Who knew that little butterfly-shaped thyroid gland at the base of our necks could affect our lives so completely? Don’t underestimate the power of that little gland. It is the master control center for the metabolic functions of every single cell in your body. Therefore it has the power to disrupt every part of your body and to produce profound changes in every aspect of your life. Scientific research links hypothyroidism to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, gall bladder disease, liver disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. The Thyroid Federation International estimates there are up to 300 million people worldwide experiencing thyroid dysfunction, yet over half are presumed to be unaware of their condition. Despite research connecting an underactive thyroid to some of the deadliest diseases of our time, the hypothyroidism epidemic sweeping across the globe has gone largely unrecognized by the mainstream medical community. Are you sure you are ready for this long pathetic list of symptoms?
My hope is that this post finds the millions of people worldwide who are not aware of their condition. They are suffering from multiple health complications but they have no clue their thyroid is to blame. Their doctors are prescribing medication after medication for illnesses that could be treated by addressing the underlying hypothyroidism. It is a tragedy.
Then there are those who have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and treated with thyroid replacement medication, however they still suffer from many of the symptoms on this list. Their doctors have no idea the real reason for their ill health is the improperly treated hypothyroidism. They too are being prescribed multiple medications for conditions that could be treated by proper thyroid treatment. Others are mistakenly considered hypochondriacs and prescribed sleeping pills and anti-depressants by their doctors. Others are told their symptoms are just part of normal aging and shrugged off as unimportant. Doctors are relying solely on laboratory tests for diagnosis, not investigating fully the patient’s medical history, symptoms, family history and thorough physical exams. Does this sound like you? It may be time to change doctors.
I have struggled an uphill battle for proper diagnosis and treatment. Read my story “Have you suffered a miscarriage? Your thyroid could be to blame“. When I miscarried my baby unnecessarily to hypothyroidism due to my doctors’ lack of awareness, the Warrior Mom came out of me. Don’t mess with my babies! I have spent 3 years intensely researching hypothyroidism and searching for the top thyroid health professionals. You bet I will warn women everywhere about the dangers of hypothyroidism.
The following individuals and organizations are some of the top thyroid health experts in the world. They are all included on my Hypothyroid Mom Top Thyroid Resources page for the amazing resources they provide hypothyroid sufferers. My list of 300+ symptoms is a compilation of their lists of hypothyroid symptoms along with additional symptoms I have found in my research.
Every person will present with a different combination of symptoms. The severity of each person’s hypothyroidism will also determine the severity and number of symptoms they experience. Untreated hypothyroidism worsens with age with worsening symptoms. Don’t be led to believe that symptoms from this list are not connected to hypothyroidism, because they may be in your case, even if your doctor doesn’t know it.
The Unbelievably Long List of Hypothyroidism Symptoms
Energy Level and Sleep:
- Chronic fatigue
- Less stamina than others
- Long recovery period after any activity
- Inability to concentrate
- Sleep apnea
- Snoring
- Insomnia
- Need naps in the afternoon
- Weakness
- Wake feeling tired
- Frequently oversleep
Weight:
- Weight gain
- Inability to lose weight
- Ascites (abdominal fluid accumulation)
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Weight loss
- Anorexia
- Heightened appetite
- Diminished appetite
- Obesity
Body Temperature:
- Cold extremities
- Cold sweats
- Night sweats
- Heat intolerance
- Cold intolerance
- Internal shivering
- Hypothermia
- Cold hands
- Clammy palms
- Cold feet
