That’s one of my favorite things to say to people these days. Why, you ask? Well, because I have a list of symptoms of hypothyroidism in my head. A friend says, “I’ve got all these zits, and my periods are weird, and my hair is falling out.” I respond, “Have you had your thyroid checked?” Usually, they haven’t. So, I’m going to take today to repeat a post I wrote a while back detailing some of what having a hypoactive thyroid can do to you. (And here’s a link to a quiz you can take about your thyroid.)
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As many of you know, I have hypothyroidism. It’s not a big deal, and the only treatment I need for it is a tiny little pill. (And I mean *tiny.) I occasionally have to go in for retesting of my levels which requires nothing more than a blood draw.
Getting the diagnosis also required nothing more than a simple blood draw. There weren’t scads of tests or scans or anything else. Speaking with my doctor about the symptoms and giving up a vial of blood doesn’t seem like a whole lot to do, does it?
Yet, the estimates of how many people are going untreated for this disease are mind-boggling. Estimates range widely, but none of them are “small” by any means. The reason? Many of the symptoms are attributed to other causes. Please, talk to your doctor, if you’re experiencing more than one or two of the following symptoms:
*Fatigue;
*Weakness;
*Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight;
*Coarse, dry hair;
*Dry, rough pale skin;
*Hair loss;
*Cold intolerance (can’t tolerate the cold like those around you);
*Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches;
*Constipation;
*Depression;
*Irritability;
*Memory loss;
*Abnormal menstrual cycles;
*Decreased libido.
Get the blood test. Fix this ASAP. Untreated hypothyroidism can lead to a number of health problems:
* Goiter. Constant stimulation of your thyroid to release more hormones may cause the gland to become larger — a condition known as goiter. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is one of the most common causes of a goiter. Although generally not uncomfortable, a large goiter can affect your appearance and may interfere with swallowing or breathing.
* Heart problems. Hypothyroidism may also be associated with an increased risk of heart disease, primarily because high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol — can occur in people with an underactive thyroid. Even subclinical hypothyroidism, a more benign condition than true hypothyroidism, can cause an increase in total cholesterol levels and impair the pumping ability of your heart. Hypothyroidism can also lead to an enlarged heart and heart failure.
* Mental health issues. Depression may occur early in hypothyroidism and may become more severe over time. Hypothyroidism can also cause slowed mental functioning.
* Myxedema. This rare, life-threatening condition is the result of long-term, undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Its symptoms include intense cold intolerance and drowsiness followed by profound lethargy and unconsciousness. A myxedema coma may be triggered by sedatives, infection or other stress on your body. If you have symptoms of myxedema, you need immediate emergency medical treatment.
* Birth defects. Babies born to women with untreated thyroid disease may have a higher risk of birth defects than do babies born to healthy mothers. These children are more prone to serious intellectual and developmental problems.
* Infants with untreated hypothyroidism present at birth are also at risk of serious problems with both physical and mental development. But if the condition is diagnosed within the first few months of life, the chances of normal development are excellent.
Just thought you should know.
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18 responses so far ↓
1 Helen Trimble // May 29, 2008 at 8:14 am
You are so right about the symptoms effecting mental health. My sousin at 17 was put in a psychiatric ward and heavily seated for six months. A doctor covering another’s vacation came in and gave him a physical, and his intuition led to him requesting a thyroid profile. When the labs came in, his TSH was 79. After three weeks on Armour, he was back home and resuming a normal life. It took him a year to get in overall normal health.
I wonder how many people in mental wards are Hypo?
Truthfully, I was two weeks away from suicide three years ago, not from depression, but from bizarre symptoms that no doctor could diagnose. I was having seizures at night, gained weight, had debilitaing fatigue, spiked BP, spiked cholestral, heart palpitations, severe muscle loss, and mental confusion among a long list of many others. A country doctor diagnosed me, and I had thyroid myxadema. IMy untreated hypothyroidism caused me to go into stage 7 adrenal fatigue.
