"when something goes wrong with your thyroid, it makes it everybody's problem" Yeah, had a French teacher back in school. Just really not very nice. At some point she got thyroid surgery. When she came back she was basically a different person.
I had hyperthyroidism as a teen, and I was a complete mess. Once it was destroyed and I got my hormones re-balanced with levothyroxine, my teachers and friends said I was a completely different person. It really messes with your brain.
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis person here. The goiter and inability to swallow water easily were the clues. Blood work? Perfect. If my doctor only looked at blood work, I'd have been even more screwed. Thankfully, ultrasound was ordered and they found my body eating my thyroid. Don't know what triggered it, but it helped explain my insane joint pain and exhaustion from exercising (that's always fun trying to tell your loved ones and therapist that, no, exercise makes me feel even crappier - not that getting fatter makes me feel less crappy)...weeeeeeeee
A lot of the time a viral infection triggers it. Usually, you get some minor respiratory thing and the immune system gets confused so a few months later the thyroid is broken because the immune system thinks this whole time it's been fighting the good fight when really it's been friendly fire.
I'm on the other end, kind of. Graves, but we couldn't get it under control so I had my thyroid irradiated. But yeah my endo is actually amazing and actually pays attention to clinical presentation (so many DON'T) and tbh she's the reason I've held on and keep trying to stabilize.
When I was a kid, my mother told me I probably had the same thyroid issue as my aunt, based on how I was developing compared to the rest of the family. Anyway, my thyroid level was perfect, so clearly nothing to be concerned about 😅 (I do believe my results are accurate, I was just extremely active so a 7000 cal meal used to be sufficient, and now I have a normal metabolism and eat too much).
That one was fun for me. I wasn't feeling too many symptoms, except I had been going to the gym, and I realized I couldn't push myself anymore. My doctor had me go through like 3 or 4 rounds of bloodwork for all kinds of things before he saw an antibody count through the roof for something thyroid related that screamed "hashimotos". I'm working a physical job for the first time in a while and I've noticed I'm tired a lot after it. And this is stuff that in my teens or early 20s wouldn't have been any problem at all.
I’m having some trouble. I feel like there’s something off, but I’ve had thyroid tests and the doctors report that “it’s in the normal range.” But I don’t know what else to ask for cause I’m not a doctor and don’t know this stuff. But no one I talk to wants to research more into it because “it’s in the normal range” 🤷🏻♀️
100%. It's pretty f'd when a doctor goes "you're having trouble breathing and swallowing from neck tumors? Let's check back in a year without treatment 🙂"
This is US healthcare in a nutshell. Our politicians argue we can’t nationalize health care because it will lead to long wait times and poor service if available at all in your area, when the reality is we are already experiencing long wait times and poor service combined with both financial and logistical inaccessibility. It’s a failed system being propped up by our corporate hospital industry and their lobbyists.
I saw the thumbnail and let out an anguished scream-- I've had thyroid cancer twice and know it all too well 😂 it really messes EVERYTHING up when your thyroid isn't working right!! edit: thank you for all the well wishes, y'all are too sweet! 🥺💖💖💖 and to make the bigots in the comments mad, I'm afab but not a woman, hope that doesn't make your brain melt too badly. 😂😂
@@methyleneblue_ I am doing much better, thank you so much! 💖💖💖 modern medicine is fantastic! and like, not that you *want* to get cancer, but it's a pretty chill one compared to many others 😂
@@fernandocordova7909 Same, It's been over 5 years since my thyroidectomy and we're still trying to balance the T4 and T3. Good luck to you and @giraffles.
Yes, very low thyroid, very high thyroid are easily diagnosed via the standard thyroid tests. HOWEVER, there is a high T4 and a low T3 (and probably other things) that give you subclinical hypothyroidism. When you talk to your GP they will dismiss it as, "All your tests are within range." Despite feeling sluggish, amotivated, can't lose weight, etc. It is crazy making.
yep, I went years and years as "subclinical hypo", it took me gaining about 80lbs and finally having antibodies in their hundreds, diagnosed with MDD and a TSH of 17 to be diagnosed and medicated.
This was me. Didn't get diagnosed until it broke my body because they didn't even tell me the first time I was subclinical. I understand why they do that, but I'd been having generalized "health issues" (really not feeling good and having to drop down to part-time at work) for years prior to that. Mystery solved ig lol.
@@genghis_connieYup! When I found out those numbers are based on an average and NOT scientific evidence showing that those numbers are healthiest, I about hit the floor in shock.
I had malignant thyroid cancer when I was in my 20s and was forced to get it entirely removed and I can confirm, it made everything in my body go absolutely bonkers…. I also remember that one time when a stupid, well known “doctor” on tv gave the suggestion for people to take thyroid meds for weight lost… and I went on a RANT… ugh…
How have you been since you've had it removed? My sister has extreme thyroid problems but they won't remove it but I wonder if it would actually help or make things worse.
Took 10 years, me switching doctors and then lying to my new doctor to get the proper blood tests and finally a referral to an endocrinologist who said my "thyroid is trash and it probably started 10 years ago." I had every single symptom including no periods. I was told over and over it was my weight. I said i only eat 1500 calories already they said exercise more i literally couldn't. I couldn't breath thanks to iron deficiency and pernicious anemia and everything hurt all the time. Doctor's act like this disease is no big deal they don't care.
I have hyperthyroidism and it affects so many minor aspects of my life. However, there is one especially serious side effect that was not mentioned in this video which is hypokalemia, or low potassium level. This can cause muscle cramps, increase heart rate, and in serious cases, total leg paralysis. My doctor also mentioned that this disease is more prevalent in female patients so it might manifest differently in males.
For me it took many years to find out about my Thyroid Disorder, 5-8 years or so. I was lucky to meet an doctor who sat me down for a real talk, instead or ordering the usual vitamin check blood work. My hunger went down, my joints doesn't hurt, my depression went down. My life changed!
Had a similar thing here. Took me until I was 30 to have my hypothyroidism diagnosed by a doctor who finally took me seriously and didn't tell me to just "exercise and eat healthier" (my former GP even told me to stop looking for excuses instead of actually looking for the thing causing my issues - I had been gaining weight uncontrollably since age 14). In my case, it was my Gynocologist, who also treated me for PCOS and Insulin Resistance (since, again, no one took me seriously enough). I wish doctors would take symptoms such as unwanted weight gain and lethargy/lack of energy more seriously, especially in already overweight patients. It's so easy to blame it on lack of discipline that actual illnesses are just ruled out from the get go. Counter my experiences with that of my younger sister, who was slim until she gained a few kilos for unknown reasons. Examination, bloodwork, referral and BOOM, diagnosis: Hashimoto. It took her a month to get properly diagnosed. It took me 30 years.
@@SayNoToGod The real talk. It was quite unusual for me, the sat me down, looked at me and said "Tell me everything that bothers you." -Everything? -Everything! So I explained my issues with mental health, tired, sleep, depression, ADHD My training that hurts my joints, how I'm freezing and that my hunger actually hurts. How I'm not able to hold on to jobs for some reason. Anxiety with hospitals and trust issues. I guess it's an good thing to just write down everything that bothers you, be short with your explanation and be open and honest if you worry about Hospitals or treatments.
I had 2 cats who developed hyperthyroidism in old age, which is relatively common. One died because we didn't figure it out in time, the other had radiation treatment and lived 4 more years.
How do you know it's developing in a cat? Our household has 3 cats and the youngest is 8 and a half years old, the others have to be at least 4 years older so I have concern for them
@@vincenttrigg4521 Symptoms are usually vomiting, diarrhea, and/or weight loss. If you've got a cat who usually hacks up a hairball every couple of months, and you realize they've doing it more like every week or two lately, that may be enough to warrant bloodwork!
Crying BC I've been trying to stabilize after graves diagnosis 6.5yrs ago and have been out of work because it fails anytime I try. So many people just go "I dont know what that does" when I say I have thyroid hormone instability. Too much hormone, even a tiny bit, is poison to me and gives me very severe muscle pain and weakness. And that's just one aspect of this. Thank you. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
If you suspect you have a thyroid problem make sure your Dr tests T4, T3 and TSH. Often Dr's only test T3 and 4 and you can still have a problem if your 3 and 4 levels are normal. Mine went undetected for decades until I got TSH levels checked.
I don’t know what the standard is, but I always end up getting my TSH and T4 tested during routine lab work. (edit to add: I have hypothyroidism being treated with levothyroxine.)
Let me tell you Hyperthyroidism is not fun at all. I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease when I was 16, I would constantly be in agonizing hunger, and eat nearly anything I could get my hands on, and still lose weight. It got so bad that my family had to hide food from me just so I didn't eat it all. Luckily after treatment for about 2 years it went into remission, and has been till now, 33.
oh my god you are me, i’m currently getting tested for it(they have to do my bloodwork at my home because i’m a difficult flight risk patient that needs sedation) at the moment. i joked with my mom that if i start treatment for graves’ disease im gonna buy myself a geiger or doppler counter to measure how radioactive i am during the radioactive iodine treatment so that’s gonna be fun
@@S3lkie-Gutz😂😂😂 my partner works in physics so he has one at work and absolutely brought it home to do just that! It was hilarious. I was very radioactive day 1. I had to stay at my parents so my pets didn't wind up with destroyed thyroids. I also wasn't allowed to travel on public transportation. 😅
Hashimoto's here. I fought doctor after doctor for 15 years and could not get a single one of them to test my iodine levels! I kept telling them I suspected iodine deficiency and they insisted that was a third world country issue and it doesn't happen here in 'Merca!!! Finally got a doctor to test my iodine.... I was deficient!!!!! Even this video is insisting that it doesn't happen here in America cuz apparently American soil was blessed by baby Jesus and we're just too good for that.... 😡 AMERICAN DOCTORS NEED TO START TESTING OUR IODINE LEVELS!!!!
