Patient's question:
Recently, my uncle told me he has been feeling unwell and very uneasy. So, he went for a thorough check-up, and the result was subclinical hypothyroidism. Hello, do I need to take medication for life with subclinical hypothyroidism?Doctor's answer:
Subclinical hypothyroidism, where only thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is decreased and clinical symptoms are not obvious. This condition requires taking medication for a period of time, then carefully checking thyroid function and gradually reducing medication. This may take a long time, but it does not necessarily require lifelong medication unless you have undergone iodine-131 treatment for hyperthyroidism induced by hypothyroidism. So, if there are no specific discomforts and TSH is normal, regular check-ups can be done, and eating and weight gain may not necessarily be related to the disease.