hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid )

[artio]

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some of you might wonder why i have placed this here i myself have been trying to lose weight for some time and went in to a form of depression. having been treated for it for some time i asked for a blood test amongst other things and now have the reason for my weight problem posted this in case some of you lads and lasses might have had or have the same problem as i have with out knowing it so.
just out of intrest i thought id post the info i have found for this.....

Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)
Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) means a reduced level of thyroid hormone. This

can cause a variety of symptoms. Treatment is usually easy and effective.
What is hypothyroidism?
Thyroxine is a body chemical (hormone) made by the thyroid gland in the neck. It is carried round the body in the bloodstream. It helps to keep the body's functions (the metabolism) working at the correct pace. Many cells and tissues in the body need thyroxine to keep them going correctly.
Hypothyroidism, also known as an underactive thyroid, occurs when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroxine. This causes many of the body's functions to slow down. (In contrast, if you have hyperthyroidism, you make too much thyroxine which causes many of the body's functions to speed up.)
Who gets hypothyroidism?

About I in 50 women, and about 1 in 1000 men develop hypothyroidism at some time in their life. It commonly develops in adults, but it can occur at any age. It can affect anyone, but it also tends to run in some families. If you have hypothyroidism, tell your children, particularly daughters, to look out for the symptoms in their adult lives. Not all children of people with hypothyroidism will get the condition, but the chance is higher than average.
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Many symptoms can be caused by a low level of thyroxine. Basically, everything 'slows down'. Not all symptoms develop in all cases.
• Symptoms that commonly occur include: tiredness, weight gain, constipation, aches and pains, feeling cold, dry skin, lifeless hair, fluid retention, mental slowing, and depression.
• Less common symptoms include: a hoarse voice, irregular or heavy menstrual periods in women, infertility, carpal tunnel syndrome (which causes pains and numbness in the hand), and memory loss or confusion in the elderly.
• If you have angina, you may find that your angina pains become more frequent.
However, all these symptoms can be caused by other conditions, and sometimes the diagnosis is not obvious. Symptoms usually develop slowly, and gradually become worse over months or years as the level of thyroxine in the body gradually falls.
What causes hypothyroidism?

The common cause is due to an 'autoimmune disease'. The immune system normally makes antibodies to attack bacteria, viruses, and other'bugs'. In people with autoimmune diseases, the immune system makes antibodies against
part(s) of the body. Most people with hypothyroidism make antibodies which attack their own thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is then not able to make enough thyroxine, and hypothyroidism gradually develops. It is thought that something triggers the immune system to make antibodies against the thyroid. The 'trigger' is not known.
Other causes are uncommon. For example:
• rare hormone or gland problems which affect the thyroid gland.
• a side effect to some medicines. (For example, amiodarone and lithium).
• surgery or radioactive treatment to the thyroid gland for other conditions.
• some children are born with an underactive thyroid gland (congenital hypothyroidism).


How is hypothyroidism diagnosed?

A blood test can diagnose hypothyroidism. A normal blood test will also rule it out if symptoms suggest that it may be a possible diagnosis.
The common blood test measures a hormone called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). This hormone is made in the pituitary gland in the brain and is released into the bloodstream. It stimulates the thyroid gland to make thyroxine. If the level of thyroxine in the blood is low, then the pituitary releases more TSH to try and stimulate the thyroid gland even more. Therefore, a raised level of TSH means the thyroid gland is underactive and is not making enough thyroxine.
How is hypothyroidism treated?

The usual treatment is to take thyroxine tablets each day. This replaces the thyroxine which your thyroid gland is not making. Most people feel much better quite quickly after starting treatment.
(The treatment above is for the common cause of hypothyroidism. Some rare causes of hypothyroidism may need additional treatments.)
What is the correct dose of thyroxine?

Most adults need between 50 and 200 mcg daily. A low dose is prescribed at first and is gradually increased over a period of time. Blood tests are usually taken every now and then over several months, and the dose may be adjusted accordingly. The blood test measures TSH (see above). Once the blood TSH level is normal it means you are getting the correct amount of thyroxine from the tablets. It is then common practice to check the TSH blood level once a year.
As you get into your 70s and 80s, you may need a reduced dose of thyroxine. Also, if your weight changes by more than 1 stone (about 7 kg) due to dieting, weight gain, or pregnancy, you should have a blood test sooner than the routine annual test as the dose may need to be adjusted.
Missed a tablet?

Everyone forgets to take their tablets from time to time. Don't worry as the odd forgotten thyroxine tablet will not make much difference. However, you should try to take thyroxine regularly for maximum benefit. Symptoms will gradually come back if you do not take the tablets for several days or more.
How long is the treatment for?
For most people, treatment is for life. Occasionally the disease process reverses. This is rare apart from in the following situations.
25 jan 2007 Dr hOC Aye
Page 2 of
Children. Sometimes hypothyroidism is a temporary condition in older children. This is not so for children who are born with an underactive thyroid.
Pregnancy. About 1 in 20 women have thyroid imbalance for up to one year after having a baby. Often this corrects itself However, afterwards it is wise to have a yearly blood test as there is an increased chance of developing long-term hypothyroidism in the future.
Are there any side-effects from treatment?

