1. When the Thyroid Works too Hard
Have you noticed that you are losing weight, you are moody and you can't sleep at night? These symptoms, as well as diarrhea, a racing heart beat and intolerance to heat are all clues that your thyroid might be working too hard, a condition called hyperthyroidism. Overactive thyroid causes your body to produce too much thyroid hormone, speeding up your metabolism. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Grave's disease which causes antibodies to stimulate the thyroid.
2. When the Thyroid Works too Little
If you have the opposite symptoms, such as uncontrollable weight gain, constipation, intolerance to cold, a slowed heart beat and you seem to be sleeping far too much, you may have hypothyroidism, or a thyroid that isn't working hard enough. Hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid condition, and while it generally effects people over 40, it can occur at any age. Other symptoms that may occur with an underactive thyroid include goiter, hair loss, dry skin and depression.
3. Diagnosis is all in Your Hormone Levels
If you have any of the above symptoms, it's time to see your doctor for a simple blood test. Diagnosis of a thyroid condition is based on three hormonal factors; T3, T4 and TSH. If you have an overactive thyroid, your levels of TSH will be low, while your levels of T3 and T4 will be high. The opposite is true for hyperthyroidism, causing high levels of TSH and low levels of T3 and T4. The normal range for TSH is between .30 and 3, for T3 the range is 80 to 200 and T4 has a normal range between .90 to 1.9.
4. One Pill a Day Keeps the Symptoms at Bay
One pill a day is all you need to treat your thyroid condition. In most cases, taking a synthetic hormone will be all your body needs to balance your metabolism and control the thyroid condition. Your doctor will start your medication slowly, and recommend regular blood tests to monitor your TSH levels; but for the most part, your life will go back to normal in just a few short months.
5. Feeling Renewed Through Treatment
After the first few months of treatment, you will begin to notice dramatic changes in your daily life. Your moods, metabolism and sleep will normalize and you should have more control over managing your weight. While people with thyroid conditions must take extra care to monitor the levels of TSH in the blood, cholesterol and diet, most people claim they feel renewed after the first few months of treatment. While no one wants a life-long condition, you should rejoice in the fact that the treatment of overactive or underactive thyroid conditions are simple to treat.
