I have been told by a doc years ago that I have an over active thyroid.What are the longterm affects?
407820
The psychiatric disturbances which accompany hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, the two commonest thyroid disorders, mimic mental illness. People with an overactive thyroid may exhibit marked anxiety and tension, emotional lability, impatience and irritability, distractible overactivity, exaggerated sensitivity to noise, and fluctuating depression with sadness and problems with sleep and the appetite. In extreme cases, they may appear schizophrenic, losing touch with reality and becoming delirious or hallucinating. An underactive thyroid can lead to progressive loss of interest and initiative, slowing of mental processes, poor memory for recent events, fading of the personality's colour and vivacity, general intellectual deterioration, depression with a paranoid flavour, and eventually, if not checked, to dementia and permanent harmful effects on the brain. In instances of each condition, some persons have been wrongly diagnosed, hospitalized for months, and treated unsuccessfully for psychosis.
810763
The thyroid cannot grow back.  You need to let your doctor know.
577016
You are pregnant, you have been excersising too much or you have a thyroid problem.
491814
I've heard of a type of thyroiditis that can make you hypothyroid temporarily. Then after a few weeks- months you no longer are hypothyroid as the thyroiditis resolves.
1053003
What is Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?\nHashimoto's Thyroiditis is a type of autoimmune thyroid disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. The thyroid helps set the rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy. Hashimoto’s stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. It is the most common thyroid disease in the U.S.\n\nWhat is an autoimmune disease?\nAn autoimmune disease occurs when the body's immune system becomes misdirected and attacks the organs, cells or tissues that it was designed to protect. About 75% of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most often during their childbearing years. \n\nWhat are the symptoms of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?\nSome patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis may have no symptoms. However, the common symptoms are fatigue, depression, sensitivity to cold, weight gain, forgetfulness, muscle weakness, puffy face, dry skin and hair, constipation, muscle cramps, and increased menstrual flow. Some patients have major swelling of the thyroid gland in the front of the neck, called goiter.\n\nDoes this disease run in families?\nThere is some evidence that Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis can have a hereditary link. If autoimmune diseases in general run in your family, you are at a higher risk of developing one yourself. \n\nHow can I know for sure if I have this disease?\nYour doctor will perform a simple blood test that will be able to tell if your body has the right amount of thyroid hormones. This test measures the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to find out if the levels are in the normal range. The range is set by your doctor and should be discussed with you. Work with your doctor to figure out what level is right for you. There are other available tests that your doctor may choose to do if need be, such as a blood test to measure the level of “active thyroid hormone” or Free T4 and a scan (picture) to look at the thyroid.\n\nWhat is the treatment for this disease?\nHypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is treated with thyroid hormone replacement. A small pill taken once a day should be able to keep the thyroid hormone levels normal. This medicine will, in most cases, need to be taken for the rest of the patient's life. When trying to figure out the amount of hormone you need, you may have to return to your doctor several times for blood tests to guide adjustments in the medicine dose. It is important that the dose be right for you. A yearly visit to your doctor will help keep your levels normal and help you stay healthy overall. Be aware of the symptoms. If you note any changes or the return of symptoms, return to your doctor to see if you need to have your medicine dosage adjusted. \n\nWhat would happen without medication to regulate my thyroid function?\nIf left untreated, hyporthyroidism can cause further problems, including changes in menstrual cycles, prevention of ovulation, and an increased risk of miscarriage. Symptoms such as fatigue, depression and constipation, may progress and there can be other serious consequences, including heart failure. It is also important to know that too much thyroid replacement hormone can mimic the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. This is a condition that happens when there is too much thyroid hormone. These symptoms include insomnia, irritability, weight loss without dieting, heat sensitivity, increased perspiration, thinning of your skin, fine or brittle hair, muscular weakness, eye changes, lighter menstrual flow, rapid heart beat and shaky hands.
557521
I had a similar problem, so I will tell you my story(hope it helps and doesn't bore you to death).  This all happened after I had my daughter...I don't know if pregnancy caused it or if it was just coincidental.  I first found out about my enlarged thyroid when I was sick.  I went to the doctor for being sick, and she told me my thyroid was enlarged and wanted to run tests.  I had felt it, but it wasn't that large at the time, so I just thought it was a swollen gland from infection.  I had my thyroid levels checked, and they were normal.  I went to an endocrinologist and he checked my levels again...normal.  At that time, he told me that my only option was to have it removed because he couldn't treat it with medicine if my levels were fine.  It wasn't very noticeable then, and I couldn't bare the thought of having my throat cut(he also told me insurance would not cover it because they would consider it 'cosmetic').  Anyway, over the course of the next 2-3 yrs, it gradually grew bigger and bigger.  I had my levels checked several more times and they were always normal.  I finally went to a new doctor, and she immediately referred me to a surgeon.  The first time I saw him, he said it needed to come out.  He said the larger it gets, the more chance there is of getting cancer in it.  He measured my thyroid and my left nodule was 6cm wide.  In January of last year, I had my entire thyroid removed leaving nothing but my parathyroid glands.  My thyroid had grown so large that it wrapped around my esophogus and surgery lasted 6 hrs.  I now take thyroid replacement hormones daily.  If it does not go down, I would highly recommend seeing a specialist.  The scar is barely noticeable.  They make the incision so that it fits right in with the wrinkles in your neck.  I hope this gave you a little insight. By the way, I was never diagnosed with anything other than a simple 'goiter'.