Usually not. Thyroxine tablets replace the body's natural hormone, so side-effects are uncommon. However, if you have angina, you may find that your angina pains become worse when you first start thyroxine. Tell a doctor if this happens.
If you take too much thyroxine it can lead to symptoms of an over-active thyroid, such as palpitations, diarrhoea, irritability, or flushing. This is why the initial treatment dose is small and gradually built up, and why you need blood tests to check that you are taking the correct dose of thyroxine.
Free prescriptions
If you have hypothyroidism, you are entitled to free prescriptions. This is for all your medicines, whether related to the hypothyroidism or not. Ask your pharmacist for details and for a form to fill in to claim this benefit.
In summary
• Hypothyroidism is common.
• Symptoms develop gradually. They may be confused with other conditions.
• Treatment with thyroxine tablets is usually easy and effective.
• Treatment is usually for life.
• Have a blood test once a year if you take thyroxine tablets.
c EMIS and PIP 2002 Updated Sept 2001 PRODIGY Validated
Dr C h, C Aye

to some of you that have tried and tried again and again to lose weight this could be the reson why i hope i have helped in this little way........ ill be all fixed soon and will get to see my hard work training thanks for taking the time to read this arti ex/ site mp

[Wotan]

I will be replying to this fairly shortly.
In the meantime this is a very good post.
Basic hormonal issues are a very neglected area of b/b ing in my view, especially for the elder gentlemen amongst us [koff koff].
Incidentally over-active thyroids are also more common than one would think. And have a slew of symptons that are easily overlooked too. The problem is not obviously under/over active glands - but slightly under/over glands. Sub-clinical defiencies/excesses in other words.
These can be so hard to spot that some people have half-a-lifetime of under-par health before a penny drops somewhere.

[artio]

Quote

I will be replying to this fairly shortly.
In the meantime this is a very good post.
Basic hormonal issues are a very neglected area of b/b ing in my view, especially for the elder gentlemen amongst us [koff koff].
Incidentally over-active thyroids are also more common than one would think. And have a slew of symptons that are easily overlooked too. The problem is not obviously under/over active glands - but slightly under/over glands. Sub-clinical defiencies/excesses in other words.
These can be so hard to spot that some people have half-a-lifetime of under-par health before a penny drops somewhere.

yes i myself have stuggled for a few years with my weight but now know the falt also having my test levels tested too so i hope soon my metabolism and test levels shall be back on track and all because of a simple blood test thanks for the reply i also think topics like this should be put in threads to help them that may need to check it out if only for peace of mind no amount of training and cardio will fix the problem you need the medication for to do this i do beleive.

[Wotan]

I shall start this post with a bit of a bomb-blast.

I have the odd punt on horses but I'm not a real gambler. Nonetheless I would be willing to bet my pension that out of all the people that visit this forum at least two thirds have underactive thyroids. Two out of every three of you, at least, are physically underperforming - all due to a simple hormone deficiency.

How can I be so certain?

The answer is simple. The vast majority of us use chlorinated water at some stage of the day. We drink it [if not in itself then as tea and coffee etc] we wash in it, we brush our teeth in it etc. Every day.

The chlorine we absorb this way [and we absorb it quite readily - especially in showers where it forms an ultra-light mist that we breathe in] displaces the iodine that our bodies need.

This phenomenon is called; "halogen displacement". Its well known within the chemical industry but hardly recognised within medical circles.

Halogen displacement was chemically/medically outlined by J.C. Jarvis, M.D.
I quote:-

"The clinical activity of any one of these four halogens is in inverse proportion to its atomic weight. This means that any one of the four can displace the element with a higher atomic weight, but cannot displace an element with a lower atomic weight. For example, flourine can displace chlorine, bromine and iodine because flourine has a lower atomic weight than the other three. Similarly, chlorine can displace bromine and iodine because they both have a higher atomic weight. Likewise, bromine can displace iodine from the body because iodine has a higher atomic weight. But a reverse order is not possible. A knowledge of this well-known chemical law brings us to a consideration of the addition of chlorine to our drinking water as a purifying agent. We secure a drinking water that is harmful to the body not because of its harmful germ content but because the chlorine content now causes the body to lose the much-needed iodine ...."

[Folk Medicine, Henry Holt & Co., 1958, HB, p. 136]

To make thyroid hormones the body requires amongst other things an adequate supply of iodine. If this iodine is constantly being supplanted by chlorine then an insufficiency will occur.

