January is Thyroid Disease Month
Answers from Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
If you have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), you may experience:
- Unusual nervousness
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), you may experience:
- Mild to severe fatigue
- Depression
Still, it’s unlikely that emotional symptoms such as anxiety or depression would be the only evidence of thyroid disease. Thyroid disease is usually associated with signs and symptoms such as:
- Weight gain or loss
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Bowel movement changes
- Menstrual irregularities
Appropriate treatment — such as medication that blocks your body’s ability to produce new thyroid hormone or replaces missing thyroid hormone — usually improves both emotional and physical symptoms caused by thyroid disease.
For more information visit www.hypothyroidmom.com