The test she ordered was for my thyroid — and it came back showing an underactive thyroid, a condition doctors call hypothyroidism. It turned out my thyroid gland had slowed down, and a sluggish thyroid lowers the body’s whole ‘thermostat.’ That was why I felt cold all the time, why I was tired and foggy, why my skin was dry and my hair was thinning. All those little complaints I’d blamed on separate parts of aging were really one thing, and it’s remarkably common after sixty-five — especially in women.
My doctor explained that persistently cold hands and feet in older adults can point to a handful of checkable things, not just ‘bad circulation.’ An underactive thyroid is one of the most common. Anemia — low iron or low red blood cells — is another, and it shows up on a simple blood count. Sometimes it’s a circulation issue after all, or a nerve issue like neuropathy that can come with diabetes. Her whole point was that it’s worth asking rather than assuming, because most of these are found with basic, inexpensive tests.
In my case, the fix was a small daily thyroid pill. Within a few weeks I could feel the difference — my hands warmed up, the fog lifted, and I had energy I hadn’t felt in two years. I actually cried a little the first morning I woke up and my feet weren’t cold. To think I’d nearly never mentioned it because I was sure it was ‘just my age.’
I’m not a doctor, and cold hands don’t always mean something serious — plenty of people simply run cold. But if you’re past sixty-five and you’re ALWAYS cold, especially with tiredness, dry skin, or thinning hair, please don’t just wrap up in another blanket and accept it. Ask your doctor for a simple thyroid and blood check. It’s an easy conversation, and it changed everything for me.
Did any of this sound familiar to you? Tell me in the comments — I’d love to know if you’ve felt the same way. And please share this with a friend or loved one over sixty-five who is always cold. It might be the little nudge that gets them one simple test — the way my daughter’s nudge did for me. 💛
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