I'm getting my thyroid checked?!
Question: Doctor wants to do lab work on me because he thinks i have diabetes...He wants to check my thyroid...how do doctors check your thyroid?
Answers: Doctor wants to do lab work on me because he thinks i have diabetes...He wants to check my thyroid...how do doctors check your thyroid?
Don't worry it's just a blood test - thyroid problems are often linked to diabetes as they can both be caused by autoimmune problems. Thyroid tests are common and routine - hopefully it'll come back negative, but if not think possitively - if you haven't been feeling well then the sooner you find out why and start treatment, the sooner you'll be feeling better :) Good luck xxxx
They take a blood sample and check the levels of thyroid hormone in your blood.
Thyroid disease
People with diabetes experience thyroid disorders more frequently than the general population. Both diabetes and thyroid disease involve the endocrine system, a group of glands that helps to regulate the body's metabolism. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the lower neck just beneath the skin in front of the windpipe and weighs about 15 to 20 grams. It helps to regulate the body's metabolism, a broad term referring to all of the chemical reactions carried out in the body's cells, including digestion. If the gland releases too much thyroid hormone, metabolism speeds up (hyperthyroidism). If it releases too little, metabolism slows down (hypothyroidism).
Almost one-third of people with type 1 diabetes have thyroid disease. This is because type 1 diabetes is one type of autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks a gland or organ of the body. Patients with one kind of autoimmune disease are at risk of developing another type.
Thyroid disorders are more common in females, and up to 30% of women with type 1 diabetes have thyroid disease. What's more, the rate of inflammation of the thyroid gland in women with diabetes who have given birth is three times higher than women who do not have diabetes. There also appears to be a higher than normal occurrence of thyroid disorders in people with type 2 diabetes, with hypothyroidism being the most common.
Thyroid disorders can have a significant effect on blood glucose levels and, left untreated, can affect diabetes control. An overactive thyroid may increase insulin requirements, while an underactive thyroid can decrease insulin requirements.
Underlying thyroid disorders may go unnoticed, as the symptoms are similar to those for diabetes; thus, they can easily be attributed to other medical disorders. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism in people with type 1 diabetes can produce such symptoms as weight loss despite increased appetite and fatigue and may be attributed to poor diabetes management. Symptoms of hypothyroidism are common in people with type 2 diabetes and can be misidentified because people with this condition may experience fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin and hair, heavy menstrual cycles, constipation and slowed thinking.
There are three treatment options for people with hyperthyroidism:
anti-thyroid drugs, which slow down the thyroid's hormone production;
radioactive iodine therapy, which destroys thyroid cells in order to reduce the amount of thyroid hormone produced; or
surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
The last two options require lifelong thyroid hormone replacement. Because hyperthyroidism can affect the amount of glucose in the blood, treatment often helps manage blood glucose levels. Symptoms include jitteriness, shaking, increased nervousness, irritability, rapid heart beat or palpitations, feeling hot, weight loss, fatigue, feeling exhausted, more frequent bowel movements and shorter or lighter menstrual periods.
Hypothyroidism is usually treated with a synthetic thyroid hormone called levothyroxine sodium (taken in pill form once a day). Treatment continues for the rest of one's life. Because hypothyroidism can decrease insulin requirements, insulin regimens may need to be adjusted.
Because of the link between diabetes and thyroid disease, people with diabetes should be tested for thyroid disorders every three to five years. The thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test, which measures the amount of TSH produced naturally by the body, is the best test of thyroid function. A TSH level that is lower than normal may indicate an overactive thyroid, while an elevated TSH level may indicate an underactive thyroid.
If you experience symptoms, it is important to consult your doctor, as these may be signs or symptoms of thyroid disease.
For or diabetes related issues visit
http://www.reddiabetes.com