Hypothyroidism Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1 I am 35yr old female and my weight is around 82 kg, I do lots of exercise and dieting still I don't lose weight? What can be the reason involved?

If you have noticed that after continuous strenuous exercise and dieting, you are just not losing your weight, then you should think about checking your thyroid levels once. Since our thyroid gland is responsible for metabolism of our body, even a minute imbalance could affect your rate of weight loss.

If you do not face any symptoms associated with thyroid, then you should consider other reasons as well. You should assess your hormonal levels as well and look for any other diagnosis. Also sometimes there are chances that your metabolism has slowed down due to excess dieting. Talk to your practitioner early as early detection can give better results and treatment. Even good nutrition and changes in lifestyle will help you to overcome this. Get the information from our world's best experts right Now!.

2 Since last 15- 20 days, my mother- in-law has noticed some swelling in her neck which is mildly painful when touched? What can be this? How does this develop?

A swelling of neck can be due to enlarged thyroid gland known as Goiter. A goiter is an enlargement of thyroid gland with less or more amount of thyroid hormones in blood stream.

Thyroid gland is situated in front of the windpipe (trachea) made up of two lobes. An enlarged thyroid gland does not mean that the whole gland is swollen but there can be one or more swellings or lumps or small nodules in the neck. Sometimes it is enlarged more, these nodules can be palpable. There are different types of goiter each with various causes. It can be caused due to low or high levels of thyroid hormones. Normally there are no major symptoms apart from swelling in neck, but sometimes it can be painful due to thyroiditis.

If the swelling increases then it causes pressure on the windpipe causing difficulty with breathing or with swallowing. If you have noticed such swelling, consult your doctor immediately and get your levels tested. If there are nodules, then ultrasound scan or biopsy is required and treatment will be based accordingly. So what are you waiting for! Get a professional consultant and get rid of this swelling quickly.

3 Yesterday, there was an annual checkup of all blood test in my company and accidentally my report showed raised TSH and normal T3 & T4, am I suffering from thyroid? I do not have any symptoms of it? What is this?

Well, if your reports show raised TSH with normal levels of circulating thyroid hormones, with no clinical symptoms, then there is a possibility that you might be suffering from subclinical hypothyroidism. It is condition in which patient does not exhibit any symptoms of thyroid but reports shows mild raised TSH levels above 5 mU per mL. It is believed that the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism is about 4 to 8.5 percent in women older than 60 years of age.

You should talk to your endocrinologist immediately. Usually the management of subclinical hypothyroidism varies. Some doctors might suggest you to go for treatment whereas few will wait and assess your levels again after 4- 6 months. It is seen that those patients with TSH level more than 10 mU per mL have a high risk of elevated cholesterol levels; hence if this happens then it should be treated immediately. Also sometimes thyroid-stimulating hormone level of less than 0.1 mU per mL can progress to overt hyperthyroidism, atrial fibrillation and cardiac dysfunction. So do not worry. Wave off your anxiety and speak to our experts about the management immediately. Don't worry you are in safe hands!

4 What changes I should expect after I start my homeopathic treatment for hypothyroidism?

Homeopathy is a branch of medicine which acts on a patient as a whole at deeper level. After starting homeopathic treatment you will definitely find relief in your distressing symptoms. If your levels are mildly raised then you will expect the changes faster otherwise it will take time to stimulate your thyroid gland and maintain your thyroid levels.

Homeopathic treatment not only corrects the deficiency of the hormones but helps in restore the functions of glands. Its constitutional approach will increasing the immunity of an individual and helps to restore the individual back to health.

5 Is there any better and safe option to maintain my thyroid levels?

Yes, Homeopathy is the best option and an effective factor in cases of hypothyroidism. Homeopathic remedies stimulate the body to reactivate the hormone secretions and restore the thyroid tissue thus allowing the body to heal itself. It not only helps to maintain thyroxin level in the body but also eventually heal our thyroid naturally so it can produce more thyroxin and hence removing a person's dependency on medications and stimulants.

Homeopathic treatment not only corrects the deficiency of the hormones but helps to restore the functions of glands. Homeopathic remedies will help to stimulate our energy, improve circulation and metabolism and balances the secretion of thyroid hormones. So do you want to get rid of your thyroid tablets permanently!

6 I am a 35 years old female. My thyroid test indicates that my TSH levels are 5.8. I am taking Thyronorm 25 mcg daily. Do I need to take this medicine throughout my life?

Well, medications for hypothyroidism depend on your levels of thyroid hormones and their causes. If hypothyroidism is due to primary cause where there is damage to thyroid gland, then the treatment should be assessed closely and properly. It is necessary to monitor your thyroid levels every 4- 6 months regularly over the next 12 months to make your thyroid function normal. In order to reduce or stop your thyroid medication, you need to consult a well experienced practitioner. It is important to check your thyroid levels carefully as well as your nutritional and digestion. It is advisable that if at all your levels are stable for 6 - 8 months, and then you can taper off the dose with proper exercise and dietary supplements.

