“There's a presumption of a lupus flare, or potentially a reaction to a lupus drug, when it actually may be another issue.” Hypothyroidism in lupus can cause increased fatigue, cold intolerance, brain fog, dry skin, and weight gain.
Half of people with lupus also have kidney problems, called lupus nephritis. Symptoms include weight gain, swollen ankles, high blood pressure, and decreased kidney function.
Thyroid problems are common in people with lupus. According to statistics from the Johns Hopkins Lupus Center, about 6 percent of people with lupus have underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, and 2 percent have overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid disease has been associated with the presence of SLE in numerous studies 1, 2, 3. Symptoms of thyroid disease and lupus can be confused given that they both have nonspecific features, including fatigue, weight change, dry hair, and skin manifestations.
When your immune system messes with your thyroid, it can cause unexplained weight changes. Your thyroid helps control your metabolism, so if it's underactive (hypothyroidism), everything slows down. That's why common symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, constipation, hair loss, and depression.
This may be due to menstruation, heart or kidney failure, preeclampsia, or medicines you take. A rapid weight gain may be a sign of dangerous fluid retention. If you quit smoking, you might gain weight. Most people who quit smoking gain 4 to 10 pounds (2 to 4.5 kilograms) in the first 6 months after quitting.
Hashimoto's disease is associated with an underactive thyroid, which slows down metabolism, leading to weight gain. Losing weight with Hashimoto's disease can be hard work.
Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck just below the Adam's apple. The thyroid produces hormones that help regulate many functions in the body.
Lupus is a long-term autoimmune condition that leads to inflammation of various organs in the body. It may also affect the thyroid, leading to hyperthyroidism. A person can have lupus and hyperthyroidism at the same time.
Lupus and Thyroid Disease
Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain, fatigue, depression, moodiness, and dry hair and skin. Hyperthyroidism can cause weight loss, heart palpitations, tremors, heat intolerance, and may lead to osteoporosis.
It can affect your joints, tendons, kidneys, and skin. It can affect blood vessels. And it can affect organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain. It can cause rashes, fatigue, pain, and fever.
Flares happen because there's additional stress on your body, which taxes an immune system that already acts unnaturally hyper vigilant, sending it into a tailspin. “When flares happen, there is a greater antibody response going on at that time, which leads to more destruction of the thyroid gland,” says Dr.
A Hashimoto's flare-up is a period of worsening and intense symptoms due to an added stressor on your immune system. Because these flare-ups can be different in different people, they can present themselves as numerous symptoms with moderate intensity, or fewer symptoms with high intensity.
Inflammation from lupus can also cause fluid to accumulate in the abdominal cavity. This condition, known as ascites, can cause severe abdominal pain, tenderness of the belly, nausea, vomiting, fever, and the lack of bowel movements.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects women, especially women of color. In addition to lupus symptoms, many also struggle with their weight. Obesity is more common in people with lupus than the general population.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is caused by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland, which damages it and makes it swell. As the thyroid is destroyed over time, it's unable to produce enough thyroid hormone.
Abnormally high levels of nitric oxide in those with lupus, or other autoimmune conditions, can make the skin's blood vessels dilate, bringing more body heat to the surface – causing warmth, skin reddening and sweat.
The most common response given is that people feel fatigue as a heaviness. It feels like there is a weight constantly pushing down on part of them or on their entire body. With that degree of heaviness, it is much harder to find the energy to move and get things done.
The most common forms of autoimmune thyroid disorders are chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, or Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which presents with symptoms of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and Graves' disease, which presents with symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
The lowdown
Both lupus and Hashimoto's disease are immune system disorders, and people with lupus commonly have thyroid issues. Hashimoto's disease directly affects your thyroid gland, resulting in hypothyroidism, while lupus impacts multiple organ systems in your body.
The most obvious symptom of subacute thyroiditis is pain in the neck caused by a swollen and inflamed thyroid gland. Sometimes, the pain can spread (radiate) to the jaw or ears. The thyroid gland may be painful and swollen for weeks or, in rare cases, months.
Weight gain may signal low levels of thyroid hormones, a condition called hypothyroidism. In contrast, if the thyroid produces more hormones than the body needs, you may lose weight unexpectedly. This is known as hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is far more common.
This condition is called hypothyroidism. That means your body won't burn calories as quickly as it should. Slowly, over time, your underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain — anywhere from 10 to 30 pounds or more.
Most of the extra weight gained in hypothyroid individuals is due to excess accumulation of salt and water. Massive weight gain is rarely associated with hypothyroidism. In general, 5-10 pounds of body weight may be attributable to the thyroid, depending on the severity of the hypothyroidism.