Well, if it's your thyroid, surely levothyroxine would be the solution?
Original post by Samavi16
I feel like I m having brain fog but it could be procrastination. So I reallyy would love to know what it is how I can cure it.
If you feeling so bad with it then goto see your GP .
An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) is usually treatable.
You'll usually be referred to a specialist in hormonal conditions (endocrinologist) who will plan your treatment.
The main treatments are:
medicine
radioactive iodine treatment
surgery
Medicine
Medicines called thionamides are commonly used to treat an overactive thyroid. They stop your thyroid producing excess hormones.
The main types used are carbimazole and propylthiouracil.
You'll usually need to take the medicine for 1 to 2 months before you notice any benefit. You may also be given another medicine called a beta blocker to help relieve some of your symptoms in the meantime.
Once your thyroid hormone levels are under control, your dose may be gradually reduced and then stopped. But some people need to continue taking medicine for several years or possibly for life.
Side effects
During the first couple of months, some people experience the following side effects:
feeling sick
high temperature
headaches
aching joints
altered taste
upset stomach
an itchy rash
These should pass as your body gets used to the medicine.
A less common but more serious side effect is a sudden drop in your white blood cell count (agranulocytosis), which can make you very vulnerable to infections.
Contact your doctor immediately if you get symptoms of agranulocytosis, such as a high temperature, sore throat, or a persistent cough. They may arrange for a blood test to check your white blood cell count.
Radioactive iodine treatment
Radioactive iodine treatment is a type of radiotherapy is used to destroy the cells in the thyroid gland, reducing the amount of hormones it can produce. It's a highly effective treatment that can cure an overactive thyroid.
You're given a drink or capsule that contains iodine and a low dose of radiation, which is absorbed by your thyroid. Most people only need a single treatment.
It can take a few weeks or months for the full benefits to be felt, so you may need to take medicine, such as carbimazole or propylthiouracil, for a short time.
The dose of radiation used during radioactive iodine treatment is very low, but there are some precautions you'll need to take after treatment:
avoid prolonged close contact with children and pregnant women for a few days or weeks
women should avoid getting pregnant for at least 6 months
men should not father a child for at least 4 months
Radioactive iodine treatment is not suitable for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It's also not suitable if your overactive thyroid is causing severe eye problems.
Surgery
Occasionally, surgery to remove all or part of your thyroid may be recommended.
This may be the best option if:
your thyroid gland is severely swollen because of a large goitre
you have severe eye problems caused by an overactive thyroid
you cannot have other, less invasive treatments
your symptoms return after trying other treatments
Removing all of the thyroid gland is usually recommended because it stops the symptoms of hyperthyroidism coming back.
But you'll need to take medicine for the rest of your life to make up for not having a thyroid gland. These are the same medicines that are used to treat an underactive thyroid.
An overactive thyroid, also known as hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis, is where the thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroid hormones.
The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, just in front of the windpipe (trachea). It produces hormones that affect things such as your heart rate and body temperature.
Having too much of these hormones can cause unpleasant and potentially serious problems that may need treatment.
An overactive thyroid can affect anyone, but it's about 10 times more common in women than men, and typically happens between 20 and 40 years of age.
Symptoms of an overactive thyroid
An overactive thyroid can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
nervousness, anxiety and irritability
mood swings
difficulty sleeping
persistent tiredness and weakness
sensitivity to heat
swelling in your neck from an enlarged thyroid gland (goitre)
an irregular and/or unusually fast heart rate (palpitations)
twitching or trembling
weight loss
Find out more about the symptoms of an overactive thyroid.
When to see a GP
See a GP if you have symptoms of an overactive thyroid.
They'll ask about your symptoms and if they think you might have a thyroid problem, they can arrange for a blood test to check how well your thyroid is working.
If the blood test shows that you have an overactive thyroid, you may be referred for further tests to identify the cause.
Find out more about how an overactive thyroid is diagnosed.
Treatments for an overactive thyroid
An overactive thyroid is usually treatable.
