Q. I have just begun treatment for hypothyroidism and for the first time in over 20 years I feel like I’m emerging from a fog. I was diagnosed with depression and attention deficit disorder for years. My mental clarity and concentration were terrible.
Since starting on Synthroid, I feel like a new person. My question is about my daughter. She is 17 and has some of the same symptoms. Is she too young to have her thyroid tested? I would hate for her to go through life feeling like I did.
A. Thyroid problems can run in families, so it makes sense to have her thyroid function checked. Depression has many causes and is not always recognized as a symptom of insufficient thyroid hormone.
Lack of concentration and even clumsiness can be symptoms of thyroid disorder, along with more classic symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, hair loss, weight gain and cold intolerance.
We are sending you our Guide to Thyroid Hormones, which describes symptoms of thyroid imbalance and treatment options as well as how to interpret lab results.
