Hi, I hope you are all doing well. I found a great page with thyroid symptoms and will post them here. It will be great for everyone - especially new people. JanetHYPOTHYROID SYMPTOM
Fatigue
Fatigue leads the list. A person feeling just plain dog-tired despite adequate rest should be considered hypothyroid until proven otherwise. Fatigue affects a person in diverse ways. It makes some people tense, irritable: grouchy for no apparent reason. It causes others to withdraw, and still others become depressed. Some individuals expend what energy they have on their favorite activity and, after that, are just too knocked out to participate in anything, including normal conversation.
Anemia
People with hypothyroidism can become anemic because of hypothermia. Most red blood cells are made in the bone marrow located in the proximal portion of the long bones of the body, because that is where temperature is highest. However, when body temperature drops, even these areas have difficulty producing red blood cells, even in the presence of sufficient iron and vitamins. On examination, the red blood cells are found to be normal in size, shape and hemoglobin concentration. There simply are not enough of them. Anemia contributes to fatigue.
Slowing of the Heart
In addition, the heart can slow down and deliver up to forty percent less blood. This results in less oxygen being delivered to the tissues and contributes further to fatigue. Normal activities feel like going to war.
Delayed Healing
The body is in a constant state of repair. The act of living and moving about carries with it the inevitable small cuts, scratches, bumps, bruises, etc. The body is designed to heal these minor wounds so quickly and efficiently that you hardly notice their presence. When metabolism slows down in hypothyroidism (or for any other cause), wound healing also slows down. You become aware of these minor wounds, because they sit there for several days longer than they should. Delayed wound healing, regardless of the age of the person, should make you think of hypothyroidism.
Headache
Brain swelling can be part of this edema, and this may explain why hypothyroidism is so commonly present in people complaining of migraine and tension headaches. Many conditions can cause headache, but hypothyroidism should be at the top of the list when evaluating chronic headaches — especially those which happen when fatigue is pronounced.
Emotional Disorders
Any and every emotional disorder can be brought on or simulated by thyroid dysfunction. Hypothyroidism slows the thought process, produces depression and sometimes hallucinations, delusions and even paranoia. Slowness of thought and activity is a hallmark of this disease. When present and untreated from early childhood, the final outcome of severe hypothyroidism is idiocy, growth failure and early death in the late teens or early twenties. In adulthood, a change in personality or depression, fatigue, uncharacteristic irritability or a change in sleep pattern should raise a suspicion of thyroid dysfunction.
Susceptible to Infections
It only makes sense that if the metabolic rate is slowed, the response to bacterial or viral invasion also will be slowed. So it is no surprise to find out that the person with hypothyroidism is unusually susceptible to infection.
In the age of antibiotics, we do not think of infections with the same fear which gripped the heart of a person in the middle ages, or even earlier in this century. Dr. Broda O. Barnes, a doctor and researcher with a lifetime of experience, reports that the hypothyroid patient, often so susceptible to repeated infections, when given thyroid replacement therapy suddenly stops coming down with infections. He reports that this is effective against both bacteria and viruses. There is an association with the now popular, in-the-public-eye, "yeast syndrome." Hypothyroidism should be looked for in any patient who has the yeast syndrome for he/she may have the more fundamental disorder of hypothyroidism, which lowers resistance to yeast as to all infectious agents.
Skin Diseases
The most common skin finding in hypothyroidism is dry, flaky skin. However, skin disease of almost any kind should raise suspicion of hypothyroidism. Circulation to the skin is decreased, as it is to the rest of the body, and also the production of mucopolysaccharides is increased dramatically in the skin. These two factors together predispose the patient to acne, impetigo, erysipelas, cellulitis, eczema, psoriasis and ichthyosis (fish scale skin). Often these conditions are relieved with thyroid extract. The same is true for the syndrome of "winter itch," in which the skin below the elbows and knees itches severely during the winter. Even some cases of lupus involving the skin clear up with thyroid extract, and when they clear up, the disease does not progress to systemic involvement of the internal organs.
Disturbed Menstrual Flow
Another common symptom of hypothyroidism is dysfunction of the female cycle. In children, the onset of menses may be delayed or, paradoxically, it may come years early with hypothyroidism. At the other end, menopause may happen much too early or much too late. During childbearing years the menstrual cycle may be upset in just about any pattern imaginable. The most common condition is that of irregular bleeding. The lining of the uterus, the endometrium, just like other tissues in the body, requires thyroid hormone for proper growth and function.
Infertility
Hypothyroidism is a common cause of infertility in women and incompetent sperm in men. Many childless couples have the misfortune to be hypothyroid (one or both partners) and yet not have an abnormal lab value (T3 or T4 test) to convince the doctor to prescribe thyroid replacement therapy.
High Blood Pressure
Hypertension is another disorder associated with hypothyroidism (as well as with hyperthyroidism). If hypertension is present, along with a lower than normal basal temperature, the hypertension will almost always come down with thyroid replacement therapy alone. When this type of hypertension is treated with anti-hypertensive medications alone — without thyroid replacement — the blood pressure does not come down, and the doctor brands this patient as having "refractive hypertension." That term only means that the hypertension is refractive (resistant) to the treatment which the doctor knows to prescribe.
Premature Presbyopia
Some people, between the ages of 35 and 55, when they receive thyroid replacement therapy, will experience the return of the ability to focus for reading without the necessity of wearing reading glasses. Based on this observation, it is asserted that one of the symptoms of thyroid deficiency is the premature loss of the ability to focus for reading. The technical term for this condition is "presbyopia," literally "old seeing."
