4 are the actual number of iodine atoms found in each thyroid hormone molecule.

Just too briefly explain the complex manner of how T3 and T4 hormones are used by our bodies I’ll try to summarize it in laymen’s terms. The cells in our bodies use T3 thyroid hormone for gene control. However the majority of thyroid hormone that the thyroid gland produces is T4. The bulk of the T3 and T4 hormones stick to proteins that are produced by the liver, the remainder of the hormones actually make it into the bodies cells where T4 is converted to T3 by the cells deiodinase enzymes and use it to control the cells genes.

Iodine and Thyroid Hormone Production – Iodine deficiency

When there isn’t enough of iodine in a person’s diet the thyroid gland can’t produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s demands. This is when goiter develops because the thyroid gland enlarges as it works harder and harder to try to meet those demands. I’ve seen instances where the recommended daily allowance of iodine intake can range anywhere from 90 on up to 290 micrograms per day depending on age and whether you are pregnant or nursing. Pregnant women require around 220 and nursing women may require around 290 micrograms of iodine per day.

Thyroid dysfunction caused by iodine deficiency in the United States is very rare because in this country our salt as well as many of the foods that we eat contain iodine. The lack of iodine is more common in countries around the world that don’t have iodized table salt or readily available sea food and kelp.

Iodine Supplements for Hypothyroidism – Iodine excess?

More common in the United States are issues where excessive iodine intake is prominent. As I stated above, in the United States there may be more than enough iodine in our daily diets to fulfill the iodine needs of our thyroids. With this being the case in the United States there may be no need for iodine supplements for hypothyroidism treatment. As a matter of fact taking iodine supplements could be detrimental to your thyroid health. If you suspect that you may be have an issue with iodine deficiency you should have blood work done to confirm it.

When there is excessive iodine intake in the human body the thyroid gland starts to overproduce thyroid hormone and when this happens the bodies autoimmune system starts to attack and shut down the thyroid gland to a point where it actually causes hypothyroidism if you have an underlying potential for hypothyroidism such as a family history of this disease. On the other side of the coin if you are pre-disposed to either Grave’s disease of nodular goiter then too much iodine can cause hyperthyroidism. A healthy thyroid gland handles excessive iodine intake by controlling how much iodine it takes in and last with Hashimoto’s too much iodine intake will cause your thyroid gland to slow down thyroid hormone production even more than it already is.

So again when you are looking to provide yourself with a healthy hypothyroidism diet much like with goitrogens and everything else that you include in your diet, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance of foods that contain iodine. Always consult your doctor to treat your thyroid disease then look into the diet and exercise program that works best for you. If a lack of iodine is discovered through proper testing then you may need an iodine supplement.

None the less, there is an important link between iodine and thyroid hormone production but this is only part of the story.

Hypothyroidism Treatment – Start at the Beginning

There are many causes for hypothyroidism. the most common cause being auto immune diseases such as hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Prior to any hypothyroidism treatment it must be determined what is causing your low thyroid condition.

I will once again start by restating the initial common symptoms and signs of an underactive thyroid.

Common symptoms of hypothyroidism:

• Fatigue which can at times causes you to be lethargic because all you want to do is sleep.
• Unexplained weight gain and difficulty losing weight
• Constipation
• Sluggishness
• Depression
• Memory loss, loss of mental cognition or difficulty concentrating (this is huge)
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Pale, dry skin
• Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
• Muscle weakness
• Heavier than normal menstrual periods
• Abnormal periods in general
• Brittle fingernails and hair or hair loss

The myth about hypothyroidism and weight gain:

Yes, when you have hypothyroidism you do gain weight however obesity is not one of the medical conditions caused by hypothyroidism.

On average, with proper hypothyroidism treatment, and if your hypothyroidism is brought under control and properly maintained, then you really shouldn’t gain more than 10 to 15 pounds. If you do gain more than this then you should probably re-examine your eating and exercise habits and figure out where the rest of the weight gain is coming from.

Doctors and Hypothyroidism Treatments

More than likely a primary care doctor will be the one that will initially test patients with hypothyroidism for and discover your hypothyroidism. From that point forward it’s usually the best idea to be treated by an endocrinologist because they generally specialize in treating thyroid disease and can recommend the best hypothyroidism treatment by properly measuring your hormone deficiency.

