The disease du moment.

Hypothyroidism

What it is:

A condition in which the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone regulates the way body uses energy. A lack of thyroid hormone affects many body systems. The body's normal rate of functioning slows, causing mental and physical sluggishness. The symptoms may vary from mild to severe, with the most severe form called myxedema, which is a medical emergency.

Symptoms:

Coarse and thinning hair

Dry skin

Slow body movements

Inability to tolerate cold temperatures

Feeling tired, sluggish, or weak

Memory problems, depression, or difficulty concentrating

Thin, brittle nails

Constipation

Hoarseness

Abnormal menstrual periods

Thinning eyebrows

Decreased taste and smell

For the record, I believe I have the majority of the above symptoms. Definitely the one where I am intolerant to cold weather. And the memory problems. Although the latter could be alcohol-induced. Anyway, moving on.

What causes hypothyroidism?

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a disease of the thyroid gland where the body's immune system attacks the gland. It develops when the body's immune system makes antibodies that attack and eventually destroy the thyroid gland. This results in a gradual loss of thyroid tissue and thyroid gland function. Hashimoto's thyroiditis occurs most often in women and older adults. The disease does not cause any pain and often goes unnoticed for years.

Less common causes include: viral and bacterial infections of the thyroid, disorders of the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus, abnormal iodine in the diet and some medications. Rarer is it a congential condition.

Prevention:

There is no prevention for hypothyroidism. But you can watch for signs of the disease.

I was looking over my medical records (yes, I'm a dork and keep a copy of everything for myself), and apparently my thyroid levels were tested 3 years ago, and hover on the lower end of the spectrum. I bet by now, they've plummeted even further. By the way, additional laboratory abnormalities include increased cholesterol (check - although that could be because of faulty genes inherited from my parents) and anemia (which I had once when I tried to donate blood).

Now, off to the doctor's so she can confirm my fears. Or tell me that I'm a horrible hypochondriac. But I bet you it's the former.

(All information taken from WebMD and Yahoo! Health.)