Could you have an overactive or under-active thyroid and not even know it? Millions of Women—and a high percentage of women in menopause and perimenopause (the decade or so before menopause during which hormonal, emotional, and physical changes begin)—do. A thyroid imbalance is not always easy to recognize. Physicians continue to argue whether a minimal thyroid imbalance affects mental and physical health. But the truth is that it does—and big time.
Do you have any of the following symptoms?
- Always fatigued or exhausted
- Irritable and impatient
- Feeling too hot or too cold
- Depressed, anxious, or panicky
- Bothered by changes in your skin or hair
- At the mercy of your moods
- Inexplicably gaining or losing weight
- Losing your enthusiasm for life
- Sleeping poorly or insomniac
Are you feeling burned out from having acted on an excess of energy for several months? Are you listless, forgetful, and feeling disconnected from your friends and family? Are people telling you that you've changed? Are you taking Prozac or a similar drug for mild depression but still feeling that your mind and mood are subpar? Or have you been treated for a major depression in the past five years?
If you suffer from more than one of these symptoms or answered yes to one or more of these questions, you could be one of the many people with an undiagnosed thyroid condition. Although some of these symptoms may seem contradictory, all of them can be indications of a thyroid imbalance.
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| A simple blood test can help you screen for thyroid problem |
Why Thyroid Imbalances Are Frequently Unsuspected
Stress, depression, anxiety, tiredness, and other emotional or mental states can mask a thyroid imbalance.
Your doctor may perceive symptoms caused by a thyroid imbalance as trivial, primarily because many of us complain of varying degrees of tiredness, lack of interest in life, and weight problems. Quite often, thyroid imbalance makes you suffer from symptoms of depression, but the symptoms and what is causing the symptoms are not addressed by your physician. Depression is the most common condition seen in general medical practice and the most common mental effect of thyroid imbalance. Researchers estimate that, at any given time, 10 percent of the population suffers from depression; over a lifetime, the prevalence may be as high as 17 percent. Most patients with mental health problems seek help from primary care physicians rather than psychiatrists. Quite often these physicians have received no training or inadequate training in assessing, detecting, and managing subtle mental disorders. Internists and family practitioners may feel uncomfortable dealing with mental anguish and may stick to the familiar territory of performing a physical examination, performing laboratory tests, and prescribing medications.
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| I have no mood at everything |
When obvious stress is present, such as a difficult divorce, a stressful job, or other personal problems, your doctor is unlikely to consider a thyroid dysfunction as a possible cause of or a contributing reason for your symptoms. He may tell you, "You're doing too much, it's all stress!" if you complain about tiredness, feeling down, anxiety, and weight gain. Yet, stress itself can trigger a thyroid imbalance and contribute to depression.
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| So stressful |
The wide range of physical symptoms can mask a thyroid imbalance.
If your symptoms are predominantly physical, your doctor may focus on the organ or organs involved instead of searching for a general body imbalance and an underlying condition. He or she may end up treating you for specific symptoms and fail to diagnose the thyroid condition that is causing the symptoms. For instance, rapid heartbeat is a common symptom of an overactive thyroid that often leads physicians to consider heart disease. But if the heart evaluation is normal, doctors often dismiss the patient as anxious.
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| Doctor, My heart is beating fast. |
Gynecological and hormonal symptoms can mask a thyroid imbalance.
Women with a thyroid imbalance frequently seek help from their gynecologists because their symptoms, both physical and mental, have evolved concurrently with the onset of heavy or irregular menstrual periods or loss of menstrual periods. Their symptoms, including the menstrual problems, are often attributed to gynecological or hormonal changes. They are often told that they are becoming menopausal or are perimenopausal.
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| My hormone went up and down, so do my mood |
Thyroid symptoms are often dismissed as unimportant "female complaints."
Women are more likely than men to have their thyroid disorders misdiagnosed, perhaps because many doctors often attribute women’s complaints to anxiety. Doctors may misperceive the emotional effects of a thyroid imbalance as "typical female complaints." Or they believe the symptoms are hypochondriacal. Such prejudices can result in failure to diagnose a thyroid imbalance.
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| Oh no doctor, what happen to me? |
If you suffered from the symptoms above, then you might at risk of Thyroid problems. Please consult your family doctor and get a thyroid screening done at nearest health screening centre.
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