Women gain weight as we age if we are not very careful. It is so much easier to blame the thyroid than the middle age spread or the rut we have landed in. However if you have also experienced fatigue, dry skin, constipation, brittle nails, depression, and muscle pain, migraines, a thicker neck, memory loss, hair loss, joint discomfort or a puffy face alongside unexplained weight gain then you will want to have your doctor check out your thyroid.
The underactive thyroid is also known as hypothyroidism, and it has become the nemesis of many. A lot of women will experience this who are over 60, but even adults is their mid-20’s can suffer from it. Once athletic women can quickly be transformed into someone with rolls and extra fat and have no idea where it comes from. No amount of calorie counting or exercise helped those studied. Many were reduced to tears when admitting they no longer recognized the woman in the mirror.
More than 10 million individuals have dome sort of thyroid malfunction.
Amazingly the thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that is around 2 inches. It is located at the base of your neck, and it aids in energy use and metabolism regulation for the body. This glad will determine how quickly your body will burn calories. The thyroid also keeps the kidneys, skin, heart, brain and liver healthy. If you have hypothyroidism then there is not enough hormones being produced hence the body is not functioning appropriately.
If the thyroid is found to be overactive known as hyperthyroidism, this can lead to issues surrounding the bones, heart, muscles, fertility and the menstrual cycle. This however had an adverse reaction, and weight loss is expected with this condition.
Getting to the right doctor as soon as you suspect your thyroid is always best. The earlier it is caught the better treatment will work. Knowing is what will enable you and your physician to make an effective battle plan that can replenish hormones and ultimately reverse the effects of your diagnosis.
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There are medications for people with thyroid conditions and a proper diet and exercise is very important. You will need to see an endocrinologist for the appropriate treatment. This is also who you will need to see to be properly screened and have all of the needed blood testing done.
Levothyroxine is a commonly prescribed synthetic hormone that can actually reverse the symptoms of hypothyroidism. It is a lifelong treatment options, and it does come with side effects. These may or may not include shakiness, heart palpitations, increased appetite and insomnia. Getting the right diagnosis is much trickier than the treatment. After all, more than half of the U.S. shows some if not all of the tale tell signs of hypothyroidism. Some of it is actually due to the thyroid while a few are simply age-weight-gain related.
