When a person experiences Hashimoto’s disease, it means their thyroid is undergoing a long-lasting issue that tends to grow worse over time. It’s an autoimmune disease that usually appears slowly at first, developing in your thyroid even without your knowledge.
One essential health tip that you should always remember is to get an annual consultation with your doctor to check for any underlying illnesses you may seem to not know about. That way, you can handle your situation while it’s still at its early stages.
Keep reading below to find out the stages you can undergo if your body is showing symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease.
Stage 1: Initiation
Initiation is the first stage, and it is when the disease starts to appear through your immune system. Your body produces molecules regularly. If some of them interact with your thyroid gland unusually and do not recognize it as a normal part of your body, they will react negatively and try to ruin it.
The effects are only subtle, which means if you have an inactive thyroid, you will barely feel any symptoms that indicate something is wrong inside your body. However, you will tend to experience problems with your digestive system.
Stage 2: Expansion
During the second stage, known as expansion, your immune cells are growing at a faster rate, striving to tear down large parts of your thyroid gland. Signs that will tell you that you have Hashimoto’s include feeling exhausted, losing more hair than usual, and being sensitive to the cold temperature.
In some cases, you will undergo inflammation on your neck, known as goitre, alongside feeling your symptoms at a much higher level. If you were able to see your doctor during this stage, you can still reduce the effects and control your thyroid gland without taking prescriptions by maintaining healthy habits.
Stage 3: Full-Blown
Stage 3 is critical because it’s when your thyroid situation becomes full-blown, and you face the symptoms more frequently apart from feeling overly fatigued. At this level, your thyroid-stimulating hormones (TSH) heightens, which will lead your doctor to prescribe you therapy with thyroid hormone replacement or expectant management.
The first option for assisting with your Hashimoto’s disease involves taking Levothyroxine (T4), while the second prescription requires medication and regular visits to your doctor to monitor your condition. Reaching stage 3 should not be a cause for any alarm because you can still handle the disease by continuing to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Stage 4: Medication
Stage 4 is when your doctor can clearly see that you have Hashimoto’s disease and will need to focus on taking your prescription medication religiously because your thyroid cannot function correctly. You will receive a higher dosage of synthetic thyroid hormones to keep you at your optimal health.
Your thyroid hormones work to keep your body and brain operating properly, including regulating your temperature and managing your metabolism. If your thyroid gland cannot make enough hormones, it’s highly crucial to drink thyroid medication.
Stage 5: Lifestyle Changes
You will need to continue keeping your lifestyle healthy and well-balanced and stay away from vices and harmful habits in the 5th stage to avoid gaining weight. Failing to do so will lead your symptoms to worsen and lead to adverse effects relating to Hashimoto’s disease. But when you keep your weight stable, you won’t have to deal with health concerns involving your heart or bones.
Stage 6: Reversion
The 6th stage is reversion, and so long as your diet remains healthy and you dedicate yourself to exercising regularly, you can prevent the disease from worsening. You might be tempted to quit your new and improved lifestyle once you realize you’re getting better, but remember that the autoimmune disease will not go away. If you go back to your old ways, there will be a tendency that your condition will be triggered, and you may have to go back to square one.
Stage 7: Prevention
When you reach the 7th stage, prevention means that the disease you’re going through is in your system for good. The only things you can do to prevent the triggers from occurring are avoiding food that’s bad for you, focusing on remaining healthy, and considering wellness programs.
Conclusion
Hashimoto’s disease often gets mistaken for hypothyroidism because they both involve the thyroid gland. While hypothyroidism is pertaining to a health concern with your thyroid gland, Hashimoto’s is a problem regarding your immune system. Now that you know the stages you can go through if you’re experiencing early signs of the disease, it’s best to start changing your lifestyle and exchange your bad habits for good practices.
Are you looking for a way to improve your wellness against your autoimmune disease in Surrey, BC, to help manage your Hashimoto’s disease? Health Optimizing Langley is proud to mention that we use cutting-edge technology to help our patients with their health issues. We specialize in aiding you with Hashimoto disease, depression, and anxiety disorders. Get in touch with us today to book an appointment!
