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Does Removal Of Thyroid Affect My Immune System?
Question: I had mu thyroid removed. Dose that affrect my immune system!
Brief Answer:
Thyroidectomy and Immunosuppression
Detailed Answer:
Hi. Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. I had to do a little digging to look at the latest research on Thyroid disease. From a broad perspective. The answer should be NO, removal of the thyroid should NOT affect your immune system in any substantial way. The thyroid is not really an immune system organ. It creates hormones which help your body regulate metabolism and energy consumption over all.
But then the situation can get complicated by the REASON behind the removal of the thyroid.
If the gland was removed due to a disease called Hashimotos Thyroiditis.. then you can actaully expect that your immune system will calm down a bit, because in that disease.. your immune system is actually attacking the thyroid... remove the target (the thyroid) and things calm down.
Another situation where you might see some changes in your immune balance is when the reason for removal was due to a hyperactive thyroid. The excessive thyroid hormone release would cause a slightly higher basal body temperature which all your white blood cells like and tend to get very active in... so here again.. removing the thyroid.. calms down the problem.
The flip side can also happen. Lets say the thyroid is removed and you don't take the thyroid supplements the doctor has prescribed for you.. then you become HYPOTHYROID (low thyroid hormone levels.. obviously since the gland has been removed). That lack of thyroid hormone makes it difficult for the immune system to get activated in the first place.. So thyroid removal can affect you there if you are not careful.
I hope this helps. I hope I made sense. Feel free to follow-up and fill me in on the details surrounding the thyroid removal. Take Care
Vinay
Thyroidectomy and Immunosuppression
Detailed Answer:
Hi. Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. I had to do a little digging to look at the latest research on Thyroid disease. From a broad perspective. The answer should be NO, removal of the thyroid should NOT affect your immune system in any substantial way. The thyroid is not really an immune system organ. It creates hormones which help your body regulate metabolism and energy consumption over all.
But then the situation can get complicated by the REASON behind the removal of the thyroid.
If the gland was removed due to a disease called Hashimotos Thyroiditis.. then you can actaully expect that your immune system will calm down a bit, because in that disease.. your immune system is actually attacking the thyroid... remove the target (the thyroid) and things calm down.
Another situation where you might see some changes in your immune balance is when the reason for removal was due to a hyperactive thyroid. The excessive thyroid hormone release would cause a slightly higher basal body temperature which all your white blood cells like and tend to get very active in... so here again.. removing the thyroid.. calms down the problem.
The flip side can also happen. Lets say the thyroid is removed and you don't take the thyroid supplements the doctor has prescribed for you.. then you become HYPOTHYROID (low thyroid hormone levels.. obviously since the gland has been removed). That lack of thyroid hormone makes it difficult for the immune system to get activated in the first place.. So thyroid removal can affect you there if you are not careful.
I hope this helps. I hope I made sense. Feel free to follow-up and fill me in on the details surrounding the thyroid removal. Take Care
Vinay
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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