The main treatments are:
medicine that stops your thyroid producing too much of the thyroid hormones
radioiodine treatment – where a type of radiotherapy is used to destroy cells in the thyroid, reducing its ability to produce thyroid hormones
surgery to remove some or all of your thyroid, so that it no longer produces thyroid hormones
Each of these treatments has benefits and drawbacks. You'll usually see a specialist in hormonal conditions (endocrinologist) to discuss which treatment is best for you.
Find out more about how an overactive thyroid is treated.
Causes of an overactive thyroid
There are several reasons why your thyroid can become overactive.
These include:
Graves' disease – a condition where your immune system mistakenly attacks and damages the thyroid (about 3 in every 4 people with an overactive thyroid have Graves' disease)
lumps (nodules) on the thyroid – this extra thyroid tissue can produce thyroid hormones, causing your levels to be too high
some medicines such as amiodarone, which can be used to treat an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Find out more about the causes of an overactive thyroid.
Further problems
An overactive thyroid can sometimes lead to further problems, particularly if it's not treated or well controlled.
These include:
eye problems – such as eye irritation, double vision or bulging eyes
pregnancy complications – such as pre-eclampsia, premature birth or miscarriage
a thyroid storm – a sudden and life-threatening flare-up of symptoms
Original post by Sabertooth
Well, if it's your thyroid, surely levothyroxine would be the solution?
It would be but I have been swallowing those pills for a year. I have hypothyroidism
Original post by Samavi16
It would be but I have been swallowing those pills for a year. I have hypothyroidism
Me too.
Get a blood test to check your levels, you might need a higher dose.
Original post by Samavi16
It would be but I have been swallowing those pills for a year. I have hypothyroidism
So you have a underactive thyroid.
Original post by Allyson2020
So you have a underactive thyroid.
Yes.
Original post by Sabertooth
Me too.
Get a blood test to check your levels, you might need a higher dose.
Get a blood test to check your levels, you might need a higher dose.
That s what I m thinking I feel I should start with 100 because previously I had 50
Original post by Samavi16
Yes.
Increasing dosage may help and did your GP suggest this to you at anytime...
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is usually treated by taking daily hormone replacement tablets called levothyroxine.
Levothyroxine replaces the thyroxine hormone, which your thyroid does not make enough of.
You'll initially have regular blood tests until the correct dose of levothyroxine is reached. This can take a little while to get right.
You may start on a low dose of levothyroxine, which may be increased gradually, depending on how your body responds. Some people start to feel better soon after beginning treatment, while others do not notice an improvement in their symptoms for several months.
Once you're taking the correct dose, you'll usually have a blood test once a year to monitor your hormone levels.
If blood tests suggest you may have an underactive thyroid, but you do not have any symptoms or they're very mild, you may not need any treatment. In these cases, the GP will usually monitor your hormone levels every few months and prescribe levothyroxine if you develop symptoms.
Taking levothyroxine
If you're prescribed levothyroxine, you should take it at the same time every day. It's usually recommended that you take your tablet (or tablets) in the morning, although some people prefer to take them at night.
The effectiveness of the tablets can be altered by other medicines, supplements or foods, so they should be swallowed with water on an empty stomach, and you should avoid eating for 30 minutes afterwards.
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, if this is within a few hours of your usual time. If you do not remember until later than this, skip the dose and take the next dose at the usual time, unless advised otherwise by a doctor.
An underactive thyroid is a lifelong condition, so you'll usually need to take levothyroxine for the rest of your life.
If you're prescribed levothyroxine because you have an underactive thyroid, you're entitled to a medical exemption certificate. This means you do not have to pay for your prescriptions. See getting help with prescription costs for more information on this.
Side effects
Levothyroxine does not usually have any side effects, because the tablets simply replace a missing hormone.
Side effects usually only occur if you're taking too much levothyroxine. This can cause problems including sweating, chest pain, headaches, diarrhoea and being sick.
