What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

Average rating:

Being restless, nervous, emotional, irritable, sleeping poorly, and 'always on the go'.
Tremor of the hands.
Losing weight despite an increased appetite.
Palpitations.
Sweating and a dislike of heat.
Diarrhoea or needing to go to the toilet to pass stools (faeces) more often than normal.
Shortness of breath.
Skin problems such as hair thinning and itch.
Menstrual changes - often the periods become very light or infrequent.
Increased thirst.
Tiredness and muscle weakness may be a feature.
A swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck (goitre) may occur.
Eye problems (if you have Graves' disease. See below.)

Most people with hyperthyroidism do not have all the symptoms, but a combination of two or more is common. Symptoms usually develop slowly over several weeks. All the symptoms can be caused by other problems, and so the diagnosis may not be obvious at first. Symptoms may be mild to start with, but become worse as the level of thyroxine in the blood gradually rises.

Possible complications If you have untreated hyperthyroidism

You have an increased risk of developing heart problems such as atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm), cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart), angina, and heart failure.
If you are pregnant, you have an increased risk of developing some pregnancy complications. For example: miscarriage, eclampsia, premature labour, low birth weight, stillbirth, and possibly congenital abnormality.
You have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.

With treatment, the outlook is good. Most of the symptoms and risks of complications go with successful treatment.