How do I know if I have myxedema?

Symptoms of myxedema include thickening of the skin and other symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, including fatigue, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and brittle hair, among others. Skin thickening or swelling associated with myxedema is often described as nonpitting edema.

Can you have myxedema and not know it?

Myxedema is a result of undiagnosed or untreated severe hypothyroidism. It can also develop when someone stops taking their thyroid medication. It’s more common in the elderly and women. Deposits of chains of sugar molecules in the skin cause the skin condition myxedema.

How do you feel when you have thyroiditis?

There are different types of thyroiditis, but they all cause inflammation and swelling of your thyroid. They can make it produce too many or not enough hormones. Too many can make you feel jittery and possibly make your heart race. Too few and you may feel tired and depressed.

What are the characteristics of myxedema?

It is often possible to diagnose myxedema on clinical grounds alone. Characteristic symptoms are weakness, cold intolerance, mental and physical slowness, dry skin, typical facies, and hoarse voice.

How do I get rid of myxedema?

Treatment involves administering thyroid hormone replacement medication into a vein. Antibiotics, steroid treatment, and breathing support may be necessary also. A person may need breathing assistance, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) if carbon dioxide levels in the blood are very high.

How can I overcome myxedema?

What triggers thyroiditis?

Thyroiditis is caused by an attack on the thyroid, causing inflammation and damage to the thyroid cells. Antibodies that attack the thyroid cause most types of thyroiditis. As such, thyroiditis is often an autoimmune disease, like juvenile (type 1) diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

What is the life expectancy of someone with hypothyroidism?

Some studies link hypothyroidism to increased longevity This study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests that people with low thyroid function live up to 3.5 years longer overall.

Why does hypothyroidism cause puffy face?

The mucopolysaccharides act like a sponge absorbing fluid, pulling fluid in, pulling sodium in. This can cause the, what we call, non-pitting edema. We typically see this in hypothyroidism and definitely in the more severe cases of hypothyroidism; this accumulation of these mucopolysaccharides.