Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, also known as HT or just Hashimoto’s for short, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland, a butterfly shaped organ located at the front of the neck, anterior to the trachea. Each wing of the thyroid gland wraps around the side of the trachea with the isthmus centered in the middle of the two lobes. HT affects the thyroid gland by using your own body’s immune system to attack the organ. The immune system is tricked into thinking the thyroid is a foreign body, therefore it releases antibodies that travel directly to the thyroid. In the antibodies attempt to “fight off” the gland, it causes chronic inflammation. Overtime, this trauma causes the prevention of the thyroid hormones …show more content…
It regulates the metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, menstrual cycles, and many other different functions. When the thyroid gland is not functioning properly, these aspects don’t run efficiently either. Many people who are diagnosed with HR may experience extreme fatigue, weight gain, temperature intolerance, joint pain, brain fog, and constipation. These are only some of the persistent symptoms one might feel when dealing with Hashimoto’s. If left untreated, hypothyroidism, the condition when the body is lacking thyroid hormones, can lead to heart failure, delayed mental function, myxedema, and birth defects in infants. One of the only ways to diagnose this disease is through blood tests. A blood sample is taken and is tested for elevated levels of TPO antibodies. This abbreviation stands for thyroid peroxidase, an enzyme that is present during normal thyroid hormone production. (Mayo Clinic) The blood is also tested for TSH levels. Those with hypothyroidism have raised levels of thyroid stimulating hormones. Since the pituitary gland recognizes that lack of thyroid hormone via the hypothalamus, it secrets the TSH in hopes of jumpstarting the thyroid gland so it will produce more T3 and T4 hormones. Luckily, these blood tests are relatively in expensive and very effective at diagnosing Hashimoto’s. Although, if the disease has been undetected for some time, the development of a goiter might have …show more content…
These can include Levothyroxine and Synthroid to name a few. These drugs are relatively inexpensive and commonly have very little to no side effects on the user. While taking these medications, patients are advised against eating soy products, grapefruit, although supplements and high fiber meals are suggested to be consumed at least four hours before or after the drug has been taken to prevent the malabsorption of the synthetic hormone. When first diagnosed, it is imperative to get blood tests done every four to six weeks to adjust the amount of medication administered. After a steady dose of hormone is received, blood tests are only required every six months to a year to maintain healthy thyroid levels. If symptoms reoccur in-between these time periods, additional blood tests are needed to manage the status of the thyroid hormones. Since the damage of the thyroid is consistently on going in those affected by Hashimoto’s, it is very common to readjust the dose given throughout your life time. Eventually, some patients can expect to have excessively low to no thyroid function at all. Since Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease, everyone who is has Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is at a profoundly high risk of developing another autoimmune disease such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes, and Multiple Sclerosis. Along with the