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WIRED? TIRED? IT COULD BE YOUR
THYROID!
One in 10 Americans Suffers from a Thyroid Disorder
Approximately 8 Million Are Undiagnosed
January is National Thyroid Awareness Month
It's a story that's repeated on regular basis. Dr.
Scott Isaacs tells of patients that were always categorized
as "high energy" people. They were active, ran daily and
were always the one's to say, "Go, go, go." Then things
started to change. Gradually, and symptoms were attributed to ongoing
lifestyle changes. As time went on these patients admitted that
they felt really, really horrible. Hands and feet were always cold.
Hair was dry and falling out. Periods were much heavier, and they
had so little energy that just getting up the stairs was a major
effort. These people literally thought they were dying!
They were not dying. They were diagnosed as hypothyroid--where the
thyroid gland was under active, producing too little thyroid hormone
or hyperthyroid--where the thyroid gland was on fast forward, producing
too much thyroid hormone.
 It's estimated that 20 million Americans are currently under treatment
for thyroid disorders. However, another 8 million are undiagnosed.
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists hopes to change
that by increasing public awareness during National Thyroid Awareness
Month in January 2004.
Why do so many people go undiagnosed? "Often the symptoms of
thyroid disease-such as weight gain or fatigue-come on gradually,
and people think they're just feeling tired or that they're just
getting older," according to Dr. Scott Isaacs, an Atlanta endocrinologist
and author of the new book, A
Simple Guide to Thyroid Disorders-From Diagnosis to Treatment.
Other common symptoms include nervousness, irritability, and sleeplessness.
"After diabetes, thyroid disease is the most common glandular
disorder, but most people do not realize that the thyroid hormone
affects virtually every cell in the body; consequently, symptoms
from thyroid disease can be incredibly diverse and troublesome."
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Dr. Isaacs says that, "up to 20% of all chronic depression
cases stem from low production of thyroid hormone, yet many patients
who are treated for depression do not get thyroid tests. Countless
other cases are missed because their symptoms such as rapid heartbeats
and nervousness are erroneously attributed to anxiety disorders.
Some women go from doctor to doctor and therapist to therapist for
months or years complaining of irritability, heart palpitations,
difficulty concentrating, even memory problems before they finally
get help."
The statistics for women are staggering. Women are four times as
likely as men to develop thyroid disease, probably because, for
unknown reasons, they are more prone to the immune system malfunction
that underlies the vast majority of cases. Essentially, the immune
system fails to recognize the thyroid gland as part of the body,
and sends forth antibodies to attack the thyroid cells.
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base
of the neck on either side of the trachea (windpipe). Although its
duties are simple, its effects are profound. The gland extracts
iodine from blood to produce two hormones--thyroxine and triiodothyronine--that
control the metabolic function of virtually every cell and organ
in the body.
Hypothyrodism is twice as prevalent as hyperthyroidism. The most
common form of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's
disease, named for the Japanese surgeon who first recognized it
in 1912.
Although Hashimoto's disease is usually the cause of hypothyroidism,
between 5% and 8% of women develop it soon after giving birth. Other
causes include radiation therapy to the head and neck, pituitary
tumors or certain drugs, and even treatment for hyperthyroidism
can cause its obverse, hypothyroidism. Whatever the cause, an underactive
thyroid leaves the body running in slow motion. Symptoms include
fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold and a sense that concentration
and memory are not as sharp as they used to be. In time symptoms
become more pronounced: dry skin and brittle nails, constipation,
muscle aches or cramps, slow heart rate and, in women, longer menstrual
periods with heavier flow. Because ovulation is irregular, untreated
women may have trouble getting pregnant and have a higher than normal
rate of miscarriage and premature delivery.
As for overactive glands, the main cause of hyperthyroidism is another
autoimmune disorder, called Graves' disease, in honor of the 19th
century Irish physician who described it. It's Graves' disease that
both George and Barbara Bush developed.
The symptoms are the flip side of hypothyroidism: nervousness and
irritability, feeling hot, softening of the nails, hair loss, muscle
weakness, rapid heartbeat, more frequent bowel movements, shorter
menstrual periods with lighter flow and weight loss despite eating
as usual (Barbara Bush lost 18 pounds in the two months before her
Graves' disease was diagnosed). Although some people with Graves'
disease feel supercharged and "wired," they may also feel
weak and wiped out, and the heart pounding can be very scary.
The good news is that thyroid disorders are treatable. According
to Dr. Isaacs, "Most people don't realize that most forms of
thyroid disease can be completely managed with proper treatment;
however, many patients suffer needlessly because they don't get
an accurate diagnosis. As an endocrinologist, I see many patients
who have seen other physicians but are still suffering with thyroid
problems. Often, a simple medication adjustment makes the symptoms
go away."
Why did Dr. Isaacs write A
Simple Guide to Thyroid Disorders? "Thyroid patients, in
particular, have a hunger for information. This book helps patients
understand how thyroid disorders are diagnosed, the various treatment
options, and what to do if a symptom lingers despite treatment with
standard medications."
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