Dr. Pierre Nys, endocrinologist, helps us spot the 3 warning signs of a slow thyroid and to tell the difference with a simple sluggishness.
A temporary sluggishness after a big week happens to everyone. But when exhaustion sets in for good and becomes a leaden screed impossible to lift, the cause may lie elsewhere. Nestled at the base of our neck, the thyroid is the true conductor of our body. When it operates in slow motion, our entire body goes into “sleep” mode. How to tell the difference between ordinary fatigue and a real thyroid problem? Dr. Pierre Nys, endocrinologist and author of the “New IG Thyroid Diet” (ed. Leduc), helps us spot the signs that are unmistakable.
Unlike the fatigue linked to menopause, which fluctuates from one day to the next, that of hypothyroidism sets in in a sneaky and continuous manner. It is characterized by immense “fatigability”: the morning remains manageable, but the energy level completely collapses as the day goes on. Dr Pierre Nys emphasizes the overall impact of this slowdown: “It is a fatigue that is physical, psychological, intellectual and sexual at the same time.“The more time passes without a diagnosis, the worse it gets, to the point of transforming daily tasks into insurmountable mountains. The expert thus remembers a patient.”who managed to take half a day just to make an apple pie“.
To illustrate hypothyroidism, Dr. Nys uses a very telling metaphor: “It’s the sad snail“. This disruption plunges the body into a general apathy. This is the first sign: you constantly feel slowed down, in a gloomy mood, a permanent chilliness sets in, with the sensation of always having frozen extremities, and a libido which drops very significantly. Basically, it is the impression of living in slow motion and idling, which shows that the thyroid is undoubtedly lazy. On the scale, this often translates into a weight gain, but this remains modest It is more a case of water infiltration: visible swelling, particularly around the eyelids and the contours of the face upon waking.
Second, more surprising but very revealing sign of slowing down: the voice may change, becoming slower, deeper and hoarser, as if speaking required additional effort. “Poor functioning of the vocal cords is linked to infiltration and swelling, as can be seen on the face and eyelids.“, the endocrinologist tells us.
Since the thyroid also regulates our metabolism and the beauty of our appendages (hair, nails, facial hair), the third major alarm signal is changes to the hair. “A woman who has hair that no longer holds together, that she can no longer comb, could be a sign. Women realize it, they know their hair.” underlines the endocrinologist.
If you check these boxes, a simple rest will not be enough to solve the problem. It is essential to consult your doctor to carry out a blood test (in particular a TSH measurement). Good news: once hypothyroidism is diagnosed and compensated by appropriate treatment, the metabolism restarts and everything returns to normal. Dr. Nys also recommends, during perimenopause, to check the proper functioning of the adrenal glands, which often work in concert with the thyroid and can accentuate this general weakness.
