Always feeling cold

This has been going on for about a year now. I’m constantly freezing (except during those intense summer heatwaves); my hands and feet are just ice cold all the time... 😢

I've noticed that during physical exams, everyone else seems to be running hot. Their bodies get so warm—I actually accidentally brushed against a girl recently and her arms were burning up, while mine felt like blocks of ice. I find it incredibly hard to warm up; the only time I feel even slightly comfortable is when I'm practically pressed up against a radiator or a heater. What could be causing this? Is it possible I'm anemic? Could my diet be playing a role here? 😢
I read somewhere that anemia can be linked to heavy periods. To be honest, my cycles are extremely heavy, last a really long time, and are incredibly painful. I'm at a loss for what to do. My dad keeps telling me I need to go see a doctor and get some blood work done at a lab. 🤷

..In any case, I’d say you should probably go get a full blood panel done 😉 ,it really can't hurt to know
..I mean, I’m actually dealing with all the exact same symptoms you are—always feeling cold, my periods have been longer and more painful than usual, and I just look pale, almost like I'm anemic... everyone kept insisting that I was low on iron
...but when I finally got my blood work back, it turns out I actually have too much iron, like, a significant surplus. I'm honestly not sure if there's a direct link to why I'm always freezing, but at least now I know something is definitely up with my system... lately, I've started taking Ginkgo on my doctor's advice to see if it might help improve my circulation a bit 😁

...we'll just have to wait and see if the Ginkgo actually ends up doing anything for me 😁

Anonymous said:This has been going on for about a year now. I am constantly freezing—unless there’s a massive heatwave in the middle of summer—my feet are ice cold, my hands too... 😢

I noticed during physicals that everyone else seems so warm; their bodies just generate heat naturally. I accidentally brushed against one girl the other day and her hands were burning hot, while mine felt like blocks of ice. It is incredibly difficult for me to get my body temperature up; the only time I feel even remotely comfortable is when I’m practically pressed up against a radiator or a furnace. What could this be? Is it possible I’m anemic? Could my diet be playing a role here? 😢
I read somewhere that anemia can be linked to heavy periods. To be honest, mine are extremely heavy, last for ages, and are incredibly painful. I’m at a loss for what to do. My dad keeps telling me I need to go see a doctor and get some blood work done at a lab. 🤷

It wouldn't hurt to have them check your thyroid function as well—specifically those T3, T4, and TSH hormone levels. Most likely, you're looking at a metabolic issue.

Nancy Hayes97 said:..either way, you should definitely go get some blood work done😉 ,it won't hurt to know
..I’m dealing with all the exact same symptoms you are—always feeling freezing, heavy and painful periods, and looking super pale (like I'm anemic)... everyone assumed I just needed more iron
...but my blood tests actually showed I have too much iron, like, a lot of extra iron. I'm not sure if that's why I'm always cold, but at least I finally figured out something is actually going on with me..., and lately, I started taking Ginkgo (my doctor suggested it) to help get my circulation moving a bit better😁

...we'll see if the Ginkgo actually ends up helping😁

I'm honestly not sure, but I'm definitely heading in for a checkup this week to find out. 🙂

fadedmarlin402 said:It wouldn't be a bad idea to have them check your thyroid function too, specifically those T3, T4, and TSH hormones. It sounds like it could most likely be a metabolic issue.

I've been struggling with iron deficiency since I was a little kid, maybe around five years old. I used to be incredibly thin because I had zero appetite and was losing iron constantly. They started putting me on supplements (pills or syrups or whatever 🤷) to fix the deficiency, and once those kicked in, my appetite shot up. Ever since then, I've been fighting with my weight🙄. Right now, I've got a few extra pounds on me, but I'm still not happy with how I look. On top of that, I am perpetually cold. 😢
I just have no clue what's wrong with me. 😕

Circulation issues, definitely worth getting the thyroid checked!

I will, thanks everyone. 😉

I've got my checkup and lab work scheduled for this week, so I'll finally get some answers about what's going on with me.

Poor circulation, sluggish energy levels, thyroid issues... if your thyroid tests are coming back clear, then you really need to consider picking up a sport. If you want to maintain high energy levels, your body demands consistent, proper physical engagement and movement throughout the day.