Check-ups

In order to determine what’s causing your thyroid dysfunction your endocrinologist will conduct blood tests to check your thyroid hormones and they should then conduct a physical examination as well.

During the physical examination the doctor will check the typical vitals, run through the list of symptoms with you asking if you are currently experiencing any of them and last move on to checking your fingernails, your hands and feet for possible bloating then they should feel around on the thyroid gland, with their fingers, checking for any abnormalities.

If they find any suspicious abnormalities on your thyroid gland then they should send you for an ultrasound in order to rule out the possibilities of nodules, goiter, thyroid cancer or any other thyroid disorders.

At first your check-ups should happen every 6-8 weeks until your medication is regulated and after that every 6-12 months for the rest of your life if you have permanent hypothyroidism.

Thyroid Medication

Once you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism your doctor will prescribe a hormone replacement medication. Your medication is not something to fear. If you properly take your medication, it will help you to get back to functioning normally and is the main factor in any hypothyroidism treatment. One of the more commonly prescribed medications is levothyroxine.

The thing that you have to become and remain aware of is the fact that this medicine is a thyroid hormone replacement medication. It is a synthetic hormone meant to replace what the body is lacking in normal thyroid hormone production. Simply put it’s meant for when your thyroid gland can no longer produce enough thyroid hormone to function on a normal level.

When thyroid medication is not taken as directed it is then that it can cause problems with your health. It is not a diet pill and should never be thought of or treated as if it were.

Thyroid Dysfunction: Is Not Always an Issue With the Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is not the only gland that can cause hypothyroidism, it can also be caused by issues with the pituitary gland. Again your endocrinologist would be able to figure out if this is the case and set you up with an appropriate hypothyroidism treatment.

Hypothyroidism Treatment – Treat Your Thyroid Disorder First

Before you start to consider what to do about a hypothyroidism diet there is something that you need to do or all of the diets out there just aren’t going to work. Focus on receiving some proper hypothyroidism treatment.

See your doctor, have your thyroid or tsh levels checked. If you do in fact have thyroid problems, your doctor will start you on a thyroid medication such as Synthroid which is a synthetic hormone. The next step is that the doctor should be checking your thyroid levels every four to six weeks until your body is receiving the proper amount of thyroid hormone that it needs in order for you to function properly. This is a progressive process and an extremely important process as well. Once your thyroid levels are in proper working order you should be re-checked every six to twelve months.

One of the last things that you should ever do if you believe that you are experiencing thyroid symptoms is to try to self treat your potential thyroid disease. You could cause yourself some serious health issues if you try this.

Your doctor will determine your initial need for thyroid treatment based on various potential health conditions that you may have, as well as on your age and any other medications that you may currently be on, that could adversely affect your thyroid medicine. From there he/she will increase or decrease your thyroid medication accordingly until your thyroid levels are as close to normal as they can be.

Supplements Can Be Harmful While Treating Hypothyroidism

You should also be aware that kelp supplements can actually be harmful to the thyroid if a person is susceptible to thyroid disease or thyroid disorders, such as a family history of it. The levels of iodine found in kelp supplements is quite a bit above the recommended daily allowance and if you are pre-disposed to possible thyroid disorders the excessive exposure to the iodine can actually trigger your thyroid disease. This is not good! Besides in the United States iodine is very much available and consumed in so many of our common foods. Never self medicate let your doctor provide you with a good medical hypothyroidism treatment.

Choosing a Doctor to receive Hypothyroidism Treatments

So you might be asking; just how does a person choose a doctor who can properly handle your hypothyroidism treatment. The answer is simple. You want to start with your primary care physician. They can run your initial exam where they should check the front of your neck for the possibility of an enlarged thyroid or goiter as well as conducting blood tests, testing your tsh, t4 and t3 thyroid levels.

Should the results of these tests show that you do in fact suffer from some form of thyroid disease then the next step that you want to take is to have your primary care physician recommend you to a reputable endocrinologist.

