Thyroid Hormone - Another piece of the puzzle

20% of all women going through menopause are being diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction.  However, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) plays no favorites.  It's also affecting the lives of younger women starting perimenopause, and men too, especially those over 50.

Because the symptoms are similar to other hormonal imbalances, hypothyroidism is often hard to diagnose. I didn't know a had it until I changed doctors 10 years ago.  My old doctor didn't include a thyroid function test as part of my normal blood workup.  I didn't bother to do my homework, so I didn't know I needed one.  I relied on the judgement of the doctor, and he let me down.  Finding out I was hypothyroid was a complete surprise because I didn't have any obvious symptoms. It's really important to tell your doctor what specific tests you want.  I always do that now.  Don't take anything for granted.

Here's a laundry list of symptoms you may experience with an underactive thyroid: fatigue, weight gain, headaches, constipation, brittle nails, irritable bowel syndrome, low sex drive, insomnia, hives, acne, dry skin, heat or cold intolerance, hair loss & panic attacks.  Not getting a proper diagnosis now, can lead to many problems down the road. 

Testing for thyroid function varies.  For years the conventional test was to measure TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone).  This is the hormone excreted by the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid.  It was believed that the normal range should be somewhere between 0.5 and 5.0. That's too big a range.  It leaves room for a misdiagnosis.  Ideally, it should be less than 2.0.

A more detailed test is necessary and that's what you should ask for.  Make sure you get T3 and T4 readings in addition to TSH.  T4 is the predominant product of the thyroid and is converted by the liver into T3.  The 2 most popular treatments are Armour Thyroid which comes from pigs and Synthroid a synthetic drug. Armour stimulates both T3 & T4 while Synthroid stimulates T4.   The ideal scenario is to find a hormone doctor who is up on the latest information so he can prescribe the right tests and the right meds for you. Ideally, you want a TSH of less than 2.0,and at the same time achieve optimal levels of T3 and T4.

Enzymes found in organic fruits and vegetables also help to regulate thyroid function.  Try for organic because any excess estrogen coming from the food you eat, inhibits thryroid function.

I know all of this seems like a lot of work, but regulating your hormones always takes time and patience.  The good news is once you and your doctor figure it out, you're going to feel great.