- Low basal body temperature (below 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
Slowness:
- Slow movements
- Slowed Achilles reflex
- Diminished reflexes
- Slow speech
Infections:
- Frequent infections
- Chronic illness
- Low immune system
- Frequent colds
- Frequent flus
- Susceptibility to bronchitis
- Hard time recovering from infections
- Recurrent sinus infections
- Recurrent skin infections
- Recurrent ear infections
- Recurrent nose infections
- Recurrent throat infections
- Candida (yeast)
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
- Repeated urinary tract infections
- Upper respiratory tract infections
Related Autoimmune or Endocrine Diseases:
- Celiac disease
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Insulin Resistance
- Addison’s disease
- Cushing’s disease
- Premature ovarian decline
- Premature ovarian failure
- Alopecia
- Reynaud’s syndrome
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma
- Vitiligo
- Psoriasis
Swelling and Thickened Skin of:
- Eyes
- Face
- Lips
- Neck
- Hands
- Arms
- Legs
- Feet
- Ankles
Mouth and Throat:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Sensation of lump in throat
- Sensation of pressure on throat
- Pain and tenderness in neck and/or thyroid area
- Goitre (enlargement of the thyroid gland in neck)
- Burning sensation in throat
- Sore throats
- Swollen tongue
- Choking fits
- Distorted sense of taste (Dysgeusia)
- Salt cravings
- Sweet cravings
- Speech problems
- Dry mouth
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Propensity for cavities
- Propensity for gum disease
- Low, husky, hoarse voice
- Bleeding gums
- Receding gums
- Irritated gums
- Swollen gums
- Persistent teeth clenching
- TMJ
Ears:
- Oversensitive hearing
- Noises in ears (hissing, ringing)
- Deafness
- Tinnitus
- Internal itching of ears
- Dry, scaly ear canal
- Excess earwax
- Vertigo
Eyes:
- Poor focusing
- Double vision
- Dry eyes
- Gritty eyes
- Achy eyes
- Blurred vision
- Drooping eyelids
- Sensitive to light
- Frequent tics in the eyes
- Spasms of the eyelids
- Bulging of the eyeballs
- Red inflamed eyes
- Dark rings under eyes
- Puffiness around the eyes
- Rapidly shifting gaze making you feel dizzy
- Problems with night vision
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
Hair:
- Body hair loss
- Head hair loss
- Dry hair
- Brittle hair
- Coarse hair
- Finer hair
- Premature baldness
- Premature gray hair
- Eyelash loss
- Thinning or loss of outside third of eyebrows
Nails:
- Brittle
- Pale
- Soft
- Yellowish
- Ridged
- Striated
- Thickened
- Ingrown toenails
Skin:
- Dry skin
- Dry itchy scalp
- Flaky skin
- Cracked heels
- Coarse patches
- Yellowish or amber tint to their skin
- Dry mucous membranes
- Pale skin
- Pale lips
- Boils
- Pigmentation in skin creases
- Rashes
- Skin tags
- Dermographia (wheals)
- Eczema
- Impetigo
- Cellulitis
- Easy bruising
- Tendency to form blood clots
- Slow wound healing
- Hemophilia
- Bumps on legs
- Acne on face
- Breakout on chest and arms
- Raynaud’s Phenomenon (discoloration of digits)
- Chronic itching
- Varicose veins
- Premature aging
- Parchment-like fine wrinkles
- Red butterfly patch over cheeks and nose
- Absence or diminished perspiration
- Moles and warty growths
- Vitiligo
- Allergies
- Hives
Numbness and Tingling:
- Legs
- Feet
- Arms
- Hands
- Back
- Face
Pain:
- Migraines
- Chronic headaches
- Chronic back and loin pain
- Wrist pain
- Muscles and joint pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (hands or forearms)
- Tarsal Tunnel syndrome (legs)
- Joint stiffness
- Tendonitis
- Heel spur
- Plantar fasciitis
- Arthritis
- Gout
- Painful soles of feet
- Muscle cramps
- Aching bones
- Aching muscles
- Joint pain
- TMJ
- Fibromyalgia
Digestion:
- Hard stools
- Constipation
- Hemorrhoids
- Loss of appetite
- Food allergy
- Food sensitivity
- Alcohol intolerance
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Lactose intolerance
- Celiac Disease
- Gluten Sensitivity/Intolerance
- Colitis
- Abdominal distention
- Weight gain in abdominal area
- Protruding abdomen in children
- Diverticulosis
- Excess gas
- Flatulence
- Nausea
- Ulcers
- Acid Reflux
- Excessive belching
- GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
Menstrual Disorders:
- Cessation of periods (amenorrhoea)