Arthritis
Hypothyroidism predisposes a person to arthritis, and thyroid replacement therapy often brings arthritic symptoms under control. Where gouty arthritis is concerned, thyroid replacement also helps here. Gout is caused by an inability to metabolize uric acid and the accumulation of uric acid, notably in the drainage system of the kidneys (as stones) and in the joints, especially the big toe. If the basal temperature (and thus the basal metabolic rate) is low, naturally the body is even less able to metabolize uric acid. Although thyroid replacement is not specific to gout, it is a valuable adjunct to the treatment of this painful disease.
Dr. John Lowe's Symptom Check off list
69 Most Commonly Reported Symptoms of Hypothyroidism*
o Fatigue
o Swelling of eyelids
o Emotional instability
o Lethargy
o Dry skin
o Choking sensation
o Low endurance
o Dry mucous membranes
o Fineness of hair
o Slow speech
o Constipation
o Hair loss
o Slow thinking
o Weight gain unexplainably
o Blueness of skin
o Poor memory
o Paleness of lips
o Dry, thick, scaling skin
o Poor concentration
o Shortness of breath
o Dry, coarse, brittle hair
o Depression
o Swelling
o Paleness of skin
o Nervousness
o Hoarseness
o Puffy skin
o Anxiety
o Loss of appetite
o Puffy face or eyelids
o Worrying
o Prolonged menstrual bleeding
o Swelling of ankles
o Easy emotional upset
o Heavy menstrual bleeding
o Coarse skin
o Obsessive thinking
o Painful menstruation
o Brittle or thin nails
o Low motivation
o Low sex drive
o Dry ridges down nails
o Dizziness
o Impotence
o Difficulty in swallowing
o Sensation of cold
o Hearing loss
o Weakness
o Cold skin
o Rapid heart rate
o Vague body aches & pains
o Decreased sweating
o Pounding heart beat
o Muscle pain
o Heat intolerance
o Slow pulse rate
o Joint pain
o Non-restful sleep
o Pain at front of chest
o Numbness or tingling
o Insomnia
o Poor vision
oProtrusion of one or both eyeballs
o Thick tongue
o Weight loss
o Sparse eyebrows
o Swelling of face
o Wasting of tongue
More:
Inappropriate weight gain and/or an inability to lose weight, weight loss, brittle nails, insomnia and/or hypersomnia, poor memory and concentration, fatigue, headaches and migraines, premenstrual syndrome and related problems, menstrual irregularities, depression, hair loss (can include outer third of eyebrows), low motivation and ambition, cold hands and feet, fluid retention, dizziness or lightheadedness, irritability, anger, easy bruising, skin problems/infections/acne, infertility, dry eyes/blurred vision, heat and/or cold intolerance, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, digestive problems (irritable bowel syndrome, acid indigestion, constipation, etc.), poor coordination, diminished sex drive, reduced or excessive sweating, frequent colds/sore throats, asthma/allergies, slow healing, itchiness, food cravings, recurrent infections, food intolerances, increased susceptibility to substance abuse, anxiety/panic attacks, yellow-orange coloration on skin (particularly palms), yellow bumps on eyelids, slow speech, ringing and fluid in the ears.
Continued:
Exhaustion, falling asleep - wanting to sleep all the time, weight gain.
Puffiness of: eyes, face, hands, feet, ankles.
Pain in: head, migraines, lower back pain, neck pain, muscle pain and joints aching. Cramps, pins and needles
Skin: dry, flaky, course patches, sallow in colour, pallor: flushed/ normal, palms and hands red and burning, itchy hands and feet.
Nails: brittle, flake off, soft, ridged, slow growing, thick toenails.
Deafness, over sensitive hearing, noises in ears. Whistling/ringing in ears, aversion to loud noise.
Numbness in: feet, hands, arms, legs, back, head, (top and back)
Visual disturbances: blurring, poor focusing, dry eyes, gritty eyes, sore eyes, itchy eyes, heavy (hooded) eyelids, yellow bumps on eyes.
Digestive problems: Loss of appetite, food sensitivity, food allergies, wheat intolerance, problems with carbohydrate metabolism, alcohol intolerance, constipation diarrhea, poor food absorption, pain in liver area, gassy stomach.
Hair: loss, thinness, loss of outer third of eyebrows, lank, greasy, flat to head (no body), dull, dry - loss of under arm hair and pubic hair.
Menstrual disorders: heavy periods, painful periods, loss of periods, irregular periods, infertility, light scant periods loss of sex drive. Slow movements, unable to walk far, low energy, slow speech.
Blood pressure: high or low or normal. Dizziness, fainting feeling, palpitations, light sensitive, sun sensitive, balance problems. Intolerance of heat or cold, prone to overheating and hot flushes, feet cold, unable to get warm even with socks on. Insomnia. Nightmares, unable to sleep deeply and wake refreshed.
Mental: Panic attacks, poor memory especially short term, concentration poor, word confusion, noises and voices in the head, hallucinations, claustrophobia, agoraphobia, general phobias, fearfulness, depression, panic attacks, psychosis. Suicide risk.
Emotions: cry easily, mood swings, unable to be rational, angry, think everyone’s against you, nervousness, suspicion of others motives, lack of confidence, wanting to be alone.
This is also an excellent article, very long but well worth reading:
www.tuberose.com/HypothyroidSymptoms.html
