I have a butterfly in my throat. Not a frog, a butterfly. And so do you. The problem with my butterfly is that it’s wings don’t always work right and it doesn’t quite know how to fly like yours does. So what IS this butterfly? The thyroid gland.
Why is it important if the wings work right? This butterfly shaped organ and the thyroid hormone it produces controls metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories into energy). EVERY cell in the body and every organ system depends on the thyroid hormone for regulation of its metabolism. If this butterfly doesn’t know how or can’t fly to all the cells in your body, think of all the chaos this can cause! Below are some examples of how the thyroid and metabolism speed affects body systems if there is either too much or too little thyroid hormone:
- Breathing – fast or slow respiration rate
- Heart rate – fast or slow heartbeat
- Digestion – how fast intestines process food leading to diarrhea if too fast and constipation if too slow
- Body Weight – gain more than normal or lose more than normal
- Menstrual Cycles – missed or heavy
- Body temperature – run either hot or cold
- Central and Peripheral Nervous systems – too many to list
- Much, much more! As you can see, the thyroid affects every aspect of your body. No wonder its so important!
How does the thyroid work? Excerpted from this site is the best description and analogy I have ever seen: “The function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, found in many foods, and convert it into thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which can absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. T3 and T4 are then released into the bloodstream and are transported throughout the body where they control metabolism. The normal thyroid gland produces about 80% T4 and 20% T3, however, T3 possesses about four times the hormone “strength” as T4.
The thyroid gland is under control of the pituitary gland, a small gland the size of a peanut at the base of the brain. When the level of thyroid hormones drops too low, the pituitary gland produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Under the influence of TSH, the thyroid will manufacture and secrete T3 and T4 thereby raising their blood levels. The pituitary senses this and responds by decreasing its TSH production. One can imagine the thyroid gland as a furnace and the pituitary gland as the thermostat. Thyroid hormones are like heat. When the heat gets back to the thermostat, it turns the thermostat off. As the room cools (the thyroid hormone level drops) the thermostat turns back on (the TSH increases) and the furnace produces more heat (thyroid hormones).
The pituitary gland itself is regulated by another gland, known as the hypothalmus. The hypothalmus is part of the brain and produces TSH Releasing Hormone (TRH) which tells the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid gland (release TSH). One might imagine the hypothalmus as the person who regulates the thermostat since it tells the pituitary gland at what level the thyroid should be set.”
I love this analogy of the thermostat, especially since body heat is one of my biggest symptoms and annoyances of thyroid imbalance. I am very intolerant of heat and cold. One minute I will be sweating and feel so overheated that I feel faint while everyone else is perfectly comfortable, and the next minute my hands and feet will be ice cold and I will be chilled to the bone with the only thing able to warm me up being a hot bath, again all while everyone around me is perfectly comfortable.
Besides the fact that this butterfly affects every part of your body and if you have an imbalance it is one of those “silent diseases” that nobody ever knows you suffer from, the other frustrating thing when you have an imbalance is lack of knowledgeable doctors to treat you. It seems every doctor knows what they thyroid is and why it is important, but there are very few doctors who take the time to treat it correctly. As seen above, the thyroid is part of a whole heating system and there are various places that it can get out of whack – not just at the furnace. Most doctors are only willing to test TSH and then will only prescribe one type of thyroid hormone to treat. They seem to think it’s silly to test any of the other hormones or to find the root cause of why it is misfiring. Most doctors put a bandaid on the disease and do not try to actually treat it. Many thyroid patients like myself rely on research done by other thyroid patients and patient support networks, or a select few doctors, to determine how to treat their condition.
I have had a couple books (one written by fellow sufferers, one by a doctor) regarding how to find the reason behind your thyroid imbalance and how to treat for many years. I really dug into them when we were having trouble conceiving and was on the right path to finding health, but then once we had our second I was tired of taking care of myself. We had been trying/struggling/having success in the getting/staying pregnant game for at least 6 years total, and I was tired of focusing so much on charting cycles, eating and avoiding the right foods and drinks, taking the right supplements, etc. I needed a break. And once I had our second child, all self care basically went out the window. Until now. The motivation before was always to be able to get/stay pregnant. The motivation now is to be healthy for ME. To feel good for ME. And to be able to enjoy this wonderful life that I have and not live it on the sidelines being so utterly and completely tired. As I read these books and learn more, I will be documenting my findings here in my little place on the internet. I hope you’ll join me and if you are also a sufferer, maybe you will be able to regain your life right along with me!
photo credit: Red Spotted Purple via photopin (license)
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