

Zhao Xin Lan

About me
Zhao Xinlan, female, Chief of the Endocrinology Department, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Chief Physician, and Master's Supervisor.
Serves as a member of the Elderly Endocrinology Group of the Geriatrics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, the Islet Cell Histology Committee of the Chinese Geriatrics Society, the Deputy Director of the Women's Metabolic Disease Prevention and Treatment Professional Committee of the Hunan Female Physicians Association, a member of the Diabetes Professional Committee of the Hunan Medical Association, a special medical insurance review expert in Hunan Province, and a member of the Hunan Province Medical Accident Appraisal Expert Database.
Has undertaken 3 provincial-level projects, won a Hunan Medical Science and Technology Progress Award (ranked third), and participated in more than 10 national and provincial-level projects, with over 10 professional papers published in SCI and other journals.
Proficient in diseases
Individualized precise treatment for diabetes, adrenal diseases, secondary hypertension, thyroid diseases, pregnancy endocrinology and other endocrine diseases diagnosis and treatment.
Voices

Can you get pregnant with a thyroid cyst?
Thyroid cysts refer to sac-like formations within the thyroid gland that contain fluid, typically benign with rare cases of malignancy. The fluid inside these cysts, also known as blisters, has no secretory function and does not affect thyroid function, making it possible to become pregnant with a thyroid cyst. However, it is important to note that during pregnancy, if the cyst rapidly enlarges or if there is localized pain, it could be due to bleeding inside the cyst which requires urgent treatment. Aspiration of the cyst fluid can be done through fine needle aspiration to relieve pressure, and ethanol ablation can be used to close the cyst cavity. This minor surgery is generally tolerable and does not affect pregnancy.

How to treat early-stage diabetes?
In the early stages of diabetes, when blood sugar levels are not very high, it can be controlled through diet and exercise. This can be achieved by losing weight, reducing calorie intake, and increasing calorie consumption through exercise to lower blood sugar levels. However, for some obese patients or those who cannot control their diet, medications can also be used in the early stages to prevent further increases in blood sugar levels. Currently, medications such as metformin and acarbose, which are both effective and relatively inexpensive, are mainly recommended. (Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)

Causes of hyperkalemia
The causes of hyperkalemia may include: First, excessive intake, such as consuming too much high-potassium food, medications with high potassium content, including some traditional Chinese medicines, potassium penicillin, stored blood, and excessive potassium supplementation. Second, it could be due to decreased potassium excretion by the kidneys. When renal insufficiency, acute or chronic renal failure occurs, it is often accompanied by severe hyperkalemia. Third, there is also decreased potassium secretion by renal tubules. When there is a deficiency of corticosteroids, there can be degenerative, asymptomatic hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia can also occur when renal tubules are insensitive to aldosterone. Fourth, medications that reduce potassium excretion, such as the use of potassium-sparing diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cyclosporine, etc., can also cause hyperkalemia. Fifth, the shift of potassium from inside the cells to the extracellular fluid, which can be caused by tissue damage, hypoxia, or the use of certain medications, leading to hyperkalemia.

How is hypoglycemia treated?
For mild hypoglycemia, if the patient is conscious, they can self-treat by orally consuming sugary solutions or foods containing carbohydrates, such as beverages, fruit juices, glucose water, candies, etc. In cases of more severe hypoglycemia accompanied by changes in consciousness, oral sugar intake is not advisable. Instead, intravenous glucose injections should be administered to raise blood sugar levels, typically using about 40-100 ml of 50% concentrated glucose. Blood sugar levels should be monitored repeatedly. If the patient does not regain consciousness, repeated glucose injections may be necessary. For severe cases with other organic pathologies, treatment with corticosteroids may be required, and emergency hospital treatment is necessary.

Does hypoglycemia spread?
Hypoglycemia is not a contagious disease, so it is not transmittable. Hypoglycemia is primarily caused by excessive secretion of insulin in the body, or by consuming too little sugary food, leading to abnormally low blood sugar levels and certain clinical symptoms such as palpitations, trembling hands, fatigue, and cold sweats. Therefore, it is caused by pathological reasons within the body itself, and not by infectious bacteria or viruses from external sources, so it is not contagious. However, when hypoglycemia occurs, it is necessary to promptly consume sugary foods to alleviate the symptoms and prevent more serious damage to the body.

Will thyroid cysts recur after surgery?
Thyroid cysts refer to fluid-filled sac-like structures that occur in the thyroid gland. Typically, thyroid cysts do not exhibit any clinical symptoms. However, if they continue to grow, there is a risk of bleeding within the cyst. Therefore, when the cyst is larger than 3 centimeters, surgical treatment is often recommended. Generally, surgical removal is quite safe and reliable, and the prognosis after surgery is usually good with a low risk of recurrence. However, there is still a chance of recurrence, and if it recurs, surgery can be conducted again. Hence, thyroid cysts are relatively mild and benign lesions. If the cyst is smaller than 3 centimeters, alcohol sclerotherapy can also be performed.

Can people with hypoglycemia exercise?
Hypoglycemia refers to a plasma glucose concentration lower than 2.8 mmol/L, at which point patients may exhibit signs of sympathetic nervous excitement, such as trembling hands, palpitations, pale complexion, profuse sweating, feelings of hunger, and fatigue. There can also be brain function disturbances, leading to symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, hallucinations, and bizarre behavior. At this time, it is not advisable to exercise. Instead, immediate rest is recommended, along with the consumption of sugary foods to raise blood sugar levels. Exercise is strictly prohibited as it can lead to unnecessary physical injuries, such as falls.

Can you eat pumpkin with leukopenia?
Leukopenia has no significant relation to consuming pumpkin. The main nutritional contents of pumpkin are starch, which ultimately breaks down into fructose and glucose, and pumpkin also contains a large amount of cellulose. Fructose, glucose, and cellulose do not cause leukopenia, so it is safe for people with leukopenia to eat pumpkin. The primary causes of leukopenia are usually related to disturbances in the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow, such as myelodysplasia or bone marrow suppression caused by radiation therapy. Additionally, it can be caused temporarily by certain medications. Therefore, it is important to actively treat any underlying diseases causing the leukopenia.

What should I do about osteoporosis?
Once osteoporosis is diagnosed, the first step is to change lifestyle habits. For example, if someone likes to drink strong tea and coffee and dislikes exercise, these unhealthy habits should be changed. Additionally, it's beneficial to get more sun exposure, and to supplement the treatment with calcium and vitamin D. Then, it is necessary to visit the hospital and consult a specialized clinic for osteoporosis or the department of metabolic endocrinology for targeted medical intervention, to prevent the condition from worsening and avoid fractures.

Can thyroid cysts eat kelp?
It is recommended to eat in moderation. Thyroid cysts are one of the common benign occupational lesions of the thyroid gland. The growth of cysts is very slow, and generally, there are no uncomfortable clinical symptoms. Occasionally, when there is bleeding within the cyst, there can be local pain and a rapid increase in the size of the mass. The cause of thyroid cysts is not yet very clear, and it may be related to iodine metabolism. Some scholars believe it is related to iodine deficiency, while others think it is related to excessive iodine intake. Seaweed contains a very high amount of iodine. It is advisable to eat seaweed appropriately, but it is not recommended to eat seaweed daily. Eating seaweed daily can lead to an excessive intake of iodine, which might further develop the thyroid cyst or cause multiple thyroid cysts to appear.