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It's easy to miss the symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland. They are often mild and quite vague.

You may not realize you have an underactive thyroid for many months. You might put your symptoms down to things like working too hard or eating badly. You're more likely to think there's something wrong if you get several symptoms together.¹

An underactive thyroid gland can give you several different symptoms. This is because it affects lots of different parts of your body.

The most common symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland are:²

• Feeling tired or low
• Dry skin
• Gaining weight
• Feeling the cold
• Constipation
• If you're a woman, irregular periods.

If an underactive thyroid isn't treated, your symptoms may gradually get worse. After a few months or years, you may notice you:

• Have very dry, flaky skin
• Have coarse hair
• Gain weight, even though you're not eating any more
• Feel depressed
• Feel sluggish and find it difficult to think clearly
• Have a hoarse voice
• Lose some of your hair.

If you go even longer without treatment, you may get:

• A puffy face
• A large tongue
• Weak muscles
• Painful joints
• Poor hearing
• Painful tingling in your hands (carpal tunnel syndrome).

Doctors call these later symptoms myxedema.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.