Thyroid Disorder & Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms
According to the World Health Organization over 750 Million people are dealing with a thyroid disorder. Of those only about half even realize they have a thyroid problem. Many are not diagnosed or improperly diagnosed. The scariest part of that is so many serious diseases have been linked to thyroid dysfunction. You’d think that more research would be done around it to find a way to heal it and not just mask the symptoms.
Some people are having individual symptoms being treated instead of the root cause problem. Others are being treated and still experiencing symptoms. While others don’t even realize their ailments could be a red flag for a thyroid issue. Or even worse they’re being led to believe that their symptoms are all in their head and there’s nothing they can do to feel better.
While there are over 300+ symptoms that can be a sign of a thyroid disorder. I’m going to share some of the top symptoms presented for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Common Hypothyroid Symptoms
- Exhaustion – Consistently not being able to get enough sleep, waking from a full night sleep unrested, and wanting to take a nap.
- Depression – Feeling really down, possibly even out of nowhere. They thyroid hormone can have an effect on serotonin in the brain.
- Cold – Being cold frequently. Hands and feet cold most of the time.
- Taste & Smell Changes – Having things smell and taste different than they normally have been.
- Brain Fog – Having forgetfulness and even just blanking out midway on a train of thought.
- Low Libido – You have little to no interest in sex.
- Skin Changes – Dry, flaky, blotchy, and your nails may even become brittle and develop ridges.
- Constipation – The thyroid hormones effect many systems including the digestive system.
- Period Change – Heavier periods with more severe cramping and occuring more frequently.
- Pain – Unexplained pain, twinges, tingling in legs, feet, arms and hands. Overtime not producing enough thyroid hormone can have a detrimental effect on the spinal cord.
- High Blood Pressure – Low thyroid hormone has been linked to be 2-3 times more likely to develop hypertension. (Hyperthyroid has also been linked to High Blood Pressure)
- Voice Change Or Lump – Unexplained change in your voice or a lump in your throat. (Can also be linked to Hyperthyroid)
- Hair Loss – Too little thyroid hormone can put too many hair follicles at the resting state. It causes the hair to be brittle, dry, fall out and break. This can happen all over the body.
- Cholesterol Problems – High LDL levels that are unresponsive to diet, exercise and medication
- Problems with Pregnancy – Both undiagnosed and treated Hypo and Hyperthyroid can effect the ability to become pregnant, and cause problems during pregnancy too.
Common Hyperthyroid Symptoms
- Anxiety – Feeling like you’re wired and can’t stop. Like you’re constantly flooded with thoughts and can’t seem to slow down.
- Often Very Warm – You’re generally warm and even profusely sweat.
- Appetite Increase – Feeling hungry all the time, but not necessarily causing weight gain.
- Difficulty Concentrating – Staying on one train of thought and focused.
- Heart Palpitations – You may feel like your heart is beating too quickly or it’s skipping a beat or two.
- Diarrhea – Frequent or loose bowel movements.
- Decreased Periods – Lighter menstrual cycles that are further apart.
- Restless – You can’t sleep. It’s hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Thinning Hair – Too much thyroid hormone can cause hair to thin on your head.
These are just a small synopsis of symptoms that can be triggered by a thyroid disorder. There are many more. The full list can almost make your head spin. To read a more comprehensive list check out this blog.
If you’re experiencing some of these symptoms and they’re not explainable don’t let it get swept under the rug. You need to be your own advocate. Make sure your doctor runs all of these tests TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies, and Thyroglobulin Antibodies. Also know that sometimes depending on the doctor and what ranges they go by they may feel like there’s no problem. If you feel like there is a problem don’t stop there. Keep pursuing an answer to why you’re feeling the way you do.
Thank you for reading Thyroid Disorder & Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms blog. If you have any questions please feel free to send me a message here.
To read the rest of the blogs in this series check out the links below:
