Hyperthyroidism causes the body to produce too much thyroid hormone, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, heart palpitations, and weight loss. Early warning signs include insomnia, unexplained weight loss, and heart palpitations. Ignoring symptoms can lead to increased fatigue, insomnia, and changes in bowel habits. Treatment options include drugs, iodine, or surgical removal of the thyroid gland. People taking thyroid hormones should monitor their blood levels and report any symptoms of hyperthyroidism to their doctor.
Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a condition that occurs when the body produces too much thyroid hormone. Symptoms of an overactive thyroid are varied, but common symptoms include fatigue, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, difficulty tolerating warmer temperatures, changes in menstrual and bowel behavior, feelings of agitation or jitteriness, shortness of breath, shaking or fast heart rate, difficulty sleeping and weight loss. People with hyperthyroidism may have one or more of these symptoms, and generally more symptoms will stack up with increased production of thyroid hormones.
In many cases, all of the common overactive thyroid symptoms don’t occur at the same time. People might notice a symptom or two when the thyroid gland starts overproducing. Some of the early symptoms that may present as an early warning of hyperthyroidism include things like insomnia, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath or heart palpitations, and fatigue.
One or two overactive thyroid symptoms that can’t be explained by other things, such as a sudden illness, are grounds for seeing a doctor. It is entirely possible that most of the symptoms on this list could indicate other diseases. However it is important to rule out hyperthyroidism, which can indicate other conditions such as the presence of nodules in the thyroid gland, thyroid cancer, and Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune disease and the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.
If hyperthyroidism is ignored, overactive thyroid symptoms can increase and the condition can begin to affect many areas of the body. Fatigue may worsen with increased palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, and nervousness or agitation. People may start to notice changes in their bowel habits, and women often notice changes in their periods. Periods may become lighter, become irregular, or may stop altogether.
In some cases, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are less obvious. This is especially true in older populations. Symptoms like palpitations can only present with depression, for example. Things like hair loss or weight loss can be dismissed as age-related. Older people also have a tendency to sleep less, and therefore insomnia may not be considered a relevant symptom.
When overactive thyroid symptoms are detected and confirmed as hyperthyroidism, there are many ways the condition can be treated. Much depends on the underlying cause, but the three most common options are the use of drugs that block thyroid production, the use of iodine to destroy the thyroid gland, or the surgical removal of part or all of the gland. Some of these treatments mean that the body will go from being hyperthyroid to being hypothyroid. To counteract this, thyroid hormone is administered.
When people take thyroid hormones, they need to keep having their blood levels checked from time to time. It is possible to take too much and recreate the symptoms of an overactive thyroid. People who have never had high thyroid levels, but who are taking medicines such as levothyroxine or thyroxidine for hypothyroidism should be aware of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and report them to a doctor if they occur.
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