Hypothyroidism

[hvsupastar]

Was recently diagnosed with an auto-immune condition that is attacking my thyroid gland.  What the heck does this all mean?

[GolfNut57]

Was recently diagnosed with an auto-immune condition that is attacking my thyroid gland.  What the heck does this all mean?

Don't think I can answer every part of your question but Hypothyroidism I believe means your Thyroid isn't producing enough of a certain hormone into your body. Hypo meaning low whereas Hyper would mean high.

My Dr has me on Levothyroxine at a dosage of 25mcg per day. He originally had me on 50mcg because he said my thyroid wasn't doing enough but last checkup he said it was now a little high so he cut the dosage in half to the 25mcg figure. He also told me what could happen if I wasn't on the medication but I have since forgotten what exactly the effect could be. I just take the pill and go on with life.

More info: https://www.webmd.com/women/hypothyroidism-underactive-thyroid-symptoms-causes-treatments#1

https://www.google.com/search?q=hypothyroidism&rlz=1C1RLNS_enUS864US864&oq=hypothyroidism&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.6615j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20Causes
When your thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones, the balance of chemical reactions in your body can be upset. There can be a number of causes, including autoimmune disease, hyperthyroidism treatments, radiation therapy, thyroid surgery and certain medications.

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck, just below your Adam's apple. Hormones produced by the thyroid gland — triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) — have an enormous impact on your health, affecting all aspects of your metabolism. These hormones also influence the control of vital functions, such as body temperature and heart rate.

Hypothyroidism results when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. Hypothyroidism may be due to a number of factors, including:

Autoimmune disease. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Autoimmune disorders occur when your immune system produces antibodies that attack your own tissues. Sometimes this process involves your thyroid gland.

Scientists aren't sure why this happens, but it's likely a combination of factors, such as your genes and an environmental trigger. However it happens, these antibodies affect the thyroid's ability to produce hormones.