Hyperthyroid, over-active, over-medicated, etc

[helvella]

I have just written a blog about some of the language of hyperthyroidism.

If you are interested, please have a look. Maybe comment?

Hyperthyroid, over-active, over-medicated, etc.

There is a fundamental problem with the language used for these issues which causes much confusion.

helvella.blogspot.com/2023/...

[greygoose]

Lots of comments came to mind when I read your blog, but I'm not sure I can articulate the clearly today, feeling a bit foggy.

When people - both doctors and patients - use the term 'hyperthyroid' it's difficult to know if they really don't understand the differences, or if they're just being lazy. I tend to think that patients don't know, and doctors are lazy - they tend to be very lazy when communicating with patients! But, then again, they don't even seem to know the difference between Graves' and Hashi's. So perhaps they don't understand the differences, either.

Also, due to their education, they seem to think that any set of blood test results with a low/suppressed TSH should be classed as 'hyper', whilst totally ignoring the T4/T3 levels. Which is totally illogical. So, maybe there ought to also be a word that means 'suppressed TSH is low thyroid hormones'.

Also, whilst on the subject, I object to the term 'Hashi's flare'. The word 'flare' tends to be confused with 'flare-up', and is a 'flare-up' of arthritis or psoriasis, or something. And, I've seen posts where the person thinks that a Hashi's 'flare' means they're having a period of being more hypo, rather than a bout of temporary 'hyperthyroidism' - and even that's not right because it's not about the thyroid suddenly becoming more active (as I've seen said on here) but just hormone being dumped into the blood due to cell injury.

Call me pedantic - and I often am called pedantic - one woman even told me that words don't matter, and language isn't important, because everyone knows what your talking about anyway! (???) - but I think it's important to use the right words - if anyone can decide what the right words are. After all, not much point in talking about a giraffe when you mean a ham sandwich!

But, I'm sure you'll get a lot of far more literate comments than that. (Hope so, anyway!)

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to greygoose]

I very much appreciate your comments.

And when your fog clears (note the positive way I put that) I'll be more than happy to take further comments on board.

[greygoose in reply to helvella]

I'll let you know - but don't hold your breath! lol

[tattybogle]

will have a look later. brain also fuzzy today .

[pennyannie]

Since we are talking foggy thinking -

When diagnosed Graves my only new symptom ( realised I've been undiagnosed hypo all my life ) was insomnia and the doctor shocked when the results came back -

but then he asked me to hold out my hands -

and there it was - the cynical symptom of a trembling middle finger -

so he smiled and said he should have checked that at my first appointment.

I wasn't ' hyper ' in the conventional sense - though once on the AT drug the insomnia creased and i thought myself cured - and towards the end of 15 months on Carbimazole I experienced a phase of amazing wellness with more energy , eating for England, loosing weight and very happy and in a good place.

I then had RAI thyroid ablation which was scheduled at my very first endo appointment and back to ' my normal ' but got progressively more unwell when my dose of T4 was reduced at age 65 because of my suppressed TSH - though I'd had run with a suppressed TSH for years on 125 mcg T4 - and then went into an ever increasing circle of un-wellness and fell into this forum in around 2015 when I bought this little laptop and had a go at getting on the internet.

Taking matters into my own hands in 2018 and eventually self medicating with NDT I now feel well, happy, and more able than I've ever felt and believe my unresolved residual issues are more a case of the long term symptoms of RAI thyroid ablation than anything else.

So, I don't know how you put this into a few succinct words that relay anything of any sense but really appreciate all your efforts in trying to help and going the extra mile as you always do for others.