1098994
If you suspect that you have hyperthyroidism, you should really see a doctor.  You shouldn't depend on the looney-tunes here on Yahoo! Answers.  But if you just want background information:\n\nHyperthyroidism:\n\nCauses:  Hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis occurs when the thyroid releases too many of its hormones over a short (acute) or long (chronic) period of time. Many diseases and conditions can cause this problem, including:\n\n    * Graves' disease\n    * Non-cancerous growths of the thyroid gland or pituitary gland\n    * Tumors of the testes or ovaries\n    * Inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the thyroid due to viral infections or other causes\n    * Ingestion of excessive amounts of thyroid hormone\n    * Ingestion of excessive iodine\n\nGraves' disease accounts for 85% of all cases of hyperthyroidism.\n\nSymptoms:\n    * Weight loss\n    * Increased appetite\n    * Nervousness\n    * Restlessness\n    * Heat intolerance\n    * Increased sweating\n    * Fatigue\n    * Frequent bowel movements\n    * Menstrual irregularities in women\n    * Goiter (visibly enlarged thyroid) may be present\n\nTreatment:  Treatment varies depending on the cause of the condition and the severity of symptoms. Hyperthyroidism is usually treated with antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine (which destroys the thyroid and thus stops the excess production of hormones), or surgery to remove the thyroid.\n\nIf the thyroid must be removed with radiation or surgery, replacement thyroid hormones must be taken for the rest of the person's life.\n\nBeta-blockers like propranolol are used to treat some of the symptoms including rapid heart rate, sweating, and anxiety until the hyperthyroidism can be controlled.\n\nP.S.  I'm not a doctor.  All of this information is from publicly available sources on the internet.
356167
I hope your appointment went well and you got all the info you needed about the treatment. I was diagnosed in 2001, with both hypothyroidism, goiter and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and have been taking thyroxine ( i think it's the same as Synthroid) 100mcg daily. I was overweight, tired, had hair loss, but now after all this time I feel pretty much normal. I started feeling better very soon after starting thyroxin therapy, I think it was within weeks. I have also been practicing yoga since 2002 and it has been such a great balancing aspect in my life, and  has helped a lot in dealing with the thyroid disease. Please do get in touch if you want to have a chat.
657456
Go to the doctor and ask them to do a thyroid test (TSH). I was so tired I would come home from work and sleep until morning and all weekend. My thyroid was off and since I've been on medication I feel great. It takes about 3 months but it's worth it.
677305
Nope ...sorry to say. I was 100 lbs when i was diagnosed with that and I also did the Radioactice iodine. I had a child and since then I was overweight. I weight up to 180 and that was after the baby also. Your thyroid is kinda a tricky little shit and it takes forever to get normal. but some people are different. This was back in 2000 I was 20 years old then. and barely in the summer of 2005 it became normal since they finally found a dosage thats works for me and since then I have lost about 60lbs. But it can take awhile. The radioactive iodine just kills but its the meds that will help you, once they have the right kind for your body. \nI have change to hyper to hypo back to hyper and now im so confused i dont even know what I am anymore, I just take the medicine thats making me lose weight like crazy. Time will pass and soon everything will be fine.
1108949
never heard of that. but perhaps the websites below may help. if anything, they will give you more insight to thyroid problems themselves.\nhere is some information about myself, plus some symptoms in case anyone coming upon your question may be interested;\ni have low thyroid. if you have low thyroid...here's a great question to answer: can you see the floor of your house? that was what was asked of me at one point, and to my amazement, the answer was no!\nanyway, the signs are:fatigue and lack of energy. Women suffering from underactive thyroid experience heavier menstrual periods. Sluggishness and forgetfulness are symptoms of underactive thyroid problem. Other symptoms of this thyroid disorder are dry skin and hair and constipation.\nif you have high thyroid, or an overactive one, the signs are:increased body metabolism. This is followed by weight loss and excessive warmth and sweating. Persons suffering from overactive thyroid experience trembling hands, irritability and rapid heartbeat or palpitations. Women with overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism may experience shorter or lighter menstrual periods.\nI take medication, and sadly will have to take 1 pill everyday for the rest of my life. there's a blood check that they will do to see if you have low or high. i hope i've helped you!!
