As many of you know, I have thyroid disease. I’ve been meaning to compile a list of various symptoms linked to thyroid issues for a while, in part to highlight just how multifaceted, unpredictable and nebulous the disease is.
It’s worth remembering that every cell in our body has thyroid receptors (the only other substance with receptors on every cell is Vitamin D). This really does explain why a dodgy thyroid can manifest in so many different ways. It’s an illness of the entire body.
It also explains why autoimmune thyroid disease, or Hashimotos, is so often misdiagnosed as 93847 other conditions and why so many Hashi sufferers finally arrive at the correct diagnosis exhausted from trying all kinds of different supplements and treatments for 93847 unrelated conditions. Oh, and it explains why we can be left feeling like a crazy hypochondriac. Right?
When I reflect on the sheer number of symptoms linked to Hashimotos it reminds me just how fruitless it is to try fix symptoms (which would take several lifetimes even if such fixes existed) and that focusing on a broad healing is far more productive. This is what I do now. I steer my efforts to modulating my stress. This is the core “fix”.
I’ve since seen an extensive list on Hypothyroidmom.com and Dana has kindly given me permission to share it with you kids (I recently shared one of her posts on constipation which you can explore at your leisure. Good toot reading!).
You can catch up on the peculiar and nebulous symptoms from some previous posts I’ve written on hashimotos disease.
Also, Dana provides a few interesting points stemming from how confused people get by the knotted cluster of symptoms thyroid disease presents:
If you’ve got constipation, it could be thyroid disease.
If you’ve suffered a miscarriage, your thyroid could be to blame.
But now to the list. I don’t suggest you start a comparathon here, nor self-diagnose based on having a few of the symptoms below. Nor get alarmed, especially when you get to the list of cancers at the bottom. This list is more to comfort those with the illness who feel entirely ridiculous about “always having something wrong” with them. It’s not you, it’s your thyroid!! That said, if your undiagnosed 93847 symptoms align themselves with this list, then you might just want to go and get your thyroid tested…
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
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
That was an extensive list! If you feel like this still hasn’t covered off your quirky symptoms, please share below.
