Does sleeping badly, sweating a lot, having mood swings and losing weight without meaning to sound familiar to you? If the answer is yes, there’s a chance you’re dealing with an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
Does sleeping badly, sweating a lot, having mood swings and losing weight without meaning to sound familiar to you? If the answer is yes, there’s a chance you’re dealing with an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
It’s quite common – in the US, overactive thyroid affects about 1 in 100 people over 12, and women are around 10 times more likely to get it than men.
Dealing with the day-to-day symptoms can be frustrating, worrying and exhausting – especially if you’re struggling to sleep at night. Maybe you’ve had to stop wearing light coloured clothes in public because of heavy sweat marks, you’re sick of needing the loo and trying to eat differently to offset
, or your nervous energy and mood swings are making you feel like you’ve got a split personality?“We don’t want symptoms to get in the way of you living your life to the full. And the good news is that an overactive thyroid can be easily treated with effective medicines,” explains Dr Ann Nainan. “Plus, there are self-care tips you can follow to make your symptoms easier to cope with.”
So read on to find out everything you need to know about overactive thyroid, including the signs to look out for, what you can do about it, and when to see a doctor.
If you have an overactive thyroid, it means your thyroid gland in your neck makes too much of the thyroid hormones your body needs. This is the opposite of an
, when it doesn’t make enough hormones. (Read more about your thyroid gland and how it works.)Thyroid hormones help to control your body’s metabolism, so having too much of these hormones in your blood can make your body do basic things faster than normal. For example, your heart can start beating too fast, so you might feel more stressed or on edge, or your body might start digesting food faster, which can affect how many times you need the loo and cause you to lose weight without meaning to.
If an overactive thyroid isn’t treated, over time it can lead to other health issues, such as heart problems and weakened bones (
). But with the , you can easily manage your condition and feel healthy.Find useful information on other areas of thyroid health with our .
You can develop an overactive thyroid at any age or time in your life, but some things may mean you’re more likely to get it:
Other things that can make overactive thyroid more likely include:
There are lots of possible overactive thyroid symptoms, but you probably won’t get all of them. They may be mild or severe, and can come on slowly over time, or appear quite suddenly.
Possible symptoms include:
If you have
, an overactive thyroid can make your symptoms worse, and you may feel very thirsty and tired.Other signs of an overactive thyroid to look out for include:
Many of these can also be symptoms of other conditions, which can make it difficult to know if you have an overactive thyroid. This can be frustrating, as you’ll want to know what’s happening, which is why it’s important to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
If you’re not sure if you need to see a doctor, try using our
to help you work out your best next step.Having an overactive thyroid means you have an imbalance of hormones – so for women, this can affect how the reproductive system works. As well as the symptoms above, this may cause:
There are a few different things that can lead to your thyroid gland pumping out too many thyroid hormones.
The most common causes are:
Less common causes include:
If an overactive thyroid isn’t treated, it can sometimes lead to other health conditions over time. These include:
Other, less common complications of an overactive thyroid include:
The symptoms of an overactive thyroid can really affect how you live your life, which might make you feel low, frustrated and alone. But the condition can be easily treated so if you think you might have a thyroid problem, speaking to a doctor should be your first step. They can help you get a diagnosis and advise on the best treatment for you.
If you do get diagnosed with an overactive thyroid, the good news is there are lots of self-care measures you can take at home to help you cope. Read about
and the .Video:
If you think you have
, or you notice a neck lump, speak to a doctor as soon as you can. They can help you work out exactly what’s going on – even if it’s not hyperthyroidism – and find the right treatment to help you manage your symptoms.You should see a doctor as an emergency if you:
In rare cases, untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to a very serious condition called a thyroid storm. It can be triggered by an infection, damage to your thyroid gland, not taking your medicine properly, or pregnancy.
Symptoms of a thyroid storm include:
If you have these symptoms, get emergency medical help.
Before you speak to your doctor, think about the sorts of questions you might want to ask, and make sure you have a list of all of your symptoms. This can help you get the right diagnosis and treatment more quickly.
Read more about how to get ready for your appointment.
Getting a diagnosis for an overactive thyroid might not happen straight away, mainly because a lot of the symptoms could also be caused by other conditions, so it takes a bit of detective work.
Your doctor will use different checks, tests and scans to find out what’s causing your symptoms, including:
Although you’ll need medication and sometimes an operation to treat an overactive thyroid, self-care can help you deal with some of the symptoms and learn to cope with having a long-term condition. Read about
.Treatment can include:
How long your treatment takes will depend on what’s causing your overactive thyroid and the type of treatment you need. But if you’re given thionamide medicine, your hormone levels should drop within 6 to 12 weeks.
Each treatment comes with possible side effects and other things to be aware of, which your doctor will talk to you about. Read more about
.If you have thyroid eye disease, you may be referred to see an eye specialist (ophthalmologist). While you wait for an appointment, your doctor might:
The
can offer more advice and support.Once you’ve been diagnosed by a doctor, an overactive thyroid is a very manageable condition.
If having a long term condition is making you feel low and frustrated, it can help to know that you’re not alone. You can chat with other people going through the same thing, and get more in-depth support from these organisations:
Answered by
“Use your smartphone to your advantage and set up a regular notification that reminds you to take your medication. Set it for a time when you know you'll have easy access to it, like when you first wake up, and keep your medication by your bed. If you need to take it at a tricky time of day, keep a strip of medication in your purse.”
“There's a lot of overlap between menopause symptoms and hyperthyroidism – feeling hot, anxious and experiencing changes to your periods are common in both. Trying to distinguish between the 2 can be hard, even for doctors, so if you're not sure or you have more unusual symptoms that menopause shouldn't normally cause, like losing weight, it's always best to talk to your doctor. They can consider if blood tests will give you the answer.”
Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.