Some of the biggest problems when patients are dealing with possible hypothyroidism is:
1) the different ranges that have been considered acceptable for the TSH, whether it is the actual range itself that different medical communities use, or the fact that some people may feel hypothyroid with a TSH of 3 while others will not,
2) Recent published studies suggest that although a patient may have a normal TSH, they could still be suffering hypothyroidism if their thyroid antibodies are elevated,
3) Some patients, once diagnosed as hypothyroid, may do better on different medications than standard synthetic T4. Some people do well on the generic synthetic T4, and some patients do better on a combination T3/T4 desiccated thyroid medication.
For many years patients have been lead to believe that once their TSH has risen to a level totally outside of range, that one little pill once a day will resolve all hypothyroid symptoms. This is not true for all cases. If the hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's Disease, (or Graves' Disease since once a patient is diagnosed as Graves' Disease the prime objective is to lower their thyroid function which in turn usually leaves them hypothyroid), there needs to be more understanding of the big picture of autoimmune disease. Any patient diagnosed with an autoimmune disease is more likely to develop another autoimmune disease, and patients need to understand this and develop ways to control their health as much possible.
I just wanted to let people keep these things in mind, as more and more research is showing how complex this disease truly can be
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Some of the biggest problems when patients are dealing with possible hypothyroidism is:
1) the different ranges that have been considered acceptable for the TSH, whether it is the actual range itself that different medical communities use, or the fact that some people may feel hypothyroid with a TSH of 3 while others will not,
2) Recent published studies suggest that although a patient may have a normal TSH, they could still be suffering hypothyroidism if their thyroid antibodies are elevated,
3) Some patients, once diagnosed as hypothyroid, may do better on different medications than standard synthetic T4. Some people do well on the generic synthetic T4, and some patients do better on a combination T3/T4 desiccated thyroid medication.
For many years patients have been lead to believe that once their TSH has risen to a level totally outside of range, that one little pill once a day will resolve all hypothyroid symptoms. This is not true for all cases. If the hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's Disease, (or Graves' Disease since once a patient is diagnosed as Graves' Disease the prime objective is to lower their thyroid function which in turn usually leaves them hypothyroid), there needs to be more understanding of the big picture of autoimmune disease. Any patient diagnosed with an autoimmune disease is more likely to develop another autoimmune disease, and patients need to understand this and develop ways to control their health as much possible.
I just wanted to let people keep these things in mind, as more and more research is showing how complex this disease truly can be
September 6, 2011 - 10:23am.
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