109366
there are many different reasons why someone's thyroid would shut down on them.  usually its due to old age.  i personally know someone who was diagnosed w/ hypothyroid, and had to take thyroid replacement medication.  after awhile, the thyroid medication may increase too much thyroid hormone, and will cause u to become hyperthyroid.  so its good to have regular check ups on ur thyroid replacement thereapy.  and to answer ur question, sadly to say u will be on medication for the rest of ur life.  but dont feel too bad, this is a very common problem that many of us have to face in the golden years of life.
856931
Even though you've been taking medication for your hypothyroidism, you're still experiencing symptoms, which means that most likely, your dose is not high enough.  Hypothyroidism is not an all or nothing kind of thing.  It often takes quite a while to figure out what the proper dose for your body is, so even if you're taking medication, it may not be a high enough amount of the medication.\n\nYou are still experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism.  The exhaustion sounds consistent with hypothyroidism still and is probably not indicative of an overdose.  Overdose leads to the kind of exhaustion where you feel like you've been working out all day and your heart is pounding and you're restless and can't sleep.  Underdose (if you're not taking enough medication) leads to the kind of exhaustion where you just can't seem to get out of bed in the morning, which sounds like what you're describing.  \n\nAre you having other symptoms?  Other symptoms of underdose/hypothyroidism include mental fog, hair loss, weight gain, depression, feeling cold all the time, dry skin, brittle nails, and hoarseness, just to name a few.  Not all people react the same way, so you may have all of the symptoms listed above or none of them.\n\nAlso, depression is often related to and caused by hypothyroidism.  I was taking two separate depression medications before I received my thyroid diagnosis, but now that I am properly medicated thyroid-wise, I do just fine without taking depression meds!  Now, that's not the case for everybody, and it's certainly possible that your depression and hypothyroidism are separate conditions.  However, it's equally likely that the hypothyroidism is the actual cause of your depression, in which case it's even more important to treat the thyroid disorder with the appropriate dose.\n\nI would strongly suggest that your doctor needs to more closely monitor your blood levels (TSH and T4 at the very least) until you are no longer experiencing symptoms.\n\nAlso, I'd strongly suggest that using caffeine is not going to help you.  It might help in the short term, but in the end, it will backfire because you will actually start to need the caffeine to function.  Caffeine abuse is actually one of the best ways I know to make yourself tired.\n\nSo here's what I'd suggest to you:\n\n1. Request a blood test (TSH and T4 ideally) from your doctor to make sure your thyroid dose (Synthroid/Levoxyl/Eltroxin/Armour/whatever) is appropriate.  If your TSH is below .3, you are probably overdosed.  If it is above 3.0, you are underdosed.  Laboratory ranges often say that TSH can still be normal all the way up to 5.0 or so, but the American Associaton of Clinical Endocrinologists disagrees, and they are the professionals.  The normal range for TSH is .3-3.0 according to the AACE.  Also, if your T4 is below the normal range of the test, that suggests that upping your dose may be appropriate even if your TSH is in the normal range.\n\n2. If you use caffeine, stop.  The rebound effects of it actually make you more tired.
414444
Try here for answers to all the above.....\nhttp://www.thyroid.org/patients/faqs.html
1164038
Do you have a copy of your blood work? If you do, look at it and see if you were TSH, T-3 and T-4 levels were tested. These are tests used to determine how well your thyroid is functioning. The symptoms that you're describing remind me of how I first felt when I developed hypothyroidism. I doubt it is your blood sugar because people tend to lose weight, not gain weight, during the onset of diabetes. On top of feeling sluggish, poor thyroid function can make you depressed, anxious, physically and mentally exhausted, constipated, and can affect your mood in general. I didn't want to hang out with my friends, talk on the phone, go to work or school, or do anything that required any effort. Also caffeine and sugar had adverse effects on me. If you're experiencing any symptoms similar to these, and you TSH ( thyroid stimulating hormone ) wasn't already tested, I suggest ruling hypothyroidism out as a first step. Good luck, and remember, if diseases are caught early enough, more than likely they can be cured ( or at least treated ).
973934
I think you should ask your doctor about poly cystic ovarian disease and if he will check your thyroid.  Good Luck.
1053748
Is she overweight or put a  lot of weight on recently or is she losing weight?\nShe may have an under or over active thyroid, if so she will need to have blood tests.\n\nMy Mom had this (overactive) her voice went really hoarse and her hair came out in clumps and her face went unrecognisable. She went to the doctor and had to have loads of blood tests and was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid.\n\nShe took thyroxine tablets every day for the rest of her life which controlled it.