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Symptoms
Increased sensitivity to cold
Depression
Constipation
Pale, dry skin
Hoarse voice
Nausea
Fatigue
Slow heart beat
Swelling of the face
Irritated eyes
Effects of the Body
Random weight fluctuations
Gray Hair at an early age (for males)
Breast enlargement
Inflammation of the thyroid
Treatment
In most cases Hypothyroidism is treated by taking a daily dose of levothyroxine, a synthetic hormone. The type of medicine I take is called Levoxyl.
What to do if you miss a dose:
Dont worry if you miss a dose you wont shrivel up and die, but if you remember that you missed a dose you should make it up as soon as possible. If you need to make up pills then you should not make up more than four pills.
When first you start taking Levoxyl you feel tired and sick to your stomach. This is a normal reaction for your body when the drug is first introduced, but if these symptoms persist you should tell your physician. You may need to increase or decrease the dosage.
***IMPORTANT*** If you start to feel better after taking Levoxyl DO NOT STOP TAKING IT! If you do then the symptoms will just come right back. People who take medicine for Hypothyroidism need to take it for life.
***ATTENTION***
HYPOTHYROIDISM IS A NON-PREVENTIBLE DISEASE
How Hypothyroidism Works and Progresses
Hypothyroidism is the condition when the thyroid doesnt produce enough of the thyroid hormone. There are three different types of Hypothyroidism.
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Primary Hypothyroidism is the most common. It is the one I have. This type of hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid doesnt produce enough of the thyroid hormone.
Secondary Hypothyroidism is when the Pituitary and Hypothalamus glands dont produce enough Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH. The TSH tells the thyroid whether it is producing enough of the thyroid hormone. If there isnt enough TSH then the thyroid will produce either too much or too little of the thyroid hormone.
Tertiary Hypothyroidism, or Hashimoto Disease, is when the immune system attacks the thyroid. As a result the thyroid is damaged and cannot produce enough of the thyroid hormone.
If medicine is not taken to treat Hypothyroidism, then as a kid your symptoms will worsen. As an adult, it can cause failure of vital organs like the esophagus and the heart. You can also develop diabetes and circulatory diseases.
The Difference between Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism
The difference between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism is very simple.
Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid produces too little of the thyroid hormone.
Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid produces too much of the thyroid hormone
Hypothyroidism and Me
I find living with hypothyroidism quite easy. The only thing I dont like is remembering to take my medicine. If I take my medicine regularly I am not supposed to have any of the symptoms. That is why I try to remember to take my medicine every day. To help me remember to take my medicine, I have started using a pillbox that is marked with each day of the week, so I can see if I forget to take it. I am afraid that if I forget to take my medicine regularly then I will get gray hair.
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