College is hard enough on its own with the tests, not so easy professors, and the amount of work making you feel bogged down. But sometimes this feeling isn’t always caused from school, it can also be caused by a thyroid condition called Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). It is caused when your thyroid, a little butterfly shaped gland in your neck, isn’t producing enough hormones to maintain things such as heart rate, metabolism, and even your skin. A majority of the time, those affected by it first think that it is Mono, often because of the similar symptoms. Some of the symptoms to look for are:
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Fatigue (sometimes the most extreme symptom)
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Depression
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Intolerance to cold
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Unexplained weight gain
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Impaired memory
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Swelling or pain in the joints
These are usually the most common symptoms that people suffer from for long periods of time before being diagnosed, especially the fatigue. Going to your doctor and requesting a blood test that tests for decreased levels of TSH, often called T3 and T4 levels, is the best way to get a diagnoses if you are suffering from these symptoms. Hypothyroidism is treated with Synthroid (Levothyroxine), which is a replacement hormone for the one your body is not producing enough of.
Living with a thyroid issue in college can be challenging, especially with the fatigue, weight gain, and impaired memory. I was diagnosed my first semester of my freshman year and at first I thought I just wasn’t getting enough sleep and was just gaining the notorious “Freshman 15”, but as the semester progressed, multiple cups of coffee weren’t even touching the fatigue and I started having a really hard time concentrating in class. When I received my results of my blood test, they found that it wasn’t Mono, which I thought it was, but in fact Hypothyroidism and I heavily advised to be put on Synthroid that day because my T3 and T4 levels was dangerously low.
Some of the best ways I have found to combat the symptoms of Hypothyroidism while either living on campus or being in school in general are ensuring that you drink enough water and try to stay away from the junk food, especially if there is a lot of soy in it which can drastically effect your Synthroid absorption making you feel worse, making sure you’re getting some form of exercise to help with the weight gain, and sticking to a medication schedule. You also need to inform your physician if your symptoms seem to be getting worse or are stay the same even while on Synthroid. Usually they will refer you to an Endocrinologist who can adjust your Synthroid to match the T4 levels you should be at.
It is possible to have a normal life in college with this conditon, I would know first hand, just make sure you keep up healthy habits and pay attention to your body!
For more information on Hypothyrodism and Synthroid, click here.