Oprah's Thyroid Problem Causes Weight Gain and Fatigue: Could You Be Suffering Too?
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey's announcement that she developed a thyroid condition -- revealed in her O Magazine column last month, and explored this week on her talk show -- has heightened interest in thyroid problems, but spawned many important questions. Thyroid disease affects as many as 59 million Americans, the majority of them women, and the majority of sufferers are undiagnosed. So it's no surprise that many women, aware of Oprah's recent challenges, and experiencing similar symptoms, are now wondering if they too might have a thyroid condition.
Here's a simple Q & A about thyroid disease that can help you determine if you, like Oprah, might be suffering from a thyroid problem.
Q: What is the thyroid, and why is it important?
A: The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland, located in the neck. It is the master gland of metabolism and energy. All the body's functions depend on energy delivered by thyroid hormone, which is produced by the gland.
An overview of the thyroid, and thyroid disease, is featured online.
Q: What are the most common symptoms of a thyroid condition?
A:When the thyroid slows down, and not enough hormone is circulating, the body functions slow down. If this happens to you, like Oprah, you may experience weight gain (or inability to lose weight despite diet and exercise), and debilitating fatigue. Other symptoms of an underactive thyroid -- also known as hypothyroidism -- include depression, infertility, fuzzy thinking, high cholesterol, neck pain or enlargement, hair loss, low sex drive, and worsening menstrual and menopausal symptoms. An underactive thyroid is the most common problem that affects the thyroid.
If the gland becomes overactive, and too much hormone is circulating -- known as hyperthyroidism -- body functions go into overdrive. You may experience insomnia, unexpected weight loss, chronic diarrhea, anxiety and panic attacks, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, bulging eyes, hair loss, low sex drive, neck pain or enlargement, and worsening menstrual and menopausal symptoms. An overactive thyroid is far less common than an underactive thyroid.
To help you discover whether you might have an undiagnosed thyroid condition, take a look at this comprehensive overview of the risks for and symptoms of thyroid disease. And if you are interested, take an interactive online quiz to find out: Could You be Hypothyroid?, Could You Be Hyperthyroid?, or Is Your Thyroid Making You Fat?
Q: Why do women develop thyroid conditions?
A: Oprah has suggested that she "blew out her thyroid," due to too much stress, causing her to gain 20 pounds. Christiane Northrup, the practitioner Oprah chatted with on her show said she views diseases as emotionally and mentally driven, rather than physical, and Northrup suggested that thyroid problems develop in women due to an inability to express ourselves or speak our minds. During the program, Northrup said "your symptoms are actually your soul's way of bringing deeper issues to your attention."
The truth is that women are not to blame for their own thyroid problems, as these theories suggest. Rather, thyroid problems develop primarily as a result of two autoimmune diseases: Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease. And triggers for thyroid disease include heredity/genetics, toxic/environmental/radiation exposures, medications, overconsumption of certain foods that have antithyroid properties, and cigarette smoking, among other factors. Thyroid problems strike women at least seven times more often than men, and it's thought that our hormonal fluctuations play a key role, given that the thyroid, as well as ovaries, are all part of the endocrine system. Age is also a factor, and by 60, it's thought that as many as 20% of women have thyroid problems.
Stress and lifestyle are factors in autoimmune thyroid disease. Stress can lower your immunity, and make it more likely that you'll develop an autoimmune disease -- or that an existing condition will worsen. But stress alone is not a cause of thyroid problems, nor is stress-reduction a treatment or cure for thyroid problems, such as Oprah describes. Stress-reduction and self-care are, however, valuable parts of an overall wellness strategy.
Q. How are thyroid conditions diagnosed?
A: A variety of tests are used to diagnose a thyroid condition. The most common is the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) blood test. This is NOT a test that is a normal part of a physical, so you need to specifically request it, or your doctor needs to specify it in addition to regular bloodwork. Other tests include thyroid antibody panels to evaluate autoimmunity, Free T4 and Free T3 tests to measure the key thyroid hormones, and imaging tests to get a visual picture of the thyroid and any lumps or enlargements. Conventional and holistic ways to diagnose thyroid disease are explored fully online.