Tell the doctor if you develop new symptoms while taking levothyroxine. You should also let them know if your symptoms get worse or do not improve.
Combination therapy
In the UK, combination therapy – using levothyroxine and triiodothyronine (T3) together – is not routinely used because there's insufficient evidence to show it's better than using levothyroxine alone (monotherapy).
In most cases, suppressing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) using high-dose thyroid replacement therapy should be avoided because it carries a risk of causing adverse side effects, such as atrial fibrillation (an irregular and abnormally fast heart rate), strokes, osteoporosis and fracture.
However, this type of treatment may sometimes be recommended in cases where a person has a history of thyroid cancer and there's a significant risk of it reoccurring.
Original post by Allyson2020
Increasing dosage may help and did your GP suggest this to you at anytime...
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is usually treated by taking daily hormone replacement tablets called levothyroxine.
Levothyroxine replaces the thyroxine hormone, which your thyroid does not make enough of.
You'll initially have regular blood tests until the correct dose of levothyroxine is reached. This can take a little while to get right.
You may start on a low dose of levothyroxine, which may be increased gradually, depending on how your body responds. Some people start to feel better soon after beginning treatment, while others do not notice an improvement in their symptoms for several months.
Once you're taking the correct dose, you'll usually have a blood test once a year to monitor your hormone levels.
If blood tests suggest you may have an underactive thyroid, but you do not have any symptoms or they're very mild, you may not need any treatment. In these cases, the GP will usually monitor your hormone levels every few months and prescribe levothyroxine if you develop symptoms.
Taking levothyroxine
If you're prescribed levothyroxine, you should take it at the same time every day. It's usually recommended that you take your tablet (or tablets) in the morning, although some people prefer to take them at night.
The effectiveness of the tablets can be altered by other medicines, supplements or foods, so they should be swallowed with water on an empty stomach, and you should avoid eating for 30 minutes afterwards.
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, if this is within a few hours of your usual time. If you do not remember until later than this, skip the dose and take the next dose at the usual time, unless advised otherwise by a doctor.
An underactive thyroid is a lifelong condition, so you'll usually need to take levothyroxine for the rest of your life.
If you're prescribed levothyroxine because you have an underactive thyroid, you're entitled to a medical exemption certificate. This means you do not have to pay for your prescriptions. See getting help with prescription costs for more information on this.
Side effects
Levothyroxine does not usually have any side effects, because the tablets simply replace a missing hormone.
Side effects usually only occur if you're taking too much levothyroxine. This can cause problems including sweating, chest pain, headaches, diarrhoea and being sick.
Tell the doctor if you develop new symptoms while taking levothyroxine. You should also let them know if your symptoms get worse or do not improve.
Combination therapy
In the UK, combination therapy – using levothyroxine and triiodothyronine (T3) together – is not routinely used because there's insufficient evidence to show it's better than using levothyroxine alone (monotherapy).
In most cases, suppressing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) using high-dose thyroid replacement therapy should be avoided because it carries a risk of causing adverse side effects, such as atrial fibrillation (an irregular and abnormally fast heart rate), strokes, osteoporosis and fracture.
However, this type of treatment may sometimes be recommended in cases where a person has a history of thyroid cancer and there's a significant risk of it reoccurring.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is usually treated by taking daily hormone replacement tablets called levothyroxine.
Levothyroxine replaces the thyroxine hormone, which your thyroid does not make enough of.
You'll initially have regular blood tests until the correct dose of levothyroxine is reached. This can take a little while to get right.
You may start on a low dose of levothyroxine, which may be increased gradually, depending on how your body responds. Some people start to feel better soon after beginning treatment, while others do not notice an improvement in their symptoms for several months.
Once you're taking the correct dose, you'll usually have a blood test once a year to monitor your hormone levels.
If blood tests suggest you may have an underactive thyroid, but you do not have any symptoms or they're very mild, you may not need any treatment. In these cases, the GP will usually monitor your hormone levels every few months and prescribe levothyroxine if you develop symptoms.
