With most things out there--cancer, osteoporosis, etc,--we're always reading about how to lower our risk of getting it but you never hear anything about hypo- or hyperthyroidism. Is it strictly genetics?
IMO, usually something cause it, Bad diet, Dieases like Celiac diease, Lupus, Whiplash like in a bad car accident, Giving birth, Meds you take for other problems, and maybe old age, and to some point genetics.
Autoimmunity accounts for most cases. Auto-antibodies interfere with the thyroid process, causing either over- or underproduction of hormone. The tendency to produce auto-antibodies is largely genetic.
Environmental factors, treatments for other disorders, and injury account for most of the others in the western world. In third world countries, diet lacking in trace minerals or comprised mostly of goitrogens like millet or cassava is largely responsible.
I had severe whiplash in '92 (neck swelled, couldn't breathe) but my last endo said that wasn't the cause. I read many people have ATAs floating around and sometimes they're activated. I was in good health til I started getting real stressed at work (really bad) and started getting prolonged colds, flus, Strep, etc. all the time. The last two bad flus I had I was given antibiotics, which at the time I didn't know was bad, but the flus had gone on a very long time. The last flu the antibiotics made me so sick I didn't finish them - another no-no I didn't know @ the time was bad :c( After that my health went downhill more and more til I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid in Sept '05. This last endo said I have Hashi's b/c of my elevated TgAB.
Anyway, I often wonder if the whiplash did play a part in it, or was it just the stress that brought out problems (plus my poor nutrition). Or was it the antibiotic thing? I did have hives for 3 months after being on a bunch of antibiotics a yr after that for chronic sinus problems and two infections plus a few UTIs at that time, and wonder if that was when my immune system went haywire.
My dad died of ALS @ 39. A few yrs prior to that he was working tons of hours day & night, starting his own business, and lived on coffee and cigarettes. I often wonder if that stress and poor nutrition "brought out" the ALS, KWIM? I mean, we are able to fight off a lot of things each day and keep antibodies at bay, but if we don't treat ourselves right our immune system is weakened and we're more susceptible to the ATAs and viruses, etc. (obviously).
Sue...for me its in my family,both sides...
my mother's 2 aunts
my mother's sister had her thyroid taken out,her daughter is hypothyroid
my mother had her thyroid taken out when she was 19
my sister was hyperthyroid
my father's brother's son had a nodule on his thyroid,his thyroid was taken out in 1987
me,i am hypothyroid
My grandmother's sister and her daughter both had tt (grandmother's sister in her early twenties and her daughter in the mid thirties) due to noncancerous semi-solid masses within the thyroid.... I have the same thing and hope mine is noncancerous when it is removed June 5, 2006.
Know what is strange for me? NO ONE on BOTH sides of my family has thyroid problems. There is no one anywhere except for ME. And diabetes is rampant in my family but I am the youngest one diagnosed- at 28. I'm 36 now and sometimes I swear I feel so bad I say that I am 36 going on 80.
For me I think it was the trauma of losing my Dad suddenly to cancer in Oct. of 2001 and by spring of 2002 I was having hypo symptoms. Unfortunately, kept testing normal and it was 3 more years before I finally got meds.
I don't think they really know, especially in some cases. Mostly genetics, from what I have read. If it is in your family, I would suggest to them to watch their diet, just in case it has something to do with it, and get checked regularly.
No one on either side in direct ancestery that I know of - one 2nd cousin on dad's side who is 90 yrs old now had a nodule-1/2 thyroid removed when probably 35-40 and never on any meds.
1979-1994Trauma to neck - choking on an off for 15 yrs -
Sept 1997 -possible pinched nerve in neck -
Nov 1997 -developed fibromyalgia
Dec 1997 June 2005- Vegeterian diet - LOTS of soy - instant protein, soy burgers, tofu, etc.
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"I'll make it"
Jewel TT 1/26/06 -Levothyroxine 75-88
TT 1/26/06 -Levothyroxine 75-88
