What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. It is the most common thyroid disorder.
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Some common symptoms include fatigue, sluggishness, slight weight gain, constipation and intolerance to cold temperatures, and even high blood pressure and raise levels of cholesterol. The most common blood test for hypothyroidism is elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
What is the treatment of hypothyroidism?
The treatment is thyroid hormone replacement therapy as an oral tablet of Thyroxine to be taken once daily on an empty stomach (ideally one hour before breakfast).
A doctor will prescribe an initial dose and then retest the blood level of TSH after six weeks. The dose can be adjusted at that time, depending upon these results. This process may be repeated several times before hormone levels become normal. After the optimal dose is identified, monitoring of TSH is recommended once yearly, or more often as needed. Most people with hypothyroidism require lifelong treatment, although the dose of Thyroxine may need to be adjusted over time.
Any precautions during pregnancy?
Women often need higher doses of Thyroxine during pregnancy. Testing is usually recommended every four weeks, beginning after conception, until levels are stable, then once each trimester. After delivery, the woman's dose will need to be adjusted again, usually returning to the pre-pregnancy dose.
How important is Thyroid is important for a new born baby?
The brain continues growing for 2-3 years after birth, for which thyroid hormones are critical. If a newborn's thyroid doesn't work normally for any reason - then the brain and body do not get enough thyroid hormone and cannot grow normally.
In the womb, mother's thyroid hormones may help, but after birth the deficiency is disastrous, causing loss of 5 IQ points every month of life. The result - permanent mental retardation!
The difficulty is the baby usually seems normal at birth; by the time problems are noticed, the irreversible damage can be quite severe. Every single baby must have a TSH test at birth.