Thyroid Issues
Our North Raleigh practice looks for early signs of thyroid disease. Thyroid warning signs are easily mistaken for hypoglycemia, diabetes, insulin resistance or menopause symptoms.
HASHIMOTO’S HYPOTHYROIDISM
& GRAVES’ DISEASE
Traditional physicians use a wide lab range for normal thyroid-hormone levels, and patients with thyroid problems are often told that their test results are fine, even if they don’t feel fine.
FUNCTIONAL / PRECISION MEDICINE uses comprehensive testing and a smaller range for optimal hormone levels. A patient may need thyroid-hormone replacement, but Dr. Carrick’s goal is to preserve the thyroid gland and to help calm an overactive immune system. Functional Medicine asks important questions that traditional medical personnel often do not.
Why is this patient’s thyroid not working?
Is there a lack of “messaging” from the brain to the thyroid?
Is there a problem converting inactive T4 into the activE form (T3)?
Is there a problem with hormone-receptor sites in the body?
Why doesn’t this patient feel well, even with thyroid hormone levels in an acceptable range?
Symptoms
Fatigue; cold hands and feet; cold when others aren’t; needing more sleep than others; very dry skin and scalp; mental sluggishness, forgetfulness; weight gain, excessive water retention; hair loss; a morning headache that wears off later in day; constipation; depression
HYPERTHYROIDISM (overactive thyroid):
Increased pulse, even at rest; night sweats; insomnia; inner and, sometimes, outer trembling; heart palpitations; overly nervous and emotional; trouble gaining weight; frequent bowel movements or diarrhea; eyeballs beginning to protrude
Hyperthyroid and Hypothyroid symptoms?
IT MAY BE Hashimoto’s Disease.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder, begins with hyperthyroid symptoms. Without treatment, patients fluctuate between hyperthyroid and hypothyroid symptoms. As the immune system attacks the body’s own cells instead of bacteria or viruses, the patient produces less and less thyroid hormone.
The hyperthyroid symptoms eventually disappear, and the patient has hypothyroid symptoms only, until treatment with thyroid-hormone replacement. Dr. Carrick understands that taking thyroid hormone alone will not remove hypothyroid symptoms. There needs to be a lifestyle change: avoiding stress as much as possible; eliminating gluten; and adopting an anti-inflammatory diet.
Hyperthyroid Symptoms Alone?
IT MAY BE Graves’ Disease.
Graves’ Disease is also a thyroid autoimmune disorder. Standard medical care involves either drugs to reduce thyroid-hormone release; surgery to remove the thyroid gland; or radiation to destroy thyroid-gland cells permanently. A Functional Medicine approach addresses the autoimmunity that keeps the immune-system too attentive, too ready to pounce. Like Hashimoto’s patients, those with Graves’ Disease need to avoid gluten; to adopt an anti-inflammatory diet; and, with Dr. Carrick’s help, to consider detoxification from heavy metals.
Schedule a Free, 20-Minute Phone Consultation with Dr. Carrick.
Click Request Consultation Below or Call (919) 781-0177.