How dangerous and deadly is Hashimoto s disease?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis very often results in hypothyroidism. Physiologically, antibodies against thyroid peroxidase and/or thyroglobulin cause gradual destruction of follicles in the thyroid gland. Accordingly, the disease can be detected clinically by looking for these antibodies in the blood. It is also characterized by invasion of the thyroid tissue by leukocytes, mainly T-lymphocytes. It is associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis include weight gain, depression, mania, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, panic attacks, bradycardia, tachycardia, high cholesterol, reactive hypoglycemia, constipation, migraines, muscle weakness, cramps, memory loss, infertility and hair loss. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is often misdiagnosed as depression, cyclothymia, PMS, and, less frequently as bipolar disorder or as anxiety disorder. Testing for TSH and anti-thyroid antibodies can resolve any diagnostic difficulty. Hashimotos when presenting as mania is known as Prasad’s s
