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Hyperthyroidism

Medical Author: Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C)
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Viewer Discussions: Hyperthyroidism

Patients discuss their hyperthyroidism symptoms

"I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in March '08. I lost approximately 80 pounds in three months. I was experiencing hot flashes, tremors, fatigue, protruding eye sockets, and swollen neck glands. My doctor told me that I had Grave's disease, and after I had a thyroid scan, I was told that it was 92.7% overactive and that I had to have radioactive treatment to shrink the thyroid gland. I had to stay away from everyone for three days including my children. I am better now."

"I have had hyperthyroidism for two years I have great days then I can have a really bad week I have gotten used to this my medication causes constipation my neck is in constant pain and sometimes my throat really burns but I do also feel worse when I am stressed or due for my period which has recently stopped all together. Life can be good if you eat healthy use flouride free toothpaste as flouride can aggravate the thyroid and drink bottled water."

"I experienced extreme intolerance to heat, excessive sweating, increased bowel movements, extreme fatigue and muscle weakness, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and tremors. "

Read more patient discussions on hyperthyroidism symptoms »

Viewer Comments are not a substitute for professional medical advice, or treatment. See the disclaimer at the bottom of the comments page.

What is hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which an overactive thyroid gland is producing an excessive amount of thyroid hormones that circulate in the blood. ("Hyper" means "over" in Greek). Thyrotoxicosis is a toxic condition that is caused by an excess of thyroid hormones from any cause. Thyrotoxicosis can be caused by an excessive intake of thyroid hormone or by overproduction of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Because both physicians and patients often use these words interchangeably, we will take some liberty by using the term "hyperthyroidism" throughout this article.

What are thyroid hormones?

Thyroid hormones stimulate the metabolism of cells. They are produced by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam's apple. The gland wraps around the windpipe (trachea) and has a shape that is similar to a butterfly formed by two wings (lobes) and attached by a middle part (isthmus).

The thyroid gland removes iodine from the blood (which comes mostly from a diet of foods such as seafood, bread, and salt) and uses it to produce thyroid hormones. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) representing 99.9% and 0.1% of thyroid hormones respectively. The hormone with the most biological activity (for example, the greatest effect on the body) is actually T3. Once released from the thyroid gland into the blood, a large amount of T4 is converted to T3 - the more active hormone that affects the metabolism of cells.

Thyroid Gland illustration - Hyperthyroidism




Next: Thyroid hormone regulation - the chain of command »

Hyperthyroidism - Symptoms Experienced

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

For hyperthyroidism, what were the symptoms and signs you experienced?

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