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Strong Women
“I was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder at 19 – these are the red flags I wish I’d noticed earlier”
2 years ago
5 min read
Thyroid disorders are more common than you might think, but the nature of symptoms means they are often missed by sufferers and doctors alike.
When my hair began to fall out at 19, I put it down to my clichéd student lifestyle. Deep into my second year at university, I was living on cheap carbs and cocktails. My workout routine consisted entirely of sweaty dashes to morning seminars. But soon the strands on my hairbrush became clumps, and it became apparent that something wasn’t quite right. Add to that permanent exhaustion, persistent brain fog and flaky skin, and my thinning mane was just the tip of the iceberg.
It turned out that I was suffering from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune form of hypothyroidism (known as an underactive thyroid). It would take me months to get an accurate diagnosis, and even longer to receive the correct treatment. Initial visits to my GP saw me fobbed off with generic advice for healthy eating and patronising pamphlets about the stages of the hair cycle. Once the issue was identified, I began to take steps towards recovery, but managing the disease has been a long and bumpy road.
I’d never heard of the condition before I received my diagnosis, and I had no real idea about what a malfunctioning thyroid might feel like. Had I known more before, I might have been able to get back to health sooner. So, I’ve been speaking to an expert GP and fellow survivors about why thyroid conditions are so easily missed and the crucial signs that you might have a similar issue.
What is a thyroid disorder?
According to the British Thyroid Foundation, around 5% of Brits live with a thyroid disorder. Women are up to 10 times more likely to suffer from hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) than men. There are even a few celebrity sufferers – supermodel Gigi Hadid, actor Zoe Saldaña and Selling Sunset’s Heather Rae El Moussa have all been vocal about their battles with Hashimoto’s. Despite that valuable promotion, thyroid conditions are often missed – or worse, dismissed – by sufferers and medical professionals alike.
“One of the problems with thyroid symptoms is that they are so insidious and wide-ranging that they can be mistaken for many other things,” says Dr Georgina Conway, a GP specialising in thyroid conditions and founder of The Thyroid Clinic. “People are becoming more aware of thyroid disorders than they used to be, but I still think it’s a condition that is very misunderstood, downplayed and under-diagnosed.”
Thyroid symptoms are insidious and wide-ranging
Dr Georgina Conway
The thyroid gland is a small but mighty organ located at the front of the neck that plays a major role in the smooth running of several bodily functions. Prompted by the pituitary gland in the brain which releases thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), the thyroid produces the hormones thyroxin (T3) and triiodothyronine (T4). It releases just enough of both to optimally regulate everything including heart rate, circulation, metabolism, digestion and even mood. If it produces too little or too much of these chemicals, that’s when problems start.
Treatment typically consists of taking a synthetic hormone replacement for an underactive thyroid, while options for an overactive thyroid include anti-thyroid drugs, radio-iodine therapy or surgery, depending on the circumstances. Both conditions can usually be identified via a blood test, but the telltale signs can be so generic that even getting to that stage can be a challenge for patients.
Signs of an under- or overactive thyroid
Thyroid issues are more common among older patients, making it even more challenging for younger women with symptoms to be taken seriously. “We tend to see women, in particular, presenting with thyroid illness around the time of sex hormone changes,” explains Dr Conway, pinpointing puberty, pregnancy and menopause as three of the main triggers for the condition. “I see a lot of women in their 20s and 30s, and generally it’s because they’re trying to get pregnant.”
Overactive thyroid symptoms
If the thyroid becomes overactive, then symptoms can include:
- Extreme weight loss
- Shakiness
- Palpitations and a fast puls
- Mood swings
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Feeling thirsty
- More frequent bowel movements
- Difficulty concentrating
Underactive thyroid symptoms
- Fatigue
- Unexplained weight gain
- Dry or thinning hair
- Muscle weakness
- Slow heartbeat
- Pins and needles in the hands
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory trouble
- Feeling cold
- Depression or anxiety
“Infertility is another big red flag for women in their 20s and 30s,” explains Dr Conway. “If women are not getting pregnant and there seems to be no clear reason for it, often there’s an underlying thyroid issue.”
How do thyroid conditions impact daily life?
“I was tired all the time, but it wasn’t normal tiredness,” recalls Chelle Todd-Brown, 25, who was diagnosed with Graves’ disease (the autoimmune form of an overactive thyroid) at 19. At the time, she put her symptoms down to spending too much time in the gym, working hard and not eating enough. “I just ignored the signs for a little bit, as you do,” she says. “But I started to lose a lot of weight and become more anxious. I started to get heart palpitations and tremors. I couldn’t control my body temperature very well. At one point my resting pulse was 120.”
“[Thyroid disease] is easily missed,” agrees Hannah Wallace, 28, who has been diagnosed with a thyroid condition twice – after the birth of each of her children. After her first pregnancy, her thyroid became underactive. Eventually, it self-corrected, but after her second baby, she developed hyperthyroidism. Despite flagging the symptoms early, it still took almost a year to get diagnosed. “It was tough,” she says. “I had days where I felt like I was letting my children down.”
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Both Todd-Brown and Wallace want to see more attention paid to thyroid disease by the medical community. “It’s just viewed as an older person’s problem,” says Todd-Browne. “I felt very lonely when I was going through it; I felt like no one really understood.”
So, what should you do if you recognise any of the symptoms? Wallace says it’s vital to be proactive about getting a diagnosis. “Speak to your GP as soon as possible – don’t delay it,” she says. “If you’re still not happy, go and see another GP, because there are GPs out there that will take it seriously.”
Dr Conway suggests asking your doctor to run blood tests to check TSH, T4, T3 and thyroid antibodies, as well as doing your own research. “Thyroid UK is a great resource – take that evidence to your GP and ask for help,” she recommends. “And keep going. If you feel that you’ve got a condition, don’t give up.”
Images: Getty
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