Diagnosis: hypothyroidism: symptoms and successful treatment.(Women's health: natural solutions for common problems)

Gail is a 51-year-old perimenopausal woman who came to me complaining about weight gain, mild depression, low energy, loss of hair, loss of libido and muscle weakness. We ran some lab tests to check for anemia and thyroid function. Although Gail's results showed a normal iron level, they also showed a low level of thyroid hormone--along with an increased amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone--which indicated hypothyroidism.

Signs and Symptoms

Hypothyroidism is a state of low thyroid hormone secretion or inadequate thyroid hormone conversion that results in a lowered basal metabolic state. There is also a state of sub-clinical hypothyroidism in which the symptoms of hypothyroidism are present but without abnormal shifts as disclosed in the lab tests. This is a gray area in which the gland is breaking down but is not yet broken; it's a good time to prescribe alternative medicines to avoid complete breakdown.

Hypothyroidism is a relatively common disease with 2-3 percent of the US population having it. If individuals who have sub-clinical or mild hypothyroidism are included, the incidence of hypothyroidism has been calculated to affect as many as 10-20 percent of women over the age of 50.

The most common symptoms are fatigue, weight gain and depression. Lesser known symptoms include insomnia; memory loss; poor concentration; dry skin and hair; loss of half or more of one's eyebrows; a thick tongue, which often shows tooth indentations; menstrual irregularities; cold intolerance; high blood lipids; headaches; recurring infections; constipation; loss of libido; infertility; miscarriage; premature delivery; and muscle weakness.

Rejuvenating Regimen

Gail chose a 4-month plan that incorporated nutritional and botanical medicines plus lifestyle, diet, exercise, and stress management techniques geared to improve her thyroid function. We planned to recheck her thyroid after 4 months to determine the effectiveness of the treatment plan. As part of the assessment, Gail performed the daily task of recording her basal body temperature, which was running between 96.7 degrees and 98.2 degrees. (Hypothyroid patients usually have subnormal temperatures.)