How to address the problem? There are several strategies. I think personally that using all of them is the best route. For instance, if your diet is inadequate then simply drinking bottled water will not suffice.

1. Reduce your chlorine exposure. Use filtered water for instance.

I prefer this to using bottled water because a) filtered water will be more bacteria free b) its cheaper c) its regularly monitored for overall quality. The same cannot be said for bottled water. Even though it may be relatively free at source, or within the bottling plant, incorrect storage [eg, not kept in the dark] will lead to spectacular, probably invisible, bacterial and algea growth.

You can also buy an attachment for your shower-head that knocks out chlorine and by simply adding vitamin C to your bath water you can achieve the same effect. [This is apparantly how industry de-chlorinates water].

2. Add extra iodine to your diet. I use two methods. Both are guaranteed. Firstly I take kelp tablets. Kelp is a long-stemmed seaweed that is rich in most if not all all biologically necessary minerals. One 300 mg tablet will contain around 100/150 mcg of iodine - and that is all that's needed.

The second thing I do is to paint between my toes with iodine tincture once a week. This tincture can be bought from most chemists for about £2 a bottle. This bottle, although small, will last weeks. Using iodine this way does two things. It supplies iodine and it keeps manky foot infections like athletes foot at bay.

Be warned. Iodine tincture stains, so use a Q-tip or something. Use your bare finger and you will look as if you smoke 40 Woodbines a day. Do not spill it on the bedsheets, carpets, table cloth etc. It won't come out, well not completely anyway! Lastly, although it will stain the skin between your toes for three or four days it will stain your nails for much longer. Hence the advice about using a Q-tip or something.

To read more about this subject go to:-
http://www.waterwarning.com/chlorinefact.htm

[Ripped Barbarian]

Interesting and slightly worrying about the chlorine, thankfully i filter now.
If you've been drinking unfiltered tap water all your life, how do you think your metabolism would be affected long term? would taking the actions to remove it and have sufficient iodine in ones diet promote your thyroid to recover or grow to full function?

[Tartulho]

Good post Wotan and Artio. This is a very interesting subject with the warnings and simple tips on how to "detect" and avoid.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

I always filter my tap water...twice! I have one under the sink which means I have filtered water on tap, but I run this through a jug filter and keep it in the fridge! I haven't got round to getting a filter attachment for my shower head yet, as I only came across this earlier in the week. Must look into it. Interesting that you [Wotan] should mention Halogens...I've been looking at the facts behind fluoridation of tapwater. I don't know about other water authorities, but mine [Severn Trent] have a nifty feature on their website whereby you can get a detailed analysis of your tapwater by tapping in your postcode...I was relieved to find they do not currently fluoridate my tapwater, though it naturally contains 0.07mg/l which is well below the 1.5mg/l they are allowed to top it up to! My chlorine is at 0.17mg/l and apparently no standard for this applies. Did you know it is the local health authorities which decide whether the water should be fluoridated and not the water board? If the LHA instruct the WA to add fluoride, they have to do it!

[Ripped Barbarian]

Btw, a heads up on a bargain (as i always seem to post here!)

TJ HUGHES stores are doing a brita water filter 40th aniversary pack for £12 you get the "marella" 3.5l jug with electronic timer, 3 fitler cartridges and a free metal sports bottle. Altogether worth about £30.
It's cheaper than 3 cartridges on their own so i thought i'd buy 2.

Here's the link http://www.tjhughes.co.uk/mall/produ...ughes/71880299
Oh and i don't think i have any thyroid problem, i'm sat here topless and it's 12C inside here.

[Wotan]

Term, thats a pretty good link for the filter - I'm going to get one of those!! Thanks.

As for your thyroid gland. Personally I think its more than possible to regenerate all glands through proper nutrition.

Nu, yes I did know about the flouridation "debate" [or lack of it to be more precise]. I deliberately did not mention it to avoid any "political" debate.
In case anyone wonders though I am personally, absolutely, totally and utterly against enforced medication.

If I want flouride I'll swallow toothpaste. What I don't want is to be forced to take something of highly debateable value without ever getting a say in the matter.

As always, just my take.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Quote

Term, thats a pretty good link for the filter - I'm going to get one of those!! Thanks.

As for your thyroid gland. Personally I think its more than possible to regenerate all glands through proper nutrition.

Nu, yes I did know about the flouridation "debate" [or lack of it to be more precise]. I deliberately did not mention it to avoid any "political" debate.
In case anyone wonders though I am personally, absolutely, totally and utterly against enforced medication.

If I want flouride I'll swallow toothpaste. What I don't want is to be forced to take something of highly debateable value without ever getting a say in the matter.

As always, just my take.

Stand by...there is talk in medical circles about adding statins to the water supply! And with fluoride toothpaste have you noticed it always advises "use a pea-sized amount on the brush and DO NOT SWALLOW"!