Overactive Thyroid In Women
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The thyroid gland is found in the neck just below the “Adam’s Apple.” Gland produced thyroid hormone stimulates our metabolism. As we get older thyroid gland grows lumps and the numbers of these nodules increasing with age, women are more affected than men. Overactive thyroid tends to affect women more than men. This is when the body creates too many hormones and it can result in sudden weight loss, irregular heart beat, sweating, changes in bowel habits, fatigue and difficulty sleeping. Some women develop Postpartum thyroiditis which is a temporary swelling of the thyroid and it goes away within six months.
Symptoms. Sometimes the overactive thyroid is overlooked because symptoms of the heart condition are more prominent. There is weakness, nervousness, and loss of weight. The patient may sweat profusely and always feel warm. Sometimes there are heart palpitations. The actual normal level of TSH ( Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is somehow shrouded in controversy. TSH is actually not a thyroid hormone, it is a pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid hormone. A reference range is usually obtained by sampling a large group of people and measuring their thyroid stimulating hormone levels.
Developing a thyroid disorder such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, goiter and thyroid nodules is unpleasant but it need not disrupt your life. Properly treated and managed, a thyroid disorder is simply a minor inconvenience. However, if not diagnosed and treated, a thyroid disorder could develop into a life threatening situation. If the thyroid complaint is an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism) the patient will be prescribed thyroid hormone replacement treatment. This is likely to be in tablet form. The individual would continue to be monitored all through the preliminary treatment period and they should make a note of any disagreeable side effects.
One of the main reasons why hypothyroid people gain weight is because their T4 is not being converted by the liver to the metabolically active form of T3 or the converted T3 hormone is not getting to the cellular level of the body – meaning you are producing it, but your body can’t use it.
The symptoms of an overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, include irritability, nervousness, brittle hair and thinning skin, weakness in the upper arms and thighs, excessive perspiration, increased bowel movement, increased heart rate, shaking hands, lighter periods, weight loss, and fewer periods. Hyperthyroidism causes the body to use up energy more rapidly than it should, and chemical activities in the cells such as metabolism speeds up. In the case of underactive thyroid, the thyroid gland is attacked by the body’s immune system.
