It's a very common problem. Females carry an increased risk of thyroid problems, say about 10 fold higher than the males. The gender difference is because of the autoimmune nature of many thyroid disorders and also there is an interplay between thyroid hormones and the hormones that change during the menstrual cycles.
The thyroid hormones control metabolism, growth, and many other bodily functions. The thyroid gland, anterior pituitary gland, and hypothalamus comprise a self-regulatory circuit. The main hormones produced by the thyroid gland are thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary gland, and T4 work in synchronous harmony to maintain proper feedback mechanisms and homeostasis. Hypothyroidism, caused by an underactive thyroid gland, typically manifests as bradycardia, cold intolerance, constipation, fatigue, and weight gain.
Also lower Iodine intake can contribute and result in lower hormone synthesis thus leading to hypothyroidism and several other manifestations.
If you are worried don't keep on asking who else has this problem, which obviously is not the solution, but seek professional medical advice, do the tests to confirm hypothyroidism and take the drugs to manage it, sometimes over long term.
