How well do you know your Thyroid?

Did you know that you can check your thyroid for lumps just like you would routinely check you breasts?

When I went to visit my endocrinologist for the first time in 2016 she sat me on her table, felt my thyroid and found a lump in just a few short minutes. Then into get an ultrasound immediately that led to a biopsy one week later, and papillary cancer diagnosis 10 days later. Fortunately we caught it early and I had a full thyroidectomy followed by radioactive iodine. Today, four years later, majority of the symptoms I had with hypothyroidism have disappeared.

If you don’t feel well listen to the signs, and check your thyroid through blood work with full panel thyroid tests and routinely feel your neck for lumps. Find a good and open minded endocrinologist and be your own advocate.

Here is an unbelievably long list of hypothyroid symptoms and a resource for more information can be found at: https://hypothyroidmom.com

The Unbelievably Long List of Hypothyroidism Symptoms

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

  • Excessive perspiration

  • Little perspiration

  • Low basal body temperature (below 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit)

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:

Swelling and Thickened Skin of:

  • Eyes

  • Face

  • Lips

  • Neck

  • Hands

  • Arms

  • Legs

  • Feet

  • Ankles

  • Lymphedema

  • Lipodema

Mouth and Throat:

  • Difficulty swallowing

  • Sensation of lump in throat

  • Sensation of pressure on throat

  • Pain and tenderness in neck and/or thyroid area

  • Difficulty taking deep breath

  • Goiter

  • Thyroid nodule

  • 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:

  • Hair loss

  • Dry hair

  • Frizzy hair

  • Brittle hair

  • Coarse hair

  • Finer hair

  • Premature baldness

  • Premature gray hair

  • Change in hair texture

  • Body hair loss

  • Eyelash loss

  • Facial hair in women

  • 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

  • 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

  • Lichen Sclerosus

  • 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:

  • Constipation

  • Hemorrhoids

  • Hard stools

  • 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:

  • Adrenal Fatigue

  • 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:

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:

HealthKaren Filos#thyroidhealth, #hypothyroidismsymptoms, #thryroidcancer