The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of our neck above the trachea. It secretes hormones that we call T3 and T4, which are vital for the functioning of metabolism. When the amounts of these hormones decrease, hypothyroidism occurs, and when they increase, hyperthyroidism occurs. When the hormones secreted by the thyroid gland decrease, metabolism slows down, and side effects such as fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, menstrual irregularity, constipation and depression are observed.
Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of underactive thyroid gland.
Hashimoto; It can be summarized as the attack of the thyroid gland by the antibodies created by the immune system and gradually losing this war. Diagnosis can be made with a simple blood test and thyroid ultrasonography. Since it is an immune system disease, the probability of getting another disease of the same type is high. Not every Hashimoto patient has to be hypothyroid. Since the disease progresses slowly, thyroid hormone deficiency and related symptoms may develop over time. Its incidence is 2% in the society, and it is 15 times more common in women than in men.
In Hashimoto’s disease, if there is a decrease in thyroid hormone levels, the hormone drug to correct the deficiency should be taken regularly in the morning on an empty stomach. 2-3 months after starting the treatment, the dose of the drug is adjusted with a blood test. Pregnant women should never stop the treatment, on the contrary, they should increase the dose of the drug by 30 to 50 percent. In the follow-ups, the TSH hormone level should be between 2-3. It is important that patients do not use iodized salt in order not to increase thyroid damage.
Asst. Assoc. Dr. Fevzi BALKAN