- Scanty (light) periods (oligomenorrhoea)
- Heavy periods (menorrhagia)
- Irregular periods
- Very short cycles
- Very long cycles
- Severe cramping
- Failure to ovulate
- Constant bleeding
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Premenstrual tension (PMT)
- Extreme bloating and water retention
- Premature or delayed puberty
- Premature or delayed menopause
- Difficult menopause
- Hysterectomy
- Endometriosis
- Ovarian fibroids
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Reproductive Disorders and Pregnancy:
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Still birth
- In vitro fertilization failure
- Donor egg failure
- Abnormal estrogen levels
- Abnormal progesterone levels
- Abnormal testosterone levels
- Drop in sperm count
- Erectile dysfunction
- Loss of libido
- Sexual dysfunction
- Vaginal dryness
- Painful sex
- Breasts leaking milk (but not lactating or breastfeeding)
- Fibrocystic breast disease
- Maternal anemia
- Gestational diabetes
- Pre-eclampsia
- Placental abruption
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Prolonged labor
- Inability to dilate
- Poor wound healing
- Pain in and around c-section scar
- Difficulty breast-feeding
- Low breast milk supply
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
- Long gestation
- High birth weight
- Newborn with deficits in intellectual development
- Newborns with jaundice
- Autism
- ADD/ADHD
- Birth defects
Emotional:
- Tension
- Irritability
- Wanting to be solitary
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Personality changes
- Feelings of resentment
- Jumpy
- Easily startled
- Lack of confidence
- Nervousness
Other Related Conditions:
- Poor adrenal function
- Anemia
- Hyponatremia (low blood sodium)
- Lack of coordination
- Clumsiness
- Tendency to fall
- Dizziness
- Fainting episodes
- Vertigo
- Tremor
- Growth disturbances in children
- Chronic allergies
- Chemical sensitivities
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Rhabdomyolysis (destruction of skeletal muscle)
- Scoliosis
- Osteoporosis
- Hernia
Brain:
- Depression
- Panic attacks
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Brain fog
- Mental sluggishness
- Poor concentration
- Noises and/or voices in head
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Mania
- Phobias
- Obsessions
- Alcohol & substance abuse
- Rage
- Loss of drive
- Personality disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Postpartum Depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Nightmares
- Bipolar
- Suicide
- ADHD
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
Kidney and Bladder:
- Albuminuria (protein in urine)
- Urinary incontinence
- Frequent need to urinate
- Decreased output of urine
- Interstitial cystitis (chronic bladder problems)
- Urinary incontinence while sleeping
- Kidney stones
- Recurrent kidney infections
- Recurrent bladder infections
- Irritable bladder syndrome
- Chronic kidney failure
Gallbladder:
- Gallbladder Disease
- Gallstones
Liver:
- Liver tenderness and enlargement
- Congestion of the liver
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Hypoglycemia
Lungs:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Emphysema
- Difficulty breathing
- Air hunger
- Pleural effusion (fluid around the lung)
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness in chest
- Pneumonia
Heart:
- High blood pressure
- Low blood pressure
- Slow/weak pulse (under 60 bpm)
- Fast pulse (over 90 bpm at rest)
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Skipped beats
- Heart flutters
- Heart palpitations
- Chest pain
- High cholesterol
- High triglycerides
- High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Atherosclerosis
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Elevated C-Reactive Protein
- Fibrillations
- Plaque buildup
- Fluid retention
- Poor circulation
- Enlarged heart
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Stroke
- Heart Attack
Cancer:
- Skin Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Endocrine Cancers
- Lung Cancer
- Breast Cancer
I told you it would be an unbelievably long list. Were you ready for that?
This article was originally published on hypothyroidmom.com
*Image of “tornado and running boy“ via Shutterstock
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