How Thyroid Medications Can Harm Your Thyroid

Many people with thyroid disease have trouble getting well. The majority of hypothyroid disease is actually an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto thyroiditis. As an autoimmune disease, Hashimoto thyroiditis attacks the cells of the thyroid, slowly destroying its ability to function. Unfortunately, even when the disease is diagnosed correctly, the common treatment is just to replace the diminished thyroid hormone, usually with an oral tablet or pill of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4 or levothyroxine), a synthetic analog.

According to conventional medical practice, most patients with hypothyroidism will need to be on T4 treatment for the rest of their lives.The problem with only giving hormone replacement, is it does nothing to stop the progression of the true disease; it only masks some of the symptoms. So initially your thyroid tests come back normal. Meanwhile your immune system is still attacking your thyroid. Eventually your symptoms may get worse and more thyroid hormone may be prescribed. So while you are increasing your levels of thyroid hormones, making your levels of thyroid look normal on the lab results, you are still getting worse.

This may come as a shock. It did to me. I was taught both the conventional and alternative methods for treating thyroid disease, neither of which was wholly satisfying. It made so much sense to understand its autoimmune aspect, and it helped me to find solutions in situations in which I had previously failed. Autoimmune thyroid problems can present as hyperthyroid or hypothyroid. It may be marked by an inability to regulate our response to thyroid medications.

Next: Symptoms and causes of thyroid problems

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Dr. Andrew Lange

Dr. Andrew Lange served as Chair of the Department of Homeopathic Medicine and Supervising Clinical Physician at Bastyr University in Seattle. He is the author of Getting to the Root: Treating the Deepest Source of Disease. He is the Medical Director at www.saveonlabs.com and practices in Boulder, Colorado. For more information go to www.andrewlange.com.

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Michael H.

6:09PM PDT on May 18, 2013

Thanks for the info. Hashimoto thyroiditis huh?

May 18
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Emma S.

3:04PM PDT on May 1, 2013

I've got an underactive thyroid, and am seeing my doctor tomorrow, so will ask about these tests.

May 1
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Terry V.

12:29PM PDT on Apr 28, 2013

Talk to your Doctor.......JEEZ.

April 28
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Vicky P.

5:11PM PDT on Apr 8, 2013

interesting

April 8
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Danuta W.

1:35AM PDT on Mar 23, 2013

Thanks for this article.

March 23
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Duane B.

11:59AM PST on Mar 6, 2013

Thank you for sharing.

March 6
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Theodore S.

10:46AM PST on Nov 18, 2012

I use sea salt. Your thyroid needs iodine.
I avoid anything with iodized salt in it and I do the same for anything that contains processed sugar, soy sauce, corn starch or corn syrup.

November 18
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Bonnie M.

3:08PM PST on Nov 14, 2012

Thank you- I have to trust that my doctor knows enough about whatever illness/disease he has to diagnose and treat. Diet and exercise always helps, add to this meditation/yoga/ tai chi or chi gong to your daily routine. Here's to good health to all.