{"id":23178,"date":"2019-03-22T13:29:30","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T19:29:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=23178"},"modified":"2023-06-23T10:51:55","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T16:51:55","slug":"the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/","title":{"rendered":"The ins and outs of hypothyroidism"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"A
Hypothyroidism can come on gradually as it takes time for hormone levels to decrease. Photo by Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re feeling tired or down, or struggle to lose weight, you might be dealing with hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormone. The disease, which has a wide range of symptoms, impacts as many as five out of 100 people in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Dr. Jessica Devin<\/a>, an endocrinologist with UCHealth Endocrinology Clinic in Steamboat Springs<\/a>, outlines must-knows about the condition below.<\/p>\n

Why too little?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto\u2019s disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the thyroid and prevents it from making enough hormone. Lab tests can confirm the presence of the thyroid antibodies involved.<\/p>\n

Thyroid surgery or radiation may also be culprits.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the cause, blood work will show low levels of thyroid hormone when there is an issue.<\/p>\n

Common symptoms<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hypothyroidism can come on gradually as it takes time for hormone levels to decrease. And with its range of symptoms, such as weight gain, fatigue, sleep issues and mood problems, the condition may not be diagnosed right away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can all usually offer an explanation for why we might be gaining weight or be fatigued, so someone may not get checked right away,\u201d Devin said. \u201cThe symptoms of thyroid disease are so non-specific, the thyroid is definitely one of those things that should be checked when these symptoms are present.\u201d<\/p>\n

If thyroid levels are normal, however, the thyroid gland is unlikely to be the cause of the symptoms.<\/p>\n

What to do<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The good news is that the condition can be successfully treated with thyroid hormone replacements. The bad news: it can take time to find the right type and dosages.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the biggest reasons I see patients with hypothyroidism is that they\u2019re on thyroid replacement and still not feeling great,\u201d Devin said.<\/p>\n

Devin uses hormone replacements that are FDA approved, including generic and brand name medications.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people experience a lot of fluctuations with generic replacements because there are batch-to-batch variations among manufacturers,\u201d Devin said. \u201cIf you\u2019ve had your thyroid removed or are susceptible to fluctuations, it may be worthwhile to go to a brand name therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The thyroid makes two main hormones \u2013 thyroxine, or T4, and triiodothyronine, or T3. Most patients only need to replace T4, as the body naturally makes T3 out of T4.<\/p>\n

However, some patients prefer to use a natural hormone that\u2019s a combination of the two. But since T3 is very potent, Devin may prescribe each hormone separately, so levels can be carefully calibrated.<\/p>\n

When taking a hormone replacement, be sure to take it at the same time and in the same way, every day. As with hyperthyroidism<\/a>, this condition must be treated to avoid long-term issues. Hormone levels should be checked regularly to be sure they\u2019re in range.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always caution all my patients against over-replacement,\u201d Devin said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen patients dealing with osteoporosis<\/a> and heart issues due to years of too much thyroid hormone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch those supplements<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Iron and calcium supplements can decrease absorption, so be sure those are taken at least four hours before or after thyroid replacements. And be wary of biotin: this supplement for hair and nail strength can make thyroid levels appear off in lab work.<\/p>\n

Give it time<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Finding the right thyroid replacement therapy takes time. But the effort is worth it.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t get started on replacement therapy, and then the next week, you\u2019re a brand new you,\u201d Devin said. \u201cIt\u2019s more like six months later you realize, \u2018I felt really bad then, and now I feel so much better.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI always tell people to hang in there and be patient. There are lots of options to try. It will get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This article first appeared in the Steamboat Pilot & Today on March 18, 2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re feeling tired or down, or struggle to lose weight, you might be dealing with hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormone. The disease, which has a wide range of symptoms, impacts as many as five out of 100 people in the U.S. Dr. Jessica Devin, an endocrinologist […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2163,"featured_media":23186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9187,4168,3614],"class_list":["post-23178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-readysetco","tag-thyroid","tag-uchealth-endocrinology-clinic-steamboat-springs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe ins and outs of hypothyroidism - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you're feeling tired or down, or struggle to lose weight, you might be dealing with hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormone.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The ins and outs of hypothyroidism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you're feeling tired or down, or struggle to lose weight, you might be dealing with hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormone.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-03-22T19:29:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-06-23T16:51:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/22165624\/GettyImages-611070262_super.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Susan Cunningham, for UCHealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Susan Cunningham, for UCHealth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Susan Cunningham, for UCHealth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/f2737182b44781de4109fdd5dd464270\"},\"headline\":\"The ins and outs of hypothyroidism\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-03-22T19:29:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-23T16:51:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/\"},\"wordCount\":667,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/the-ins-and-outs-of-hypothyroidism\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/22165624\/GettyImages-611070262_super.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Ready. 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