Q. How are thyroid conditions treated?
A: An underactive thyroid is typically treated with prescription thyroid hormone replacement medication. This can be synthetic levothyroxine (i.e., Synthroid, Levoxyl) or natural thyroid (Armour, Naturethroid). Holistic practitioners go a step further, by aiming to support thyroid function and the immune system with nutritional and lifestyle changes. They also seek to improve thyroid function by balancing other hormones -- adrenal, reproductive (estrogen, progesterone, etc.), insulin --along with the thyroid.
An overactive thyroid is treated with prescription antithyroid medications (i.e., Tapazole, Propylthiouriacil/PTU), destruction of the thyroid with radioactive iodine treatment, or surgical removal of the gland. Destruction or removal of the thyroid results, however, in lifelong hypothyroidism that also requires treatment. Integrative medical practitioners tend to focus on recommending antithyroid medications, nutritional support and lifestyle changes to achieve remission, rather than taking irreversible action to destroy the thyroid.
Take a more in-depth look at thyroid treatments here.
Q: Should I follow Oprah's controversial advice about treating thyroid problems?
A: In describing her own thyroid problem, Oprah described a short period of hyperthyroidism, followed by hypothyroidism, followed by what she describes as "balance." While she's never named the specific diagnosis, it's likely that she is describing Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the autoimmune disease that is characterized by the thyroid's gradual decline into hypothyroidism, interspersed with periods when the thyroid sputters to life and becomes temporarily overactive. It's also likely that Oprah's hypothyroidism was never more than mild -- or what doctors refer to as subclinical. Because if she had anything other than a very mild thyroid condition, her failure to get proper medical treatment would dramatically worsen her fatigue, weight gain, and other symptoms, as well as increase her risk of serious, long-term health problems.
Treating mild or subclinical hypothyroidism is considered "optional" by some -- not all -- practitioners. Choosing to avoid medical treatment -- or self-treating subclinical hypothyroidism with rest and diet -- is a controversial decision, however, because subclinical hypothyroidism can cause symptoms, can progress to overt hypothyroidism, and research findings released this month confirm that subclinical hypothyroidism increases the risk of heart disease. In younger women, subclinical hypothyroidism can also contribute to infertility, recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, low sex drive, and menstrual problems.
Oprah's claim to have balanced her thyroid after taking a month-long work-free vacation at her home in Hawaii -- and in particular, without mention that she was treated with thyroid medication -- is, controversial, and unfortunately, misleading to millions of thyroid sufferers who trust Oprah's advice and judgment. Avoiding medical treatment is only an option for those with very mild thyroid problems. Even then, avoiding medical treatment increases your risk of experiencing worsening symptoms, as well as the risk of other long-term health problems. And it can be harmful for women who are pregnant, or trying to become pregnant.
Oprah's improvement may be due to feeling more rested and less exhausted after a month-long, stress-free vacation. As is common in autoimmune thyroid disease, without medical treatment, Oprah is very likely to experience continuing fluctuations in thyroid function, and worsening symptoms as the thyroid slowly continues to fail, and eventually shuts down due to the attack by autoimmune antibodies.
Oprah's motto to women is "live your best life." And certainly, rest, nutrition, and lifestyle are ongoing and important parts of wellness. Unfortunately, however, for the millions of women with undiagnosed thyroid disease, failing to get proper diagnosis and accepting symptoms such as weight gain, exhaustion, hair loss or heart palpitations as evidence of your soul trying to bring issues to your attention may hurt women rather than help them.
Oprah's handling of her own thyroid condition should not discourage the millions of undiagnosed women from seeing their physicians, getting properly diagnosed and properly treated, and truly getting the help they need to "live their best lives."
Read all of Mary Shomon's About.com Thyroid site coverage of Oprah Winfrey's thyroid condition here.
Photo: Evan Agostini / Getty Images
Comments
Oprah is in denial. She is on the long depressing road of inevitable thyroid disfunction and treatment
Actually, I think you’re missing some of what Northrup was trying to get across and dismissing what I believe to be extremely important.
Women do tend to internalize and ignore our own concerns for the needs and even wants of others in our life – that can show through physical symptoms and should be looked at, not blown off like you’ve done.
Don’t ignore your soul because the doctor gives you medications and don’t ignore your body because your soul is in distress.
With respect Amy, I had Graves at the age of 22 years, and for five years now have suffered through hypothyroid. I can tell you the whole Oprah situation has turned me off of her – once again I might add.
All it did was make me feel like I had done something to cause my own disease.