I had thyroid cancer 7 years ago, had a complete thyroidectomy, at the time I knew nothing about my thyroid, the cancer is rare and even rarer in my case being male. It was very scary at first but I was assured it was super treatable. Hopefully anyone reading this with thyroid issues is taking care of themselves ❤
So, if you don’t take thyroxin do you just become too tired to even get out of bed? Can you feel the thyroxin wearing off because you start to get more tired? What happens if you try to run or do demanding physical activities if you haven’t taken thyroxin?
This episode couldn't have been more relatable and informative, greatly answering all the small questions i had in my head about this matter; my mom had this genetic problem with her Thyroid leading the doctors to have to remove it all together, and since then she has been experiencing most of these problems mentioned all too accurately prescribed, weight and hair lose, inability to eat properly, anxiety etc.. worst part is she's trying her best to hide it all while struggling with all the house shores.. it really breaks my heart all these years having to cope with this 💔 I don't wish this upon anybody.
My family has a history of low & high thyroid. My mom had Graves disease (treated with radioactive iodine), and I have low thyroid myself. Getting diagnosed for low thyroid involved blood testing, getting an initial perscription for synthetic thyroid hormone, then blood testing & adjusting medication dosage every few weeks until the doctor is happy with where the thyroid levels are at.
Would be great if SciShow devoted an episode to C-PTSD (Complex PTSD, AKA childhood trauma) and how it affects physical and mental health because this issue affects many, many people.
I had Hashimoto's with Primary Hyperparathyroidism. There were benign tumors all over my throat, necessitating removal of my thyroid, 2 1/2 parathyroids, and part of my larynx. When my thyroid hormone gets out of balance, I end up in the hospital, not knowing who or where I am.
i was diagnosed with hashimoto’s thyroiditis at 7 years old! my main symptoms are thinner hair, trouble regulating my body temperature/cold intolerance, tiredness, enlarged thyroid, and the comorbid major depressive disorder. but when i was a kid it was found through behavioral issues 🤔
I may recall this wrong but I heard that the thyroid is one key link between marine life evolution to our evolution, since the sea has plenty iodine fish have developed this gland to make some hormones but on dry land it's kinda hard to get iodine, so we are left with this kinda bizarre organ that is always at risk to have no material to make it's hormones.
I’ve lived with hypothyroidism my whole life. I was born with a genetic disorder that made me more likely to have hypo than if I had not. Personally, the fatigue symptom is an understatement. It’s EXHAUSTING! That just NEEDS to be cleared up, bc this type of exhaustion cannot be explained, unless you know what I’m talking about. It’s honestly debilitating and disabling some days. And, for me, it also causes pretty bad dry mouth, brittle nails and dry skin, and extreme depression. I’ve been on levothyroxine my whole life, as a result, but again, it’s just something I’ve learned to cope with, along with my other myriad of health conditions. Actually NOT having hypo seems weird to me, if that makes sense. If you also have hypo, I feel you! If you have hyper or another thyroid condition, I hope you get the treatments that you need as well and are living a good life despite these crappy symptoms. Let’s beat these butterfly effect symptoms together! 💪🏻☺️
I was diagnosed with thyroid issues (Graves, Hashimotos, etc.) around 2008. Even got the radioactive iodine. Permanent hypothyroidism now. My younger sister died last year. Autopsy revealed an enlarged heart and thyroid issues. Antivax mom is sure it's because sister took the COVID vaccine. I think it was the undiagnosed thyroid issues. She had a massive heart attack. She was 45. During my years of figuring it out, I had bouts of shakiness and spasming. Any muscle can spasm. I yawned and spasmed the base of my tongue. I was diagnosed and treated. Sister was not. Sad. Get tested if you have strange symptoms. Maybe get tested anyway.
OMG. I know so well! I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease many years ago. It gave me tachycardia, increased appetite, no concentration. I never got the bulging eyes, but it was awful.
I discovered how important it was when I started to wake up unable to move. My doctor took half a year to figure out I was experiencing thyrotoxic hypokalemic paralysis.
I has mine irradiated in 2019! Radioactive club hehe. I'm still not stable, but it's SO much better than before that. I was so sick at first that I was bedridden for months with horrible symptoms.
I have type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto’s. It took me two years to get a Hashimoto’s diagnosis despite being told about half of all AFAB people with type 1 will develop Hashimoto’s! The doctors just kept telling me to lose weight… but I couldn’t because my thyroid was shot!!
This episode on the thyroid was cool, because for a small organ the thyroid has massive impact. Could you do an episode on the thymus please? I was stunned to learn how much the thymus shrinks between childhood and adulthood.
I was diagnosed around 15 with hypothyroid. I took 50MCG of Synthroid for 12 years and it seemed to help. When I lost my job and insurance at 27 I stopped taking it because it was $75 a month. I decided to clean up my diet and exercise more often. its been 7 years, Im 34 and I have never felt better. Went to new doctor for a new job recently and got all kinds of test, blood work and no mention of my thyroid. Makes me wonder what happened lol
I’ve been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism for about 20 years and I’ve had a couple times where my doctor had me try stop taking my medication since it was already a low dosage, but the levels would go up again after a year or so and I’d be back on the medication
Then there’s the even more obscure parathyroid glands. These are four tiny glands, one for each lobe of the thyroid. They regulate calcium levels in the body. They can also malfunction, as I discovered a few years ago. So now I’m short one parathyroid, but the scar on my neck is minimal.
I was in my late 20s when I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. I had become twitchy and irritable, and had astonishingly bad mood swings. My resting pulse was around 130 bpm, and I went from a perfect 145 pounds to an almost skeletal 113 pounds in less than a year. My thyroid was doing its best to kill me (and perhaps others through my bad temper). My options were surgical removal or radioactive iodine treatment. I chose the latter. Unfortunately for me the iodine treatment only killed off _most_ of my thyroid. It took over a year to balance my synthetic thyroid dosage with the natural bits of what was left in order to reasonably regulate what was left of my thyroid. That was decades ago, but my family can definitely tell when I miss a synthroid dose...I become the perfect example of irritability and aggression. I feel it too, but sometimes feeling isn't noticing and acting upon. One part of me detests being governed by on e little pill per day, but most of me is grateful.
It is the chemicals produced, especially T3, in the endocrine system that affects everything. The thyroid is just one part. My issue is less with the thyroid and more with the conversion of T4 to T3. Ever since I was prescribed liothyronine my life has been transformed.
Childhood with undiagnosed hypothyroidism really was not fun. It took me years to be properly diagnosed as all the symptoms were attributed to other things. The fatigue was the worst for me. I could sleep for days and never feel rested.
Family history of Grave's disease (hyperthyroid disorder), Hashimoto's (hypothyroidism) and even thyroid cancer (my aunt even had hers grow back after a complete removal). My thyroid numbers just finally started to resemble the symptoms I was feeling for most of my life. Most recently (before I started medication), I could barely get myself out of bed in the morning and my ADHD meds basically didn't work. My mom managed to get both Grave's and Hashimoto's, while her siblings all have one or the other. It sucks feeling like you're going crazy and no one believes you
Was diagnosed with hypopituitarism in the late ‘60s. Since the pituitary is the master endocrine gland it caused hypothyroidism along with decreased function of all other endocrine glands. I’ve been on thyroid medicine ever since this was discovered.
I have a friend with hyperthyroidism and it took wayyyy too long for the docs to diagnose and treat it, partically because they didnt want her to gain weight :/ But she's doing much better now with meds! She has such a healthy glow to her skin now and much more energy :)
Is it a mystery, to most doctors who keep prescribing anti-depressants (which reduce T3 & T4) without checking Thyroid! Thank you for the video, now to get my doctor to watch it!
Will you provide a link to a scientific/validated site or product resume showing consensus regarding your statement "antidepressants (which reduce T3 & T4)? Thanks in advance
@EmilMToft “ T4 level has been reported to decrease by 11.2%” Clinical Neuropharmacology, (Lai, Xu, et al., 2016) It’s quite rare, but well-documented.
@@Sniperboy5551 By which branch of antidepressant, NaSSA, TCA, SNRI, SSRI? Is the mechanism described so there's talk of a causation or correlation? In general, more people with severe depression aren't as active, they don't have a diet that's as varied as people without the diagnosis. - so many variables can be part of the cause for the reduction in thyroid gland function and not medication. How can it be ruled out that the disease itself isn't the reason behind the reduction? In addition to your source which is unavailable to me, the fact that there's talk of a reduction in T4 might not even show up as physical symptoms, since T4 is far less active/reactive than T3.
Subclinical hypothyroidism here! This has been going on for over a decade of my life, if not longer. Some doctors want to treat it, others don't. My TSH levels are constantly waffling, but I finally went back on Synthroid a month ago...and I hate this stuff so much, lol. It's not even because it DOES anything bad, but you can't take ANYTHING with it. I'm also iron deficient, but I have to wait 4 hours before I can take that. And I have to wait half an hour before eating. Having to try remembering the timing of all my meds and supplements is a huge pain in the ass, especially when I'm not even seeing results from the Synthroid, lol. Bodies are so annoying.
I used to put my thyroid pill in a cap on my bedside table, and set my alarm for an hour before I had to be up. I'd wake up, take my pill, and go back to sleep! When my main alarm went off an hour later, I could eat right away if I wanted, and most of the time I'd be waking up on my own around the time the alarm went off. Only reason I don't do it that way any more is that I don't usually eat breakfast before work now, I drink a protein drink (from my dietician, so no comments please) after I'm at work and it's been over an hour since I took the pill.
Got a friend with mixed thyroid disorder whose family has a history of thyroid problems. Friend has the weight gain, swollen thyroid, depression, immune system problems among the mentioned symptoms in this video. They gone for a doctors consultation and unless it can be controlled with medication they'll have to have their thyroid removed. Weird that for a smaller part of the body it can mess things up real bad and my friend lost a sister from thyroid cancer.
my thyroid started going hyper a few months ago. honestly only came up due to a blood test that i get every year cause of other issues, but the one distinct symptom that ive never experienced before was crazy anger issues - i would get so angry so easily. kind of broke my desk after slamming my fist on it when i got really mad at something at work lol. literally never slammed my fist on anything ever before in my life. im about two months on meds for hyperthyroidism now, stabilised as far as blood results suggest, and the difference in the emotional regulation is crazy. looking back i cant believe how different i feel. freaking thyroid, man. such a small organ, but it can affect so much.
