Thyroid

In 2007, television superstar and well-known philanthropist Oprah Winfrey publicly discussed issues with her thyroid disorder. She was quoted as saying she “blew out her thyroid” after her 21st season of taping the Oprah Winfrey Show and was puzzled for months about why she was so exhausted. During her October 16, 2007 show The Big Wake-Up Call for Women with Dr. Christiane Northrup Winfrey said, “At the end of May, I was so exhausted I couldn’t figure out what was going on in my life. I ended up going to Africa and spent a month with my beautiful daughters there, was still feeling really tired, really tired, going around from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong and finally figured out that I had literally sort of blew out my thyroid,” she said.

Winfrey went on further to say her thyroid issues were a serious health wake up call and that any woman over 35 should be aware of potential thyroid issues. Doctors would agree with Winfrey citing the statistic that nearly 25 of perimenopausal and menopausal women struggle with some type of thyroid issue that often goes undetected.

Winfrey explained her symptoms as feeling like going from one extreme to the other, restless one day and exhausted the next. In her October 2007 O Magazine column “What I Know for Sure” she wrote “My body was turning on me. First hyperthyroidism, which sped up my metabolism and left me unable to sleep for days. (Most people lose weight. I didn’t.) Then hypothyroidism, which slowed down my metabolism and made me want to sleep all the time. (Most people gain weight. I did! Twenty pounds!)”

These are common symptoms of thyroid disorders. The thyroid controls the metabolism, energy levels and your body’s digestion of food. When your thyroid is overactive, which is called hyperthyroidism, you have unexplained energy, an inability to sleep and irritability. This is caused by an overproduction of hormones in the thyroid, namely thyroxine and triiodothyronine which work in tandem to keep your thyroid functioning normally.

As Winfrey explained, she had trouble figuring out what was wrong with her health. Often, the symptoms of a thyroid disorder mirror other problems and can be associated with stress. However, if the symptoms fluctuate from one extreme to the other, like in Winfrey’s situation, or continue over time, it may be an indicator of a thyroid disorder.

A doctor can perform a blood test to determine if your thyroid levels are normal and subsequently prescribe a hormone therapy to reduce the overactive thyroid. The opposite issue can also occur where your thyroid is not producing enough of its hormones. This situation causes fatigue, exhaustion and weight gain in some people. The condition is called hypothyroidism. If diagnosed correctly, this condition can also be successfully treated with medication.

If undiagnosed and not treated, thyroid problems can exacerbate over time and led to more serious health issues. You should be mindful of any visible growths, called nodules, near the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small gland that lives in the base of your neck. Sometimes the nodules can be a sign of an enlarged thyroid that should be checked for cancerous growths. Women who don’t address possible thyroid disorders can risk infertility, heart problems and dietary issues like high cholesterol.

As Winfrey has stated, be in tune with what your body is telling you, and be sure to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. A healthy thyroid is a critical part of maintaining overall good health, especially in women.