Not a Japanese boyfriend. No.

There are many types of thyroid disease. Hashimoto’s is one of them.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease, i.e. your immune system produces antibodies to neutralize your thyroid (the butterfly shaped gland at the front of your neck). This damage to the thyroid gland causes inflammation, or Thyroiditis. Over time, it creates a weak thyroid function (lazy thyroid), and when left untreated, the gland can stop working altogether, leading to what is known as hypothyroidism. That is why they sometimes call Hashimoto’s the invisible hypothyroidism.

There is a difference between Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and hypothyroidism. They are often confused because they share several symptoms, and with Hyperthyroidism as well.

Patients with a Hypo diagnosis can already have Hashimoto’s, however the opposite is not true. If left untreated, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis can cause many problems. While there is no “cure”, it can be reversed with the right treatment program. And by treatment, I don’t mean only medication.

So, if you are living with Hashimoto’s, the prognosis is good.