This One Small Organ Affects Everything

"when something goes wrong with your thyroid, it makes it everybody's problem" Yeah, had a French teacher back in school. Just really not very nice. At some point she got thyroid surgery. When she came back she was basically a different person.

I saw the thumbnail and let out an anguished scream-- I've had thyroid cancer twice and know it all too well 😂 it really messes EVERYTHING up when your thyroid isn't working right!! edit: thank you for all the well wishes, y'all are too sweet! 🥺💖💖💖 and to make the bigots in the comments mad, I'm afab but not a woman, hope that doesn't make your brain melt too badly. 😂😂

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis person here. The goiter and inability to swallow water easily were the clues. Blood work? Perfect. If my doctor only looked at blood work, I'd have been even more screwed. Thankfully, ultrasound was ordered and they found my body eating my thyroid. Don't know what triggered it, but it helped explain my insane joint pain and exhaustion from exercising (that's always fun trying to tell your loved ones and therapist that, no, exercise makes me feel even crappier - not that getting fatter makes me feel less crappy)...weeeeeeeee

Mixed Thyroid Disorder here, Graves and Hashimotos simultaneously. Just finding a good, available endocrinologist is the greatest challenge.

Hashimoto's here. I fought doctor after doctor for 15 years and could not get a single one of them to test my iodine levels! I kept telling them I suspected iodine deficiency and they insisted that was a third world country issue and it doesn't happen here in 'Merca!!! Finally got a doctor to test my iodine.... I was deficient!!!!! Even this video is insisting that it doesn't happen here in America cuz apparently American soil was blessed by baby Jesus and we're just too good for that.... 😡 AMERICAN DOCTORS NEED TO START TESTING OUR IODINE LEVELS!!!!

Yes, very low thyroid, very high thyroid are easily diagnosed via the standard thyroid tests. HOWEVER, there is a high T4 and a low T3 (and probably other things) that give you subclinical hypothyroidism. When you talk to your GP they will dismiss it as, "All your tests are within range." Despite feeling sluggish, amotivated, can't lose weight, etc. It is crazy making.

I had malignant thyroid cancer when I was in my 20s and was forced to get it entirely removed and I can confirm, it made everything in my body go absolutely bonkers…. I also remember that one time when a stupid, well known “doctor” on tv gave the suggestion for people to take thyroid meds for weight lost… and I went on a RANT… ugh…

I am a thyroid cancer survivor. Get your thyroid checked annually and pay attention to the shape of your neck.

My partner found out he has Graves disease in May when he ended up in the ER with his heart in AFib. That tiny little organ does not mess around.

I had 2 cats who developed hyperthyroidism in old age, which is relatively common. One died because we didn't figure it out in time, the other had radiation treatment and lived 4 more years.

I have hyperthyroidism and it affects so many minor aspects of my life. However, there is one especially serious side effect that was not mentioned in this video which is hypokalemia, or low potassium level. This can cause muscle cramps, increase heart rate, and in serious cases, total leg paralysis. My doctor also mentioned that this disease is more prevalent in female patients so it might manifest differently in males.

If you suspect you have a thyroid problem make sure your Dr tests T4, T3 and TSH. Often Dr's only test T3 and 4 and you can still have a problem if your 3 and 4 levels are normal. Mine went undetected for decades until I got TSH levels checked.

For me it took many years to find out about my Thyroid Disorder, 5-8 years or so. I was lucky to meet an doctor who sat me down for a real talk, instead or ordering the usual vitamin check blood work. My hunger went down, my joints doesn't hurt, my depression went down. My life changed!

Took 10 years, me switching doctors and then lying to my new doctor to get the proper blood tests and finally a referral to an endocrinologist who said my "thyroid is trash and it probably started 10 years ago." I had every single symptom including no periods. I was told over and over it was my weight. I said i only eat 1500 calories already they said exercise more i literally couldn't. I couldn't breath thanks to iron deficiency and pernicious anemia and everything hurt all the time. Doctor's act like this disease is no big deal they don't care.

Crying BC I've been trying to stabilize after graves diagnosis 6.5yrs ago and have been out of work because it fails anytime I try. So many people just go "I dont know what that does" when I say I have thyroid hormone instability. Too much hormone, even a tiny bit, is poison to me and gives me very severe muscle pain and weakness. And that's just one aspect of this. Thank you. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

I had thyroid cancer 7 years ago, had a complete thyroidectomy, at the time I knew nothing about my thyroid, the cancer is rare and even rarer in my case being male. It was very scary at first but I was assured it was super treatable. Hopefully anyone reading this with thyroid issues is taking care of themselves ❤

This episode couldn't have been more relatable and informative, greatly answering all the small questions i had in my head about this matter; my mom had this genetic problem with her Thyroid leading the doctors to have to remove it all together, and since then she has been experiencing most of these problems mentioned all too accurately prescribed, weight and hair lose, inability to eat properly, anxiety etc.. worst part is she's trying her best to hide it all while struggling with all the house shores.. it really breaks my heart all these years having to cope with this 💔 I don't wish this upon anybody.

Let me tell you Hyperthyroidism is not fun at all. I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease when I was 16, I would constantly be in agonizing hunger, and eat nearly anything I could get my hands on, and still lose weight. It got so bad that my family had to hide food from me just so I didn't eat it all. Luckily after treatment for about 2 years it went into remission, and has been till now, 33.

My family has a history of low & high thyroid. My mom had Graves disease (treated with radioactive iodine), and I have low thyroid myself. Getting diagnosed for low thyroid involved blood testing, getting an initial perscription for synthetic thyroid hormone, then blood testing & adjusting medication dosage every few weeks until the doctor is happy with where the thyroid levels are at.

Would be great if SciShow devoted an episode to C-PTSD (Complex PTSD, AKA childhood trauma) and how it affects physical and mental health because this issue affects many, many people.