All About Hypothyroidism

Treatment

 

            Hypothyroidism treatments is aim to reverse clinical deficiency of not producing enough thyroid hormones for the body. This common treatment begins with the replacement of the thyroid hormone, T4 with a specific synthetic thyroid hormone called levothyroxine Figure 1. Levothyroxine, synthetic thyroid hormone is taken every day to help with thyroid hormone production. After a 2 week period of inducing levothyroxine daily, you should feel less tired as the medication gradually lowers your cholesterol levels and weight gain elevated by the hypothyroidism. Treatment with levothyroxine is lifelong with dosage variations throughout the year (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012)

 

Determining Proper Dosage of Levothyroxine

 

To determine the correct dosage of levothyroxine, your doctor must check your level of TSH to equate to the right dosage.

 

If you have severe hypothyroidism, your doctor may begin the treatment with smaller dosage of levothyroxine and gradually increase the dosage (McIntosh, 2014)

 

Iodine and nutrition

 

Iodine is essential in thyroid hormone production therefore increasing iodine per day may also help with thyroid hormone production in the body. Foods rich include seafood, seaweed, plants grown in iodine-rich soil and iodized salt. Remember eat in moderation (McIntosh, 2014)