Chronische Immunthyreoiditis vom Typ Hashimoto
In more than half of all cases, this is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid gland. It primarily affects middle-aged women. The disease is painless and takes two forms:
- The thyroid gland is enlarged, but there is diminished function.
- There is tissue destruction in the thyroid and atrophy of this organ.
The disease progresses gradually and is often discovered late. The complaints: fatigue, weakness, and cycle disorder, are often interpreted by the patient as due to age or menopause. The patients only seek help when the symptoms become worse, and there is steady weight gain.
Complaints:
The most common complaints are, as described above: fatigue, listlessness, weakness and weight gain.
Therapy:
Thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) – The aim of therapy is normalization of the thyroid hormone level (euthyroidism). Levothyroxine is taken regularly, ½ hour before breakfast. However, on the day of the laboratory chemical test, this medication should not be taken, as it might result in a misleadingly high thyroid hormone level.