I was diagnosed with bipolar and "anger issues." Years later, nope, was just Graves the whole time. When I'm more in-range, I don't have any emotional instability. None.
When yer thyroid doctor tells you yer just tired because you have kids, your TSH lvls are fine, and you can't stay awake more then a few hours each day, it's time for a new doctor. And after that it's hard to find one that actually will listen. Man. I've had Hashimoto's my whole life, I'm nearly 40, and they still can't get it right.
Sadly, many doctors only check TSH and call it a day... while they should check for Free T4 and antibodies as well... My sister ended up in the hospital before they checked these and then they diagnosed her with Grave's... And I already got the diagnosis for Hashimoto's years before so they could have suspected... But women are frequently dismissed with all kind of stuff. My mother was dismissed 3 times with a lump in her left breast. When her nipple sank in they diagnosed her with stage 4 cancer. My friend's dad went with suspision of testicle cancer (a pinhead sized lump) and he got rushed tests and all...
A specific thyroid doctor? I wish I had that. My doctor said you need pills I got them and that was it. Ten years now and I'm not really myself just a zombie.
This is the first video I've been able to find that can make sense. And I've had thyroid for many years. I'm under active diverge, but now I just got dinosaurs with Hashimoto's. Thank you for the video. Because I have looked for once that put it in English that I can understand and I like this. Thank you so much for the information. It is helping me be able to help my daughter. That is going through issues. I'm trying to figure out if she has this. Thank you again jenny
I live in Japan, and had what I thought might be an iodine deficiency in my diet. Tried asking a doctor about it, and it was really hard to get across what I was trying to say. Took a long time for the doctor to catch on, and she eventually admitted that Japan doesn't do much about iodized salt. The main source of dietary iodine is seaweed, but you have to eat a lot of it per week. Just by chance, I found a shop that had a discount sale on Doritos. Looks like they use the American ingredient list, but there's nothing on the packaging showing iodine levels. Got a blood test recently and it supposedly didn't show any abnormalities. But now, I have a medical justification to snack on Doritos occasionally.
@@buddyholly4672 That may be true. All I know is that the symptoms, including joint pain and a swelling at the side of the neck near where the thyroid should be, subsided only after trying a couple small bags of Doritos.
I have hashimotos and hoo boy let me tell you the fatigue is no joke, without synthetic thyroid hormones I will sleep 12 hours total every day, 10 hours at night, 2 hour nap in the afternoon. And of course still feel tired all the time
I got diagnosed with graves 4 years ago. All of the symptoms (anxiety, trouble sleeping, irritability) are just my normal ADHD brain plus, you know, a world wide pandemic. The only reason it was caught was I lost 30lbs in 3 months (quarterly checkins with my doc for my ADHD stimulants). After much bloodwork and endocrinologist visits, got on a thyroid suppressing medication and I’m in remission. The physicist in me kinda wishes I got radioiodine therapy, but it’s usually less used these days. After medication, they usually go to surgery. With modern lartheroscopic surgery, the risks are lower than radiation
Had a late diagnosis of hypothyroidism after being verbally abused for my inability to keep up in HS. Had blood tests regularly but UMass put down that I had a miscarriage without consulting my family even though I'm ace & had never been sexually active. Took a different office to finally get the help I needed. Turned out to be genetic. I've recently started recovering from the effects of falling through the cracks like that.
To make it worse I'd been prescribed antidepressants before my thyroid was checked and then my psychiatrist unintentionally gaslight me cause my meds weren't helping.
I got diagnosed with graves last year at 22 years old. It’s turned my life completely upside down. I’m always uncomfortable, always tired, always hot. Right now I’m hypo because of medication and basically sleep all day. When I was hyper all I did was eat all day. I was passing out from the high heart rate. I let it go on way too long without treatment because I kept telling myself nothing was wrong and I was out of breath because I was over weight. If you think something is wrong please don’t wait like I did. I was miserable for months and was putting my life at risk. This disease absolutely sucks and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism) for me. I went crazy during my late teens and early 20's and I believe that was a major contributor to that. We're not eating the correct diet or getting any sunlight, we need to have more low carb high fat foods and consume animal based products regularly. No more bread, oats, noodles, soda etc. The fibre is just giving us the runs and isn't being digested either.
Thanks for this great introduction into thyroid issues. The animation and explanation at the beginning was excellent. I would love it if the pace of SciShow videos would be a tiny bit slower with pauses at the right moments to digest the information.
@@magsimags Thanks for the suggestion! I actually listen at 2x, for me personally, it's mostly about the rhythm. It's a monotonous flow of information the way SciShow does it.
@@zerwas2ky I know what you mean. I find it hard to pay attention to it cause it's so fast and monotonous. My brain would naturally tune it out so I have to fight to pick up any information
FYI: most sea salt and other types of "fancy" salt do NOT contain iodine! Check the container of the salt you use and if it does not mention being iodized, you should consider adding iodized salt to at least some of your food. Also, processed foods often do not use iodized salt so if your sodium intake is coming from processed food, you also need to consider adding iodized salt to the meals that you cook at home. You don't even need that much salt to get your RDA of iodine, a half a teaspoon per day will get you most of the way there unless you are pregnant or breastfeeding in which case you need more.
Great PSA! Yes, sea salt is not required to be fortified with iodine (in the US). No, adding iodized salt *specifically to get iodine* isn't recommended. Salt was fortified because it was consumed anyway and it was an easy way to get to iodine deficient communties, in places where food variety was low, local soil iodine (and thus produce iodine) was low, and access to global food was rare. Iodine deficiency is rare now in places with higher variety of foods and access to globally grown foods, even in people who don't use iodized salt. It's generally recommended to get your extra iodine from eggs, dairy, fish, seaweed, or a multivitamin first before trying to supplement with iodized salt. If you're using salt anyway, it's fine. Don't increase your salt intake, even if it's fortified, for the iodine.
I no longer have to worry about thyroid disease. Mine already tried to kill me and was completely removed, along with several lymph notes in the same area due to Stage 3 thyroid cancer.
I ended up becoming hyperthyroid, and my primary care provider only ever tested T4 and TSH, which looked normal. (she ignored my symptoms most annoying of which was high heartrate that was also so loud I could always hear it and near constant exhaustion and hunger as time progressed). Finally after a couple of months, my TSH, T4, and T3 were so messed up that finally someone took notice. (It was noticed as a result of having to have my gal bladder removed). The doctor in charge of that straight up told me that I needed to have seen a "real" doctor, cause my PCP was a nurse practitioner, I'm lucky my heart wasn't really injured, and just taking some medicine to balance things out was enough to help. I've got markers for both Hashimotos and Graves disease, so my body just hates my thyroid and I'll probably end up losing some or all of it eventually :\
I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in my late 20s and treated with radioactive ablation. Been living with hypothyroidism for the past 10+ years. Wish this video was around back then to help make some sense of my symptoms but thankfully, I had a doctor who saw the indicators and got me the treatment I needed. Very informative!
My doctor told me three months ago after checking my blood work that I had some minor thyroid issue and to expect if I haven't already experienced it the associative issues brought up in this video. I chuckled and told her for the past 6 months I'd been experiencing quite the opposite. I'm more energetic, biking 50 miles a week or more, walking 5 miles everyday, and if I don't get out the door in a timely manner to do those things my body starts getting antsy like a dog with the zoomies. I've never been depressed in my entire life and definitely don't feel down in any way. In fact being on my mountain bike riding is my happy place. My weight is dropping at a snails pace, 1 to 2 pounds per month but it's definitely not going up. She verbally shrugged and said we'll just keep an eye on it. Sure thing but that was three months ago and I'm just getting more energetic. I feel like I'm getting younger and stronger. It's wierd but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts 😃
That was me for years, eventually my body just broke and 6.5yrs later I'm still not stable and not able to work and need regular help with basic self-care. I always worry/wonder if all the extra activity prior made this so terrible.
@@jaxs616 I'm retired and in my 60s. When I eventually get to the point where the end of being able to care for myself is near, I already have it planned out to go on a far away camping/hiking trip that I'll never return from. Until then... Lovin' every minute of it 💓
I had that too, and then I crashed and finally came in range for clinical hypothyroidism. Take care of your diet, including iodine. That may help prevent or delay becoming symptomatic.
I actually just had a hemithyriodectimy yesterday due to a goiter and this definitely helped me better understand how this all works and what to watch out for. Thank you for this!
Hypothyroidism here! I just about fainted in my second year of uni and had to go to the hospital, get blood tests, etc. What they originally thought was just stress, improved immensely when I started thyroid medication. I've been stable on it for several years now, although I get it checked every once in a while, mostly because A) you're supposed to and B) I'm doing the bloodwork anyway.
Just got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but I thought and feared for 2 days, it was cancer. I've been so sick though for over a week. Glad I went into my doctor when I did because I had no idea anything was wrong. Thought I just had a stomach bug.
Thank-you for putting this information out there. I grew up in the Goiter-belt - the area around the Great Lakes, and knew several people with this problem when I was a child. It really steams me now, because I've seen quite a few cooking show and demonstration "chefs" in recent years tell people not to eat idodized salt - because they say "it tastes bad and isn't necessary for a healthy diet" and usually while trying to sell a product. It makes me wonder how they're not getting charged for giving out medical advice without a license.
I recently was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but have a handful of symptoms that align with hyperthyroidism! (Weight loss, sensitivity to heat, racing heart, you name it) It’s crazy how weird it manifests in some people.