An endocrinologist specializes in the endocrine system of your body so they can provide you with a more in-depth diagnosis of your thyroid symptoms and advise you on how to properly treat different areas of your body that have been affected by your lack of metabolism and hypothyroidism.

On a personal note, I highly recommend that you do get an endocrinologist and that you not let your primary care physician talk you out of doing so, especially if you want the best possible hypothyroidism treatment that you can get. Also keep in mind that there are some endocrinologists out there that do specialize in thyroid disease and hypothyroidism treatment.

Causes Of Hypothyroidism

Below we will explore some of the causes of hypothyroidism. These causes range from the foods that we eat or supplements that we take to more severe reasons such as our thyroids coming under attack from our own bodies. Although the causes of hypothyroidism vary there aren’t as many as there are symptoms of hypothyroidism. We’ll touch on them first.

Hypothyroidism Symptoms

In case at this point you are thinking either, what are the symptoms of hypothyroidism or how would I know if I have a thyroid problem, I’ll reiterate a few of the symptoms.

If you currently have fatigue, unexplained weight gain, an enlarged thyroid gland or inflammation at the front of your neck, dry skin and hair, depression and constipation contact your doctor and have him or her run blood tests to see if you have a thyroid condition. Your doctor will be able to tell if your body is producing too little or too much thyroid hormone.

There are in essence two kinds of hypothyroidism, temporary and permanent hypothyroidism. Your doctor will determine which one you have. The conditions tend to affect more women than men.

Causes Of Hypothyroidism That Are Temporary

In the case of temporary hypothyroidism, your thyroid problems can be caused by thyroiditis, too much iodine (which can actually worsen existing hypothyroidism), to little iodine (causing an iodine deficiency) and various medications especially if you are pre-disposed to hypothyroidism through a family history.

Because the food and cooking supplies in United States contain plenty of iodine it’s unusual to see hypothyroidism which is caused by an iodine deficiency in this country. We are actually more likely to see this caused by an over intake or consumption of iodine in those who use iodine supplements, such as kelp pills, that are sold in health food stores and aren’t regulated by the FDA and therefore tend to exceed the recommended daily allowance. It’s still recommended however that people who are hypothyroid stay away from soy and soy based products.

Causes Of Hypothyroidism That Are Permanent

With permanent hypothyroidism the thyroid gland is damaged and cannot be cured. However your hypothyroidism can be treated, on a permanent basis, with success under proper medical advice, diagnosis, treatment and prescribed, proper levels of thyroid hormone medicine.

Always have your doctor provide medical advice and proper information with regard to your thyroid disorder whether you suffer from hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. (See Hypothyroidism Treatment)

More Causes Of Hypothyroidism You should Consider

• Autoimmune diseases: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism, it is an autoimmune disease. With Hashimoto’s thyroiditis the immune system attacks the thyroid because it views the thyroid gland as a foreign object and then creates antibodies that over time shut down the thyroid gland.

A couple of other autoimmune diseases that put people at high risk for hypothyroidism are systemic lupus and type 1 diabetes.
Although pregnancy doesn’t actually cause hypothyroidism, a thyroid problem can develop both during and after pregnancy.

• Pituitary gland disorders: Issues with the pituitary gland such as pituitary surgery and tumors can slow or stop production of the tsh hormone which then causes it to send messages to the thyroid to decrease t3 and t4 hormones thus causing your hypothyroidism.

• Exposure to radiation or radiation treatment: The radioactive iodine that is used in these treatments destroys part or all, of the thyroid. Therefore if you’ve ever been treated with radioactive iodine this could cause you to develop thyroid disease.

• Thyroid surgery: Naturally if either part or all of your thyroid has been removed it may or will never fully function, I say may because on rare occasions a partial thyroid can still function enough to create a persons necessary, required amounts of thyroid hormone.

Some reasons why a person would need to have thyroid surgeries would be if they were diagnosed with goiter, thyroid cancer, Graves disease or thyroid nodules. In most cases after such surgeries thyroid hormone replacement becomes a necessity for the body to properly function on a metabolic level.

Now that we understand the causes of hypothyroidism, it’s pretty safe to say that there are very few steps that can be taken in order to prevent hypothyroidism and at most with the help of medical professionals we can however control the affects of this disease.