autoimmune disease

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Latest Update: January 12, 2008 SEARCH SITE Do You Have an Autoimmune Disease? A Look at Whether Symptoms Such as Fatigue, Weight Changes, and Depression May Point to an Undiagnosed Autoimmune Condition by ShomonAfter the birth of her second

child, Ellen * found it unusually difficult to lose the baby weight, despite starting a rigorous diet and exercise program. She also found herself forgetting important things, like where she put her car keys, pediatrician appointments, or a scheduled lunch with friends. Says the usually slim and organized Bethesda, land mother of two, now 41, "I was mystified. I had to write everything down on a calendar in my kitchen, or I would immediately forget it. I was feeling moody. I was eating well, exercising, and not losing a pound. And I slept 10 hours a night. But every afternoon, I had to take a long nap just to get enough energy to get up off the couch and make dinner." According to , "Most nights, I fell into bed exhausted as soon as the kids were tucked in." After a doctor dismissed her symptoms as fatigue normal for a busy mother, sought a second opinion. The second doctor ran blood tests, including thyroid antibody tests, and

diagnosed her with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, an autoimmune form of hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid. The doctor prescribed thyroid hormone replacement. "After a few weeks," says , "I noticed the difference in my energy and mood, started losing weight again, stopped napping, wasn't forgetting every single appointment or playdate for the kids. I felt so much better. It was a shock that this gland I barely knew existed could have such an impact on my life!" 's problem, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. "Autoimmune disease" refers to a category of more than 80 chronic illnesses, each very different in nature, that can affect everything from the endocrine glands -- like the thyroid -- to organs like the kidneys, to the digestive system. Underlying all autoimmune conditions is the concept of autoimmunity. Autoimmunity refers to the process by which the immune system gets confused, and rather than protecting

organs and cells, turns around and actually attacks those same organs and cells, producing inflammatory reactions and other serious symptoms and diseases. The Most Common Autoimmune Diseases...are thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Graves' Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Other autoimmune or autoimmune-like conditions include Rheumatoid Arthritis, the intestinal and digestive disorders such as Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease, adrenal disorders such as 's Disease and Cushing's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alopecia, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Sjogren's Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia. Fill out your Autoimmune Checklist now!Autoimmune diseases predominantly strike women, suffering about 75 percent of all autoimmune diseases .according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. Autoimmune diseases are more common during childbearing years, and frequently appear in women who have just had a baby, after periods of high emotional or physical stress or accidents, during periods of hormonal change such as peri-menopause, and after starting the Pill or hormone replacement therapy.Autoimmune diseases also can run in families. If a close family member has an autoimmune disease, then your risk of developing an autoimmune disease is also somewhat increased. ...having one autoimmune disease increases your risk slightly of developing another autoimmune condition.Also, having one autoimmune disease increases

your risk slightly of developing another autoimmune condition. So, if you have a more common condition such as Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, or Lupus, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of various autoimmune diseases, so you can monitor your own health, and the health of your family, for evidence of other conditions.

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