As someone with Hashimotos disease I know far well how much the thyroid can effect your health. I ended up in the emergency room, thinking I was dying sick come to find out I had virtually no TSH and was in WoW! When a simple pill every day made me feel normal again.
Got the left half removed because of a rare aggressive adenoma that grew to the size of a prune in 4 weeks that was sending me in such an hyperthyroid cycle that I lost 40 pounds in 4 weeks.
had good ol thyroid cancer for a while. took me to move to another state to get it diagnosed, the previous state thought it was simply hashimoto's and didnt look further. current doctors were a lot more curious thank goodness
Currently having hypothyroidism and nodules that could be cancer and need to be biopsied, so I super appreciate this video. I've been doing so much research on the thyroid since diagnosis but I don't retain information as well as I do from Scishow videos.
Having Hypothyroid and it being completely dead, I will tell you that an acceptable "range" that they test you for with regards to your TSH, that "acceptable range" isn't for everyone and that everyone will find a number within this range that works for them. Example... A TSH of 2 or less works great for me, but for my mom it has to be closer to 1 or her symptoms return. Both of these are in the "Acceptable range" ... So if your symptoms aren't getting better or getting better enough try lowering your TSH further with further medication supplementation.
I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis at 7. Was hyperthyroid presenting. Anorexic and anxious. After meds i am now hypo presenting. Luckly i am considered curvy and not just fat now lol. I'm 30 and I'm so tired.
My mom had thyroid cancer, did an iodine radiation treatment, she had her thyroid removed, and now has to take daily life saving medication for the rest of her life. It’s crazy how she discovered she had a thyroid condition: at her dentist cleaning appointment! The dentist was feeling her glands by her throat and didn’t like how the glands felt and recommended she talk to her doctor about it!!
Hypothyroidism patient, here! Yup, do not recommend. Exhaustion, weight gain, cold hands and feet, very irregular periods, lowered/hoarse voice, puffy face, thickened skin, and just a constant "meh" feeling... if any of these sound familiar, DO go get a blood test. I developed it in my 40s, tho' at least I knew it was coming and was getting regular blood tests, since both sisters, my mom, and at least one of my aunts all have some flavor of hypothyroidism (and I have a nephew who has it, so even though it's WAY more prevalent in ppl born female, guys are not immune). My eldest sis had thyroid cancer (which you didn't list, but yes, that's a thing, too), of which there are 4 types that I know of. She's fine now-- she had the least aggressive form-- but she no longer has a thyroid and is on full replacement hormone. Top reason I would never qualify as a time traveler: I have to take a daily medication to keep myself alive.
I have a family history of thyroid problems, have Graves and see a endocrinologist every couple of months. Im very lucky that with the help of medicine and time my graves went into remission and I was able to have a healthy pregnancy for me and my baby.
I was diagnosed with Graves disease right after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes because my heart rate wasn't going down as well as it should be after beginning insulin treatment. Had it removed a bit later but in the meantime it was quite the journey trying to stabilize it
My youngest sister has hypothyroidism and hashimotos (probably more) which leaves her in a complicated situation. First off, her thyroid is basically dead majority of the time, not working at all but sometimes it just decides to turn on. When it turns on it goes into overdrive, changing into hyperthyroidism wish makes all things go out of wack. With all this, it causes her heart problems which has resultted in her having probably close to 50 seizures... They have her on beta blockers now for the heart to stay in control whenever these thyroid changes happen but if she gets too stressed then she can still have seizures. For some unknown reason, the doctors that do acknowledge her thyroid problems (95% of them dont for some reason...) still wont figure out a way to schedule a surgery to have it removed. They keep saying that since its effectively dead most of the time, it's fine where it is. If it was fully dead that would be alright but whenever it decides to turn on, thats when serious health risks come into play. Again she's seen many doctors and specialists, i think only one thyroid specialist suggested having it removed but every other doctor just shuts down that idea. Anyone with similar thyroid problems know how to convince doctors to go forward with a surgery? For reference of location, we are in Canada Alberta.
Can Hashimoto's be cyclical? I know someone who seems to have worse symptoms during the summer/early autumn and least bad being in the late winter/early spring.
Packages of seaweed (Sushi Nori) should be labeled with their iodine content, which is very high. It can trigger the Wolf Chaikoff effect which, in people with thyroid disorders, is greatly exaggerated and can lead to dangerously low thyroid hormone levels.
It’s funny, I thought I knew a lot about thyroid issues because of many loved ones explaining their experiences… but this video opened my eyes to all of the different symptoms and diagnosis situations that I had yet to encounter. Thank you as always for the information!
I was born with hypothyroidism. Somewhere in my early twenties I got depressed/isolated and stopped taking my medication. It took everything to a whole other level of bad. I was just sleeping non stop and my head was super-heavy like it was a big rock about to implode. I didn't think about anything at all, I just existed in permanent fatigue and lived in my bed. I'm better now and super careful to take my meds (150 micrograms) on an empty stomach every morning, but it's scary looking back on it.
On the topic of this video, in Argentina all salt must be iodized by law to prevent iodine defficiency. It works so well as a control measure that I didn't even remember it was a thing until I saw this video, and I'm a Biochemist that has done many diagnostics on this. Regulation works and rocks sometimes
Thyroid cancer and hashimotos over here. Had a total thyroidectomy two years ago and she isn’t lying. You have no idea how much that little butterfly does until it’s not doing what it’s supposed to or it’s not there at all anymore!
I have hashimoto's and "normal levels". I went to the point of having so much fatigue that I couldn't walk. I developed sjogren's too. I had subclinical hypothyroidism and truly my life was miserable. I couldn't lose weight even if I wasn't eating because of dysmotility. I felt like a cadaver, my blood pressure dropped all the time, I realized my heart rate was at like 48 when awake, and it wouldn't go pass 90 even. I ate too little and also used too little, I felt like I was frozen, nothing was moving and I had a constant sensation of being acidic, like having a bad hungover. I ended up taking selenium, vitamin d, vitmamin b12 and iron and I got better. Stoppes gluten and dairy and 6 months later I am great. It took me a year and 3 biopsies to find a great doctor and I got off plaquenil and prednisone, finally.
"when something goes wrong with your thyroid, it makes it everybody's problem"
Yeah, had a French teacher back in school. Just really not very nice. At some point she got thyroid surgery. When she came back she was basically a different person.
got a mom with problematic thyroid. suffice it to say, i didn’t have a great childhood
@@acattagite448well hopefully you have a super awesome adulthood
I had hyperthyroidism as a teen, and I was a complete mess. Once it was destroyed and I got my hormones re-balanced with levothyroxine, my teachers and friends said I was a completely different person. It really messes with your brain.
@@SA-pi3zm thank you!
Nice! Did she get it completely removed or just a part of it?
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis person here. The goiter and inability to swallow water easily were the clues. Blood work? Perfect. If my doctor only looked at blood work, I'd have been even more screwed. Thankfully, ultrasound was ordered and they found my body eating my thyroid. Don't know what triggered it, but it helped explain my insane joint pain and exhaustion from exercising (that's always fun trying to tell your loved ones and therapist that, no, exercise makes me feel even crappier - not that getting fatter makes me feel less crappy)...weeeeeeeee
A lot of the time a viral infection triggers it.
Usually, you get some minor respiratory thing and the immune system gets confused so a few months later the thyroid is broken because the immune system thinks this whole time it's been fighting the good fight when really it's been friendly fire.
I'm on the other end, kind of. Graves, but we couldn't get it under control so I had my thyroid irradiated. But yeah my endo is actually amazing and actually pays attention to clinical presentation (so many DON'T) and tbh she's the reason I've held on and keep trying to stabilize.
When I was a kid, my mother told me I probably had the same thyroid issue as my aunt, based on how I was developing compared to the rest of the family.
Anyway, my thyroid level was perfect, so clearly nothing to be concerned about 😅 (I do believe my results are accurate, I was just extremely active so a 7000 cal meal used to be sufficient, and now I have a normal metabolism and eat too much).
That one was fun for me. I wasn't feeling too many symptoms, except I had been going to the gym, and I realized I couldn't push myself anymore.
My doctor had me go through like 3 or 4 rounds of bloodwork for all kinds of things before he saw an antibody count through the roof for something thyroid related that screamed "hashimotos".
I'm working a physical job for the first time in a while and I've noticed I'm tired a lot after it. And this is stuff that in my teens or early 20s wouldn't have been any problem at all.
I’m having some trouble. I feel like there’s something off, but I’ve had thyroid tests and the doctors report that “it’s in the normal range.” But I don’t know what else to ask for cause I’m not a doctor and don’t know this stuff. But no one I talk to wants to research more into it because “it’s in the normal range” 🤷🏻♀️
Mixed Thyroid Disorder here, Graves and Hashimotos simultaneously. Just finding a good, available endocrinologist is the greatest challenge.
100%. It's pretty f'd when a doctor goes "you're having trouble breathing and swallowing from neck tumors? Let's check back in a year without treatment 🙂"
This is US healthcare in a nutshell. Our politicians argue we can’t nationalize health care because it will lead to long wait times and poor service if available at all in your area, when the reality is we are already experiencing long wait times and poor service combined with both financial and logistical inaccessibility. It’s a failed system being propped up by our corporate hospital industry and their lobbyists.
the endocrinologist that i went to cost me $300 for a 15 minute appointment lol (other brands are available)
Today i learned that you can have both at the same time, I only just learned a year or 2 ago from my Endo that I could develop Hashimoto's later on.
Bruh I've spent the last week just trying to find one that takes my insurance 💀
I saw the thumbnail and let out an anguished scream-- I've had thyroid cancer twice and know it all too well 😂 it really messes EVERYTHING up when your thyroid isn't working right!!
edit: thank you for all the well wishes, y'all are too sweet! 🥺💖💖💖 and to make the bigots in the comments mad, I'm afab but not a woman, hope that doesn't make your brain melt too badly. 😂😂
i hope you’re doing better now 🤍
@@methyleneblue_ I am doing much better, thank you so much! 💖💖💖 modern medicine is fantastic! and like, not that you *want* to get cancer, but it's a pretty chill one compared to many others 😂
I'm glad to hear that you're doing alright. I'm currently in remission and the ever changing medication and fatigue is exhausting.
