Читать книгу The Healthy Thyroid: What you can do to prevent and alleviate thyroid imbalance - Patsy Westcott - Страница 40

One of the most distressing aspects of hypothyroidism is the effect on your looks. Even though you have no appetite, the weight piles on unstoppably. Your hair becomes dry, brittle and thin; your skin becomes dry, coarse and puffy. Your waistband nips, your rings become tight and you feel bloated. These symptoms are the result of an autoimmune attack called ‘myxoedema’, where the cells become ‘leaky’, leading to fluid accumulation and mucus deposition beneath the skin. You may become pale due to anaemia, and your complexion may take on a slightly yellowish hue due to the buildup of the yellow pigment beta-carotene in your blood.

Carol, who was initially diagnosed with depression and went for many years before her underactive thyroid was diagnosed, recalls:

I developed nasty sores on my skin, mainly on my arms, but also on my upper thighs, stomach, and neck. It took five years to find out this was a combination of a side-effect from the antidepressants and poor skin-healing due to my thyroid problem.

You may also develop a goitre (see page 56) or, alternatively, your thyroid may shrivel up (atrophy).