Sluggish Thyroid Symptoms

Sluggish thyroid, or hypothyroidism, is a condition where the thyroid does not produce enough hormones. This condition can result in a number of symptoms, from exhaustion to dry skin. Since the purpose of the thyroid is to control metabolism, the condition often goes unrecognized for a long time because the wide range of symptoms are generalized and seemingly unrelated.

Identifying Symptoms

• Many symptoms of sluggish thyroid are mild and can be explained by a number of things. Sufferers find themselves tired and often cranky, which may also be symptoms of a busy life or an aging body. They begin to forget things, and thinking may be cloudy, which can be attributed to poor sleeping habits, stress, age, or medications. Other easily explainable symptoms may include constipation, depression, heavy menstrual periods, weakness sensitivity to cold and unexplained weight gain or the inability to lose weight.

  Left unchecked, more symptoms begin to manifest such as loss of taste and smell, puffiness in the face, hands and feet, hoarseness, thickening of the skin, abnormal menstrual cycles, heart palpitations, decreased sex drive and headaches.

Testing

• Many of these symptoms can be attributed to other causes, and there may be any combination of symptoms. The key to diagnosing this disease is to identify as many symptoms as possible and have a blood test run to test thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH, levels. TSH is the compound secreted by the pituitary gland designed to stimulate the thyroid to produce additional hormone. If the thyroid cannot produce, there will be high levels of TSH in the blood.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosing thyroid issues is not as clear-cut as it may seem. Even with a host of symptoms and blood test results, there is some controversy surrounding what is normal for whom. Thyroid function changes as people age, so older people may have a different level than younger, yet recommendations do not currently take this fully into consideration. Slight variations in thyroid levels can fall within normal limits and still have profound effects on the patient.

Treatment

• Severe complications, like suicidal depression, coma or heart failure may occur rarely if hypothyroidism is left untreated, but most people suffer a decrease in quality of life. Treatment options range from hormone replacement--pills taken daily--to surgical removal of the defective thyroid (post surgery patients also have to take pills).

Seeing a Specialist

• Doctors who specialize in treatment of glands are called endocrinologists. Not every thyroid patient needs to see a specialist, but achieving proper balance of hormones can be a tricky business. It may be best to call upon the expertise of a specialist if you suspect thyroid problems, especially if you have additional complications like diabetes.