My father is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism

My father is about 65 years old now and he is always sweating even during cold weather and has lost a lot of weight over the last five months. He is now diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. Please provide information for me as I am confused about this problem.  Bilya X   Thanks Bilya for your question […]

My father is about 65 years old now and he is always sweating even during cold weather and has lost a lot of weight over the last five months. He is now diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. Please provide information for me as I am confused about this problem. 

Bilya X

 

Thanks Bilya for your question and wishing your father speedy recovery. Let me provide a background about a structure called thyroid gland that is situated in the neck which makes the right amounts of two hormones. 

These hormones regulate many aspects of our body metabolism, eventually affecting how many calories (energy) we burn, how warm we feel, and how much we weigh. These hormones also have direct effects on most organs, including the heart, which beats faster and harder under the influence of thyroid hormones. Essentially, all cells in the body will respond to increase in thyroid hormone with an increase in the rate at which they conduct their business.

Hyperthyroidism is the medical term to describe the signs and symptoms associated with an over production of thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is a condition caused by the effects of too much thyroid hormones on tissues of the body. Because the body’s metabolism is increased, patients often feel hotter than those around them and can slowly lose weight even though they may be eating more. The weight issue is confusing sometimes since some patients actually gain weight because of an increase in their appetite.  

Common symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism

1.Palpitations

2.Heat intolerance

3.Nervousness

4.Insomnia

5.Breathlessness

6.Increased bowel movements

7.Light or absent menstrual periods in case of women

8.Fatigue

9.Fast heart rate

10.Trembling hands

11.Weight loss

12.Muscle weakness

13.Warm moist skin

14.Hair loss

Common causes 

1.The most common underlying cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease. This condition can be summarised by noting that an enlarged thyroid (enlarged thyroids are called goiters) is producing way too much thyroid hormone. (Remember that only a small percentage of goiters produce too much thyroid hormone; the majority of thyroid goiters actually become large because they are not producing enough thyroid hormone.) Graves’ disease is classified as an autoimmune disease, a condition caused by the patient’s own immune system turning against the patient’s own thyroid gland. The hyperthyroidism of Graves’ disease, therefore, is caused by antibodies that the patient’s immune system makes.  

2.Inflammation of the thyroid gland, called thyroiditis, can lead to the release of excess amounts of thyroid hormones that are normally stored in the gland.

3.Hyperthyroidism can also occur in patients who take excessive doses of any of the available forms of thyroid hormone.

Treatment options 

1.There are readily available and effective treatments for all common types of hyperthyroidism. Some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (such as tremor and palpitations, which are caused by excess thyroid hormone acting on the cardiac and nervous system) can be improved within a number of hours by medications called beta-blockers.

2. Anti-thyroid drugs; for patients with sustained forms of hyperthyroidism, such as Graves’ disease or toxic nodular goiter, anti-thyroid medications are often used. The goal with this form of drug therapy is to prevent the thyroid from producing hormones.

3. Radioactive Iodine treatment; Radioactive iodine is the most widely-recommended permanent treatment of hyperthyroidism. This treatment takes advantage of the fact that thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which have the ability to absorb iodine. In fact, thyroid hormones are experts at doing just that. By giving a radioactive form of iodine, the thyroid cells which absorb it will be damaged or killed. Because iodine is not absorbed by any other cells in the body, there is very little radiation exposure (or side effects) for the rest of the body. 

4. Surgical removal of the gland.