http://www.endocrineweb.

com/conditions/hyperthyroidism/hyperthyroidismsymptoms
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperthyroidism/DS00344/DSECTION=symptoms
Here's what you may experience with hyperthyroidism:

Appetite change (decrease or increase)

Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)

Fatigue

Frequent bowel movementperhaps diarrhea

Heart palpitations

Heat intolerance

Increased sweating

Irritability

Light menstrual periodsperhaps even missed periods

Mental disturbances

Muscle weakness

Nervousness

Problems with fertility

Shortness of breath

Sudden paralysis

Tremor/shakiness

Vision changes

Weight loss-but perhaps weight gain

Dizziness

Thinning of hair

Itching and hives

Possible increase in blood sugar

Hyperthyroidism can mimic other health problems, which may make it difficult for your
doctor to diagnose. It can also cause a wide variety of signs and symptoms, including:

Sudden weight loss, even when your appetite and diet remain normal or even

increase
Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) commonly more than 100 beats a minute

irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or pounding of your heart (palpitations)

Increased appetite

Nervousness, anxiety and irritability

Tremor usually a fine trembling in your hands and fingers

Sweating

Changes in menstrual patterns

Increased sensitivity to heat

Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements

An enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which may appear as a swelling at the base of
your neck

Fatigue, muscle weakness

Difficulty sleeping
Older adults are more likely to have either no signs or symptoms or subtle ones, such as
an increased heart rate, heat intolerance and a tendency to become tired during
ordinary activities. Medications called beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood
pressure and other conditions, can mask many of the signs of hyperthyroidism.
itially, many patients do not experience any symptoms and therefore do not get diagnosed with
hyperthyroidism until it is more advanced. In older people, some or all of the typical symptoms of
hyperthyroidism may be absent, and the patient may just lose weight or become depressed.
Typical symptoms of the condition include:

Nervousness and irritability

Increased resting heart rate, which causes heart palpitations

Heat intolerance and increased sweating

Tremors

Weight loss with increase in appetite

Frequent bowel movements

Thyroid enlargement causing a lump in the neck

Pretibial myxdemia, which causes a thick redness on the front of legs and typically
occurs with Graves' disease

Thin, delicate skin and irregular fingernail and hair growth

Menstrual disturbance, such as decreased flow

Mental disturbances

Sleep disturbances, including insomnia

Changes in vision, eye irritation or exophthalmos, which is a protrusion of the eyes that
typically occurs with Graves' disease

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.

Last updated January 12, 2011