What is Hashimoto's Disease:

Hashimoto's disease is a problem where you immune system begins to attack your thyroid gland, causing it to become swollen and irritated.  When this happens, your thyroid can't make hormones as it should.

SYMPTOMS:

• A feeling of fullness or tightness in your throat.
• Trouble swallowing food or liquids
• Swelling or bump called a goiter in the front of your neck.
• Tiredness
• Forgetfulness
• Depression
• Coarse dry skin
• Slow heartbeat
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Intolerance to cold

Although Hashimoto's disease can affect people of all ages, if someone in your family has had thyroid disease, you may have an increased risk for Hashimoto's disease. No one is sure why people get this disease.

TREATMENT:

Hashimoto's disease has no cure. However, your doctor can treat low thyroid function so you probably won't have any long-term effects.

Thyroid medicine can replace the hormones your thyroid gland usually makes. How long you need to take the medicine will depend on the results of your blood tests. For most people, thyroid hormone medicine causes no problems.

Taking your thyroid medicine and having regular blood tests to see how your thyroid gland is working can help prevent symptoms like tiredness, weight gain and constipation