Thyroid Doctor in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Do you struggle with fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, constipation, mood imbalances, or cold hands? And have you had your thyroid checked and been told “everything is fine?” Yet you know it isn’t?
Unfortunately, this is all too common in conventional medicine and can often be due to undiagnosed thyroid problems including primary hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Graves Disease or Hashimoto’s Disease. Patients often present with complaints of exhaustion, depression, and weight gain. Frequently they have seen numerous doctors who have told them “there’s nothing wrong” because their labs are normal. Their symptoms are attributed to stress, advancing age, or simply “women’s issues.”
What Is your Thyroid Gland?
The thyroid gland, or simply the thyroid, is an endocrine gland in the neck, just below the Adam’s apple. It is often described as “butterfly-shaped” because it consists of two lobes connected by an isthmus. Your thyroid produces hormones that help regulate nearly all of the body’s functions, including metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, amd cholesterol. The thyroid hormones consist of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) which are created from iodine and the amino acid tyrosine.
What are the Symptoms of Thyroid Disorder?
The thyroid may become underactive (primary hypothyroidism) or you may develop an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s, in which antibodies attack your own thyroid. It is estimated that approximately 27 million Americans have some type of thyroid disorder, and up to 60% of those are unaware they have any type of thyroid issue. Although women are up to 8 times more likely to develop a thyroid condition than men, this is certainly not exclusively a woman’s issue.
When the thyroid becomes underactive, all of your metabolic processes slow down, leading to a myriad of symptoms including:
- Fatigue and feeling exhausted even after sleeping 8-10 hours
- Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, poor memory
- Weight gain or inability to lose weight
- Cold hands or feet, low body temperature
- Hair loss or thinning, brittle hair
- Constipation
- Hormonal imbalances including PMS, irregular periods, and low sex drive, infertility
- Dry skin or brittle nails
- Mood imbalances such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings
How Should Thyroid Function be Tested?
Dr. Taylor will check complete thyroid function as part of your evaluation. Many conventional doctors only check your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which is considered the go-to or gold standard for diagnosis and treatment. However, this single laboratory measurement may not tell the whole story, and the results can often be counterintuitive and confusing. For a more accurate diagnosis, Dr. Taylor looks at the complete thyroid panel to optimize the thyroid function:
- TSH
- Free T3
- Free T4
- Reverse T3
- Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb)
- Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb)
How Is Thyroid Dysfunction Treated?
Dr. Taylor will work with you to develop a personalized treatment for your thyroid condition. If you are already on thyroid medication but still struggling with thyroid symptoms, there are many options. These include the T4-only medications (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Tirosint, levothyroxine, Euthyrox), T3-only medications (Cytomel, liothyronine), Natural Desiccated Thyroid Medications (Armour, Nature-Throid, WP Thyroid) and compounded thyroid medications (hypoallergenic blends of T4 and T3 in compounded, physiologic ratios). Together we can find your perfect, individualized thyroid solution.
(479) 957-1105
