Q: My 27 years old female friend had hypothyroidism and the doctor asked her to take medicines thrice daily; one in the morning and two in the afternoon. She is very tense because people around her told her that she is going to die soon as her weight is increasing continuously. She weighs 68 kg now and her height is 5.4 feet. Her TSH level is 21.48 and T4/T3 is 11.04. Is her TSH level high? Please advise.

A:Your friend has hypothyroidism, which means low function of thyroid gland. This causes slow down of body functions and some weight gain. Please note no body dies due to hypothyroidism. This is one of most benign conditions and does not cause long term complications like diabetes. Treatment involves only one tablet a day in early morning fasting state (Thyroxine). If you can tell us the name of all medications we can suggest you further. For weight reduction, ask her to go for healthy lifestyle, which includes healthy diet and exercises. Please say no to fast and high-energy foods.