Tired of being tired?

Have you been gaining weight rapidly? Have your bowels been giving you trouble or do you feel tired and numb all the time?

Have you been gaining weight rapidly? Have your bowels been giving you trouble or do you feel tired and numb all the time? Have you been trying for a baby for a long time without success? If the answer is yes, then you could be one of the millions who suffer from abnormally low thyroid levels—a condition called hypothyroidism. But there is no reason for despair. This is a very common ailment among women and one that’s easily treated.

The problem
The thyroid gland is found in the neck, just below the thyroid cartilage (Adam’s apple). The gland produces hormones, which regulate the body’s metabolism, its energy levels. They also affect the use of other hormones and vitamins and the growth of body tissues. ‘‘Diseases of the thyroid gland can result in either the production of too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism) hormone,’’ says Dr Anoop Mishra, head of the department of diabetes and metabolism at the Fortis Hospital in Delhi. ‘‘This is a common disorder and is found mainly in women,’’ says Misra.

What are the causes of hypothyroidism?
• Iodine deficiency or too much iodine in the diet
• Auto-immune diseases that produce antibodies which work against the body’s own thyroid gland
• Thyroid dysfunction from radioactive iodine therapy or surgical removal of the gland
• Inflammation of the gland after childbirth
• Certain drugs
• Viral and bacterial infections of the thyroid gland
• Pregnancy

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Symptoms in infants
Constipation, poor appetite, jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes), excessive fatigue.

Symptoms in children and adults
Exhaustion, poor tolerance to cold, constipation, carpal tunnel syndrome (pain in the wrists and numbness of the hands), poor appetite, weight gain, dry skin, falling hair, hoarse voice, puffiness around the eyes and depression.

Hypothyroidism in pregnancy
It is quite difficult to diagnose hypothyroidism in pregnant women since many of the symptoms of this disorder like fatigue, poor attention span, weight gain, numbness, and tingling of the hands or feet, are also symptoms of a normal pregnancy.

Undiagnosed hypothyroidism during pregnancy, however, increases the chance of stillbirth and could retard the growth of the foetus. The chances of expecting mothers experiencing complications such as anaemia, eclampsia, and placental abruption, are greater if they have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

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Treatment
If the treatment starts early, the condition can be completely controlled. But medication must be continued even after the symptoms subside.

Doctor’s warning
‘‘Thyroid hypofunction may occur slowly with vague symptoms and is often difficult to detect. Any person (particularly female) with recent onset of weight gain, excessive lethargy, sleepiness and menstrual irregularity, should consult a doctor immediately,’’ says Mishra.