Thyroid for Dummies (47 page)

Thyroid storm:
A very severe form of hyperthyroidism with high fever and severe sickness. It is a medical emergency.

Thyroid ultrasound:
Use of sound waves to outline the thyroid and determine if growths are solid or cystic.

Thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH):
A hormone from the hypothalamus in the brain that stimulates the production and release of thyroid hormone through thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

Thyroxine (T4):
The major thyroid hormone.

Thyroxine-binding protein:
Several proteins that bind the T3 and T4 hormones, making them unavailable to enter cells.

Total thyroxine:
The sum of the thyroxine bound and unbound to thyroid-binding proteins.

Transient congenital hypothyroidism:
Temporary hypothyroidism in newborns that often results from prematurity.

Triiodothyronine (T3):
The active form of thyroid hormone.

Vitiligo:
Patchy loss of skin pigment sometimes found in autoimmune diseases.

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Appendix B

Sources of

More Information

This appendix describes Web sites that offer information on thyroid disease, thyroid research, specialists in the field of thyroid health and disease.

Many of the sites point to other links that provide still more information.

You can generally depend upon the information in these sites. But no matter what you read online, never make changes in your thyroid care without consulting your physician.

British Thyroid Association:
www.british-thyroid-association.org.

The British Thyroid Association is a learned society of clinical specialists involved in treating thyroid diseases. The Web site contains some useful information for patients.

British Thyroid Foundation:
www.btf-thyroid.org. The British Thyroid Foundation is a charity that works together with the medical profession to support patients with thyroid conditions, and to raise money for thyroid research.

European Thyroid Association:
www.eurothyroid.com. This organisation of European thyroid specialists promotes research and education about thyroid disease.

Mayo Clinic Foundation for Medical Education and Research:
www.

mayoclinic.com. This site is an excellent source of patient information on major thyroid conditions.

Medline Plus Thyroid Diseases:
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

thyroiddiseases.html. This service of the National Library of Medicine provides information about thyroid disease management and research.

Merck Thyrolink:
www.thyrolink.com. This service of Merck Pharmaceutical Company offers patient information in English, German, and French.

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Part VI: Appendixes

NHS Direct Online:
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk. The NHS on-line site that provides information on common health conditions, including thyroid problems.

Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Omim.

This site is a huge database of diseases that are inherited by getting a single gene. If you search by ‘thyroid’, you find all the currently known thyroid disorders in this database.

Patients Association:
www.patients-association.org.uk. A charity that helps patients raise concerns and share experiences of healthcare.

Prodigy Knowledge:
www.prodigy.nhs.uk. Prodigy Knowledge is an up-to-date NHS source of information for healthcare professionals and patients. It provides information on over 200 common conditions, including hyperthyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid Cancer Support UK:
www.thyroidcancersupportuk.org. This is a Yahoo support network and chat group for people with thyroid cancer. It is a forum in which people are able to support and encourage each other and to share experiences of diagnosis, operations, and the effects of treatment.

Thyroid Cancer Support Group – Wales:
www.thyroidsupportwales.

co.uk. A small support group for people with thyroid cancer who live in South Wales.

Thyroid Eye Disease Surgery Information:
www.eyelidsurgery.co.uk.

The Web site of an eye surgeon that provides information on the types of surgery available to treat thyroid eye disease.

Thyroid Eye Disease Charitable Trust:
www.tedct.co.uk. Information from a charity that provides information and support for people with thyroid eye disease.

Thyroid Federation International:
www.thyroid-fed.org. This organisation was founded in 1995 to deal with the problems of thyroid disease on a global basis. It’s mainly involved in helping people start a thyroid patient organisation in their country or locale.