@@fernandocordova7909 Same, It's been over 5 years since my thyroidectomy and we're still trying to balance the T4 and T3. Good luck to you and @giraffles.
@@giraffles i’m so glad to know you’re doing much better!!
Yes, very low thyroid, very high thyroid are easily diagnosed via the standard thyroid tests. HOWEVER, there is a high T4 and a low T3 (and probably other things) that give you subclinical hypothyroidism. When you talk to your GP they will dismiss it as, "All your tests are within range." Despite feeling sluggish, amotivated, can't lose weight, etc. It is crazy making.
yep, I went years and years as "subclinical hypo", it took me gaining about 80lbs and finally having antibodies in their hundreds, diagnosed with MDD and a TSH of 17 to be diagnosed and medicated.
Same. The “range” is a guide, not a rule.
I was prescribed meds for hypothyroid twice (animal and manufactured). I can’t tolerate them
Ugh.
This was me. Didn't get diagnosed until it broke my body because they didn't even tell me the first time I was subclinical. I understand why they do that, but I'd been having generalized "health issues" (really not feeling good and having to drop down to part-time at work) for years prior to that. Mystery solved ig lol.
@@piddlydiddly😢
People just don't take this seriously enough.
I'm so glad they made this video.
@@genghis_connieYup! When I found out those numbers are based on an average and NOT scientific evidence showing that those numbers are healthiest, I about hit the floor in shock.
I had malignant thyroid cancer when I was in my 20s and was forced to get it entirely removed and I can confirm, it made everything in my body go absolutely bonkers….
I also remember that one time when a stupid, well known “doctor” on tv gave the suggestion for people to take thyroid meds for weight lost… and I went on a RANT… ugh…
"Absolutely bonkers" is an apt description 😂
What TV doctor said that?!?! 😮
How have you been since you've had it removed? My sister has extreme thyroid problems but they won't remove it but I wonder if it would actually help or make things worse.
Took 10 years, me switching doctors and then lying to my new doctor to get the proper blood tests and finally a referral to an endocrinologist who said my "thyroid is trash and it probably started 10 years ago." I had every single symptom including no periods. I was told over and over it was my weight. I said i only eat 1500 calories already they said exercise more i literally couldn't. I couldn't breath thanks to iron deficiency and pernicious anemia and everything hurt all the time. Doctor's act like this disease is no big deal they don't care.
My partner found out he has Graves disease in May when he ended up in the ER with his heart in AFib.
That tiny little organ does not mess around.
aww, I hope he's on his way to recovery now❤
Ugh, this happened to me in February! I was out of work for 4 months and the sickest I've been in my life.
I have hyperthyroidism and it affects so many minor aspects of my life.
However, there is one especially serious side effect that was not mentioned in this video which is hypokalemia, or low potassium level. This can cause muscle cramps, increase heart rate, and in serious cases, total leg paralysis.
My doctor also mentioned that this disease is more prevalent in female patients so it might manifest differently in males.
It's wild going from "everything's fine" to "everything's broken" because of one little body part. 😮
i have hypothyroidism. itll be with me until i die
@@Near_Voidsame.. hormones for life.
@@RepubsWannaMarryKids 150mg of levothyroxine sodium, per day, for life
I wouldve been bankrupt several times over by now if i was in the us
My doctor took several months to link my paralysis attacks with this. It was a bit like waking up being a bug laying on its back.
For me it took many years to find out about my Thyroid Disorder, 5-8 years or so. I was lucky to meet an doctor who sat me down for a real talk, instead or ordering the usual vitamin check blood work.
My hunger went down, my joints doesn't hurt, my depression went down. My life changed!
Very happy for you!!
Hope I join you there someday. ❤ 😊
@@jaxs616 it's not perfect but it works. Life is a struggle with an stupid Thyroid. :P
Had a similar thing here. Took me until I was 30 to have my hypothyroidism diagnosed by a doctor who finally took me seriously and didn't tell me to just "exercise and eat healthier" (my former GP even told me to stop looking for excuses instead of actually looking for the thing causing my issues - I had been gaining weight uncontrollably since age 14). In my case, it was my Gynocologist, who also treated me for PCOS and Insulin Resistance (since, again, no one took me seriously enough).
I wish doctors would take symptoms such as unwanted weight gain and lethargy/lack of energy more seriously, especially in already overweight patients. It's so easy to blame it on lack of discipline that actual illnesses are just ruled out from the get go. Counter my experiences with that of my younger sister, who was slim until she gained a few kilos for unknown reasons. Examination, bloodwork, referral and BOOM, diagnosis: Hashimoto. It took her a month to get properly diagnosed. It took me 30 years.
@lindabedwall what did the 'real talk' provide? Specific eating plan? Specific medication? Habits? Etc. Please drop suggestions TY 😊
@@SayNoToGod The real talk. It was quite unusual for me, the sat me down, looked at me and said "Tell me everything that bothers you."
-Everything?
-Everything!
So I explained my issues with mental health, tired, sleep, depression, ADHD
My training that hurts my joints, how I'm freezing and that my hunger actually hurts. How I'm not able to hold on to jobs for some reason. Anxiety with hospitals and trust issues.
I guess it's an good thing to just write down everything that bothers you, be short with your explanation and be open and honest if you worry about Hospitals or treatments.
I am a thyroid cancer survivor. Get your thyroid checked annually and pay attention to the shape of your neck.
Me too! Please take care.
I am finding it very hard to eat and drink now. Food gets stuck and then water will not go down.
@@badfairy9554 time to get checked out regardless of what might be the cause.
Got a nodule in mine, I have to check every few years…
@@BB-pn2qv sorry to hear that.
I had 2 cats who developed hyperthyroidism in old age, which is relatively common. One died because we didn't figure it out in time, the other had radiation treatment and lived 4 more years.
How do you know it's developing in a cat? Our household has 3 cats and the youngest is 8 and a half years old, the others have to be at least 4 years older so I have concern for them
@@vincenttrigg4521 Symptoms are usually vomiting, diarrhea, and/or weight loss. If you've got a cat who usually hacks up a hairball every couple of months, and you realize they've doing it more like every week or two lately, that may be enough to warrant bloodwork!
Crying BC I've been trying to stabilize after graves diagnosis 6.5yrs ago and have been out of work because it fails anytime I try. So many people just go "I dont know what that does" when I say I have thyroid hormone instability. Too much hormone, even a tiny bit, is poison to me and gives me very severe muscle pain and weakness. And that's just one aspect of this.
Thank you. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I am so sorry you are dealing with this. It stinks. 🙁
@@deadiemeyers1661❤❤❤
If you suspect you have a thyroid problem make sure your Dr tests T4, T3 and TSH. Often Dr's only test T3 and 4 and you can still have a problem if your 3 and 4 levels are normal. Mine went undetected for decades until I got TSH levels checked.
That's weird, because the impression that I got from my doctor was that checking TSH was more of a standard of care than checking T3/T4 was!
I don’t know what the standard is, but I always end up getting my TSH and T4 tested during routine lab work. (edit to add: I have hypothyroidism being treated with levothyroxine.)
Let me tell you Hyperthyroidism is not fun at all. I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease when I was 16, I would constantly be in agonizing hunger, and eat nearly anything I could get my hands on, and still lose weight. It got so bad that my family had to hide food from me just so I didn't eat it all. Luckily after treatment for about 2 years it went into remission, and has been till now, 33.
Same, except I had NO appetite, and lost so much weight. I took medication for 5 years until remission too. My mom refused surgery.
oh my god you are me, i’m currently getting tested for it(they have to do my bloodwork at my home because i’m a difficult flight risk patient that needs sedation) at the moment. i joked with my mom that if i start treatment for graves’ disease im gonna buy myself a geiger or doppler counter to measure how radioactive i am during the radioactive iodine treatment so that’s gonna be fun
The hiding food thing broke my heart. 😢 I'm sorry you went through that. Hyperthyroidism is ******* miserable.
@@S3lkie-Gutz😂😂😂 my partner works in physics so he has one at work and absolutely brought it home to do just that! It was hilarious. I was very radioactive day 1. I had to stay at my parents so my pets didn't wind up with destroyed thyroids. I also wasn't allowed to travel on public transportation. 😅
What was your treatment and what were your most felt changes???
Hashimoto's here. I fought doctor after doctor for 15 years and could not get a single one of them to test my iodine levels! I kept telling them I suspected iodine deficiency and they insisted that was a third world country issue and it doesn't happen here in 'Merca!!!
Finally got a doctor to test my iodine.... I was deficient!!!!!
Even this video is insisting that it doesn't happen here in America cuz apparently American soil was blessed by baby Jesus and we're just too good for that.... 😡
AMERICAN DOCTORS NEED TO START TESTING OUR IODINE LEVELS!!!!
I had thyroid cancer 7 years ago, had a complete thyroidectomy, at the time I knew nothing about my thyroid, the cancer is rare and even rarer in my case being male. It was very scary at first but I was assured it was super treatable. Hopefully anyone reading this with thyroid issues is taking care of themselves ❤
Hard to do when a lot of doctors do not understand the problem any better than the average person. I am a 19 years thyroid cancer survivor
Congrats on surviving it dude!
@wilmaroles4375 congrats on surviving it as well!
So, if you don’t take thyroxin do you just become too tired to even get out of bed? Can you feel the thyroxin wearing off because you start to get more tired? What happens if you try to run or do demanding physical activities if you haven’t taken thyroxin?
This episode couldn't have been more relatable and informative, greatly answering all the small questions i had in my head about this matter; my mom had this genetic problem with her Thyroid leading the doctors to have to remove it all together, and since then she has been experiencing most of these problems mentioned all too accurately prescribed, weight and hair lose, inability to eat properly, anxiety etc.. worst part is she's trying her best to hide it all while struggling with all the house shores.. it really breaks my heart all these years having to cope with this 💔 I don't wish this upon anybody.
