Red River Health and Wellness: Diagnosed with low thyroid? Learn signs, symptoms

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Have you been diagnosed with low thyroid?

Are you taking hormone replacements, but still experiencing symptoms?

Do you suspect you have a thyroid problem although doctors say your test results are normal?

If you are suffering from any of the signs or symptoms below, the doctors at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center may be able to greatly improve your quality of life.

Low Thyroid Signs and Symptoms:

·    Extreme fatigue or need for excessive amounts of sleep to function
·    Weight gain
·    Headaches
·    Depression
·    Constipation
·    Sensitivity to cold weather
·    Poor circulation and numbness in hands and feet
·    Chronic digestive problems
·    Itchy, dry skin
·    Slow healing wounds
·    Poor immune function
·    Dry or brittle hair
·    Hair loss, especially the outside portion of eyebrows
·    Inflammation or swelling

Why am I still suffering from these symptoms?

When you are suffering from low thyroid signs or symptoms, a physician may only order tests that measure the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).  If the TSH comes back elevated, the typical treatment is hormone replacement. However, the thyroid is rarely the main cause of high TSH; it is most often due to an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's or an endocrine imbalance somewhere else in the body. Your symptoms do not improve or may even get worse because nothing is being done to manage the cause of your condition. The most common issues that cause a low thyroid are listed below.

·    Hashimoto's Disease, the number one cause of low thyroid in the United States.
·    Increased thyroid binding proteins  
·    Nutrient deficiency
·    Anterior pituitary hypo-function

The thyroid is a complex organ with many different metabolic functions.  The following four-step process is required to diagnose and manage a patient efficiently:

1.    Order the correct lab tests;
2.    Know how to analyze those test results;
3.    Build a treatment plan for each individual's specific needs; and
4.    Teach and educate a patient they are empowered to be actively involved in their healthcare, which will aid in optimal control and understanding of their condition.

If a healthcare professional omits one or more of these steps, you will most likely continue having health challenges.  You are unique, and it is very important to personalize each management plan to address your specific needs.

What is Hashimoto's Disease?

The number one cause of low thyroid in America is Hashimoto's Disease; an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid. If not treated properly, it can lead to other serious autoimmune diseases and health complications.

Proper management of Hashimoto's Disease requires detailed testing and analysis used to pinpoint the culprits flaring up the autoimmune response; the thyroid is the victim in this case. The Hashimoto's is the mechanism causing all the problems!  This is why you may have normal TSH levels but still feel ill. Your immune response is raging through your body causing problems.  It is like a fire alarm warning of a house fire.  Rather than simply turning off the alarm and not bothering to extinguish the fire that is destroying the house, the healthcare professionals at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center work hard to address the cause of your condition instead of simply masking the symptoms.  

How is your approach different?

RedRiver Health and Wellness Center doctors order detailed tests to evaluate what may be causing your thyroid problem. For example, if you have Hashimoto's Disease, you may have 7-10 different triggers, ranging from cortisol/hormonal defects needing to be restored to simple dietary and lifestyle changes. We find the specific triggers that cause the immune response to flare up.  Then we work to reduce the triggers which will consequently improve your symptoms. Typically, our patients go from having 0-5 good days a month to 20-25 good days a month. We do not claim to cure Hashimoto's Disease or any other autoimmune disease.  With you, we co-manage your condition so it doesn't continue to rage through your body.

Throughout our program, we emphasize educating you about healthy and unhealthy behaviors associated with your disease. You will go from being confused, frustrated, and hopeless to empowered and knowledgeable about your health. If we find lifestyle and dietary triggers, then you will need to make those changes accordingly. Our program will adjust your lifestyle to best manage your health condition: thus, you cannot complete our program and then return to old habits. If you choose to do that, you will eventually experience the same symptoms you did prior to our program. We realize that lifestyle changes can be extremely difficult, but changes that greatly improve your quality of life are worth it.  

What types of lab testing do you typically order?

Many providers misinterpret their patients' symptoms and order