Q1. How do I know that I get Hyperthyroidism?

Many of patients find that they get hyperthyrodism after body check. Doctor may tell you that your T3 and T4 hormones are higher than normal range. Actually, normal person need to take blood test if he/she gets more than 2 symptoms listed in following Question 2. 

We find many patients get hyperthyroidism in youth time. These patients got hyperthyroid symptoms 8 or 10 years before they has confirmed with hyperthyroidism. 

Q2. What is the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism?

The following are symptoms of hyperthyroidism, as detailed by the Merck Manual, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the Thyroid Foundation of America 

- Heart feels like it's skipping a beat, racing and feel like having heart palpitations 

- Pulse is unusually fast even when resting or in bed, is high 

- Hands are shaking and having hand tremors 

- Feel hot when others feel cold and feel inappropriately hot or overheated 

- Having increased perspiration 

- Losing weight inappropriately but appetite has increased 

- Like have a lot of nervous energy need to burn off 

- Having diarrhea or loose or more frequent bowel movements 

- Feel nervous or irritable 

- Muscles feel weak, particularly the upper arms and thighs 

- Having difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep, or going back to sleep after awakening in the middle of the night 

- Feel fatigued, exhausted 

- Hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out 

- Have a hoarse or gravely voice 

- Have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet 

- Having irregular menstrual cycles (shorter, longer, or heavier, or more frequent, or not at all) 

- Feel depressed, restless or anxious Additional symptoms, which have been reported more frequently in people with hyperthyroidism:

- Hair is falling out 

- Difficult to remember things 

- Have no sex drive, or am having sexual performance problems 

- Feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest 

- Eyes feel gritty, dry and sensitive to light 

- Easily get jumpy/tics in eyes, which makes me dizzy/vertigo and have headaches 

- Get strange feelings in neck or throat 

- Have tinnitus (ringing in ears) 

- Feel some lightheadedness 

- Have severe menstrual cramps
 

Q3. What kind of meds will be prescripted by Doctor?

Doctor will prescript anti thyroid meds (ATM) such as Carbimazole, Tarpazole and PTU if patients get hyperthyroidism. The main function of ATM is to depress T3 and T4. 

Q4. How long Do I need to take the ATM ?

It depends when your T3 and T4 lower down and within normal range. Some patients need 6 months and some patients need 2 years. 

Some patients may get T3 and T4 too low (under the bottom of normal range) when the dosage of ATM is large. Patients need to adjust the dosage of ATM. We have writen an article to teach patients how to adjust the dosage of ATM. Patients can take a look in More Articles.

Q5. What is the side effect of ATM(Anti Thyroid Meds)?

Side effects:

1. Patients easily to get itch and rash on skin.

2. Poor in stomach, intestines and digestion system.

3. Damage in liver and kidney.

4. Lower down the number of white blood cell, especially in blood platelet. (This is the main reason why Western Doctor need to frequently test patient blood test.)

Q6. Will I get recur by taking this ATM?

Anti hyperthyroid medicines included PTU / Propylthiouracil, Carbimazole / Neo-mercazole, Tapazol, Thiamazole, Methimazile and Methylthiouracil.

These medicines can depress the thyroid hormone secretion only. Most of patients will get recur from 3 to 24 months after got “Temporarily Releasing” with these meds. This is why patients will get recur again and again with hyperthyroidism. Some patients even can’t use these medicines because they allergy to these chemical meds.

Q7. What is Graves’ Disease?

Graves' disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter, is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in 1. enlarged thyroid.2. Bulgy eye.3. High level of thyroid antibodies TPOAb or TGAb.

Graves’ Disease also name as Basedow's disease is a common cause of hyperthyroidism.

Q8. Can I use alternative med?

No, there is not other meds. Some patients may get flash on arm or back after taken Carbimazole. The reason is patients alergy to Carbimazole. Doctor will prescrpt PTU and skin lotion to patients. And, ask patients to stop taking Carbimazole. If patients still alergy to PTU then Doctor will prescript Tapazole.
It is not a GOOD solution.

We suggest patients try to add Chinese Herbs and keep taking the ATM. We find patient’s allergy will be disappear after taken Chinese Herbs. The reason is Chinese Herbs help patient’s hornone trend to be more balanced. And, the aleargy disppeared! 

