International Thyroid Awareness Week 2011
Welcome to the official website supporting the third International Thyroid Awareness Week (23 - 29 May 2011).
After the very successful thyroid awareness week on thyroid and pregnancy last year, this year the week will be focused on thyroid nodules and goiter. Thyroid nodules are very common and may even go unnoticed. However they can cause over- or underproduction of thyroid hormones or be thyroid cancer. People, patients as well as doctors, have to realise that thyroid problems cause thyroid hormone problems. This can lead to many different symptoms, therefore it is important that they are recognised and treated as early as possible.
This year a woman called me and told that she had been with her general practitioner, because she had trouble swallowing. Since her baby was born (6 months before) she had been tired and gained weight. Now this came to it. The doctor told her that there were some nodules on her thyroid, but that there was no reason to worry. He asked her to go home and come back after 4-6 weeks to see whether there was any change. The woman was afraid because her mother had Graves' disease. The doctor may have been right that there is no reason to worry about a goiter or thyroid nodules, but to be sure the thyroid function has to be checked. I explained to the woman that doctors in these kinds of situations mostly check the thyroid function. Later the woman called me again and told that she had been back to her doctor, that her thyroid function was checked and that she had signs of hypothyroidism. After she started her treatment with levothyroxine not just the swallowing improved but also her energy came back.
This website provides helpful advice and information on living with thyroid conditions for all members of the family.
Yvonne Andersson
Thyroid Federation International, President
Thyroid Federation International is a global network of patient organisations which aims to work for the benefit of those affected by thyroid dysfunctions throughout the world.
This campaign is endorsed by:
For Yvonnes welcome video please click here
“Everybody has to realise that thyroid nodules can cause thyroid hormone
problems. They are very common and may even go unnoticed. As they can
cause over- or underproduction of thyroid hormones, they must be checked
as soon as possible. ”