Wait... it can also cause hair loss and inability to eat properly???
My family has a history of low & high thyroid. My mom had Graves disease (treated with radioactive iodine), and I have low thyroid myself. Getting diagnosed for low thyroid involved blood testing, getting an initial perscription for synthetic thyroid hormone, then blood testing & adjusting medication dosage every few weeks until the doctor is happy with where the thyroid levels are at.
Would be great if SciShow devoted an episode to C-PTSD (Complex PTSD, AKA childhood trauma) and how it affects physical and mental health because this issue affects many, many people.
Interestingly enough one of the organs affected the most by this is ………the thyroid. I know from personal experience! ❤
Idk, the way they advocated ABA in their autism video has me thinking they would recommend the most traumatizing method possible for addressing PTSD
@@LoveAllLife333 Same. Hashimoto’s since 1995. That’s why I added the comment.
@@hereticartist574 💙
I had Hashimoto's with Primary Hyperparathyroidism. There were benign tumors all over my throat, necessitating removal of my thyroid, 2 1/2 parathyroids, and part of my larynx.
When my thyroid hormone gets out of balance, I end up in the hospital, not knowing who or where I am.
I got Stage 3 Hashimoto's-- this video felt VERY relevant. Sharing it with friends so they can be educated on how bad that condition can be.
i was diagnosed with hashimoto’s thyroiditis at 7 years old! my main symptoms are thinner hair, trouble regulating my body temperature/cold intolerance, tiredness, enlarged thyroid, and the comorbid major depressive disorder. but when i was a kid it was found through behavioral issues 🤔
I may recall this wrong but I heard that the thyroid is one key link between marine life evolution to our evolution, since the sea has plenty iodine fish have developed this gland to make some hormones but on dry land it's kinda hard to get iodine, so we are left with this kinda bizarre organ that is always at risk to have no material to make it's hormones.
Considering how complicated our bodies are and what we do to them, it's amazing they work as well as they do.
I’ve lived with hypothyroidism my whole life. I was born with a genetic disorder that made me more likely to have hypo than if I had not. Personally, the fatigue symptom is an understatement. It’s EXHAUSTING! That just NEEDS to be cleared up, bc this type of exhaustion cannot be explained, unless you know what I’m talking about. It’s honestly debilitating and disabling some days. And, for me, it also causes pretty bad dry mouth, brittle nails and dry skin, and extreme depression. I’ve been on levothyroxine my whole life, as a result, but again, it’s just something I’ve learned to cope with, along with my other myriad of health conditions. Actually NOT having hypo seems weird to me, if that makes sense. If you also have hypo, I feel you! If you have hyper or another thyroid condition, I hope you get the treatments that you need as well and are living a good life despite these crappy symptoms. Let’s beat these butterfly effect symptoms together! 💪🏻☺️
I was diagnosed with thyroid issues (Graves, Hashimotos, etc.) around 2008. Even got the radioactive iodine. Permanent hypothyroidism now. My younger sister died last year. Autopsy revealed an enlarged heart and thyroid issues. Antivax mom is sure it's because sister took the COVID vaccine. I think it was the undiagnosed thyroid issues. She had a massive heart attack. She was 45. During my years of figuring it out, I had bouts of shakiness and spasming. Any muscle can spasm. I yawned and spasmed the base of my tongue. I was diagnosed and treated. Sister was not. Sad. Get tested if you have strange symptoms. Maybe get tested anyway.
OMG. I know so well! I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease many years ago. It gave me tachycardia, increased appetite, no concentration. I never got the bulging eyes, but it was awful.
I'm glad you're doing better! These symptoms are debilitating fs
I discovered how important it was when I started to wake up unable to move. My doctor took half a year to figure out I was experiencing thyrotoxic hypokalemic paralysis.
Immune system at times:
*”Your free trial of life has ended”*
I had my thyroid removed in 2020 due to my Graves Disease, and it has improved my life a lot! Very happy to see some representation for it :))
I has mine irradiated in 2019! Radioactive club hehe. I'm still not stable, but it's SO much better than before that. I was so sick at first that I was bedridden for months with horrible symptoms.
Same here! Full removal was the easiest solution. And now I got a cool scar across my throat 😎
@@jaxs616Fellow radioactive iodine member! Mom and sister also have Graves disease.
@@ayanator3051 Should be even cooler if the reboot of "Highlander" is a hit! "Yeah, the sword *almost* got me!"
I have type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto’s. It took me two years to get a Hashimoto’s diagnosis despite being told about half of all AFAB people with type 1 will develop Hashimoto’s! The doctors just kept telling me to lose weight… but I couldn’t because my thyroid was shot!!
This episode on the thyroid was cool, because for a small organ the thyroid has massive impact.
Could you do an episode on the thymus please? I was stunned to learn how much the thymus shrinks between childhood and adulthood.
I was diagnosed around 15 with hypothyroid. I took 50MCG of Synthroid for 12 years and it seemed to help.
When I lost my job and insurance at 27 I stopped taking it because it was $75 a month. I decided to clean up my diet and exercise more often. its been 7 years, Im 34 and I have never felt better.
Went to new doctor for a new job recently and got all kinds of test, blood work and no mention of my thyroid. Makes me wonder what happened lol
I’ve been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism for about 20 years and I’ve had a couple times where my doctor had me try stop taking my medication since it was already a low dosage, but the levels would go up again after a year or so and I’d be back on the medication
@@silentsmurf Its been about a year since my last visit. I will set an appoinment and ask specifically about my thyroid.
Then there’s the even more obscure parathyroid glands. These are four tiny glands, one for each lobe of the thyroid. They regulate calcium levels in the body. They can also malfunction, as I discovered a few years ago. So now I’m short one parathyroid, but the scar on my neck is minimal.
I just had a parathyroidectomy a few weeks ago myself..i was waiting for them to mention the parathyroid glands
I dont have much, because of graves lol, but wanted to give back. Thanks so much. ❤
I was in my late 20s when I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. I had become twitchy and irritable, and had astonishingly bad mood swings. My resting pulse was around 130 bpm, and I went from a perfect 145 pounds to an almost skeletal 113 pounds in less than a year.
My thyroid was doing its best to kill me (and perhaps others through my bad temper). My options were surgical removal or radioactive iodine treatment. I chose the latter.
Unfortunately for me the iodine treatment only killed off _most_ of my thyroid. It took over a year to balance my synthetic thyroid dosage with the natural bits of what was left in order to reasonably regulate what was left of my thyroid.
That was decades ago, but my family can definitely tell when I miss a synthroid dose...I become the perfect example of irritability and aggression. I feel it too, but sometimes feeling isn't noticing and acting upon.
One part of me detests being governed by on e little pill per day, but most of me is grateful.
Early 30s for me, RA treatment, as well. I'm still not ok 6.5 yrs later, but much better than when I had a thyroid.
It is the chemicals produced, especially T3, in the endocrine system that affects everything. The thyroid is just one part. My issue is less with the thyroid and more with the conversion of T4 to T3. Ever since I was prescribed liothyronine my life has been transformed.
😊🎉
They are my favorite explanator for scishow videos :)
Childhood with undiagnosed hypothyroidism really was not fun. It took me years to be properly diagnosed as all the symptoms were attributed to other things. The fatigue was the worst for me. I could sleep for days and never feel rested.
Will this be a series, to explain all of our organs? That would be - awesome.
Family history of Grave's disease (hyperthyroid disorder), Hashimoto's (hypothyroidism) and even thyroid cancer (my aunt even had hers grow back after a complete removal). My thyroid numbers just finally started to resemble the symptoms I was feeling for most of my life. Most recently (before I started medication), I could barely get myself out of bed in the morning and my ADHD meds basically didn't work. My mom managed to get both Grave's and Hashimoto's, while her siblings all have one or the other. It sucks feeling like you're going crazy and no one believes you
Was diagnosed with hypopituitarism in the late ‘60s. Since the pituitary is the master endocrine gland it caused hypothyroidism along with decreased function of all other endocrine glands. I’ve been on thyroid medicine ever since this was discovered.
I get hyperthyroidism symptoms but I actually have hypothyroidism. Even the doctor was confused.
I thought I was the only one!
Sometimes it also fluctuates wildly so one test will show low, the next will show high, so getting the right meds is extra challenging
I had that on the wrong version of the thyroid meds. So if you're already on something, switching brands is worth a try.
I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a month ago and had my thyroid removed completely! glad to get more information on the thyroid.
I have a friend with hyperthyroidism and it took wayyyy too long for the docs to diagnose and treat it, partically because they didnt want her to gain weight :/ But she's doing much better now with meds! She has such a healthy glow to her skin now and much more energy :)
Is it a mystery, to most doctors who keep prescribing anti-depressants (which reduce T3 & T4) without checking Thyroid! Thank you for the video, now to get my doctor to watch it!
Will you provide a link to a scientific/validated site or product resume showing consensus regarding your statement "antidepressants (which reduce T3 & T4)?
Thanks in advance
@@EmilMToft Certain SSRIs have been shown to reduce T3 and T4 levels: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19583486/
@EmilMToft “ T4 level has been reported to decrease by 11.2%” Clinical Neuropharmacology, (Lai, Xu, et al., 2016)
It’s quite rare, but well-documented.
@@EmilMToft check data for each medication. some like Mirtazapine have specific warnings like hypothyroxinaemia. or ask a pharmacist.
@@Sniperboy5551 By which branch of antidepressant, NaSSA, TCA, SNRI, SSRI?
Is the mechanism described so there's talk of a causation or correlation?
In general, more people with severe depression aren't as active, they don't have a diet that's as varied as people without the diagnosis. - so many variables can be part of the cause for the reduction in thyroid gland function and not medication. How can it be ruled out that the disease itself isn't the reason behind the reduction?
