Weight Loss Woes Could Be Hypothyroidism

If you’re having trouble losing weight, if you feel tired, foggy and feel cold all the time, you may have Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can make a big difference in how you feel and how easy it is to lose weight after you have the other weight loss pieces of the puzzle in place. Some common symptoms are:nn *Fatiguenn *Unexplained weight gainnn *Depression.nn *Dry skin and hairnn *Increased sensitivity to coldnn *Brain fog, poor short-term memory or difficulty concentratingnn *Hair loss (including outer third of eyebrows)nn *Elevated blood pressure and cholesterolnn *Heavier menstrual periodsnn *Constipationnn *Anxiety/panic attacksnn *Infertility

Half of the 27 million Americans who have thyroid disease are undiagnosed. Hypothyroidism tends to run in families; if one of your parents has it, you have a higher-than-average chance of having it. The American Thyroid Association recommends that everyone be tested for low thyroid function at age 35.

The problem is that symptoms of hypothyroidism may present themselves while all the usual blood tests appear to be normal. Unfortunately, when the blood work does not reveal the cause of the problem, many doctors are prone to refer patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist because they “can’t find anything wrong.”nn“If it’s not diagnosed or treated properly, hypothyroidism can cause premature heart disease, infertility and chronic pain,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! “A whole host of problems arise when an underactive thyroid is missed.”

Broda O. Barnes, M.D., did the first studies correlating hypothyroidism to low body temperature. He found that having the patient take his or her underarm temperature for several mornings before getting out of bed could help document the trend correlating with symptoms.

The Barnes Test is a test used by many holistic medical doctors whose patients show symptoms of thyroid problems but don’t have blood tests that indicate anything is wrong.

To perform the Barnes temperature test:nn *Shake the thermometer down before bedtime (it’s best to use a glass thermometer)nn *Upon awakening, place it in your armpit and leave it there for ten minutes before getting out of bed (try to lay still while in bed)nn *Record the temperaturenn *Take an average of 3 days temperature

Note: Men can take their temperature any time. Women in their menstrual years get the most accurate reading by starting the test on the second or third day after menstrual flow starts. Before the first menstrual period or after menopause, the temperature may be taken on any day. A temperature between 97.2 and 98.2 is considered normal. If the temperature falls below 97.2, it is indicative of a sluggish thyroid. A temperature above 98.2 indicates an over-active thyroid.

Take your findings to your doctor. If your symptoms persist and you don’t feel heard, find an alternative or holistic doctor. For recommendations and information about thyroid disease visit www.thyroid-info.com.