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Index

• A •

during breastfeeding, 261

carbimazole, 60, 77–79, 114, 244

acetylsalicylic acid (drug), 117

causing hypothyroidism, 60, 114

acquired hypothyroidism, 239–241

children treated with, 244

acute thyroiditis, 124, 129–130, 262, 279

dosage, 78

Addison’s disease (autoimmune adrenal

excessive, 228

insufficiency), 60, 260

generic, 120

adolescents with hypothyroidism, 240

side effects, 78–79, 114

adrenal gland tumour

anxiety, 12, 19–20

(phaeochromocytoma), 94, 117

arsenicum album, 203–204

adrenal hormone, 43

arthritis, 197

adrenal steroids, 59

Asimov, Isaac (author), 10

aerobic exercise, 190–191, 193

aspirin (drug)

age.
See also
older people

avoiding before surgery, 150

cholesterol level, 182

lowering T4 levels, 39

exercise, 190–191, 193

for neck pain, 55

thyroid function, 270–271

for subacute thyroiditis, 126

agranulocytosis, 78

thyroid function affected by, 250

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency

atrial fibrillation, 63, 68, 254–255

syndrome), 41, 124

autoantibodies.
See
thyroid autoantibodies

alcohol, drinking, 185–186

autoimmune adrenal insufficiency

alleles, 209, 279

(Addison’s disease), 60, 260

aluminium hydroxide (drug), 116, 225

autoimmune thyroid disease.
See also

Alzheimer’s disease, 160, 252

chronic thyroiditis; Graves’ disease;

aminoglutethimide (cancer drug), 113

thyroid autoantibodies

amiodarone (heart drug), 38, 60, 101, 115

coeliac condition, 189

amphetamines (stimulant drugs), 38, 118

with coexisting autoimmune diseases, 60

anaplastic (undifferentiated) thyroid

overview, 44–45

cancer, 95, 132

pregnancy, 223, 224–225

androgens (male hormones), 39, 115

angina, 63, 68, 252, 253

• B •

anti-addiction drugs, 119

antibiotics, 119

babies.
See
infants

antidepressants, 22

Bangladesh, iodisation in, 143

antigens, 44, 76, 217

barium swallow test, 105

antiperoxidase (antimicrosomal)

basal metabolic rate (BMR), 32

autoantibody, 44, 127

belladonna, 204

antithyroglobulin autoantibody, 44

beta-blockers, 79, 279

antithyroid drugs.
See also

bladderwrack, 199–200

propylthiouracil

blood tests

advantages of, 77

diagnosing hyperthyroidism, 69

allergy to, 75

drugs affecting, 38, 39

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Thyroid For Dummies

blood tests
(continued)

