Introduction
Symptoms and their severity depend on duration and extent of thyroid hormone excess, and the age of the patient. Individuals may experience:
- Nervousness and irritability
- Palpitations and tachycardia
- Heat intolerance or increased sweating
- Tremor
- Weight loss or gain
- Increase in appetite
- Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea
- Lower leg swelling
- Sudden paralysis
- Shortness of breath with exertion
- Decreased menstrual flow
- Impaired fertility
- Sleep disturbances (including insomnia)
- Changes in vision
- Photophobia, or light sensitivity
- Eye irritation with excess tears
- Diplopia, or double vision
- Exophthalmos, or forward protrusion of the eyeball
- Fatigue and muscle weakness
Thyroid enlargement
Pretibial myxedema (fluid buildup in the tissues about the shin bone; may be seen with Grave's disease)
Prognosis
Hyperthyroidism is typically treatable and rarely fatal. However, complications can arise with:
- Untreated hyperthyroidism
- Side effects from therapies, including radioactive iodine, surgery and thyroid hormone replacement therapies