Q9. Can I do exercise?

Yes, hyperthyroid patients can do soft exercise. Please be reminded hyperthyroid patients need more rest! So we suggest hyperthyroid patients can do softer exercise only!

Q10. How long should I do the blood test?

We suggest patients can follow the Doctor’s advice to do blood test. Patients with serious symptoms need to do blood test more frequently (about 15 days). While patients with more stable condtion can do the blood test less frequently (about 6 months).

We suggest patients can count their heart beat to know their thyroid condition. Patients can take a look in our Article for the details. 

Q11. How long should I do the thyroid ultrasound scan test? 

We suggest patients can follow the Doctor’s advice to do thyroid ultrasound scan test. Patients can take thyroid ultrasound test every year if there is not Doctor’s advice. 

Q12. Is there any other test I need to do?

Basically, we suggest hyperthyroid patients need to do blood test and thyroid ultrasound scan test only. Doctor may suggest patients to do other test if it is neccessary. We suggest patients need to check thyroid antibodies TPOAb and TGAb in blood test. 

Q13. Should I drink the Radioactive Iodine (RAI131)?

We don’t suggest drink Radioactive Iodine. The reason is thyroid gland is VERY imortant for human. Don’t hurt your thyroid gland easily! 
The other reason is TT can help hyperthyroidism in natrual way! Why patients need to select RAI 131 hurt their own thyroid gland.

Q14. Should I take the thyroid surgery?

Some Doctors may suggest thyroid surgery for hyperthyroid patients. But it is not a good method! 

We don’t suggest hyperthyroid patients to take thyroid surgery. The other reason is TT can help hyperthyroidism in natrual way! Why patients need to select thyroid surgery hurt their own thyroid gland. 

Q15. What kind of serious thing may happen?

We find that female hyperthyroid patients may get month period stop. One of female patients told us that she had not period for 2 years when she was 32 year old. Doctor told her that she might get menopause. 

Q16. What should I avoid?

1. Patients need to avoid the food rich in Iodine such as sea food fish, shrimp and crab.

2. Patients need to avoid ice drink. The reason is lower temperature food / drink will irritate the thyroid when it pass through the neck. (Actually, hyperthyroid patients easy to feel hot and love to drink low temperature drinks especially in summer). Patients need to drink room temperature drinks and food.

3. Patients need to avoid hard or long time exercise. Otherwise, hyperthyroid patients (especially Grave's Disease) are easily to get thyroid storm.

Q17. What is thyroid storm?

Thyroid storm means patients get very severe thyroid symptoms. Such severe symptoms will cause fatal problem if patients do not get emergency medication.

Thyroid storm presents with extreme symptoms of hyperthyroidism. It is treated aggressively with resuscitation measure along with a combination of the above modalities including: an intravenous beta blockers such as propranolol, followed by a thionamide such as methimazole, an iodinated radiocontrast agent or an iodine solution if the radiocontrast agent is not available, and an intravenous steroid such as hydrocortisone.

Q18. What is the complication of hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism can lead to a number of complications under anti thyroid medication:

Heart problems. Some of the most serious complications of hyperthyroidism involve the heart. These include a rapid heart rate, a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure — a condition in which your heart can't circulate enough blood to meet your body's needs. These complications are generally reversible with appropriate treatment.

Brittle bones. Untreated hyperthyroidism can also lead to weak, brittle bones (osteoporosis). The strength of your bones depends, in part, on the amount of calcium and other minerals they contain. Too much thyroid hormone interferes with your body's ability to incorporate calcium into your bones.

Eye problems. People with Graves' ophthalmopathy develop eye problems, including bulging, red or swollen eyes, sensitivity to light, and blurring or double vision.

Red, swollen skin. In rare cases, people with Graves' disease develop Graves' dermopathy, which affects the skin, causing redness and swelling, often on the shins and feet.

Thyrotoxic crisis. Hyperthyroidism also places you at risk of thyrotoxic crisis — a sudden intensification of your symptoms, leading to a fever, a rapid pulse and even delirium. If this occurs, seek immediate medical care.