Pregnant women who take calcium supplements reduce their risk of developing preeclampsia, sometimes called toxemia of pregnancy. Join discussion...

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is an intolerable internal feeling of itching or creeping sensations in the legs that forces the affected person to move his or her legs to get relief. It usually occurs at the end of the day in bed or when seated. Join discussion...

Check Your Symptoms Need information as you determine what to do about your symptoms? Get help figuring them out by answering a series of questions. To get started, click on male or female, regardless of age, then the part of the body that is troubling you. Use the Symptom Checker to select parts of the body where you are experiencing symptoms Join discussion...

Flagyl is an antibacterial drug prescribed for certain vaginal and urinary tract infections in men and women; amebic dysentery and liver abscess; and infections of the abdomen, skin, bones and joints, brain, lungs, and heart caused by certain bacteria. t Join discussion...

Thyroid operations are used for patients who have a variety of thyroid conditions, including both cancerous and benign (non-cancerous) thyroid nodules, large thyroid glands (goiters), and overactive thyroid glands. There are several thyroid operations that a surgeon may perform, including: 1) biopsy or lumpectomy - removing a small part of the thyroid gland; 2) lobectomy - removing half of the thyroid gland; 3) removing nearly all of the thyroid gland (subtotal thyroidectomy – leaving a small a Join discussion...

What do the following patients over the age of 60 years have in common? 1. A 72 year old grandmother with “fluttering of the heart” and vague chest discomfort on climbing stairs; 2. An 80 year old man with severe constipation who falls asleep during Bingo; 3. A 63 year old retired grade school teacher who has lost strength in her legs, causing difficulty in climbing stairs and in carrying more than 3 books at a time; she has recently lost 15 lbs in spite of a very good appetite; Join discussion...

Thyroid hormone is used in two situations: 1) to replace the function of the thyroid gland, which is no longer functioning normally (“replacement therapy”) and 2) to prevent further growth of thyroid tissue (“suppression therapy”) Join discussion...

Thyroiditis is a general term that refers to “inflammation of the thyroid gland” (see Thyroiditis Brochure); thus, postpartum thyroiditis is thyroiditis that occurs in women after the delivery of a baby. Thyroiditis can cause both thyrotoxicosis (high thyroid hormone levels in the blood) and hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels in the blood). In postpartum thyroiditis, thyrotoxicosis occurs first followed by hypothyroidism. Join discussion...

It has been appreciated for a very long time that there is a complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight and metabolism. Thyroid hormone regulates metabolism in both animals and humans. Metabolism is determined by measuring the amount of oxygen used by the body over a specific amount of time. If the measurement is made at rest, it is known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR). Indeed, measurement of the BMR was one of the earliest tests used to assess a patient’s thyroid status. Pati Join discussion...

The term Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) refers to a symptom complex of marked and prolonged fatigue for which no identifiable cause can be found. Other symptoms frequently present include generalised muscle weakness and pain, low-grade fever, sore throat, painful lymph nodes in the neck and armpits, exacerbation of fatigue after moderate or strenuous exercise for periods of 24 hours or more, transient pains in a number of joints, and various disturbances of neuropsychological function including c Join discussion...