Dr. Friedman Discusses if patients with symptoms of hypothyroidism, who don't meet the criteria, be watched every six months to year?
THE UNDERACTIVE THYROID
As your thyroid begins to fail, you may feel perfectly well, for often the only suggestion of a problem will be a slight enlargement of your thyroid gland (
goiter), appearing as a lump or swelling in front of your neck. Then, as your thyroid hormone level falls further, you may begin to feel tired and listless, perhaps chilly when those about you are comfortably warm. As your skin, hair, and fingernails grow more slowly, they become thickened, dry, and brittle. Some
hair loss may be noticed. Then, as your
hypothyroidism becomes more severe, changes may occur in the tissues beneath your skin that lead to a characteristic puffy, swollen appearance known as myxedema. This is often particularly apparent around your face and eyes.
