‘Invisible illness’ sweeping UK leaving people feeling cold all time

If you can’t lose weight and are constantly feeling cold, you may have an ‘invisible illness’ sweeping the Uk – but it can be reversed. The NHS says the symptoms of an underactive thyroid can be feeling cold, unable to lose weight, feeling tired and feeling depressed.

An NHS spokesperson said: “Symptoms of an underactive thyroid are often similar to those of other conditions, and they usually develop slowly, so you may not notice them for years. For example, if you are at an age where you may be expecting the menopause, you may think you have started the menopause rather than having an underactive thyroid.”

2.2 million people in the UK are believed to suffer from the condition. You should see a GP and ask to be tested for an underactive thyroid if you have symptoms including: tiredness, weight gain, despression, being sensitive to the cold, dry skin and hair and muscle aches.

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The only accurate way of finding out whether you have a thyroid problem is to have a thyroid function test, where a sample of blood is tested to measure your hormone levels. Later symptoms of an underactive thyroid include a low-pitched and hoarse voice, a puffy-looking face and thinned or partly missing eyebrows.

Other signs can be a slow heart rate, hearing loss and anaemia. Both men and women can have an underactive thyroid, although it’s more common in women. In the UK, it affects 15 in every 1,000 women and 1 in 1,000 men. Children can also develop an underactive thyroid.

Treatment for an underactive thyroid involves taking daily hormone replacement tablets, called levothyroxine, to raise your thyroxine levels. You’ll usually need treatment for the rest of your life. However, with proper treatment, you should be able to lead a normal, healthy life, the NHS says.