Fatigue and Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism and fatigue often exist together, yet few people blame their fatigue on an underactive thyroid gland. An inactive thyroid gland cannot produce enough hormones to to keep the body’s metabolic rate at a level where fatigue does not occur. This is why fatigue and an underactive thyroid go hand in hand. The body is literally slowing down.
While hypothyroidism symptoms such as fatigue can affect a person’s everyday enjoyment of life, few people visit a doctor. There are so many causes of fatigue and those with new babies, stressful jobs with long hours, or just busy families live with fatigue daily. Even doctors tend to look at other factors if patients complain of fatigue. It is only when the fatigue becomes debilitating that many people seek medical advice. No one should be tired after getting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
This is a shame, since a simple pill once a day could virtually eliminate the symptoms of an underactive thyroid in one or two months. The dosage must be adjusted, an blood tests are done to determine the correct dosage. There are also herbal remedies that have shown promise. An underactive thyroid condition can occur in both men and women, but it typically affects women. Hypothyroidism can occur at any time in life, it has even been known to affect children, although rarely.