Overview
Hypothyroidism means the thyroid gland produces too little hormone, slowing the body down — fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold and sluggish thinking. It develops gradually and is easy to miss or mistake for stress. A simple blood test diagnoses it, and daily replacement tablets restore normal life.
Symptoms
- Persistent tiredness and sluggishness
- Unexplained weight gain
- Feeling cold when others are comfortable
- Dry skin and thinning hair
- Constipation
- Heavy or irregular periods
- Puffy face
- Low mood and poor concentration
Causes & risk factors
- Autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's)
- Previous thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine treatment
- Iodine deficiency
- Certain medicines affecting the thyroid
Treatment & self-care
Treatment is a daily thyroid hormone tablet at a dose your doctor adjusts using periodic blood tests — most people feel like themselves again within weeks. The tablet is usually lifelong and is taken on an empty stomach. Untreated hypothyroidism in pregnancy affects the baby, so testing before or early in pregnancy is wise.
See a doctor urgently if
- Ongoing fatigue, weight gain and cold intolerance
- A neck swelling
- Planning pregnancy with known thyroid disease
- Severe drowsiness or confusion in a known hypothyroid patient