In addition to your source which is unavailable to me, the fact that there's talk of a reduction in T4 might not even show up as physical symptoms, since T4 is far less active/reactive than T3.
Subclinical hypothyroidism here! This has been going on for over a decade of my life, if not longer. Some doctors want to treat it, others don't. My TSH levels are constantly waffling, but I finally went back on Synthroid a month ago...and I hate this stuff so much, lol. It's not even because it DOES anything bad, but you can't take ANYTHING with it. I'm also iron deficient, but I have to wait 4 hours before I can take that. And I have to wait half an hour before eating. Having to try remembering the timing of all my meds and supplements is a huge pain in the ass, especially when I'm not even seeing results from the Synthroid, lol. Bodies are so annoying.
Try liothyronine 👍
I used to put my thyroid pill in a cap on my bedside table, and set my alarm for an hour before I had to be up. I'd wake up, take my pill, and go back to sleep! When my main alarm went off an hour later, I could eat right away if I wanted, and most of the time I'd be waking up on my own around the time the alarm went off.
Only reason I don't do it that way any more is that I don't usually eat breakfast before work now, I drink a protein drink (from my dietician, so no comments please) after I'm at work and it's been over an hour since I took the pill.
Got a friend with mixed thyroid disorder whose family has a history of thyroid problems.
Friend has the weight gain, swollen thyroid, depression, immune system problems among the mentioned symptoms in this video. They gone for a doctors consultation and unless it can be controlled with medication they'll have to have their thyroid removed.
Weird that for a smaller part of the body it can mess things up real bad and my friend lost a sister from thyroid cancer.
my thyroid started going hyper a few months ago. honestly only came up due to a blood test that i get every year cause of other issues, but the one distinct symptom that ive never experienced before was crazy anger issues - i would get so angry so easily. kind of broke my desk after slamming my fist on it when i got really mad at something at work lol. literally never slammed my fist on anything ever before in my life. im about two months on meds for hyperthyroidism now, stabilised as far as blood results suggest, and the difference in the emotional regulation is crazy. looking back i cant believe how different i feel.
freaking thyroid, man. such a small organ, but it can affect so much.
I was diagnosed with bipolar and "anger issues." Years later, nope, was just Graves the whole time. When I'm more in-range, I don't have any emotional instability. None.
When yer thyroid doctor tells you yer just tired because you have kids, your TSH lvls are fine, and you can't stay awake more then a few hours each day, it's time for a new doctor. And after that it's hard to find one that actually will listen. Man. I've had Hashimoto's my whole life, I'm nearly 40, and they still can't get it right.
Nearly 40 with graves and post-ablative hypothyroidism and a great endo and we still can't get it under control. Infuriating.
Sadly, many doctors only check TSH and call it a day... while they should check for Free T4 and antibodies as well...
My sister ended up in the hospital before they checked these and then they diagnosed her with Grave's...
And I already got the diagnosis for Hashimoto's years before so they could have suspected...
But women are frequently dismissed with all kind of stuff.
My mother was dismissed 3 times with a lump in her left breast. When her nipple sank in they diagnosed her with stage 4 cancer.
My friend's dad went with suspision of testicle cancer (a pinhead sized lump) and he got rushed tests and all...
@@JenFoxworth yes! Never hesitate about trying a different doctor
A specific thyroid doctor? I wish I had that. My doctor said you need pills I got them and that was it. Ten years now and I'm not really myself just a zombie.
@@dg-hughes find an endocrinologist that isn't just a diabetic specialist
This is the first video I've been able to find that can make sense. And I've had thyroid for many years. I'm under active diverge, but now I just got dinosaurs with Hashimoto's. Thank you for the video. Because I have looked for once that put it in English that I can understand and I like this. Thank you so much for the information. It is helping me be able to help my daughter. That is going through issues. I'm trying to figure out if she has this. Thank you again jenny
I live in Japan, and had what I thought might be an iodine deficiency in my diet. Tried asking a doctor about it, and it was really hard to get across what I was trying to say. Took a long time for the doctor to catch on, and she eventually admitted that Japan doesn't do much about iodized salt. The main source of dietary iodine is seaweed, but you have to eat a lot of it per week. Just by chance, I found a shop that had a discount sale on Doritos. Looks like they use the American ingredient list, but there's nothing on the packaging showing iodine levels. Got a blood test recently and it supposedly didn't show any abnormalities. But now, I have a medical justification to snack on Doritos occasionally.
I'm pretty sure they don't put iodine in the salt of commercial snacks. Iodized table salt is mostly for home cooking.
@@buddyholly4672 That may be true. All I know is that the symptoms, including joint pain and a swelling at the side of the neck near where the thyroid should be, subsided only after trying a couple small bags of Doritos.
@@curtishoffmann6956 woah
I have hashimotos and hoo boy let me tell you the fatigue is no joke, without synthetic thyroid hormones I will sleep 12 hours total every day, 10 hours at night, 2 hour nap in the afternoon. And of course still feel tired all the time
My thyroid was out of wack. I started taking kelp supplements and within 3 bottles the inflammation and weight disappeared quickly
Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with the spectacular myriad of chaos this organ can cause when it goes wrong!
Saaaaame, fam. ❤
I got diagnosed with graves 4 years ago. All of the symptoms (anxiety, trouble sleeping, irritability) are just my normal ADHD brain plus, you know, a world wide pandemic. The only reason it was caught was I lost 30lbs in 3 months (quarterly checkins with my doc for my ADHD stimulants). After much bloodwork and endocrinologist visits, got on a thyroid suppressing medication and I’m in remission. The physicist in me kinda wishes I got radioiodine therapy, but it’s usually less used these days. After medication, they usually go to surgery. With modern lartheroscopic surgery, the risks are lower than radiation
I wish no one get Graves disease. It makes your body thin, eye bulging, weak and so much more. And it never goes away.. 😢
Had a late diagnosis of hypothyroidism after being verbally abused for my inability to keep up in HS. Had blood tests regularly but UMass put down that I had a miscarriage without consulting my family even though I'm ace & had never been sexually active. Took a different office to finally get the help I needed. Turned out to be genetic. I've recently started recovering from the effects of falling through the cracks like that.
To make it worse I'd been prescribed antidepressants before my thyroid was checked and then my psychiatrist unintentionally gaslight me cause my meds weren't helping.
UGH. When are we getting tricorders to just scan us and tell us what is wrong and maybe the best course of treatment for us?
I got diagnosed with graves last year at 22 years old. It’s turned my life completely upside down. I’m always uncomfortable, always tired, always hot. Right now I’m hypo because of medication and basically sleep all day. When I was hyper all I did was eat all day. I was passing out from the high heart rate. I let it go on way too long without treatment because I kept telling myself nothing was wrong and I was out of breath because I was over weight. If you think something is wrong please don’t wait like I did. I was miserable for months and was putting my life at risk. This disease absolutely sucks and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism) for me. I went crazy during my late teens and early 20's and I believe that was a major contributor to that. We're not eating the correct diet or getting any sunlight, we need to have more low carb high fat foods and consume animal based products regularly. No more bread, oats, noodles, soda etc. The fibre is just giving us the runs and isn't being digested either.
Thanks for this great introduction into thyroid issues. The animation and explanation at the beginning was excellent. I would love it if the pace of SciShow videos would be a tiny bit slower with pauses at the right moments to digest the information.
it's not the same but you could try slowing the speed down to 0.75. unfortunately fast spoken videos are everywhere on youtube
@@magsimags Thanks for the suggestion! I actually listen at 2x, for me personally, it's mostly about the rhythm. It's a monotonous flow of information the way SciShow does it.
@@zerwas2ky I know what you mean. I find it hard to pay attention to it cause it's so fast and monotonous. My brain would naturally tune it out so I have to fight to pick up any information
@@magsimags Yes, you’ve put it way better than I could!
i was diagnosed with hashimoto’s thyroiditis at 40
Joined the club late last year, still can't get the meds right as it fluctuates
same, got it super early at 17 😔
Kelp!
FYI: most sea salt and other types of "fancy" salt do NOT contain iodine! Check the container of the salt you use and if it does not mention being iodized, you should consider adding iodized salt to at least some of your food. Also, processed foods often do not use iodized salt so if your sodium intake is coming from processed food, you also need to consider adding iodized salt to the meals that you cook at home. You don't even need that much salt to get your RDA of iodine, a half a teaspoon per day will get you most of the way there unless you are pregnant or breastfeeding in which case you need more.
Great PSA! Yes, sea salt is not required to be fortified with iodine (in the US). No, adding iodized salt *specifically to get iodine* isn't recommended.
Salt was fortified because it was consumed anyway and it was an easy way to get to iodine deficient communties, in places where food variety was low, local soil iodine (and thus produce iodine) was low, and access to global food was rare. Iodine deficiency is rare now in places with higher variety of foods and access to globally grown foods, even in people who don't use iodized salt. It's generally recommended to get your extra iodine from eggs, dairy, fish, seaweed, or a multivitamin first before trying to supplement with iodized salt. If you're using salt anyway, it's fine. Don't increase your salt intake, even if it's fortified, for the iodine.
I had hyperthyroidism due to stress and my anxiety went through the roof, along with my heart rate and metabolism. My body started eating itself.
Do the Vagus nerve. Mines damaged, causing Gastroparesis.
Finally an educational video and not a news video!! Tysm
I have to have a thyroid ultrasound in 3 days, perfect timing to learn more about this little bugger.
I no longer have to worry about thyroid disease. Mine already tried to kill me and was completely removed, along with several lymph notes in the same area due to Stage 3 thyroid cancer.
I ended up becoming hyperthyroid, and my primary care provider only ever tested T4 and TSH, which looked normal. (she ignored my symptoms most annoying of which was high heartrate that was also so loud I could always hear it and near constant exhaustion and hunger as time progressed). Finally after a couple of months, my TSH, T4, and T3 were so messed up that finally someone took notice. (It was noticed as a result of having to have my gal bladder removed).