No Amy, I strongly disagree with you. I am in my forties and don’t need some rich snob (Oprah) telling me I caused my own illness. Shame on her, hmmm and maybe you.
We are body, mind and spirit. True that some awful things come our way due to genetics…but a suppressed immune function and “containing emotions” to keep the peace, for instance, can usher in a whole host of problems that opens us up to all sorts of bodily malfunctions.
We are energy. That is not new-age gobbly-gook, and when we are overwhelmed with our lives, it happens that some of us fall apart, even if on the surface we look like we are holding up. Many of us are great little “actresses”.
There is much to learn about healing at the cellular level. There is much information now available about that. I personally believe in a program called “The Healing Codes” and when I received an emotional healing using that, it helped my health by upleveling my wellbeing in every way. One of the creators of that program healed himself of a usually fatal disease. It’s not just mind over matter.
We are living in a ‘hurry up’ rush-rush world, where it is a challenge to remain in homeostasis. Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall and couldn’t be put back together again — but we live in a day and time when we can find the value in both holistic and orthodox medicine, and do whatever it takes to regain our selves. I am just grateful for that. Rather than knock this or that, much of what works for some may only be placebo effect. So what? That also proves that our mind can be our healer as well as our slayer. So much is in the power of belief.
So I say bravo to all the holistic healers out there, too, as they strive to heal the whole person…not just a named disease.
I personally believe that it takes a comprehensive approach to heal. But many do not have the desire to go that route, and more power to them, as well, as they swallow their pills and continue on with their lives as usual, without ever examining what may lay beneath the surface which might be boiling up for the next named disease, unless one takes steps to thwart that.
It’s interesting how Oprah finds some medical or emotional reason or excuse for any weight gain after losing a large amount of weight. She no longer walks out on stage meeting and greeting the audience, before standing with her hands on her hips as she talks about the guests on the show.
Now , she’s snuggled in to the corner of the sofa hiding what she thinks we are unaware of. I’m thinking that a new book with surface about the ill effects of thyroid problems, as if most people aren’t aware of the side effects of the condition.
I think it’s quite irresponsible of you to write an article and state as if it’s fact what Oprah is doing and how she is misleading millions of Americans. Not all Americans believe everything Oprah says, at the same time there are Millions upon Millions of Americans who believe that everything has a spiritual cause…ie: Christians. Look at the debate about Creation versus Evolution, or those who believe that certain diseases are brought about by sin. I appreciate your perspective but I think it’s more accurate to simply give your opinion and leave Oprah out of it.
Oprah may very well have taken the right approach for her situation. That’s the benefit of being an individual.
I’ve never had a problem speaking my mind or swallowing my words. I grew up with wonderful parents and have enjoyed a very creative life! However, I have always experienced since I can remember intermittent exhaustion and spurts, and until recently – after several miscarriages, hair loss, muscle pain and fluctuating thyroid in the middle of it – an enlarged thyroid and hypothyroidism. It’s fine to have a doctor explore and express how we make ourselves sick by stuffing toxic thoughts inside, but it is equally important to have a physician as well discuss the actual disease itself, perhaps even the environmental causes too, such as the hormone ladden food we eat.
Thyroid? Uh huh… sure. Being addicted to BBQ is not a thyroid condition, but you know, whatever makes you feel better about being a fatty. I don’t get it though. With all her money, why not just get it sucked out for good.
Reading your information about Hashimoto Thyroiditis…( an auto-immune disease) you don’t mention an other blood test that is instrumental in proper diagnosis of antibodies against the thyroid…this is the TPO..if your thyroid is being attacked and your doctor knows what he/she is doing..you’ll be prescribed enough thyroid medication to eventually stop the thyroid from functioning on it’s own, which will eventually turn off the assult from your immune system(my description is in simple terms your other glands get bio-feed back from the thyroid and direct this assult) Synthetic thyroid medication only introduces T4 for the sick thyroid to convert to T3..why would a sick thyroid be up to this the conversion? Probably not..Natural thyroid has both the T4 and T3..The synthetic medications are overrated… an other ploy of our drug companies to get richer and leave you sicker! I would like to tell you that I responded very well to Westhroid/Naturalthroid, but got to feeling sick on Armour thyroid, my pharmacy switched me to Armour and boy did I feel lousy.. If you have a doctor that tells you that your are on the bordline (subclinical) of thyroid failure and is of the very old school of not treating you..yet?? Go directly to someone who is up to date on thyroid treatment. To not treat the beginning stages of thyroid failure will leave you open for a thyroid that will most definitly fail! By the way, a normal TSH level or T4 is not the end-all for a diagnosis of a healthy thyroid. If after seeing your doctor you still feel like a slug and your doctor doesn’t listen.. because he is believing your test results and not how you’re feeling…find another doctor..and tell him to update his thyroid information..It’s up to us to become informed. Get books on the subject. read, read, read demand better care!!