Bless this blog. Sad that medical professionals are missing the mark in the diagnosis in the detection of thyroid disease. In my care, doctors should have been suspicious of my 93 temperature, hair loss, dry skin and mental lethargy. After $40 grand in medical bills with mo diagnosis , a $50 visit to a country doctor with a $40 thyroid profile is what saved my life. Dr. Hsu knew right away what my problem was just by feeking my neck and listening to my symptoms.
2 Steph // May 29, 2008 at 8:23 am
Helen - I was lucky. I had a doctor who was willing to listen to me and what *I thought the problem might be. There’s a history of hypothyroidism in my family, though, so I had the advantage of recognizing some of the symptoms on my own.
Since I was first diagnosed, though, I’ve had a hard time finding doctors who are willing to use Armour. I didn’t even *know about Armour until last year. The doctors kept pushing Synthroid, Synthroid, Synthroid. I kept feeling awful, losing my hair, joint aches, etc etc etc.
Finally, I read some stuff on various websites about how Armour could help patients who hadn’t been helped by the T4 only meds. My doctor agreed to switch, and the difference has been night and day.
3 d // May 29, 2008 at 10:39 am
Thank you so much for posting this Steph. Really. I will for sure get my thyroid checked. I have too many of the symptoms on there to ignore that it might be a thyroid problem or justify it as something else. Granted some of these things could be because of my Lexapro, but I’d rather get my thyroid checked and be safe.
4 Steph // May 29, 2008 at 10:50 am
d - Please do. A friend of mine had a few of the symptoms - doctors had been attributing them to MS (which she does have), but when she asked for a thyroid panel, it turned out that her thyroid was wonky, too. I do believe she’s gotten relief from some of her symptoms that they’d told her were “MS-related.”
So yeah, get checked. If nothing else, it’ll shut me up for a while. :grin:
5 d // May 29, 2008 at 10:54 am
I’m really glad you pointed it out again, for reals. My cousin has been taking thyroid pills her whole life for this, so I’m sure I could ask her too (plus that means it runs in the family).
That quiz? There were some questions on there that I didn’t even know related to thyroid issues. Like when Jim goes to rub my back, if he tries to rub my neck, it hurts. It’s overly sensitive and shit. Did not know this could be a symptom of a thyroid problem!
Just waiting for Jim’s insurance to kick in!! The end of June dude. I’m calling my Dr.
Oh and I don’t know about this new insurance, but I’ve never needed a referral before. I’ve just always gone to a specialist for whatever need I had. But I’ll see what the deal is with this new insurance. I just hope it’s good. *fingers crossed*
6 Steph // May 29, 2008 at 10:59 am
d - That’s why I asked - some insurers require you to have a referral even to see an ob/gyn. @@ They have you get a PCP (primary care provider) who then does your referrals to everyone else. In the past, we’ve always just been able to go to anyone we wanted, but most endocrinologists require a referral from another physician, whether your insurance requires it or not. They usually have way full schedules, so they want to be sure the patients they’re seeing actually need an endocrinologist.
And dude? To be real about it, I self-treat. My GP is just that - a GENERAL practitioner. He’s told me repeatedly that when it comes to hypothyroidism, I know more than he does, so he’s happy to go with what I want.
7 Missy // May 29, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’m going June 27th. *nod*
8 matteroffactmommy // May 29, 2008 at 5:49 pm
steph, my love… i haven’t yet read the post, but i too have thyroid issues. in that i have a huge fucking GOITER. the medical term is actually “nodules”. i have several nodules on both the left and the right side. anyhoo, fortunately my blood levels are good, i just have a golf ball on my neck that some people notice and comment on.
will read the rest of the post later. and? take care of yo’self.
9 Celeste // May 29, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Thanks for posting this. I need to get mine checked. Too many of those symptoms seemed familiar. It would make sense, my mom’s thyroid is crazy.
10 matteroffactmommy // May 29, 2008 at 9:42 pm
okay, read the post. i am always tired, irritable and don’t have much of a sex drive. but my TSH levels? awesome.
seriously, i understand that this is a real disease and that everyone should take these symptoms seriously.
my mom’s thyroid “died” about 15 yrs ago and she has been on Levothroid ever since. she has hypothyroidism. but you wouldn’t know it just looking at her. she is not overweight; as a matter of fact (ha), she has no problem staying as skinny as she has always been.
point being, get the blood tests - they are standard each year at your physical with your GP. heck, even when you go for your yearly “well woman” check at your OB/Gyn, they probably check your TSH levels.
