What is Hypothyroidism?

 So What Is It? 

In your neck, just in front of your windpipe, there is a small, butterfly-shaped gland, called the thyroid. One of its main functions is to produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism (the process that turns food into energy). These hormones have an affect on almost every organ in your body, even the way your heart beats. If your thyroid doesn't produce enough of these hormones, many of your body's functions slow down. This is what's called an underactive thyroid, Hypothyroidism. 

Women are much more likely to develop hypothyroidism than men. The disease is most common in those aged 60+. However, there are other reasons that you may develop the disease, such as:

• a family history of thyroid disease
• have been pregnant
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes
• some auto-immune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis

There's no way to prevent hypothyroidism. Most cases are caused either by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it, or by damage that occurs as a result of treatment dor an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer.

Symptoms

The symptoms often mimic those of other conditions, so it can often be confused for something else. Symptoms often develop slowly, so you may not even notice for a while. 

I had noticed that my weight was slowly creeping up, but I assumed it was due to bad eating habits (eating late at night after work), I was also socialising a lot more, so consuming a lot more alcohol than i usually do and I was generally being a lot lazier than usual, getting cabs instead of walking!! I know!! So, I made a few changes and saw a little bit of weight loss but not much. A year later the pandemic hit and that's when my problems really began as i discussed in my last post. 

Anyway things to look out for are (highlighted in pink are the ones that I experienced)

• tiredness
• sensitivity to cold
• weight gain
• depression
• constipation (yuk)
• slow movements and thoughts
• muscle aches and weakness
• muscle cramps
• dry hair and skin
• brittle nails
• loss of libido (sex drive)
• irregular or heavy periods

If like me, you leave it untreated for too long, you'll also experience (highlighted in pink are the ones that I experienced)

• A puffy looking face
• thinned eyebrows
• low pitched or hoarse voice
• anaemia
• hearing loss
• a slow heart rate

When I started taking the medication, one by one my symptoms either diminished or disappeared. 

Can It Be Cured?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease as yet, for now the treatment is a daily dose of the hormone in pill form, for the rest of your life. I currently take 150mg of Levothyroxine everyday and as I am relatively newly diagnosed, this dose may change.

My GP monitors my hormone levels every 2 months with a blood test and he will adjust my dose accordingly. I have further blood tests later this week, so we'll see how we are doing.