I think I might have hyperthyroidism :(

For the last couple of months I've been feeling quite unwell. I've had pressure headaches, blurred vision, muscle weakness and twitches, tingling in my hands, loose stools, bloating and a kind of strange empty/hunger feeling in my upper abdomen. I also generally felt fatigued and lightheaded/dizzy in spells. From what I've read these symptoms seem to tie in with acute hyperthyroidism. This is of course only a guess (it could be something even worse :frown:

). To say that I'm scared is somewhat of a understatement. I know I should go to the doctors, but I'm terrified of finding out what's wrong with me.

Anyway, I'd appreciate advice from anybody with some medical knowledge or anyone who has themselves been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.

Thanks.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Mushi_master

Only way to find out what's going on - take yourself to a doctor.

We can't examine you or investigate what's going on over the net.

Reply 2

StarsAreFixed

You need to find out what's wrong, don't be afraid of going to the doctor. Treatment could be extremely simple anyway. You absolutely cannot get a diagnosis over the internet so please just make an appointment with a blood test. That's all that's needed to diagnose or rule out hyperthyroidism. Two important symptoms are weight loss with no cause and feeling hot, your GP probably will ask about weight. Not that having no weight change excludes you but it does present in a lot of people. I myself am hypo, but I am underweight despite the major symptom being weight gain. You gain nothing from sitting at home worrying, make that appointment! Nothing to be afraid of, just walk in say you want a thyroid blood test and explain your symptoms. Your GP may want to carry out other blood tests also and may forumate a few routes to go down if the thyroid test comes back negative. They're pretty fast, results should be back in under a week.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 3

pgreg1

Headaches, blurred vision, weakness and tingling .... to me this says see your doctor now!

Reply 4

Chucklefiend

What ^they^ said.

Your symptoms do seem to match those associated with hyperthyroidism, but they also match with a load of other things. Only a doctor with access to the necessary equipment to carry out an array of tests can formally diagnose you and then give you the treatment you need. Be pragmatic and sensible about this and just go get it over with.

Reply 5

Chucklefiend

Original post by pgreg1

Headaches, blurred vision, weakness and tingling .... to me this says see your doctor now!

Whilst I agree that the OP needs to see their GP, these symptoms do not necessarily indicate a serious condition and I don't think implying as much is very helpful tbh.

Reply 6

MediterraneanX

I have hyperthyroidism...it's really no biggie. I took pills for 18 months and have been fine ever since - much better than the symptoms I had before! Thyroid problems are really common (1/10 people have one) so please don't let it put you off going to the doctors - you'll feel so much better once you start your pills. PM if you have any questions.

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Original post by MediterraneanX

It's not so much the hyperthyroidism that worries me, but the other possibilities of what could be causing my symptoms. For example M.E. and multiple sclerosis both match a lot of the symptoms I have, and they are both chronic and incurable conditions. :frown:

What were the pills you were prescribed for hyperthyroidism if you don't mind me asking? I've read they sometimes treat it with radioactive iodine, which is a little disconcerting.

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

Original post by MediterraneanX

Also may I ask what your symptoms were before you started your treatment? Did you get the strange kind of empty/hunger feeling in you upper abdomen, followed by a feeling of weakness/shakyness?

Reply 9

Dragonfly07

Avoiding the doctor out of fear won't solve anything.

If it turns out you do have something, avoidance will make it worse by waiting longer.

If you don't have anything, you'll gain peace of mind by having it confirmed by your GP.

Reply 10

Philosoraptor

There's such a constellation of symptoms there that you really need to present to a doctor - for this internet diagnosis won't cut it!

Reply 11

SophiaKeuning

Original post by Anonymous

My best friend was recently diagnosed with this and her symptoms were fatigue and panic attacks, anger, irritability, irascibility, bouts of crying, shaking and nerves. She became very nervous. I'm no doctor, this isn't advice but I just thought I'd let you know some symptoms! Also, her eyes became very enlarged and slightly poppy. This doesn't always happen though! Just get your blood checked if you think you may have it. :smile:

Reply 12

snapper1

My doctor thought I had this. I have loose stools, sweat excessively particularly in my hands, have a fast pulse, keep losing weight despite eating healthily and plentifully (I'm now underweight for my height :frown:

) and feel exhausted as soon as I wake up. I had a blood test for it, and it came back negative so I have to go back in around 10 days time for further tests I guess.

I was hoping it WAS an overactive thyroid, as that would mean my symptoms would hopefully have gone with a few pills! Now I'm back to square 1 and have to just hope they can find out what's up.

Reply 13

MASeeker

Original post by Anonymous

Could also be migraine of some kind.

Reply 14

Anonymous #1

Original post by snapper1

This is what I was worrying about. Some of the other conditions that can cause these symptoms include the diseases mentioned above, that are chronic and incurable. I'm not sure if I'd really want to know if I had one of those that's why I'm hesitant to go. I'm such a coward. :frown:

Reply 15

snapper1

Original post by Anonymous

I'm sure there's lots of things it could be, my symptoms also correlate to stress, and sounds like this is even stressing you out so could be that. M.E or M.S are rare in young people, I certainly don't believe I have either and if I was unlucky enough to i'd still want to know. Good luck :smile:

Reply 16

Mini-Cooper

Even if a disease is chronic and incurable there are still ways to manage it. Typically it could mean taking medication or altering your lifestyle, but you get used to any changes that you have to make. After a while it all becomes second nature and you almost forget that you are doing it.

The benefits of managing a condition far outweigh the symptoms you may have from it.

You never know.. it could be something simple that requires minimal changes and you would kick yourself for not knowing how simple it could be.

The stress and worry of not knowing what is wrong can cause other problems as well, so by not finding out you could be making yourself feel worse.

Reply 17

Anonymous #1

Original post by snapper1

I wish I could be as positive as you.

Anyway, thank you and good luck to you as well.

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

Original post by Mini-Cooper

This isn't really the case with M.E, since the etiology is not known. If you don't know the cause of something it's obviously very difficult to manage it.

Original post by Mini-Cooper

You never know.. it could be something simple that requires minimal changes and you would kick yourself for not knowing how simple it could be.

I really hope so, but from my own research it seems unlikely that the wide spectrum of symptoms I have could be caused by something simple and easy to treat.

Original post by Mini-Cooper

The stress and worry of not knowing what is wrong can cause other problems as well, so by not finding out you could be making yourself feel worse.

I do feel really nervous and tense most of the time, but it's difficult to know whether this is a symptom or a symptom of my symptoms if you know what I mean. But you're right, it certainly can't be helping.

Reply 19

AlmostChicGeek

Original post by Anonymous

Please go to the doctor! I know how you feel, for the past year I have been in severe stomach pain, and a couple of weeks ago I had to go in for surgery. I had all the symptoms of Ovarian cancer, and so I was really really worried about being diagnosed with it.

However, I still went because I couldn't continue on the way I had been, just like I'm sure you can't really continue on the way you are. Luckily, it wasn't Ovarian cancer, but it was something else, so I was very very relieved.

The reason I am telling you all this, is that it is quite unlikely that it will be something as serious as MS, and google will always tell you that you have something serious, but most of the time that isn't actually the case.

I urge you to go to the doctor so you can be relieved that you don't have some serious illness, and that they can fix you, it is the greatest feeling when you have been seriously worrying!