Do you suddenly feel anxious, panicky, or wired? Have trouble sleeping? Do you feel your legs and arms ache? Or are you constantly running to the bathroom?
The chances are that if you’ve been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, you’re having a flare. But how can you really be sure? Look to the following warning signs to help you out.
- You are suddenly losing weight. That is, even if you haven’t changed your exercise routine and diet. In some people, they don’t gain weight even if they have increased their food intake.
- You’re strangely thirsty or hungry. This occurs in people with hyperthyroidism because the condition speeds up your metabolism, making you feel thirsty and/or hungry constantly.
- You are having issues with sleep. If you find that it’s impossible or immensely difficult for you to fall asleep, your thyroid might be overacting acting. Some individuals also wake up too early or frequently and then have a hard time or find that they can’t get back to sleep.
- You have a rapid pulse, high blood pressure, and/or AFib, atrial fibrillation. These are heart-related warning signs that could indicate your thyroid is becoming overactive again.
- You have anxiety or panic attacks. If you’re suddenly experiencing these attacks out of the blue and for no reason at all, this might signal a hyperthyroidism flare.
- You feel that your skin is oddly smooth. A hyperthyroidism flare could cause very visible skin changes. If your thyroid is acting up your skin might feel velvety or weirdly smooth and look shinier than usual.
- You’re feeling overheated or warmer than normal. You might even feel particularly hot even after mild physical activity.
- You are suddenly having eye or vision issues. Are your eyes suddenly feeling dry, sore, or scratchy, or do you suddenly have blurred vision? Do you feel like your eyeballs are sort of bulging? If so, your thyroid might be in overdrive again.
- You suddenly have strange rashes on your face. Hyperthyroidism is associated with a couple of different rashes, two of the most common being malaria and pretibial myxedema.
Malaria is a bumpy reddish rash that appears on the face and looks of like heat rash, while pretibial myxedema is marked by bumpy and rough patches that you might see on your shins. - Your red carpet days have significantly changed. A hyperthyroidism flare could cause your period to come less frequently or become shorter. Your flow might likewise become lighter or stop entirely.
In the event that you experience one or a couple of these hyperthyroidism flare warning signs above, you need to visit your doctor as soon as possible to confirm whether or not you’re having a flare, undergo thyroid blood tests, as well as determine the severity of your thyroid problem.
If your thyroid treatment involves anti-thyroid medications, ask your doctor in Provo if you require an increase in dosage or a different medication. The most important thing to remember is that you should have your symptoms checked and seek treatment right away to get your hyperthyroidism flare under control and avoid further problems.
