<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> More information on the Subject. Good Luck to All, Clelia ~~~ Hyperthyroidism: This disorder occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone resulting in a overactive metabolism state. All of the body's processes speed up with this disorder. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include nervousness, irritability, a constant feeling of being hot, increased perspiration, insomnia and fatigue, increased frequency of bowel movements, less frequent menstruation and decreased menstrual flow, weakness, hair and weight loss, change in skin thickness, separation of the nails from the nail bed, hand tremors, intolerance of heat, rapid heartbeat, goiter, and, sometimes, protruding eyeballs. Hyperthyroidism is sometimes also called thyrotoxicosis. The most common type f this disorder is Graves Disease, which affects about 2.5 million Americans. The thyroid gland is the body's internal thermostat. It regulates the temperature by secreting two hormones that control how quickly the body burns calories and uses energy. If the thyroid secretes too much hormone, hyperthyroidism results; too little hormone results in hypothyroidism. Many cases of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are believed to result from an abnormal immune response. The exact cause is not understood, but the immune system can produce antibodies that invade and attack the thyroid, disrupting hormone production. Hyperthyroidism can also be caused by lumps or tumors that form on the thyroid and disrupt hormone production. Infection or inflammation of the thyroid can cause temporary hyperthyroidism, as can certain prescription drugs. Hyperthyroidism is not as common and hypothyroidism. Both of they thyroid disorders affect women more often than men. A malfunctioning thyroid can be the underlying cause of many recurring illnesses. Nutrients: Very important - multivitamin and mineral complex, vitamin B complex (50 mg three times daily), B1, B2, B6 (50 mg twice each daily) Eat plenty of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, peaches, pears, rutabagas, soybeans, spinach and turnips. These help to suppress thyroid hormone production. Avoid dairy products, stimulants, coffee, tea, nicotine and soft drinks. Be wary of treatment with radioactive sodium iodine (131 or I-131), which is often recommended for this condition. Severe side effects have been known to accompany the use of I-131. Also, do not rush into surgery. Try improving your diet first. Along with other bodily processes, digestion speeds up with this disorder. Malabsorption occurs, so a proper diet is important. This is all the information I have and I took it directly from 'Prescription for Nutritional Healing' by Balch and Balch. ~~~~~ I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last winter. The first thing the doctor will (presumably) want to do is determine the cause. There are several, including Graves Disease and thyroiditis. The later is a condition that is temporary, while Graves Disease requires an altogether set of treatment options. To determine the cause, I had a thyroid uptake "test" and a thyroid scan. The thyroid uptake involves giving you a small amount of radioactive iodine in a capsule. You go back in a few hours and they "read" how much of it your thyroid gland has taken up. This is repeated in 24 hours. The scan is more like an x-ray, checking for lumps or nodules on the thyroid gland. Both procedures are painless and only require some fasting. I chose to have my thyroid gland "destroyed" and am now taking synthetic thyroid. The whole process has taken about 6 months and we are still adjusting the dosage. I don't feel like I have my normal stamina and energy back yet, but there is definite and gradual improvement. So - you'll want them to determine the cause and then give you a choice of treatment options. When I was first diagnosed, my family doctor referred me to an endocrinologist who has been treating me ever since. He put me on beta blockers while we were waiting for test results, deciding on the treatment, and waiting for it to take effect. I don't recall hearing anything about parathyroid in my process, so maybe you're dealing with something entirely different. Good luck! ~~~~ The parathyroid are separate glands. There are several of them and they are located in the same area as the thyroid gland. My mother had hyperparathyroidism. Had she been younger, her physician would have recommended surgical removal of some or all of the parathyroid gland tissue. The surgery would have been lengthy, however, and she was in her eighties when the condition was discovered. The alternative was for her to take calcitonin, a synthetic version of a hormone that is produced by salmon. At that time she had to receive the medication by way of a daily injection. If I am not mistaken, you can get this prescription medication in the form of a nasal spray nowadays. The primary symptom of my mother's condition was an abnormally high level of calcium in her blook. The main purpose of the parathyroid glands is to regulate the blood calcium level. When the parathyroid hormone level is too high, it signals the body to put too much calcium into the blood. This extra calcium is drawn from the patient's bones. Loss of bone calcium results in a condition that is much like osteoporosis. My mother's condition was advanced before it was discovered. Treatment was begun too late and before she died, her vertebrae were being crushed by the weight of her own body. The excess calcium in my mother's blood aggravated her atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and no doubt had something to do with the series of small strokes she had during her final months. As I understand it, hyperparathyroidism can be cured only by surgery. Like many diseases, however, it's effects can be avoided if medication is begun early and taken as prescribed. It has been several years since my mother passed away. However, while she was living, I used the Net Search function of my Netscape Navigator program to locate sites where I could find out more about the Disease she had. You can do this, too. Be sure to search for hyperparathyroidism, though, rather than hyperthyroidism, since the two conditions are totally different from one another. ~~~~ While there may be no medicine to effectively change the function of the parathyroids, I would think that they can treat your symptoms by way of your calcium intake. It may not be as dire as it sounds. As with thyroid Disease, they can not make the thyroid itself perform better, but they can treat the symptoms. ~~~~ The new approach to low thyroid conditions: http://wellweb.com/altern/diseases/thyroid.htm ~~~~ Thyroid Disease the hidden illness http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/t/m/tmstjean/scthyroid.htm ~~~~ Thyroid and Calcium information http://www.healthwwweb.com/healthwwweb.html ~~~~ Hypothyroidism Information http://www.healthy.net/library/articles/schacter/hypothyr.d.htm ~~~~ (A doctor's web site) Hypothyroidism (Myxedema) © David L. Hoffman, M.N.I.M.H. http://www.healthy.net/library/books/hoffman/immune/hypothyroid.htm ~~~~ Thyroid Disease Support Information http://www.krispin.com/thyroid.html ~~~~~ Thyroid and Constipation http://www.healthy.net/clinic/dandc/constipation ~~~~~ Hypothyroidism http://www.healthy.net/clinic/lab/labtest/wellness.htm