The doctor in charge of that straight up told me that I needed to have seen a "real" doctor, cause my PCP was a nurse practitioner, I'm lucky my heart wasn't really injured, and just taking some medicine to balance things out was enough to help. I've got markers for both Hashimotos and Graves disease, so my body just hates my thyroid and I'll probably end up losing some or all of it eventually :\
I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in my late 20s and treated with radioactive ablation. Been living with hypothyroidism for the past 10+ years. Wish this video was around back then to help make some sense of my symptoms but thankfully, I had a doctor who saw the indicators and got me the treatment I needed. Very informative!
My doctor told me three months ago after checking my blood work that I had some minor thyroid issue and to expect if I haven't already experienced it the associative issues brought up in this video. I chuckled and told her for the past 6 months I'd been experiencing quite the opposite. I'm more energetic, biking 50 miles a week or more, walking 5 miles everyday, and if I don't get out the door in a timely manner to do those things my body starts getting antsy like a dog with the zoomies. I've never been depressed in my entire life and definitely don't feel down in any way. In fact being on my mountain bike riding is my happy place. My weight is dropping at a snails pace, 1 to 2 pounds per month but it's definitely not going up. She verbally shrugged and said we'll just keep an eye on it. Sure thing but that was three months ago and I'm just getting more energetic. I feel like I'm getting younger and stronger. It's wierd but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts 😃
That was me for years, eventually my body just broke and 6.5yrs later I'm still not stable and not able to work and need regular help with basic self-care. I always worry/wonder if all the extra activity prior made this so terrible.
@@jaxs616 I'm retired and in my 60s. When I eventually get to the point where the end of being able to care for myself is near, I already have it planned out to go on a far away camping/hiking trip that I'll never return from. Until then... Lovin' every minute of it 💓
I had that too, and then I crashed and finally came in range for clinical hypothyroidism. Take care of your diet, including iodine. That may help prevent or delay becoming symptomatic.
I actually just had a hemithyriodectimy yesterday due to a goiter and this definitely helped me better understand how this all works and what to watch out for. Thank you for this!
As a thyroid cancer survivor, I can attest to it affecting everything.
fist bump of solidarity 💖
Hypothyroidism here! I just about fainted in my second year of uni and had to go to the hospital, get blood tests, etc. What they originally thought was just stress, improved immensely when I started thyroid medication. I've been stable on it for several years now, although I get it checked every once in a while, mostly because A) you're supposed to and B) I'm doing the bloodwork anyway.
Just got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but I thought and feared for 2 days, it was cancer. I've been so sick though for over a week. Glad I went into my doctor when I did because I had no idea anything was wrong. Thought I just had a stomach bug.
honestly i have no idea what 64 of the organs do
Heart, brain and lungs... You know what these guys do right? 🙂
What about your kidneys, bladder, & intestines?
@Danilio. I'm a dumbass with a stupid memory.
But you surely know about the "69 organs" right? 😉
@@ME2K23 💀
Thank-you for putting this information out there. I grew up in the Goiter-belt - the area around the Great Lakes, and knew several people with this problem when I was a child. It really steams me now, because I've seen quite a few cooking show and demonstration "chefs" in recent years tell people not to eat idodized salt - because they say "it tastes bad and isn't necessary for a healthy diet" and usually while trying to sell a product. It makes me wonder how they're not getting charged for giving out medical advice without a license.
I recently was diagnosed with hypothyroidism but have a handful of symptoms that align with hyperthyroidism! (Weight loss, sensitivity to heat, racing heart, you name it) It’s crazy how weird it manifests in some people.
As someone with Hashimotos disease I know far well how much the thyroid can effect your health. I ended up in the emergency room, thinking I was dying sick come to find out I had virtually no TSH and was in WoW! When a simple pill every day made me feel normal again.
Got the left half removed because of a rare aggressive adenoma that grew to the size of a prune in 4 weeks that was sending me in such an hyperthyroid cycle that I lost 40 pounds in 4 weeks.
😮😢
had good ol thyroid cancer for a while. took me to move to another state to get it diagnosed, the previous state thought it was simply hashimoto's and didnt look further. current doctors were a lot more curious thank goodness
Currently having hypothyroidism and nodules that could be cancer and need to be biopsied, so I super appreciate this video. I've been doing so much research on the thyroid since diagnosis but I don't retain information as well as I do from Scishow videos.
Having Hypothyroid and it being completely dead, I will tell you that an acceptable "range" that they test you for with regards to your TSH, that "acceptable range" isn't for everyone and that everyone will find a number within this range that works for them. Example... A TSH of 2 or less works great for me, but for my mom it has to be closer to 1 or her symptoms return. Both of these are in the "Acceptable range" ... So if your symptoms aren't getting better or getting better enough try lowering your TSH further with further medication supplementation.
I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis at 7. Was hyperthyroid presenting. Anorexic and anxious. After meds i am now hypo presenting. Luckly i am considered curvy and not just fat now lol. I'm 30 and I'm so tired.
My mom had thyroid cancer, did an iodine radiation treatment, she had her thyroid removed, and now has to take daily life saving medication for the rest of her life.
It’s crazy how she discovered she had a thyroid condition: at her dentist cleaning appointment! The dentist was feeling her glands by her throat and didn’t like how the glands felt and recommended she talk to her doctor about it!!
Hypothyroidism patient, here!
Yup, do not recommend. Exhaustion, weight gain, cold hands and feet, very irregular periods, lowered/hoarse voice, puffy face, thickened skin, and just a constant "meh" feeling... if any of these sound familiar, DO go get a blood test. I developed it in my 40s, tho' at least I knew it was coming and was getting regular blood tests, since both sisters, my mom, and at least one of my aunts all have some flavor of hypothyroidism (and I have a nephew who has it, so even though it's WAY more prevalent in ppl born female, guys are not immune).
My eldest sis had thyroid cancer (which you didn't list, but yes, that's a thing, too), of which there are 4 types that I know of. She's fine now-- she had the least aggressive form-- but she no longer has a thyroid and is on full replacement hormone.
Top reason I would never qualify as a time traveler: I have to take a daily medication to keep myself alive.
I have a family history of thyroid problems, have Graves and see a endocrinologist every couple of months. Im very lucky that with the help of medicine and time my graves went into remission and I was able to have a healthy pregnancy for me and my baby.
Calling the thyroid gland the Little Master of Chaos was spot on! It ruined my life.
I have hyperthyroidism/graves disease thanks for the refresher ~
I was diagnosed with Graves disease right after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes because my heart rate wasn't going down as well as it should be after beginning insulin treatment. Had it removed a bit later but in the meantime it was quite the journey trying to stabilize it
My youngest sister has hypothyroidism and hashimotos (probably more) which leaves her in a complicated situation. First off, her thyroid is basically dead majority of the time, not working at all but sometimes it just decides to turn on. When it turns on it goes into overdrive, changing into hyperthyroidism wish makes all things go out of wack. With all this, it causes her heart problems which has resultted in her having probably close to 50 seizures... They have her on beta blockers now for the heart to stay in control whenever these thyroid changes happen but if she gets too stressed then she can still have seizures.
For some unknown reason, the doctors that do acknowledge her thyroid problems (95% of them dont for some reason...) still wont figure out a way to schedule a surgery to have it removed. They keep saying that since its effectively dead most of the time, it's fine where it is. If it was fully dead that would be alright but whenever it decides to turn on, thats when serious health risks come into play.
Again she's seen many doctors and specialists, i think only one thyroid specialist suggested having it removed but every other doctor just shuts down that idea. Anyone with similar thyroid problems know how to convince doctors to go forward with a surgery?
For reference of location, we are in Canada Alberta.
Can Hashimoto's be cyclical? I know someone who seems to have worse symptoms during the summer/early autumn and least bad being in the late winter/early spring.
I'm not sure about the seasons, but I have heard that hashimotos is harder to control. Worth looking into. Check with Google scholar?
Packages of seaweed (Sushi Nori) should be labeled with their iodine content, which is very high. It can trigger the Wolf Chaikoff effect which, in people with thyroid disorders, is greatly exaggerated and can lead to dangerously low thyroid hormone levels.
My bf has Hashimoto.. glad to learn more about this
It’s funny, I thought I knew a lot about thyroid issues because of many loved ones explaining their experiences… but this video opened my eyes to all of the different symptoms and diagnosis situations that I had yet to encounter. Thank you as always for the information!
I was born with hypothyroidism. Somewhere in my early twenties I got depressed/isolated and stopped taking my medication. It took everything to a whole other level of bad. I was just sleeping non stop and my head was super-heavy like it was a big rock about to implode. I didn't think about anything at all, I just existed in permanent fatigue and lived in my bed. I'm better now and super careful to take my meds (150 micrograms) on an empty stomach every morning, but it's scary looking back on it.
On the topic of this video, in Argentina all salt must be iodized by law to prevent iodine defficiency. It works so well as a control measure that I didn't even remember it was a thing until I saw this video, and I'm a Biochemist that has done many diagnostics on this. Regulation works and rocks sometimes
Thyroid cancer and hashimotos over here. Had a total thyroidectomy two years ago and she isn’t lying. You have no idea how much that little butterfly does until it’s not doing what it’s supposed to or it’s not there at all anymore!
I have hashimoto's and "normal levels". I went to the point of having so much fatigue that I couldn't walk. I developed sjogren's too.
I had subclinical hypothyroidism and truly my life was miserable. I couldn't lose weight even if I wasn't eating because of dysmotility. I felt like a cadaver, my blood pressure dropped all the time, I realized my heart rate was at like 48 when awake, and it wouldn't go pass 90 even. I ate too little and also used too little, I felt like I was frozen, nothing was moving and I had a constant sensation of being acidic, like having a bad hungover.
I ended up taking selenium, vitamin d, vitmamin b12 and iron and I got better. Stoppes gluten and dairy and 6 months later I am great. It took me a year and 3 biopsies to find a great doctor and I got off plaquenil and prednisone, finally.