11 Steph // May 29, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Missy - Thank you. Very much. I will stop nagging immediately. :grin:
MoFM - There’s also “subclinical” hypothyroidism - blood levels all test at “normal”, but the patient still experiences symptoms of a bad thyroid and gets relief with thyroid replacement. So don’t feel like you’re candyassing if you tell your doctor, “Check again, mofo.” :grin:
Celeste - There are estimates that 1 in 5 women have an untreated thyroid condition. That’s the high end of the estimates, sure, but shit, it’s so easy to have this checked. And MoFM is right - most docs will do it at an annual exam. I went specifically to have my thyroid tested, but I know my ob/gyns’ office includes it as part of your “well woman” visits. Oh? And? Transient hypothyroidism post-partum can often lead to permanent hypothyroidism. IIRC, your little guy is just a year older than Tricia. Plus, this runs in your family? Yeah, get checked as soon as you can.
12 Deb // May 30, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I keep having my thyroid checked hoping it will explain some things…but it’s always comes back pretty normal.
I’m glad you had yours diagnosed and that a doc listened to you. That is so rare these days. Thanks goodness for blog posts like yours that can raise awareness. Also, Oprah.
But she’s annoying, whereas you are not.
13 kendra // Jun 2, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Actually, my mom had a goiter when she was young, in her early teens. The pictures are amazing. She, of course, has had hormone therapy ever since. My thyroid is a little screwy right now, so yuck. They put me on the pill, cuz they think it’s my hormones.
14 Steph // Jun 7, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Deb - I’d be way more annoying if I had more money than God like Oprah. :nod:
Kendra - Tell them to get bent and put you on thyroid treatment. For YEARS, I was treated for PCOS that I did not have - it was bad thryoid, clueless docs and an ignorant patient, not cysts.
15 kt // Jun 12, 2008 at 11:50 am
VERY IMPORTANT: If you are going to get your thyroid tested, make SURE you get a T-panel test and not just a blood test, which only tests one T-level as opposed to four T-levels. ALSO, the most popular synthetic thyroid medication prescribed DOES not replace all the T-levels but JUST ONE, causing many doctors to think your thyroid level is ok now. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you are still tired, loosing hair etc. AFTER or during a synthetic thyroid medicinal regime, you DEMAND to be put on REAL thyroid, which is SO MUCH better than the synthetic junk. I am 54 years old and have learned SO MUCH more over time, but that synthetic mess had me gain TONS of weight, made it impossible to lose it, took away my sex drive, caused depression and threatened my job skills and mental acuity. DEMAND a T-panel when they take your blood; nothing else is as accurate for thyroidism!!!!!
16 Michele P. // Jun 12, 2008 at 1:28 pm
You know, I had quite a few of these symptoms and they checked my thyroid, it was very very low. They gave me pills to take which I did…delayed my monthly for 3 wks and when it came I thought I was going to die. (I’m due for a hysto but will be getting ablation instead, probably within the next yr-but thats a whole other story!) They told me to stop taking the pills, I did, and waited several months, then had blood test again and it said thyroid is back to functioning normally??? I am confused to say the least, but I want to continue to have the blood tests at least every few months, because I am convinced this thyroid still is giving me problems. KT’s post was interesting and I am going to check if I just got the regular blood test or a tpanel, I have follow up with doc in a month so will discuss the results then. Very informative, thanks!
17 Michelle // Jul 15, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I too have the thyroid issue….it sucks
I’m enjoying your blog and added it to mine:)
18 Steph // Jul 15, 2008 at 8:35 pm
kt - Yes, exactly! Sorry it took so long for me to answer this - I put it aside to answer later and promptly forgot.
Michele P - Again, sorry I didn’t respond quickly. I’m usually very good about comments. I don’t know what happened here. :/
Michelle - It does suck! And thanks for the add! :)
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