Thyroid Treatment

We are thyroid experts and can get your thyroid right.

Dr. Scott is highly experienced at diagnosing thyroid issues and thyroid treatment, utilizing holistic as well as standard medical protocols based on the latest medical discoveries and research studies.

Unfortunately it is all too common to find those who have many or even all of the symptoms of thyroid disorders who were “tested” earlier and told that everything is “normal”. Or, in some cases, were put on thyroid medication that did not resolve their symptoms.

At Renewed Vitality, we have found that a much more thorough testing protocol results in isolating issues with thyroid function that are often missed with traditional testing.

As well, individualized, correct thyroid treatment does result in most patients beginning to feel better within days or weeks of the first visit, with the majority showing great improvement shortly thereafter.  

Is it time for you to feel better, have more energy and reclaim your life?

Call 972-589-1677

Understanding the Thyroid Function

Thyroid is known as the master hormone. Thyroid regulates metabolism and body temperature among other functions. It can have everything to do with one’s energy levels, body weight and even cognitive function.

Thyroid hormone helps remove cellular waste, increases fat breakdown, improves hair growth of the scalp and eyebrows, and reduce cholesterol levels and body weight. It is vital in the prevention of cognitive deterioration.

Thyroid hormone is also critical for fertility in women. Many women who go through expensive infertility treatments simply need thyroid hormone replacement.

Common Thyroid Disorders

We are able to treat a wide variety of thyroid disorders including:

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
• Hashimoto’s Disease
• Graves Disease, and
• Other thyroid disorders.

Hypothyroidism or Under-Active Thyroid

An underactive thyroid is the most common disorder of the thyroid that we treat.In short, hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland is not providing enough thyroid hormone, or is not properly utilizing the thyroid hormone that is produced, to adequately drive the metabolism of the body, causing symptoms associated with a slow metabolism.

Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

Not everyone has all of these symptoms and severity may vary. A lot of our patients tell us that they have been diagnosed and treated for Hypothyroidism but they are not feeling any better. In fact, many of our new patients have this complaint. There are a few reasons for this.

Many doctors, including endocrinologists, do not test every aspect of your thyroid gland function; it is common for them to only test your TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) level, and if that falls in the “normal” range, then it is assumed that there is nothing wrong with the patient, or, that it might be another condition such as Depression.

Dr. Scott and Nurse Practitioner Elise Lewis ALWAYS run a comprehensive lab panel which does include the TSH test. However, they also realize that the definitions of “normal” vary from doctor to doctor, and even from the labs that do the testing. Our appointments are an hour to an hour and a half long; this enables our providers to spend time with patients and take into account what symptoms are being experienced and how the patient feels, so your thyroid treatment is based on a complete picture.

Additionally, the TSH level test in and of itself will not reveal other underlying conditions which may cause Hypothyroidism. The “standard” treatment for someone with an underactive thyroid is to prescribe Synthroid (or its generic form, Levothyroxine) which is the inactive form of T4. In order for the cells to produce energy, they must have adequate amounts of active T3. Normally, T4 is transformed into T3 mainly through the liver, however, some people’s bodies are unable to do this.   So, you may be taking medication for your low thyroid, but it’s not doing you any good.

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid is overactive and produces too much hormone. This condition is not as common as Hypothyroidism. It occurs usually in the 40-60 age range and affects more women than men. The symptoms include:

• Excessive sweating
• Inability to sleep
• Panic attacks/increased anxiety
• Shortness of breath
• Increased heart rate and/or palpitations
• Tremors in the hands
• Chronic diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Irritability
• Muscle fatigue
• Chronic exhaustion

There are drugs that can be prescribed to treat this and it doesn’t always require eradiating the thyroid gland or removing it surgically. Dr. Scott and NP Elise also are able to provide education about dietary changes that need to be made to help manage Hyperthyroidism.

Hashimoto’s Disease

Hashimoto’s is an auto-immune disorder. It is the biggest cause of Hypothyroidism but can also cause Hyperthyroidism and can swing from one condition to the other. The reason for this is that the body views the thyroid gland as an invader and produces antibodies that attack it. This can cause a drastic drop in the thyroid hormone levels, which can cause the gland to secrete excess hormone which causes spikes. As the antibodies attack the thyroid, it can also become depleted and fail to produce enough hormone causing Hypothyroidism.

Hashimoto’s Disease affects 1 in 4 women. In order for it to be diagnosed correctly, antibodies have to be detected in the blood. This will not show up on a standard TSH test.

Because it is an auto-immune disease, thyroid treatment of medication alone isn’t enough to treat it successfully. It can be caused by Vitamin D deficiencies, Cortisol or DHEA deficiencies, and low levels of Iodine. It is important to address these issues as well and here at Renewed Vitality Las Colinas, it is our standard to test for all of these things plus a lot more.

Graves’ Disease

Graves’ Disease symptoms are similar to Hyperthyroidism, and it also results in the overproduction of hormone, however, the cause is auto-immune. With this disorder, the body produces an antibody to a part of the thyroid which tends to mimic the pituitary gland. It overrides the regulation of hormones, causing an overproduction. Symptoms of Graves’ can significantly impair your life and day to day function. Without proper thyroid treatment for this condition other side effects can occur such as Graves’ Ophthalmopathy where the tissue and muscles around your eyes become inflamed, resulting in bulging eyes, double vision, and even vision loss. Additionally, a reddening and thickening of the skin on the feet and knees can occur.

Thyroid Treatment

Using very thorough lab testing and assessing your symptoms we will tailor your thyroid treatment to exactly what you need to help relieve your adverse symptoms and restore function.