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January was Thyroid Awareness Month, and since an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease (and up to 60% of them don't even know it), awareness is more important than ever. Could you be one of the millions unknowingly suffering from this complicated medical condition?
Unfortunately, thyroid disease can be very hard to diagnose. Not only can blood tests be inconclusive, but the symptoms are often associated with other health problems.
Knowing the symptoms and risk factors for thyroid disease is the best place to start.
From Women to Women - Hypothyroid Symptoms...
Hypothyroidism is the medical term for a sluggish thyroid. It can lead to a wide range of hypothyroidism symptoms:
- severe fatigue, loss of energy
- weight gain, difficulty losing weight
- depression and depressed mood
- joint and muscle pain, headaches
- dry skin, brittle nails
- brittle hair, itchy scalp, hair loss
- irregular periods, PMS symptoms
- breast milk formation
- calcium metabolism difficulties
- difficulty tolerating cold and lower body temperature
- constipation
- sleeping more than average
- diminished sex drive
- puffiness in face and extremities
- hoarseness
- bruising/clotting problems
- elevated levels of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and heightened risk of heart disease
- allergies that suddenly appear or get worse
- persistent cold sores, boils, or breakouts
- tingling sensation in wrists and hands that mimics carpal tunnel syndrome
- memory loss, fuzzy thinking, difficulty following conversation or train of thought
- slowness or slurring of speech
Subclinical hypothyroidism may present itself with mild versions of these hypothyroid symptoms, or often just fatigue or depression.
Symptoms of Hyperthyroid...
- feeling too hot when others are comfortable
- shakes and tremors of your hands
- feeling nervous and irritable
- sweating more than you used to
- fingernails growing faster
- muscle weakness, especially thighs and upper arms
- faster heart rate, sometimes irregular rhythms and an erratic pulse
- more frequent and looser bowel movements
- for women, lighter periods, as well as difficulties in becoming pregnant or in carrying the child to term
- for men, loss of interest in sex, erectile dysfunction
- eyes that appear larger than normal
Could you be at risk for thyroid disease? You are at increased risk for a thyroid problem if you or a close relative have:
- hyperthyroidism including Graves’ Disease
- hypothyroidism including Hashimoto’s chronic thyroiditis
- an enlarged thyroid (goiter)
- any autoimmune disease including Type I (Juvenile) Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pernicious anemia due to a lack of vitamin B12, or the white skin spots of vitiligo
- certain traits and other conditions associated with a thyroid risk including prematurely gray hair (one gray hair before thirty), bipolar disease, and mitral valve prolapse
If you think you could be suffering from thyroid disease you should talk to your doctor.
Thyroid disease is much more common in women than in men, and many women are bringing attention to this condition by blogging about it...
From Menopause The Blog - Tired? Depressed? Craving Sweets? Check Your Thyroid...
Fatigue, hair loss, depression and joint and muscle pain are just a few of the symptoms of a low thyroid (or hypothyroidism)- the gland that controls our metabolism. It’s not uncommon for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations – whether during pregnancy, perimenopause or menopause, to have a low-functioning thyroid.
From Keeping the Pounds OFF - Thyroid Awareness Month...
If you were like me, you don't really know what your thyroid does. I'm even in the medical field and had no idea the havoc an out-of-whack thyroid can have on the body.
For those of you who are new to my blog, last February I had a medication reaction which made my thyroid swell and triggered an autoimmune response in my body. After many tests, my blood work came back positive for Hashimoto's antibodies--autoimmune hypothyroid disease.
I was just getting ready to make 2009 my fittest year yet and had to face this set back. I had been feeling strong and healthy...now I was exhausted most of the time, some days I could not get out of bed. Just taking a shower felt like running a marathon.
From EmpowerHer - A New Year, Thyroid Awareness Month...
So what’s a manageable goal for those of us with thyroid conditions? One thing that comes to mind is weight loss and maintenance. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism causes some to lose or gain weight. Say you’ve stabilized your condition –- which is most important –- now you feel the urge to do something about that fluff brimming over your belt.
The key is to make a plan that’s totally doable. If you are not a morning person, don’t set a plan for a 5:30 a.m. run -- not gonna happen. If you totally abhor carrots, don’t go on that carrot diet thingy. You’ll drop that midway the first week. With thyroid conditions, building