Remember do not stop your medications without the consent of a doctor otherwise you can land up with many problems and complications.

7 I have been diagnosed as hypothyroidism, so what are the treatments available to correct my thyroid levels?

The goal of treatment is to maintain the thyroid hormones within normal limits. After checking your thyroid levels, dosage of the medications will be based accordingly. Since there is low secretion of thyroid hormones in hypothyroidism, standard treatment involves the daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine. Continuous use of these drugs will help to maintain normal thyroid hormone levels. It is important to understand that every patient will be treated different depending on their thyroid levels.

Once the treatment has started make sure that you have a regular checkup of thyroid hormones every 3-6 months for the maintenance of the dose. Sometimes excess dosage of medicines is potentially harmful and can cause dangerous problems like increased heart rate, lack of sleep etc. Hypothyroidism often runs in families, thus examinations of your family members and assessments of thyroid function tests are necessary. Get more information about Hypothyroidism Treatment.

8 Do I have to consume any special diet for my hypothyroidism?

If you are suffering from hypothyroidism, it is necessary to eat proper thyroid diet if possible .They are-

• Consume foods rich in Vitamin A such as carrots and eggs.
• Have foods rich in selenium like hazelnuts, meat, onion, chicken etc
• Have fresh cranberries as they are good source of iodine
• Use Coconut oil as it has a naturally stimulating effect on the thyroid gland.
• Have plenty of herbs like black pepper, chillies, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric.
• Eat foods rich in omega-3s as well as vitamin A such as fish and fish liver oils
• Drink Distilled (once or twice a day) or Non-Chlorinated and Fluoride Free Water daily.
• Avoid goitrogens foods such as turnips, cabbage, mustard, cassava root, soybeans, peanuts that block the utilization of iodine.
• Avoid processed, refined sugary products.

9 My mother is complaining of swelling in her neck with irregular menses and dry skin since 1 month? Is it related to thyroid? How do I confirm it?

To confirm your diagnosis, the first and foremost thing is to consult your nearest doctor immediately.

• Your doctor can examine your thyroid gland, for any enlargement if any.
• Then he can also check for characteristic signs of hypothyroidism, such as looking for dry skin, thinning hair, swelling of the arms and legs and a slow heart rate.
• Also knee and ankle reflexes can be tested to look for any abnormalities.
• The most reliable test to confirm the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is based on the results of blood tests for levels of thyroid hormones and serum TSH. The TSH test is the most sensitive test for hypothyroidism caused by problem with the thyroid gland. Many cases of hypothyroidism are associated with mild elevations in Creatine kinase and liver enzymes in the blood.
• In addition, tests like Antithyroid antibodies (for evidence of autoimmune disease) and Anti-TPO antibodies in the blood (for Hashimoto's thyroiditis) should also be checked out.
• If a pituitary or hypothalamic cause is suspected, an MRI of the brain is required.

Get more information about Hypothyroidism Tests & Diagnosis

10 Are there any ways and means to prevent hypothyroidism?

Remember -Earlier the detection, better is the prevention. Since hypothyroidism cause different consequences related to physical, mental and neurological impairment, it is necessary to prevent this disease as early as possible from disastrous complications.

• Diet- It is necessary to have a proper balanced diet full of veggies and fruits and avoid goitrogenous substances. Get good amount of iodine from diet
• Body cleansing- It should be done to free the body from all toxins
• Physical activity- Regular exercise will relieve stress and balance all our system and boost up your immune system.

Get more information and read more about Hypothyroidism Prevention.

11 What will happen if I ignore my hypothyroidism, can it lead to any serious adverse effects?

Hypothyroidism if left untreated it may lead to number of different other conditions like-

• Goiter- It is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland that forms a lump in the throat.
• Myxoedema- It is the severe form of hypothyroidism mostly in adults with low thyroid hormones.
• Heart problems- People have increased risk of heart diseases because of elevated blood cholesterol level thus impairing the pumping activity of the heart.
• Infertility- Females with hypothyroidism usually suffer from infertility because low levels of thyroid hormone interfere with the ovulation process.
• Birth defects-It is seen that women with untreated thyroid disease may have a higher risk of birth defects than babies born to healthy mothers. These children are more prone to develop intellectual and developmental problems.
• Peripheral neuropathy- Uncontrolled hypothyroidism can cause damage to the peripheral nerves leading to pain, numbness and tingling in the affected area.
• Mental disorders- Sometimes hypothyroidism causes slowness of mental functioning resulting into depression. Alzheimer's disease can also occur.

So to prevent yourself from these complications, consult our best experts immediately. Read more about Hypothyroidism Complications.