Thyroid Disorders Delay Diagnosis for 20 Million Americans as Symptoms Mimic Aging
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 28
Thyroid Disorders Delay Diagnosis for 20 Million Americans as Symptoms Mimic Aging
4 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 28
20 million Americans have thyroid problems, and experts say fatigue, brain fog, weight gain and cold sensitivity are often mistaken for normal aging, perimenopause or depression, delaying diagnosis.
Hypothyroidism — commonly caused by Hashimoto’s disease — develops gradually and can look like age-related change because symptoms are persistent, diffuse and often overlap with menopause, stress or poor sleep.
Women face higher risk: thyroid dysfunction is five to eight times more common in women than men, 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid problem, and prevalence rises to as much as 25% in adults 65 and older.
A blood test can usually confirm thyroid dysfunction, and treatment is often straightforward; Cindy Vogel said levothyroxine relieved her symptoms after more than a year of dismissing them.
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