Getting Back to Being Yourself: Regulating Your Thyroid Disorder

By Justin Ceravolo, PharmD

January is a month of new beginnings, a time when many begin their New Year’s resolutions for better health and happiness. It is also Thyroid

Awareness Month, which means this month is the time to ensure that your body is functioning at its best. An under-recognized problem in America, disorders associated with the thyroid gland can have a major effect on your day-to-day life. According to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disorder, meaning that the thyroid is either producing too much or too little of the hormone thyroxine.

Located in the middle of the lower neck, the butterfly-shaped gland is a relatively small organ but has a big job. The very crucial gland is responsible for helping the body use its energy efficiently, regulate the body’s metabolic rate, assist with muscle control and brain development, and ensures that the body stays warm and that the organs work as they should.

A glitch in the thyroid’s functioning can result in under or overactivity. When the thyroid is underactive, the gland is unable to make enough thyroxine to keep the body running as it should, meaning that your body is experiencing hypothyroidism. An overactive thyroid can result in hyperthyroidism, a condition when the gland is producing too much thyroxine. There are several treatment options for both conditions, using medications to either speed up or slow down the production of the thyroid hormone. It is important to consult with a physician to determine the best treatment plan to regulate your thyroid.

Thyroid disorders often mimic symptoms that are commonly associated with other health problems, so it is important to consult with a physician if you feel that something isn’t right. If you aren’t feeling quite yourself, and have been experiencing unexplainable weight gain or weight loss, depression or anxiety, uncontrollable sweating, or have noticed the development of a small growth, a nodule, in the lower neck, it is time to schedule a consultation with your physician to evaluate how your thyroid gland is functioning. The physician will use your medical history, a physical exam and a series of thyroid tests to diagnose the thyroid disorder.

Compounding pharmacies, such as Cypress Pharmacy, produce specially formulated compounded medications to help those living with a thyroid disorder, and also provide a cost-efficient method for purchasing the necessary medications to regulate the thyroid. In addition, thyroid brand medications are often in high demand and frequently back-ordered, compounded medications

are a viable alternative. Cypress Pharmacy specializes in compounding thyroid medications used for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, including a Liothyronine and Levothryoxine capsule and a Porcine thyroid capsule. Both capsules are available in immediate-release and sustained-release to accommodate the needs and preferences of the patient.

Compounded medications for the thyroid are produced through a process that requires vigilant testing, discussion and partnership with a patient’s health care practitioner. Through this collaboration, the pharmacist is able to create medications that vary in strengths and dosage forms. Once therapy has begun, our pharmacists will continue to work with the patient and their prescriber to ensure that the thyroid medication is successful. Being diagnosed with a thyroid disorder doesn’t mean you can’t get back to being yourself. With the help of your physician and pharmacies like Cypress Pharmacy, you will be able to regulate the disorder using medication that is specific to you, helping you to live your life to the fullest.

For more information about compounding thyroid medication, contact the pharmacists of Cypress Pharmacy at 239-481-7322 and consult with your physician.

Cypress Pharmacy has been providing pharmaceutical and health care services in Fort Myers for more than 40 years. The entire staff, including pharmacists T.J. DePaola and Justin Ceravolo, are dedicated to providing the best possible service to every customer. For more information, call 239-481-7322 or visit www.cypresspharmacy.com.