Thyroid Therapy

What causes hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is caused by either idiopathic (unknown) or autoimmune thyroiditis (thyroid gland damage by the body’s own immune system).

While less common, hypothyroidism can be a result of low iodine levels, pituitary gland disorder, congenital disease, or pregnancy.

Madison Wellness and Aesthetic Center generally screens hypothyroid patients for a thyroid disease called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to determine if treatment other than thyroid hormone replacement therapy is necessary to balance the thyroid gland.

What are the symptoms of an underactive thyroid?

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland are a direct result of low thyroid function. They can include:

• fatigue
• constipation
• dry skin
• hair loss
• muscle cramps
• decreased metabolism leading to weight gain
• depression
• inflammation
• slow movement
• brain fog

There are many other signs associated with low thyroid hormone levels.

How is my ideal treatment determined?

Madison Wellness and Aesthetic Center believes in optimizing thyroid hormones if a patient presents with hypothyroid symptoms, so during your consultation, your practitioner will perform a physical exam and a blood test to determine your thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, T3 free and total, T4 free and total, TPO, thyroglobulin levels to help determine the best course of treatment.

If you are not in need of thyroid hormone replacement, your doctor will go over other treatment options to help get you feeling your best!

What does thyroid hormone treatment consist of?

There are several types of thyroid hormone treatments to help balance thyroid hormones. Madison Wellness and Aesthetic Center prefers utilizing combination T4/T3 thyroid medicine to treat underactive thyroid glands, but sometimes a patient only needs T4.

Thyroid hormones are typically administered in the form of a tablet, capsule, or solution. Options typically include: Armour, NP Thyroid, compounded thyroid, Tirosint, and Synthroid (levothyroxine).

How long will it take to feel the effects of my thyroid hormone treatment?

Most patients report feeling better within 4-6 weeks of starting treatment to balance their thyroid hormones, though some people who receive thyroid hormone therapy take several months to notice a shift in their body’s function.