Most people who have Hashimoto's will experience relief once they start taking their thyroid hormone replacement medication. Although it may take some time to establish the proper dosage, you should experience quick relief from your symptoms once you do. But because Hashimoto's is a permanent condition that tends to progress, your TSH levels will need to be monitored regularly. Over time, you may need to adjust the dosage of your medication.

For some people with Hashimoto's, the health problems may go beyond the thyroid to include other autoimmune diseases. That's because autoimmune diseases tend to run in families, and having one condition puts you at risk for others. So if you have Hashimoto's, you are also at increased risk for developing other autoimmune problems.

Although the majority of people with Hashimoto's will not develop any other disorders, it's important to know what some of these autoimmune conditions are in case you do start to experience symptoms. Keep in mind, too, that you may be more likely to develop Hashimoto's if you have one of these other conditions.

If you develop multiple autoimmune diseases, the condition is called polyglandular failure syndrome type 2, or Schmidt's syndrome. In polyglandular failure syndrome type 2, the most common endocrine abnormalities are Hashimoto's or Graves' disease, Addison's disease, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia, celiac disease, and vitiligo. Polyglandular failure syndrome type 1 only rarely affects the thyroid but does involve frequent fungal infections of the fingers and mouth, low calcium, and Addison's disease.

Type 1 Diabetes

When an autoimmune attack occurs in the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, the result is type 1 diabetes, a condition that often begins in childhood but can also occur in adulthood. Insulin is an essential hormone involved in converting the glucose from food into energy for your body cells to function. People who have type 1 diabetes need to have insulin injections — as do some people who have type 2 diabetes — to replenish the natural hormone that their bodies lack.

Type 1 diabetes that occurs in polyglandular failure syndrome is similar to type 1 diabetes that occurs alone, but it tends to occur in adults. People who have it will notice extreme thirst and frequent urination. You may also experience inexplicable weight loss or flu-like symptoms. As the disease progresses, you may notice blurred vision, numbness and tingling, and cuts and infections that are slow to heal.

Type 1 diabetes is not the same condition as type 2 diabetes, which develops when body cells are no longer sensitive to insulin or when the pancreas doesn't make enough or gradually stops producing insulin. In type 1 diabetes, antibodies are actively attacking the beta cells and destroying their insulin-producing capabilities. Approximately 1 million people in the United States suffer from type 1 diabetes.

Pernicious Anemia

Pernicious anemia, also called megaloblastic anemia, is a rare condition that occurs when the body cannot properly absorb vitamin B12, resulting in a decrease in the production of red blood cells. As a result, you may feel weak and tired. You may also experience an abnormally rapid heartbeat, chest pains, and stomach problems. Some people may also notice a yellowing of the skin, which is called jaundice.

Experts believe that pernicious anemia is an autoimmune condition caused by an attack on a substance in the stomach called intrinsic factor. Most people who have pernicious anemia are lacking in intrinsic factor, which binds to B12 in food and enables its absorption. The condition is more common in older adults, but it may affect younger people who have had problems with anemia in the past. Treatment for pernicious anemia involves getting injections or nasal puffs of B12.

Addison's Disease

Addison's disease occurs when the adrenal glands, which are just above the kidneys, don't produce enough cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone that prepares your body's reaction to stressful events. Cortisol helps maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function; slows the immune system's inflammatory response; and aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Sometimes, the adrenal gland also stops producing enough of a hormone called aldosterone.

In most cases, Addison's disease is the result of an autoimmune attack on the outer layer of the adrenal glands, which destroys its hormone-producing capabilities. People who have Addison's disease may experience weight loss, fatigue, and weakness. You may also develop low blood pressure and darkening of the skin.

Vitiligo

Vitiligo causes white patches on the skin as the result of an immune attack on the melanocytes, the cells in the skin that give it its color, or pigment. Hair that grows on these discolored patches of skin may sometimes continue to grow, but it, too, will turn white. The condition also affects melanocytes in the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, the retina of the eye, as well as the rectal and genital areas.

Vitiligo affects 2 to 5 million people in the United States and strikes men and women of all races equally. The disease tends to occur in adults under the age of forty and is more common in people whose parents have the disorder.

Celiac Disease

With celiac disease, eating a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats, sets off an autoimmune reaction. The ingested gluten triggers a toxic reaction that damages the lining of the small intestine, inhibiting the absorption of vital nutrients. About 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease. The only way to treat the condition is to eat a gluten-free diet.

Alopecia Areata

People with alopecia areata lose their hair when the immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing significant hair loss and balding, often in patches. The condition often begins in childhood and can be psychologically devastating. In the United States, alopecia affects approximately 4.7 million people.

Other Autoimmune Conditions

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, there are more than eighty autoimmune conditions. Autoimmune conditions afflict approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population, or 50 million people. The vast majority are women. Hashimoto's is one of the most common autoimmune conditions, as is Graves' disease.

The severity of these conditions varies widely among individuals. Some conditions may be mild and produce virtually no symptoms. Others may require intensive treatment and can be life-threatening. Becoming familiar with these diseases is important to someone with Hashimoto's since your risk for these diseases is now statistically higher than someone who does not have Hashimoto's. The following are some other autoimmune conditions you might hear about.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

SLE occurs when the body's immune system attacks connective tissue, and can affect virtually every part of the body, but especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. People with lupus frequently have achy joints, a low-grade fever, a butterfly rash on the face, and extreme fatigue. Experts estimate there are 500,000 to 1.5 million Americans who have been diagnosed with lupus.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the lining of the joints, causing swelling, warmth, and pain. The condition can be extremely painful, difficult to treat, and in some cases, debilitating. Some people experience deformities around the joints. The condition afflicts about 2.1 million people, the majority of them women.

Sjogren's Syndrome

People who have Sjogren's syndrome lose the ability to produce tears and saliva as the result of an autoimmune attack on the body's moisture-producing glands. The dryness can also affect other organs such as the lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. The condition affects 4 million people, mostly women, and commonly occurs with other autoimmune diseases.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease actually refers to a family of conditions, the two most common being Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease is the inflammation of the GI tract, usually the small intestine. Ulcerative colitis affects the top layer of the colon. Symptoms include diarrhea, cramps, fever, and sometimes bleeding. Together, these conditions affect about a million people.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

MS is the autoimmune destruction of the myelin sheath, or covering, of the nerves. This condition can affect the entire central nervous system, causing muscle weakness, poor balance, spasticity, numbness, pain, and vision problems. The condition affects 200,000 to 350,000 people in the United States.