Taking levothyroxine
If you're prescribed levothyroxine, you should take it at the same time every day. It's usually recommended that you take your tablet (or tablets) in the morning, although some people prefer to take them at night.
The effectiveness of the tablets can be altered by other medicines, supplements or foods, so they should be swallowed with water on an empty stomach, and you should avoid eating for 30 minutes afterwards.
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, if this is within a few hours of your usual time. If you do not remember until later than this, skip the dose and take the next dose at the usual time, unless advised otherwise by a doctor.
An underactive thyroid is a lifelong condition, so you'll usually need to take levothyroxine for the rest of your life.
If you're prescribed levothyroxine because you have an underactive thyroid, you're entitled to a medical exemption certificate. This means you do not have to pay for your prescriptions. See getting help with prescription costs for more information on this.
Side effects
Levothyroxine does not usually have any side effects, because the tablets simply replace a missing hormone.
Side effects usually only occur if you're taking too much levothyroxine. This can cause problems including sweating, chest pain, headaches, diarrhoea and being sick.
Tell the doctor if you develop new symptoms while taking levothyroxine. You should also let them know if your symptoms get worse or do not improve.
Combination therapy
In the UK, combination therapy – using levothyroxine and triiodothyronine (T3) together – is not routinely used because there's insufficient evidence to show it's better than using levothyroxine alone (monotherapy).
In most cases, suppressing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) using high-dose thyroid replacement therapy should be avoided because it carries a risk of causing adverse side effects, such as atrial fibrillation (an irregular and abnormally fast heart rate), strokes, osteoporosis and fracture.
However, this type of treatment may sometimes be recommended in cases where a person has a history of thyroid cancer and there's a significant risk of it reoccurring.
I know you're only trying to be helpful, but some of this information is really for a GP to communicate, after consulting with the patient and deciding which of it is relevant and which isn't. There is a lot of information in your post, and much of it doesn't make sense to a lay-person and could, in fact, increase their worry and concern unnecessarily.
Original post by Samavi16
I feel like I m having brain fog but it could be procrastination. So I reallyy would love to know what it is how I can cure it.
If you have a medical condition, you need to see your GP or another health professional about it.
Original post by Reality Check
I know you're only trying to be helpful, but some of this information is really for a GP to communicate, after consulting with the patient and deciding which of it is relevant and which isn't. There is a lot of information in your post, and much of it doesn't make sense to a lay-person and could, in fact, increase their worry and concern unnecessarily.
If you have a medical condition, you need to see your GP or another health professional about it.
If you have a medical condition, you need to see your GP or another health professional about it.
I m going tomorrow
Original post by Samavi16
I m going tomorrow
Good. The best thing is to ignore any 'advice' you receive on TSR (however well meaning it is), and to follow your doctor's advice. Good luck
Original post by Reality Check
I know you're only trying to be helpful, but some of this information is really for a GP to communicate, after consulting with the patient and deciding which of it is relevant and which isn't. There is a lot of information in your post, and much of it doesn't make sense to a lay-person and could, in fact, increase their worry and concern unnecessarily.
If you have a medical condition, you need to see your GP or another health professional about it.
If you have a medical condition, you need to see your GP or another health professional about it.
Yes maybe to much details but it always best to go to GP for correct diagnosis as use it for a guidance only not as a diagnosed.
Original post by Allyson2020
Yes maybe to much details but it always best to go to GP for correct diagnosis as use it for a guidance only not as a diagnosed.
I know
But my head is literally not working I m worried.
Original post by Samavi16
It s just my symptoms are too much that s why
Goto your GP and talk to them about things as they are in better position than me but what I said just use as a generally guidance only and please let your GP sort things out with you okay as they will get you best treatment required for you.
Original post by Samavi16
I know
But my head is literally not working I m worried.
But my head is literally not working I m worried.
Whatever the problem is your GP will sort things out with you as phone them up and tell them you would like to be seen asap. You might get a face to face appointment tomorrow or a telephone consultation. Make sure to let them know its urgent.
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