Hypothyroidism, which develops when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroxine, is becoming a more prevalent problem in the United Kingdom as the population ages. However, many people suffering from common symptoms of an under-active thyroid – feeling very tired and cold, having difficulties concentrating, gaining weight and experiencing fertility problems – are not getting the right information about their condition. And consequently they are not being treated properly. As experts note, the symptoms can mimic other conditions, and if the under-active thyroid is not diagnosed correctly, some patients may suffer from serious harmful effects.
According to the Royal College of Physicians, which recently established guidelines for how hypothyroidism should be diagnosed and treated in the UK, specifies that a blood test to measure hormone levels is the only accurate way to diagnose the disease, which currently affects three percent of the population. The guidelines also state that giving patients a synthetic form of thyroxine to supplement their natural levels of the hormone is the only proven way to treat the condition. The British Thyroid Association (BTA) also stipulates that urine test, saliva test and measuring body temperatures are not accurate diagnostic tests.
Says Dr. Amit Allahabadia, the secretary of the BTA, “This is potentially an enormous problem, given that in any one year, one in four people in the United Kingdom have their thyroid function checked. I think it is essentially doctors who are outside the NHS who may be misdiagnosing the condition. Patients may go to see them when they think they have an under-active thyroid, or when tests have shown they have normal hormone levels but they still feel ill.” And adds Peter Trainer of the Society for Endocrinology, which represents the specialists who treat thyroid disorders: “Our sympathy has to lie with the patient because there is potentially misleading information available on the web.”
News Release: Thyroid disorders misdiagnosed www.news.bbc.co.uk March 27, 2009
