Encourage Me: A Warrior

“[I] don't mind the scattered thoughts, blank stares, or the pharmacy in my purse. I'm a thyroid disease warrior.” (Anonymous)

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the base of your neck. It releases hormones that control metabolism (the way your body uses energy). The thyroid's hormones regulate vital body functions like breathing, heart rate, central and peripheral nervous systems, body weight, muscle strength, menstrual cycles, body temperature, cholesterol levels, moods, and energy levels.

Thyroid problems are fairly common and range in type and severity, but it’s important to have a doctor properly diagnose your thyroid condition rather than assuming you have a thyroid disorder. Here are 12 common thyroid disorders that can affect the person you become:

1. Congenital Hypothyroidism: This is a thyroid condition (also called neonatal hypothyroidism) that affects newborns. It means the baby was born with an underactive thyroid, or no thyroid gland at all. If the condition is not found and treated,

it can result in irreversible neurological problems and poor growth. Early treatment can help reverse related problems, but in most cases it will require lifelong treatment. About 1 in 2,000 to 4,000-babies are born with this condition, and it’s twice as common in girls.

2. Goiters: Goiters are a visible problem with the thyroid gland, and are described as “generalized swelling or bulging in the thyroid gland.” They can appear whether you have an overactive or underactive thyroid. In some other cases, you may not have any problems with hormone levels, or have any related symptoms and still end up with a swollen thyroid.

It could be from lack of iodine in your diet (which is essential for thyroid hormone production). Goiters can even be caused by a pregnancy hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG).

3. Graves’ Disease: In Graves’ disease, your body releases abnormal antibodies that mimic a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that’s normally produced in the brain’s pituitary gland. These “fake” TSH hormones kick the thyroid gland into overdrive. The good news is that the condition is fairly easy to correct once it’s properly diagnosed, but left unchecked it can cause complications and even death.

4. Hashimoto’s Disease: This disease is the result of your immune system attacking your thyroid. The inflammation caused by Hashimoto’s disease usually leads to an underproductive thyroid. This is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in the U.S. It adds the disease primarily affects middle-aged women, but also can occur in men and women of any age and in children. Symptoms can include a puffy face, hair loss, and muscle aches, among many others.

5. Hyperthyroidism: This is essentially the opposite of hypothyroidism, and it presents different symptoms. A hyper or overactive thyroid can “accelerate your body’s metabolism significantly,” which can lead to sudden and unexplained weight loss. Other symptoms can occur if your thyroid is putting your bodily functions into overdrive. These symptoms include an increased (resting) heartbeat, sweating, or feeling nervous or irritable. You may also have trouble sleeping (insomnia), or notice thinning skin or brittle hair.

6. Hypothyroidism: This condition is when your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones. There are a host of symptoms that come with hypothyroidism: fatigue, dry skin, constipation, and poor concentration just to name a few.

7. Pituitary Gland Disorders: Although not the result of the thyroid itself, in some cases a pituitary gland disorder may be the reason your thyroid hormone production is out of balance. The pituitary gland at the base of the brain is about the “size of a pea,” but it has a big impact on systems in your body.

One of the functions of the pituitary gland is to produce thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which prompts the thyroid gland to produce hormones to regulate metabolism, energy, and nervous system function, says the source. If this gland isn’t sending TSH, it can lead to hypothyroidism. There are also (usually non-cancerous) pituitary tumors that can produce too much of a hormone normally made by the pituitary.

8. Postpartum Thyroiditis: Just like babies can be affected by thyroid problems, new mothers can as well. This condition, an inflammation of the thyroid gland, usually occurs within a year after giving birth. There are usually 2-phases, with hyperthyroidism coming first (lasting about 2 to 4-months), followed by hypothyroidism (lasting up to a year). Inflammation can damage the gland making it less effective at producing hormones, which leads to the hypothyroidism phase.

Doctors may prescribe thyroid hormone therapy (such as Levothyroxine) for the second phase if you have symptoms. In some cases, the hypothyroidism can be permanent and women will need lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

9. Thyroid Cancer: Some nodules could turn out to be cancerous (they could be painful in this case).Thyroid cancer is far more common among women than men, and that about 66-percent of cases occur in adults under the age of 55.

There are different forms of thyroid cancer classified by the specific cell type within the thyroid that has become cancerous. The good news for thyroid cancer patients is it typically has a high survival rate, but like other forms of cancer early diagnosis is key to dealing with this.

10. Thyroid Nodules: These can lead to enlarged thyroids but are generally more localized (such as a single lump). These lumps are sometimes not obvious, and are discovered during routine medical exams. Nodules can lead to hyperthyroidism, but most are non-functioning and don’t present any symptoms at all even if the nodule turns out to be cancerous. A nodule may grow and interfere with the throat, which can make breathing and swallowing more difficult. Have your doctor examine you if you locate a suspicious lump in your neck area.

11. Thyroiditis: Any type of thyroiditis implies inflammation of the thyroid, which can lead to either hyper or hypothyroidism. Acute thyroiditis is a rare type of the disorder that can cause pain and discomfort in the gland. The acute version is believed to be linked to a viral infection, and the thyroid swells in response to it. The source says it’s slightly more common among women aged 40 to 50-years than in men of the same age, and it usually appears following a respiratory infection such as the flu.

12. Toxic Thyroid Adenoma: We’ve covered thyroid nodules, but this particular condition results in excessive thyroid hormone production from a single nodule in the thyroid gland. One lump develops on the gland causing it to swell and release excess thyroid hormones. If iodine (essential to thyroid function) is lacking in your diet, it can cause your thyroid to enlarge to try and absorb any available iodine from the blood as possible. The symptoms of toxic adenoma are similar to hyperthyroidism, and can include weight loss, flushing, feeling tired, tremors, excessive sweating, and more.

“I want people to know that blood tests alone won't always detect thyroid disease. I think a lot more people have this disease than are diagnosed.” (Kim Alexis)[i]