Symptoms:
Symptoms of goiter are the same as those of an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). However, the bulging eyeballs seen in Graves disease do not occur.
Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Fatigue
- Frequent bowel movements
- Heat intolerance
- Increased appetite
- Increased sweating
- Irregular menstrual period (in women)
- Muscle cramps
- Nervousness
- Restlessness
- Weight loss
Complications:
Toxic nodular goiter possible complications are;
Heart complications:
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)
- Rapid heart rate
Other complications:
- Bone loss leading to osteoporosis
- Thyroid crisis or storm is an acute worsening of hyperthyroidism symptoms. It may occur with infection or stress. Thyroid crisis may cause:
- Abdominal pain
- Decreased mental alertness
- Fever
- People with this condition need to go to the hospital right away.
Complications of having a very large goiter may include difficulty breathing or swallowing. These complications are due to pressure on the airway passage (trachea) or esophagus, which lies behind the thyroid.
