Autoimmune thyroiditis is one of the most common diseases in Russia, especially in regions far from the sea. But not every person realizes that his thyroid gland is not working at full capacity: this can only be detected by passing a special laboratory analysis. And therapists give a referral for this analysis not so often, not seeing the need for it. The fact is that the symptomatic picture of the disease is so vague that even an experienced doctor will first of all assume the presence of other, non-endocrine pathologies.
AIT - what is it?
When our immune system begins to attack the cells of our own body, this process is called autoimmune. A certain virus enters the body, which penetrates inside the cell and remains there, and the antibodies of our immunity do not have the ability to "get" the virus out of the cell in order to destroy it, in their arsenal they only have the ability to destroy the cell along with the "enemy".
Viruses inthe thyroid gland is very common. The organ, located on the front surface of the neck, serves as a specific filter for the air we breathe, so all pathogenic organisms enter the thyroid tissue. Of course, not every person will get thyroiditis immediately after that, this requires a hereditary predisposition, but considering how many people already suffer from this pathology, you can be sure that almost everyone has a relative with this autoimmune disease.
When immune cells attack an organ as a target, they damage it, after which it is scarred - gradually covered with replacement tissue, as is the case with a disease called autoimmune thyroiditis. The worst thing that can be expected is that the organ will completely heal and stop producing hormones. Fortunately, all of these hormones are already available in a synthetic version in the form of tablets that will need to be taken as part of replacement therapy.
Symptoms
When a person hears the name of the diagnosis, which sounds impressive, it seems to him that the disease is very dangerous. And he starts looking for information on the topic "Autoimmune thyroiditis." The worst thing to expect is the symptoms of the disease, as some people think, because they, at first glance, really make you tense. But it is important to remember that for most people, the diagnosis is a complete surprise, that is, they did not even suspect that they were sick with something. Therefore, the symptoms of AIT, of course, are there, and the list is wide, but it is quite possible to live a full life with them.
And this isthe main problem of such a pathology as autoimmune thyroiditis. The worst thing is that you can wait for signs of the disease indefinitely, and they will not appear until the function of the thyroid gland completely disappears.
It makes no sense to list all the symptoms, because the thyroid gland produces hormones that are involved in absolutely all body systems. When an organ is damaged, the amount of the hormone in the blood becomes less and all organs suffer. But only those systems that were initially problematic are clearly signaling this.
If a person has a weak nervous system, AIT will reward him with asthenia, irritability and drowsiness, a person with a weak digestive system will suffer from constipation and diarrhea, and so on.
Therefore, when it comes to the diagnosis of "autoimmune thyroiditis", the worst thing to expect is that clinical manifestations will not make it possible to quickly make a diagnosis by contacting the right doctor. In most cases, a person will rationalize all symptoms, explaining them by a feature of temperament or external factors.
Diagnosis
When a person gets an appointment with an endocrinologist, the question of making a diagnosis is only two laboratory blood tests:
- Firstly, it is blood for the content of thyroid hormone in the blood (T4) and pituitary hormone (TSH), which interacts with the thyroid gland, and the production of these hormones is always interconnected: if TSH goes down, T4 goes up and vice versa.
- Secondly, this is an analysis for the presence of antibodies to thyroid tissue cells.
If the tests detect both the presence of antibodies and an increase in the level of TSH, the diagnosis is "autoimmune thyroiditis". The worst thing to expect is that the diagnosis led to the final diagnosis, and now you will have to be treated for life, unless, of course, science invents other methods to replace substitution therapy.
Treatment
When the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormone, the only treatment is to give it to him in the form of a pill. For this, there are drugs on the pharmaceutical market:
- "L-thyroxine";
- Eutiroks.
Drugs are available in different dosages: 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 micrograms. The doctor prescribes treatment from the smallest dosage, gradually increasing and determining the dose that a person will drink constantly throughout his life. Therefore, with the diagnosis of "autoimmune thyroiditis" the worst thing to expect is the need to take the drug on an empty stomach every morning, regardless of the circumstances. But in fact, patients quickly get used to it.
Dosage adjustment
Of course, the dosage determined once will not last for life, as the organ (thyroid gland) continues to be destroyed under the influence of antibodies and will produce less and less natural hormone. In addition, fluctuations in hormone levels can be influenced by factors such as weight and even shiftclimate.
Therefore, at least once every six months, it is necessary to take an analysis that determines the amount of TSH and T4 in order to understand whether the dosage of the drug should be increased or reduced. In any case, dose changes should not exceed 25 mcg in 14 days. With the right treatment, a person will not experience any unpleasant symptoms of a disease such as autoimmune thyroiditis. The worst thing to expect: treatment will require regular blood donations, which means visits to the clinic and patience in queues at the treatment room.
Prevention
If one of the close relatives suffers from AIT, there is a high probability of getting sick too, especially often the pathology is transmitted from mother to daughter. It is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of the disease, but it is realistic to postpone the onset of the pathology development process as much as possible. To do this, you need to take iodine preparations, for example, "Jodomarin", according to the instructions. Endocrinologists claim that taking iodine and regular rest on the seashore can increase the level of the thyroid gland's defenses against antibodies and adjust the immune system.
In addition, it is important to avoid factors that can provoke the development of the disease:
- working or living in an ecologically unfavorable region is contraindicated, for example, a person who has a high risk of getting AIT should not get a job at a gas station;
- it is important to avoid stress, not only emotional, but also physical, such as climate change;
- it is important to protect yourself from colds that make the immune system aggressive, and especially to monitor the absence of foci of chronic infection in the nasopharynx.
In such simple ways, you can save yourself from the risk of getting sick with such a pathology as autoimmune thyroiditis. The worst thing to expect is that prevention may seem frivolous to a person, because it includes a list of simple recommendations for a he althy lifestyle. And in this case, a person, not following the recommendations, is likely to face the disease.
Weight gain
According to most patients diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis, the worst thing to expect is weight gain, which will be uncontrollable and rapid, because the doctor suggests drinking hormones!
In fact, the metabolism of a lack of thyroid hormones really slows down, and a person can gain weight. But replacement therapy drugs normalize hormone levels, so with the right dosage, the metabolism of a person with AIT is the same as that of any other person. In order to protect yourself from gaining weight, it is enough just to “pump up” your metabolism by eating often, in small portions.
There is a chance of gaining excess weight not due to fat mass, but due to the accumulation of lymph. Therefore, endocrinologists advise their patientsmonitor the amount of fluid you drink. You need to drink 1, 2-2 liters of liquid per day, and you will have to give up the habit of drinking tea not from thirst, but from boredom. And this is with the diagnosis of "autoimmune thyroiditis", the worst thing to expect from the sphere of prohibitions, because otherwise the life of a person with AIT is no different from the life of a he althy person.
AIT and pregnancy
Today, more and more often the diagnosis of AIT is made to very young girls, although earlier, according to statistics, the disease was diagnosed at the age of 40-45 years. But absolutely all diseases are getting younger, not only endocrine pathologies.
Often young girls think that when diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis, the worst thing to expect is infertility. But this idea is fundamentally wrong, because with compensated AIT-euthyroidism, a woman is quite fertile and can have children. However, before that, she will have to visit a family planning office, report her illness, so that the doctor can advise her on how to change the dosage of the substitution therapy from the first weeks of pregnancy.
AIT and life expectancy
Most people think when they are given absolutely any diagnosis, including "autoimmune thyroiditis", the worst thing to expect is a shortened life. In fact, in many countries it is recommended to take thyroid hormone after a certain age, even without diagnosed AIT, to prolong life and preserve youth.