carbohydrates, 33

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),

cassava, 139

124, 125, 128

cauliflower, 140

homocysteine levels, 161

central hyperthyroidism, 74

for inflammation, 125

central hypothyroidism, 58

non-hormonal, 44–46

cereal, servings per day, 180

physical conditions affecting, 39, 40

chemotherapy, 99, 100

reliability of, 266–267

Chernobyl nuclear accident, 76, 83, 91, 136,

serum thyroglobulin, 45–46

165

thyroid autoantibodies, 44–45

children.
See also
infants

thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), 38,

antithyroid drugs for, 244

42–43

chronic thyroiditis in, 55

BMI (body mass index), 175–176

goitres in, 136, 245

BMR (basal metabolic rate), 32

Graves’ disease in, 76

body temperature, 32, 67

growth hormone for, 116

bone loss, 87

hyperthyroidism in, 241–244

bones, 35

hypothyroidism in, 236–241

Boots Scar Reduction Patches, 156

iodine deficiency in, 136

brain hormones, 58

nodules and cancer in, 245–246

Brassica, 140

radioactive iodine unsuitable for, 76

brawny oedema, 56

risk thyroid disease in, 16

bread, 145, 180, 185, 272

surgery for, 244

breastfeeding, 229, 231, 232, 261

thyroid nodules in, 83

British Homeopathic Association (Web

cholesterol, 33, 182–184

site), 198

choriocarcinoma (cancer), 42, 74, 80, 231

British Thyroid Association

chromium, 181

on combination therapy, 62

chromosomes

guidelines for thyroid cancer, 90, 149, 153

abnormalities, 217–218

pregnancy advice, 221

cell development, 209–210

Web site, 90, 283

defined, 279

British Thyroid Foundation (Web site), 21,

genes and traits, 210–211

283

chronic thyroiditis.
See also
autoimmune

broccoli, 111, 140, 165

thyroid disease

bromocriptine (drug), 117

autoantibodies in, 44

bugleweed, 200

as cause of hypothyroidism, 58, 260

Bush, Barbara (first lady), 10

defined, 279

Bush, George, Sr. (U.S. president), 10

inheriting, 216–217

B-vitamins, 161

screening for, 270

symptoms of, 54–55

• C •

treatment for, 55, 262–263

Cica-Care (silicone gel sheet), 156

calcitonin (hormone), 93, 99, 100

cimetidine (drug), 118

calcium, 152, 162, 170, 181

clofibrate (drug), 115

cancer.
See
thyroid cancer

clomifene (drug), 118

carbamazepine (drug), 116, 118

coeliac condition, 189

carbimazole (antithyroid drug), 60, 77–79,

cold nodule, 47, 87, 105, 232

114, 244

colestyramine and colestipol (drug), 116

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Index

287

coma, 61, 80

diet.
See also
nutrition

complementary medicine

balanced, 177–178

finding a practitioner, 198–199

drinking alcohol, 185–186

homeopathy, 202–204

as factor in cretinism, 139

medicinal herbs, 199–202

fasting, 194, 195

treating thyroid problems, 197

fatty foods, 180, 182–184

congenital hypothyroidism, 236, 237–239

five main food groups, 178–180

constipation, 34, 250

food safety, 186

corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory drugs)

gluten-free, 189

for severe hyperthyroidism, 116

healthy eating guidelines, 174

for subacute thyroiditis, 115, 126

iodine in, 143

thyroid function affected by, 117, 119, 250

low-fat foods, 182

TT4 (total thyroxine) test, 39

low-iodine, 190

Crenshaw, Ben (golfer), 10

organic foods, 165, 186

cretin, 134

protein, 178, 179

cretinism

salt in, 184–185

contributing factors, 139–140

sugary foods, 180, 184

described, 134, 279

vegetarian, 179, 189

geographic distribution, 138–139

diet soda, 184

goitres in, 140–141

dietary-induced thermogenesis, 32

myxoedematous, 141–142

differentiated cancers, 92

neurologic, 141

diuretics, 120

overview, 137–138

DNA, 212

Crick, Francis (biochemist), 212

doctor, working with, 21

cystic fibrosis, 218

dominant gene, 208, 279

cysts, 85, 87, 279

domperidone (drug), 118

dopamine (drug), 117

• D •

double helix, 212

Down’s syndrome, 217

De Quervain’s thyroiditis.
See
subacute

drugs.
See also
antithyroid drugs; thyroid

thyroiditis

hormone replacement;
specific drugs

deafness, 136, 141

avoiding before surgery, 150

deep vein thromboses, 155

beta-blockers, 79, 279

dementia or psychosis, 17, 252

competing with iodine, 113–114

depression

discovering if you’re at risk, 119–121

postpartum, 128

false test results from, 117–118

as symptom of thyroid disease, 12,

generic versus brand name, 62, 120,

20–22, 23

261–262

treatment for, 17, 22

Graves’ disease caused by, 70

desiccated thyroid, 61, 263

harmful interactions, 119, 274

Devers, Gail (sprinter), 10

hyperthyroidism initiated or aggravated

diabetes

by, 118

generic drugs for, 120

hypothyroidism initiated or aggravated

with hyperthyroidism, 69

by, 59–60, 62, 113–117

as risk factor for thyroid disease, 221

placebo effect of, 267