I suddenly lost 5 kg and it turned out to be hyperthyroidism! Doctor: Do not stop taking medication without authorization to avoid thyroid storm

If you experience unexplained rapid weight loss of more than 5 to 10%, do not think that it is a gift from heaven. Also, if you experience unexplained rapid heartbeats, chest tightness, and palpitations, be careful that hyperthyroidism may be the cause. Dr. Su Fenglin from the Department of Metabolism at the Dajia Branch of Guangtian General Hospital pointed out that if patients with hyperthyroidism allow their condition to become more serious, it may further deteriorate into a "thyroid storm", so they must be careful!

If you suddenly lose 5 kg, beware of hyperthyroidism

Ms. Chen, 42 years old, works in business. She weighs 65 kg and has a BMI of about 25. Although she is not severely obese, she is often troubled by her "chubby" figure. Two years ago, she was sent to the emergency room due to arrhythmia. After examination, she was found to have hyperthyroidism. She was originally very distressed why hyperthyroidism came to her, but within a month she lost 5 kg. Ms. Chen felt that losing weight without exercise or dieting was a "blessing in disguise", so as long as the hyperthyroidism improved slightly, she would "give up treatment".

However, the accompanying arrhythmia has caused her to go to the emergency room almost every six months, and it has occurred three times in the past two years. Dr. Su Fenglin reminded that if patients with hyperthyroidism are not well controlled, they may be in danger of death in severe cases, and the severity should not be ignored.

Dr. Su Fenglin pointed out that there are actually quite a few patients in the outpatient clinic who have the same idea as Ms. Chen, especially young women, and therefore they are not active in seeking treatment for hyperthyroidism. For example, Ms. Chen would only take medicine after an arrhythmia attack, but would stop taking the medicine on her own as soon as her condition improved slightly. When the symptoms of hyperthyroidism got out of control, she would go to the emergency room because of arrhythmia again. This cycle would repeat over and over again, and her metabolic function would never improve.

Dr. Su Fenglin said that if patients with hyperthyroidism allow their condition to become more serious, it may further deteriorate into "thyroid storm." (Photo provided by Guangtian General Hospital)

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Severe hyperthyroidism may worsen into thyroid storm

Dr. Su Fenglin said that if people want to lose weight, they should still focus on diet control and exercise, rather than taking advantage of metabolic dysfunction to lose weight and giving up on treating metabolic diseases. In this regard, she further explained that if patients with hyperthyroidism allow their condition to become more serious, it may further deteriorate into "thyroid storm". The mortality rate caused by thyroid storm is about 30%, and it is a potentially fatal disease. For example, Miss Chen is rushed to the hospital every time due to arrhythmia attacks. If she does not receive medical treatment in time or suffers cardiac arrest, her life may be in danger. She advises people not to pay such a huge health price for a slim figure.

Hyperthyroidism treatment takes a long time, do not stop taking the medicine without authorization

Dr. Su Fenglin said that the control of metabolic diseases is closely related to the patient's medication concept, especially the treatment of hyperthyroidism, which takes a long time and is an endurance race. However, people often think that if their symptoms have improved or are not serious for the time being, they can stop taking medication or seek medical treatment. Therefore, thyroid problems often recur or even are delayed, causing metabolic diseases that were not serious to become worse due to lack of active treatment. This also made Dr. Su Fenglin sigh that wrong ideas are sometimes more difficult to deal with than the disease itself.

Hyperthyroidism patients, smart control to stay safe

Finally, Dr. Su Fenglin also reminded that for patients with hyperthyroidism, mild hyperthyroidism is usually not fatal. As long as the diet and daily routine are adjusted and medication is taken on time, the condition can often be controlled. Therefore, when treating endocrine diseases, people may wish to discuss the treatment methods with their doctors, follow the doctor's advice, and take medication on time. This is the safe approach.