Risk Factors for Hypothyroidism Pt 3
Family or Personal History of Other Autoimmune or Endocrine Diseases
Family or Personal History of Other Autoimmune or Endocrine Diseases
“Researchers tell us that thyroid problems run in families.” Source: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypothyroidism by Ken Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D. with Marietta Abrams Brill. From the same source it is also noted that Hashimotos has a tendency to cluster in families, but researchers are still searching for consistent genetic markers. About half of those with close relatives with chronic autoimmune disease have antibodies to the thyroid. As many as half of those with a common genetic disease of women called Turner’s syndrome have hypothyroidism, usually resulting from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
As of the 2004 copyright of Blanchard and Brill’s book they point out that an estimated 25% of people with autoimmune thyroid disease may develop other autoimmune conditions.
Some conditions to note are rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.
I am going to admit that at one point my A1C numbers did elevate slightly. It has been some time since that happened and I have not had an issue with my A1C since that time. I turned a lot of things around by making significant changes in my diet. I also do not have Hashimoto’s. I have hypothyroidism. Diabetes does run in my family, my grandmother had osteoarthritis. Our family has a history of heart problems, cancer, Alzheimer’s, cholesterol issues just to name a few. So it’s really no surprise that I developed this condition.
On page 99 of Blanchard and Brill’s book they point out that there are more than eighty autoimmune diseases. If you have one type of autoimmune disease, you or someone in your family is at a higher risk of having another. They also go on to note that genetic factors may be at play in causing diseases of different types to cluster in families.
I’d like to encourage you to look into your family health history to see where there may be possible risks of you developing hypothyroidism if you don’t have it. If you do have it then I would really encourage you to look into your family health history. Odds are that if you have hypothyroidism and there are other health issues that run in your family you may end up being at risk for those too.
I am not a doctor. I am someone who has been battling this condition for 9 years now. I have had to do my own research to see what may work for me. My doctors were and still are like “Okay your numbers are good, we’ll keep you at the same dose on your medicine.” Or “Okay your numbers are slightly elevated we need to adjust your medicine.” They never tell me what I can do to help my numbers. The title of Ken Blanchard’s and Marietta Abrams Brill’s book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypothyroidism is aptly named. Mary J. Shomon also has a book titled Living Well with Hypothyroidism What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You That You Need to Know that well again is aptly named.
With that being said though doctors do ask you about your family history. At least mine have. Usually this is done when you’re a new patient or if your doctor needs to just do a standard chart update. Which has been my experience. Also don’t be afraid to talk about your family health history with your doctor and don’t be afraid to bring it up on your own. Doctors I have had are pretty easy to talk to. If you don’t have a doctor that is easy to talk to about these things you need to find one that is. Your health is too important to not be able to be heard.
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