| The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland in your | | | | of low thyroid output. Because doctors are trained in a |
| neck. It controls your rate of metabolism and has | | | | certain way, the treatment is almost certainly going to |
| powerful effects in the functioning of your body. | | | | be.... thyroid hormone replacement. That is to say, if a |
| The effects of a low thyroid are felt in almost every | | | | hormone is low, add more hormone to the body. While |
| part of your body because every cell in your body has | | | | this can help alleviate symptoms, it often overlooks the |
| a receptor on it's cell membrane for the thyroid | | | | reason the hormones are low in the first place. |
| hormones. | | | | It is extremely useful to find a health care practitioner |
| So, everything you can think of that your body does, | | | | that is experienced in managing thyroid disorders. A |
| has a thyroid involvement. | | | | person that can encourage the thyroid to make the |
| The symptoms of low thyroid function, then, can be | | | | thyroid hormones rather than just replace them. |
| wide spread. The two most common symptoms are | | | | However, some times the low thyroid state has gone |
| fatigue and depression. Since these are pretty general | | | | on so long, the thyroid is incapable of producing more |
| symptoms, low thyroid is often misdiagnosed as a | | | | hormones because so much thyroid tissue is lost. |
| female hormonal problem or a neurotransmitter | | | | Hormone replacement in this case makes a lot of |
| serotonin problem. | | | | sense. |
| The other symptoms that are classic for low thyroid | | | | Regardless of the therapy used to prove that the |
| are: loss of hair, hair thinning, dry rough skin, intolerance | | | | TSH- Thyroid-Brain hormone loop is normalized, it is |
| to cold, feeling abnormally cold, constipation, morning | | | | important to realize that there are many other global |
| headaches, lack of motivation, low libido, and brain fog. | | | | effects of having a low thyroid. One of the most |
| Not much fun. | | | | important questions is:" how long after the appearance |
| The most common way to confirm the diagnosis of | | | | of symptoms did you get treated for a low thyroid? " |
| low thyroid or hypothyroid as it is called in the medical | | | | The longer that period of time, the more degeneration |
| community, is an elevated TSH. TSH stands for thyroid | | | | has occurred and the more body systems you need |
| stimulating hormone and is a hormone that is sent out | | | | to support. |
| from the brain to the thyroid to tell it to make thyroid | | | | I talked with a woman this afternoon who told me that |
| hormones. So, if your thyroid is not working the way it | | | | 15 years had elapsed before she got diagnosed and |
| should, and the amount of thyroid hormones being | | | | treated for low thyroid. Yikes! |
| pumped out is low, the brain will increase the message | | | | The most important issue is to seek help if you have |
| to the thyroid gland and it will manifest as a high TSH. | | | | the symptoms I listed above and get the proper |
| How high? Well, the standard lab ranges are.5-4.5, but I | | | | diagnosis. |
| consider anything above 3 to be suspicious. I actually | | | | Treatment can range from thyroid hormone |
| saw a person with hardly any symptoms have a TSH | | | | replacement, to iodine and selenium supplementation, |
| of 128! So you can not always determine the severity | | | | thyroid glandular tissue supplement, homeopathic |
| of the hypothyroid by the symptoms. | | | | treatments or quieting down an overzealous immune |
| The first step is diagnosis, the second step treatment. | | | | system and improving liver, gut and brain function. |
| For most people, going to a doctor with the above | | | | All have their place depending on the person, their |
| symptoms will result in a blood test and a confirmation | | | | symptoms and their lab tests. |