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Donna-Lynne Larson (Hashimoto's Disease)
Managing that unruly thyroid
The Globe and Mail - Thursday May 28, 2009
Early diagnosis is the key to dealing with the impact of this all-too-common glandular disorder
Actor Donna-Lynne Larson has not only learned to manage the effects of her thyroid disorder, but has turned her experience to a one-woman show. Who’s Going to Stop My Hair from Falling Out? A True Tale about Thyroid Disease, a joint production of Ms. Larson and the Thyroid Foundation of Canada will play at the Kay Meek Centre in Vancouver on June 19 and 20. For details call 604-913-3634 or visit http://www.kaymeekcentre.com/on_stage/685
After weeks of feeling unusually tired and stiff, Donna-Lynne Larson woke up one morning so drained of energy she cold hardly move, let alone get herself out of bed.
"I could not pull my body off the bed - I felt like I was nailed to it." recalls Ms. Larson, a performing artist who lives in Vancouver. "So I went to my doctor, went through some tests and learned I had a thyroid problem.
Ms. Larson is among the millions of Canadians believed to have a thyroid disease. While there are no hard statistics on the prevalence of this condition in Canada, observational studies suggest thyroid disease affects about 10 per cent of the population - or one in 10 are unaware they have an unhealthy thyroid gland.
There are many types of thyroid disease, including hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid, hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid, Graves’ eyes disease, thyroiditis or inflammation of the thyroid gland, cancer of the thyroid, and thyroid nodule or swelling of the gland.
Symptoms vary according to the type of thyroid disease but can include extreme fatigue, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, tremors, and vision problems.
Ashok Bhaseen, president of the Thyroid Foundation of Canada, says early diagnosis is critical to effective management of this disease.
"Half the battle is being properly diagnosed as early as possible," he says. "Once you’re diagnosed, then it’s possible to manage the disease and live a normal life".
In Ashley Toledo’s case, the diagnosis came just shortly after she was born 10 years ago. Routine blood tests given to all newborn babies in Canada revealed her thyroid gland was not producing the hormones needed to regulate many of the body’s functions.
This early finding allowed doctors to start treating Ashley right away with a low-dose, daily regiment of thyroxine, the medication most commonly used to manage thyroid disease. Now in Grade 4, Ashley gives little thought to her thyroid condition.
"I take medicine but I don’t feel sick or anything," she says. "I play soccer and do gymnastics and can pretty much do anything I want to do."
While thyroid disease is more prevalent among women, it does affect men as well. Sebastien Sasseville, a sales representative in Montreal, found out last October that he had an underactive thyroid.
Mr. Sasseville, who has diabetes, gets blood tests once a year to ensure his condition is under control. Last Year’s tests revealed he has hypothyroidism.
"When I started to take my medication, I began to feel better almost immediately." says Mr. Sasseville.
In fact, he feels well enough to continue training for an Iron Man race taking place in Arizona this November.
Sandra Hudgin, a registered nurse who lives in St. George, about 100 kilometres southwest of Toronto, says greater awareness of thyroid disease is needed to help ensure doctors do not overlook the thyroid when assessing their patients’ symptoms.
"It’s not always front of mind for doctors to check the thyroid," she says. "So if you’re feeling lethargic and generally unwell, ask your doctor: what about a thyroid check"?
Ms. Hudgin, who had thyroid cancer 20 years ago, says a prompt diagnosis made all the difference in the outcome of her treatment, which involved surgery to remove her thyroid. "Now I’m on hormone replacement therapy and I live a very normal and active life."
Checking for thyroid disease is a fairly simple process that involves an assessment of symptoms, physical examination of the neck area, and blood tests to analyze hormone levels.
Some doctors are also starting to use a new instrument, called a Thyroflex, to test for thyroid disease. Developed by two American doctors, the Thyroflex uses radio waves to measure a person’s arm muscle reflexes, with delayed reflexes taken to be an indication of low thyroid.
"The Thyroflex is a really innovative way of testing the thyroid at a more cellular level and with a great degree of accuracy," says Rozlynn Myers, president of Thyroid Health Canada, which provides Thyroflex testing and trains doctors on its use. "It’s a great adjunct tool to existing blood tests."
For Ms. Larson in Vancouver, being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease - an autoimmune system disorder that affects the thyroid - kicked off a journey of recovery and introspection.
Having a thyroid condition caused Ms. Larson to lose her job, making her realize how little people understood this disease. This realization prompted her to write a one-woman show called Who’s Going to Stop My Hair from Falling Out? A True Tale about Thyroid Disease.
The show, a joint production by Ms. Larson and the Thyroid Foundation of Canada will play at the Kay Meek Centre in Vancouver on June 19 and 20.
"I wanted to lend a voice and face to thyroid disease and show its impact and cumulative effect." says Ms. Larson. "Because this is a disease that affects so many people, and we truly need to have a better understanding of it."