The hyperthyroid patient often experiences multiple symptoms, including
nervousness or anxiety, weight loss despite a good appetite, breathlessness,
palpitations, and intolerance to heat. This articles highlights the various
signs and symptoms of the overactive thyroid.
A beautifully balanced biochemical mechanism can maintain us in perfect
health all our lives. Sadly, however, it may go out of kilter sometimes
quite abruptly, and sometimes insidiously slowly, causing a slow decline
in health and vigour, which will inexorably destroy people’s lives.
On the one hand, the thyroid gland can become overactive, bringing with
it a variety of unpleasant, even life threatening symptoms, or it may
become under active causing a bewildering number of problems, varying
from mere loss of energy and vigour to chronic invalidism and sudden death.
Mild degrees of thyroid over activity can occur on a self limiting basis,
and may sometimes be left to run their own course, with an informed patient
monitoring how they are, and seeking equally well informed advice if things
are not going right. The body has a remarkable ability to heal itself,
and should be given a chance to do so.
If you are offered surgical intervention because you suffer hyperthyroidism
(Graves) goitre, make sure that you are aware that there is another option.
This excerpt from Dr Peatfield’s book Your Thyroid and How to
Keep it Healthy and subsequent discussion explains more.