Patient Info

Women with a family history of thyroid issues are at the greatest risk, though it's important to remember that thyroid dysfunction can affect men and children of any age. Often, women who suffer from hypothyroidism are either pregnant, a new mother, or of a menopausal age. Hyperthyroidism generally affects young women.

Because of the drawbacks of Armour Thyroid (see info below), our doctors do not prescribe Armour Thyroid. Generally, our doctors prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) and, in some cases, add liothyronine.

The drawbacks of Armour Thyroid, which is derived from pigs’ thyroid glands, include the following:

• not FDA-approved
• fluctuations in T3 and T4
• variability in its production
• unnatural relationship to the human body

The majority of trials have not shown an advantage of Armour over synthetic thyroid hormone. It is also worth considering that pigs have a shorter life span and their metabolic requirements are quite different than human beings; hence, pigs’ thyroid hormone is also very different.

The American Thyroid Association stated the following regarding Armour Thyroid:

Animals do not have the same balance of T4 and T3 as humans do, making the armour method not as effective or “natural” for humans as it could be. Additionally, each desiccated thyroid might have different levels of T4 and T3, making it difficult to keep blood levels right and maintain consistency. A final weakness of the desiccated thyroid method is that they use chemical “binders” to hold the pill together, which also contributes to them being less “natural.” It is rare today to be prescribed a desiccated animal thyroid, as evidence suggests that the synthetic T4 has all the advantages.

Pregnancy increases the risk for developing hypothyroidism. Although hypothyroidism may make your pregnancy slightly more complicated, your pregnancy could be as uneventful as that of a woman with a normal functioning thyroid. If untreated, or inadequately treated, hypothyroidism has been associated with pre-eclampsia, placental abnormalities, low birth weight infants, and postpartum bleeding.

From initial evaluation and blood tests to ultrasounds and post-surgical care, the Thyroid Institute of Utah integrates all diagnosis and treatment at one location and from an experienced team of doctors. This concept of highly-coordinated care allows for quicker results and diagnosis in fewer visits. If surgery is needed, our experienced surgeons use the latest knowledge and technology in performing minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Expect to be well taken care of! A knowledgeable, comprehensive team of thyroid specialists, including endocrinologists and surgeons, stands ready to provide dedicated thyroid care in a friendly and reassuring environment. These highly skilled doctors work closely together to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. Your initial consultation is generally with an endocrinologist, who will review your medical history and exam your thyroid. Depending on your case, the endocrinologist may recommend specific blood tests or an ultrasound, which would be performed by the endocrinologist during the visit. In cases of suspicious growths or nodules, the endocrinologist my recommend a biopsy, which is also known as a fine needle aspiration (FNA).