hyperthyroidism

Isabelle, 40, felt exhausted for four years. Normal, she thought: a busy job, children still young, Parisian life ... enough to complete the most dynamic of us. Barbara, 37, was certain that her fatigue was a consequence of her low iron level. But, despite taking supplements, she did not feel any improvement. As for Nathalie, 43, her entourage constantly asserted that the "pre-menopause" probably fatigued her already.

Until the day everyone has had a blood test. Verdict: hypothyroidism . A banality, or almost, since more than 2.5 million people would be concerned. "But as often the disorders appear insidiously over several years, the change is not really obvious, unless we come out an old photo (we took a" stroke of old "), says Dr. Pierre Nys , endocrinologist and author of "What if it was thyroid?" (Marabout ed.) As a result, at least 10% of hypothyroidism is undetected , he regrets, the vast majority is late (see "Gender inequality") and tens of thousands of hypothyroid suffer for nothing. "

Signs to consider

Despite its mini weight - 15 to 20 g - the thyroid gets involved with all the major functions of the body. Located at the base of the neck, it regulates the body temperature, balances our energy consumption, but also influences the musculature, the intestinal transit, the heart rate and the libido! It is therefore essential. And a slowdown on his part disturbs us from head to toe.

The proof: we lose hair that becomes thin and brittle, even the tip of the eyebrows falls. The skin becomes dry. The voice is more serious. There may be a bulge in the neck (a goiter). The kilos settle gradually without eating more: regimes that give no results are also a sign. You can have a cholesterol level that goes up. We are always cold. One is constipated, victim of muscular cramps or tingles in the fingers. It's hard to be pregnant and the cycles are irregular. In terms of morale, there is a lack of energy, desire in bed and all intellectual activity is slowed down, with difficulty in focusing. From there to depress, there is only one step. Pity ! Especially that the treatment is ultra-simple.

The solution: a synthetic hormone

Hypothyroidism can not be cured, but it can be balanced to avoid the effects. It is enough to take synthetic molecules to compensate for the hormonal deficiency . One take is enough, every day at the same time (fasting), and for life. The main difficulty is finding the right dose to feel good. Several weeks of adjustment are sometimes necessary: ​​one gropes and one has to change dosage several times. Once equilibrium is reached, we are at last calm, the follow-up being summed up to a once a year control of the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), the hormone that stimulates the thyroid . And, above all, we find his fishing, his good mood and his libido!

Note: The synthetic hormone should not be consumed at the same time as products that contain soy , otherwise it will interfere with its absorption. Calcium and iron supplements, as well as antacids, do not do any better: wait at least 4 hours after taking the medicine before swallowing.

Get tested without waiting

At the slightest doubt, that is to say in the presence of several signs ( weight gain , lack of energy , constipation ...) or a single symptom that persists for a few months ( unexplained fatigue ...) there is no point in waiting. The attending physician or the gynecologist may request the dosage in the blood of TSH .

" TSH is secreted by the pituitary gland . When it is increasing, it is to compensate for a lazy thyroid, "says Dr. Nys . If the result of the assay indicates more than 10 μIU / l, hypothyroidism is likely. Between 4 and 10 μIU / l, there is a doubt and the doctor can ask the dosage of a hormone directly produced by the thyroid, the T4 or free fraction of thyroxine, to confirm the suspicions. Indeed, in case of hypothyroidism , its rate is abnormally low (less than 9 pmol / l). Finally, sometimes, the TSH does not increase but is on the contrary diminished when there is indeed hypothyroidism . In this case, the problem does not come from the thyroid itself, but from the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus , a brain gland that controls all the others. A dosage of T4 then allows to see a little clearer.

Note: the dosage of TSH costs about 30 €, reimbursed by the Social Security, and the result is obtained in the week.

Change of diet when one is "limit"

One can have a limit rate of TSH (around 4 μIU / l) and already feel "raplapla" is a sign that must be reacted before the situation deteriorates further. The contents of our plates can make the difference. Certain minerals are, in fact, indispensable and when they are missing, the problem is aggravated. So, on the menu: iodine , selenium and zinc !

Our iodine requirements are quite low (15 mg in a lifetime), but our body being unable to store as much, there is no choice but to absorb about 150 μg / day (200 μg in expectant mothers or nursing mothers). However, it consumes an average of just 85 μg / day. To increase our daily intake, we can therefore select particularly iodized foods. For example, 50 g of iodine are found in 190 g of sea ​​fish , but also in 50 g of shrimp , 1 whole egg , 500 g of green vegetables or 350 ml of milk. Even the current consumption salt enriched with iodine brings in 15 μg / 1 g.

To find selenium , it's simple, you have to look everywhere where there are proteins. The recommended dose (55 μg / day) is quickly reached: 200 g of fish are enough, just like 120 g of mussels , scallops or shrimps , or 50 g of meat or 20 g of mushrooms .

For zinc (12 mg / day), 75 g of oysters or 250 g of wholemeal bread or 200 g of beef accompanied by 200 g of dried beans or lentils (be careful with grain corn and germinated soybeans that decrease its absorption).

But the thyroid is not only friends on the plate: foods rich in thiocyanates are downright accused of hampering the production of thyroid hormones. This is the case of cabbages , broccoli , sweet potatoes , turnips , cassava and tobacco. Prudence also with fluoride - it is found mainly in tea and mineral waters like Vichy Celestins and St-Yorre - which competes with iodine in the functioning of the thyroid (formerly, we treated hyperthyroidism by giving fluoride to bring down the hormone level).

Gender inequality

Of the 5% of French adults affected by hypothyroidism (and even 15% after 50 years), there are 8 women affected per 1 man. A penalizing statistical inequality. Because, in front of a big tiredness and swings of humor, the feminine hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are often pointed at the finger.

As a result, the search for a possible thyroid imbalance is sometimes delayed for several years.

She is also responsible for ...

A nodule : it is a solid "ball" developed at the expense of the thyroid tissue . It is most often benign and does not necessarily disrupt the production of hormones.

Goiter : it is an increase in the volume of the thyroid . This can happen when the gland is more used than usual (in case of chronic stress, for example). Some goiters do not disrupt the production of hormones and others go with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism : it is an overproduction of thyroid hormones which results in a slimming, an accelerated transit, tremor, palpitations, sweats, a big nervousness. Any gland can be affected ( Graves' disease ) or just a nodule.

Thyroiditis : it is an inflammation of the gland . De Quervain's thyroiditis mainly affects women 40 to 50 years old, after a viral episode. Postpartum thyroiditis results in hyperthyroidism that appears 6 to 12 weeks after delivery. The most common, Hashimoto's thyroiditis - characterized by a large goitre and hypothyroidism of slow evolution - is also the one that drags on the most. And since she is often hereditary from mother to daughter, family screening can be helpful.