These easy-to-miss symptoms could be signs of thyroid trouble

Hypothyroidism is one of the common thyroid disorders during pregnancy. Photo: AFP

Syahira (not her real name), 28, spent almost four years trying to become pregnant. However, she didn’t give it much thought as she assumed her lack of success was normal, due to her busy lifestyle.

In fact, she was also always feeling tired, unwell and frequently constipated. But she dismissed these symptoms.

After years of trying, she was finally able to conceive, but her symptoms continued to persist, making her pregnancy rather difficult.

Mrs Liew (not her real name), 65, is a retired teacher who enjoys gardening and jogging.

Despite her active lifestyle and love for the outdoors, she was gaining weight without reason while also constantly suffering from muscle aches, cramps and hair loss.

The two women were miserable and could not understand why they were in this predicament.

Like most people, they initially turned to the Internet for answers.

This is where they came across an online hypothyroidism symptom checker and decided to try it out by answering a few questions.

To their surprise, the instant results indicated they could be suffering from hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid condition.

They headed to the clinic for a quick blood test and the diagnosis was confirmed. The doctor started them on medication.

Syahira and Mrs Liew feel so much better these days, and Syahira has just given birth to a healthy baby girl.

Missed or overlooked symptoms

Many of us may be living our lives like Syahira or Mrs Liew, assuming our health problems are caused by external factors such as work-related stress, busy lifestyle or ageing.

However, according to consultant endocrinologist Professor Dr Nor Azmi Kamaruddin, “Women are three times at higher risk of developing hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, compared with men.

"Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones to meet your body’s needs causing many of the body functions to slow down.

“Symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, weight gain, hair loss and constipation are often overlooked as many women mistake them as effects of their hectic lifestyle or blame it on pregnancy or ageing.

“This is truly an unfortunate situation to be in because hypothyroidism, if untreated, can lead to various other health problems.”

Women planning for pregnancy and mothers-to-be should not take hypothyroidism lightly

A healthy thyroid gland is essential for successful conception and pregnancy.

If you suffer from untreated hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland doesn’t produce sufficient hormones, which can interfere with ovulation (release of the egg from your ovary), which impairs fertility, thus resulting in failure to get pregnant.

During pregnancy, the body needs enough thyroid hormones to support the mother’s own increased metabolic needs as well as her unborn baby’s.

However, the thyroid gland of some women may be unable to cope with this demand, resulting in maternal hypothyroidism.

“Maternal hypothyroidism is dangerous for the expectant mother because if it remains untreated, it increases the risk of miscarriage and is associated with maternal anaemia, myopathy (muscle pain, weakness), placental abnormalities, and postpartum bleeding, ” explains Prof Nor Azmi, who is the chairman of the Transform Your Life health awareness campaign, aimed at educating the public about the symptoms of hypothyroidism and encouraging them to get tested so that they may be treated, if necessary.

Besides being dangerous to the mother, hypothyroidism if left untreated, can have profound effects on the unborn child’s physical (growth) and mental (cognitive) development, especially during the first trimester.

Older women at increased risk

Like Mrs Liew, women above 60 years have a higher risk of developing hypothyroidism compared with younger women, while the risk increases five-fold if they are above 75 years.

However, this disorder remains largely undiagnosed as the symptoms are often non-specific, especially in mild cases.

“It is not surprising when older women dismiss joint pain, muscle cramps, unexplained weight gain, mood swings or dry skin as part and parcel of ageing. Besides, the coexistence of multiple chronic diseases as well as the side effects of medications can further mimic or mask the symptoms.

“Untreated hypothyroidism has been associated with increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, raising the risk of heart disease and heart failure. It may also cause decreased memory and slowed speech and thinking, ” says Prof Nor Azmi.

Hence, early detection and treatment is vital.

“In many cases, symptoms of hypothyroidism progress slowly and may go unnoticed for months or even years, making medical diagnosis difficult.

“Now, with the use of an online symptom checker (www.tyl.my), you can find out your risk of hypothyroidism easily from the comfort of your home.

“The checker works by calculating the likelihood of hypothyroidism based on predefined symptoms you chose, as well as your age and gender.

"It does not consider other specific factors such as medical or family history, which is why it can only make an assessment of the likelihood of thyroid conditions.

“Following the risk assessment, it is advisable to consult your doctor for medical diagnosis and treatment, ” advises Prof Nor Azmi.

With a simple blood test at your nearby clinic, you can confirm if you are suffering from hypothyroidism.

Treatment is relatively simple and affordable. You may be provided with thyroxine pills, a synthetic form of your thyroid hormones.

This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society.