Thyrotoxicosis

[ldchris23]

Good Morning,

I have just been diagnosed and confirmed with this condition being overactive thyroids and have all the symptoms. I'm waiting for my doctors to provide me with the relevant antibiotics. I'm a very active person loving well being and physical fitness . I would really appreciate some help / recommendation as regards to herbal remedy / vitamins that i can take to assist me on my journey. I want to remain active in some capacity until i can over come this condition.

Thank you

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Thyrotoxicosis is a state. When you have too much thyroid hormone in your body and that is having multiple impacts on you. It is identified by a symptoms, then a blood test. Typically TSH is low/very low, Free T4 is high and Free T3 is high.

However, there are multiple causes of that state. And the treatments vary.

One cause is not relevant to you, but taking excess thyroid hormone medicines will result in thyrotoxicosis.

Graves disease is possibly the most common cause. When your immune system make a sort of antibody which incorrectly stimulates your thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone.

Certain sorts of goitre (enlargement of the thyroid gland) can also be a cause. However, many goitres do not have any such effect. It is when the goitre starts to produce excess thyroid hormone and is out of control. Sometimes called "toxic", and often multinodular.

But the treatment is usually an anti-thyroid medicine. Not sure where you are but in the UK, it is usually carbimazole, in the USA and most other countries it is methimazole. (Carbimazole converts into methimazole very quickly once taken so they are very similar in effect.)

helvella - Splitting Carbimazole Doses

A short discussion about Carbimazole primarily focussed on splitting doses but containing some other information.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

Whatever is causing it for you, you very much need to make sure you get blood test results and keep them. These will be invaluable in assessing how you are doing.

Blood test results have reference intervals (ranges) and it is impossible to interpret properly without those ranges as they vary from lab to lab.

I'm not clear why you mention antibiotics? Did you just type it automatically? There might be a reason for you to get prescribed an antibiotic but often there isn't. They do not usually get prescribed for thyrotoxicosis.

Any anti-thyroid medicine is viewed by a lot of medics as being a very short-term measure and they will offer you definitive treatment. Almost always either radioactive iodine treatment to destroy thyroid tissue, or a thyroidectomy to remove thyroid tissue.

However, many people are perfectly well on their anti-thyroid medicine for many years. Do NOT get pushed into definitive treatment. Only accept if and when you are ready.

[ldchris23 in reply to helvella]

Hi, I did mean to type antibiotics and i'm based in the UK. Are there foods that i should be having or avoiding whilst i have this condition?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to ldchris23]

I'll leave you in the hands of those with personal experience!

But foods high in iodine should be avoided - e.g. seaweed.

[ldchris23 in reply to helvella]

i didnt mean to type antibiotics

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to ldchris23]

helvella - Editing HealthUnlocked Posts/Replies

Having read a post or reply you have made, I wonder if you realise that you can edit (or delete) any posts or responses you have made here. That means the title, the text or images.

This is not to say you have done anything wrong. This is meant to help you by pointing out this option, and help to do so, not to criticise.

There is no need to reply to this! If it was helpful, ticking the "Like" button lets me know.

Follow the link below for details

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[ldchris23 in reply to helvella]

Good Morning, can you please advise what causes overactive thyroids please as i don't believe that its hereditary?.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to ldchris23]

No - but only for one reason, nobody knows.

In Graves Disease, something triggers the immune system to produce antibodies which have the effect of stimulating the thyroid gland.

In some cases, it is the thyroid gland that has started to produce excess thyroid hormone because it, or part of it, has escaped the control of the TSH hormone and is functioning autonomously.

And in others, the pituitary has a tumour which is producing an excess of TSH = called a TSH-oma.

There has been research but there is no clear answer as to what causes these disorders to start. Suggestions have gone in the direction of our genetic composition or viruses. It is also possible that diet has an impact.

[ldchris23 in reply to helvella]

Hi, is it normal to be constantly over heating during this phase and out sometimes out of breadth after a short burst or walk?

[pennyannie in reply to ldchris23]

Yes - your metabolism is running faster than normal and you need to rest - and need to signed off work until you have been prescribed some medication and feel more comfortable in yourself..

[pennyannie in reply to ldchris23]

If you pop across to Thyroid Uk - the charity who supports this patient to patient forum

thyroiduk.org -

you find within a page detailing the symptoms one can experience when thyrotoxicosis and with an overactive thyroid and hyperthyroid -

and conversely the symptoms one can experience when with an under active thyroid and hypothyroid.

[pennyannie]

Hello ldchris :

Your body is in a ' heightened 'state please stop the exercise and physical fitness -

With some people there tends to be something of a brain / body mismatch -

with your body totally exhausted but your brain telling you to go run a marathon :

Please share any blood test results and ranges you already have and we can explain what it all means for you - and rest up :

[ldchris23 in reply to pennyannie]

my blood test results suggested free T4 level of 42.90, TSH was less than 0.005 . ALT was slightly raised at 59 and there was slight microcytic anaemia.

[pennyannie in reply to ldchris23]

Can you please post the actual blood tests and ranges - for TSH - + T3 + T 4 +

any thyroid antibody readings - generally written as a TPO - TgAB - TRab - TSI - with the ranges / numbers or is there anything saying a TSH Receptor antibody and a number ?

Thank you :

[pennyannie in reply to ldchris23]

If you haven't online access to your medical records held at your surgery it would be a good idea to set this up - simply ask the receptionist about how you go about doing this

Legally, now, everyone has the right to copies of all that is held on their medical records -

we are not asking for anything that should not be freely available to you -

either through your ability to access it through IT or for photocopies of everything held at your surgery.

Whether you choose to share this information or not with forum members - your choice - but the more we know, the better able we are to try to help and support you.

[humanbean in reply to ldchris23]

Microcytic anaemia (red blood cells are too small) suggests that your levels of iron and ferritin are too low. Have you had an iron panel done?

irondisorders.org/wp-conten...

When the body is running fast in thyrotoxicosis/hyperthyroidism/overactive thyroid nutrient levels can get depleted or used up faster than normal, and you might need to test and supplement vitamins and minerals. Low nutrients will just make you feel a lot worse.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Welcome to forum

Put country in profile, members often recommend private companies for complete blood testing but won’t be relevant if not in same location.

First set post results. Dr often say hyperthyroid if TSH low but this is a pituitary hormone. Thyroid hormones also need to be tested.

For full thyroid test you need

TSH, FT4 & FT3.

Very important to find out why you are hyper & if it’s likely to be transient or longer term. Test all thyroid antibodies.

TPOab (Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies) autoimmune - positive indicates Hashimoto’s (& Graves)

TGab (Thyroglobulin antibodies) autoimmune- positive indicates Hashimoto’s (& Graves)

Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI) positive indicates Graves

TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb) positive indicates Graves

Nutrients can be affected by abnormal thyroid. But it is best to test & supplements to appropriate level. Start by checking Folate, ferritin, B12 & Vitamin D.

Hyperthyroidism must be treated with antithyroid medication to lower production of hormone. Propranolol can also help with symptoms.

Most have found herbal remedies do not effectively treat, some find lemon balm tea / supplement help relieve digestive issues which are common symptoms. L cartinine supplements can also enhance anti thyroid medication as lower FT3.

Don’t add supplements all in 1 go. Leave 10 days between adding ages supplement incase something adversely affects you.

Supplements I added include vitamin C, magnesium citrate & selenium.

Your heart rate can increase when hyper. Strenuous exercise might be too much, look at walking, yoga / stretching the more relaxing ways to stay active.