Before my thyroid issue was diagnosed, I honestly thought I was going mad, or dying – or both. Fortunately, my doctor took one look at my thin frame, shaking hands and bulging eyes and recognised what was happening.
As soon as I took the thyroid stimulating hormones I was prescribed, the madness stopped and, before long, I was myself again.
Robyn Koumourou is a director of Thyroid Australia. She says, “In Australia, in particular, the average person knows little about thyroid disorders and their detrimental effects upon health. Moreover, it has been difficult for some patients to find a doctor who is willing to test thoroughly, to make a diagnosis, and then explain their condition clearly.”
The trouble with thyroid conditions is that there is such a huge variations in symptoms and many of these are easily attributable to other health problems, stress or mental health problems. Your thyroid, which is a butterfly shaped gland in your next, produces hormones that regulate your metabolism and control just about every organ in your body. If it is producing too much, you have hyperthyroidism; too little is called hypothyrodism.
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism
And less commonly:
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
And less commonly
If you are concerned, ask your doctor to examine your neck and order a thyroid test. I spent far too long thinking there was something terribly wrong with me, when the solution turned out to be quiet simple to fix. Don’t suffer in silence; see your doctor if you feel there is something wrong.