GOOD LUCK!!
Hi need some question answering.
Had the thyiods removed in November 2007, and on the Levothyroxine.
Still putting on weight not losing it,fed up
What vitiams can i take
Diet need to do, lot of things i don’t like.
Exercise bit at time.
Thanks Anita
Hi, I’m not sure if this forum is still running but am desperate for help with my daughter. She is a 25 year old policewoman. She has gained weight steadily over the past 12 months and is now at an all time high having gained 4 stone. She is extremely tired and lethargic and despite diet and exercise (and I have watched her struggle and KNOW she is sticking at it!) she continues to gain weight at an alarming rate! Also, her neck is visually “bigger” and looks swollen. Her dctor has checked her thyroid levels (TSH) and dismissed her with no diagnosis as these are normal. I myself had thyroid problems throughout the last 5 years or so and eventually had to have a thyroidectomy. I am alot better after being on thyroxine.
Could my daughter be having thyroid problems yet still showing a normal TSH? She is really desperate now to get help. She wants to try for a baby next year and at her current weight this would be disastrous. Also it is getting her down and she is becoming very depressed. It is affecting her job now. Hope someone reads this and can help!
Hi Elizabeth
What TSH level is your daughter.Her doctor sounds like an idiot.Think she prob has the same GP as myself.Ask her to ring the surgery and ask for TSH range they have to tell her it is HER thyroid You can email me if you like on mrgrtmcguinness@yahoo.com Let me know as soon as possible and I will tell you what I can.
Kind regards Margaret (Liverpool)xxx
Hi Elizabeth,
Your daughter needs a 2nd and 3rd opinion. Finding a doctor who knows how to properly diagnose is half the challenge. It’s been nearly 7 years and I actually looking for a new endocrinologist right now. My point is, she will find varying degrees of opinions. A family doctor will likely overlook or not what they are looking for. Tell her to go to a thyroid surgeon and then look for a Thyroid/Endocrine specialist. I’ve yet to get my level at the right number. Anyway, good luck.
Actually, google “thyroid fluoride”. I was diagnosed with thyroid autoimmune disease after being on thyroid medication for 2+ years. My antibody count was over 8,000! (normal range is
Actually, google “thyroid fluoride”. I was diagnosed with thyroid autoimmune disease after being on thyroid medication for 2+ years. My antibody count was over 8,000! (normal range is less than 40). Doctor had me go back in a month to see if the test was incorrect. It was still over 8,000. I did my own online research and conferred with an excellent naturalpathic doctor, and learned that fluoride inhibits thyroid function as well as does soy. I stopped drinking my tap water and got reverse osmosis water to drink (5 gal-take it into the grocery store–some offer this now for 39 cents a gallon). I started feeling better within 2 weeks and went back to have tests redone last month after one year. Results came back and my thyroid antibodies are less than 20! Seriously. Read online on the fluoride -thyroid connection. There is alot of research out there.
i agree with the above you eat to much or wrong foods youll gain the weight my thyroids have put me thru heck very high and very low i stay between 98 pds and 109 the depression can bring on the bad diet me when im depressed i dont eat others do.
I had my gland removed in 1993 by radiation and have had a weight problem ever since. I take a pill called synthyroid every day. Yes, I am also taking a hormond pill. I have to constantly be aware of my diet and exercise because it can become very depressing. Oprah in truly in denial if she thinks she does not have to have anything done with her condition, if it is thyroid. I feel for her and all women with this disease.
Thanks Oprah for giving us these information
god be with you
i was surprised to know about you! and your thyroid problem!
10x again nehmet
I have Grave’s disease both my Mother and Grandmother have it as well. Years ago I mentioned to them that Oprah’s eyes and weight problems are probably thyroid related. My Father had Hashimoto’s and had the same symptoms as Oprah, however after the radioactive iodind his gland grew back and he was very thin for the rest of his life.