Anonymous said:I’ve been dealing with iron deficiencies since I was about five years old. Back then, I was incredibly thin, had zero appetite, and just couldn't keep my iron levels up. They started putting me on supplements—pills or syrups or whatever 🤷 they used back then—to boost my iron, and ever since, my appetite has skyrocketed. Since that shift, managing my weight has been a constant struggle 🙄; even though I've lost some of the extra weight, I still don't feel good about my body. On top of all that, I am perpetually freezing. 😢
I honestly have no idea what's going on with me. 😕

The whole issue with feeling cold and struggling with weight gain usually points toward hypothyroidism, so you really need to get your thyroid checked out like others have suggested. And don't just settle for the standard T3, T4, and TSH tests; it would be much smarter to ask for antibody testing as well. Those antibodies provide a far more precise picture of what's actually happening with your thyroid, whereas the basic panel often misses the finer details.
That’s exactly how my doctors handled it, using those antibody levels to finally pin down a diagnosis.

It is exactly the same situation for me... just constant cold, constant grayness, and I am honestly getting so tired of it. Nobody really believed me at first, but my feet were like ice blocks—I was absolutely freezing... I finally went in to get my thyroid checked and, sure enough, there it is—high antibody counts. The thing is, even though I’ve finally pinpointed the cause, I haven't started any medication yet, so I'm still shivering... but at least now I know why 🤣

swiftbison25 said:I'm going through the exact same thing... I'm constantly freezing and honestly, I'm just over it. Nobody believed me at first, but my feet were like blocks of ice and I was shivering all the time. So, I finally went to get my thyroid checked, and there it is—high antibody levels. The thing is, even though I've figured out what's causing it, I haven't started any medication yet. I'm still freezing, but at least now I actually know why. 🤣

You are an absolute legend. 🙏 😬
All that talk about thyroid issues has me a little spooked, though. 😢

swiftbison25 said:It’s the exact same thing for me... just constant coldness and boredom. No one believed me, my feet were freezing, I was shivering constantly... then I finally went to get my thyroid checked and there it was—high antibody counts. Now I know what's causing it, but even though I'm not taking any medication, I'm still freezing. At least now I have an answer.🤣

So you aren't taking anything? That doesn't seem particularly wise. ☕

Nancy Grant77 said:It could be poor circulation, low energy flow, or even thyroid issues... if your thyroid tests come back clean, you might want to consider getting more active through sports. If you want to keep your energy levels up, your body needs consistent, proper movement and enough physical engagement throughout the day.

But I actually stay active! I play recreational handball and volleyball, and I go out for runs every now and then. 🤷

Honestly, if you’re looking at it from a certain perspective, hypothyroidism—you know, when your thyroid just decides to take a permanent nap—might actually be one of the most manageable chronic conditions out there. 🙂
I mean, I deal with it myself, and I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I was once I finally pinpointed the actual cause behind everything I was going through. Most of my struggles were mental or emotional, and I want to be very clear about that—I am NOT losing my mind 🙂—but it turns out it was all physiological. It's relatively straightforward to manage, too; you just take a hormone replacement pill, which, granted, is something you'll have to do for the rest of your life, but if you get the dosage right, there aren't really any side effects. In fact, it honestly feels like your spirit and your body finally catch up with each other again 🙂
. I suppose I don't quite grasp why anyone would be hesitant to take medication if they're facing a chronic illness, really :/ If you leave hypothyroidism untreated, it can potentially shave about ten years off your life expectancy because it essentially drags your entire metabolism and whole system down to a crawl. It isn't some terrifying, catastrophic disease, especially if it's subclinical and doesn't show many symptoms, but that definitely shouldn't be an excuse to be irresponsible about your health!

Nancy Grant77 said:You aren't taking anything at all... honestly, that might not be the smartest move. ☕

Look, I have no intention of forcing my doctors to just pump me full of pills... things aren't quite that dire yet. I'll start the medication later on, especially since I'm hoping to get pregnant down the road. For the time being, they've just advised me to keep an eye on 🙄

I find myself in a situation quite similar to swiftbison25's, which is why I understood the point immediately. It isn't that she's refusing to take medication, but rather that nothing has actually been prescribed to her yet. I have been monitoring my own health for several years now since being diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid condition, though my hormone levels almost always fall within the "normal range." Because of that, I find myself hoping that during the next checkup, they won't be just "within the normal range" anymore. My reasoning is simple: I deal with a whole host of issues that are most likely the result of my thyroid not functioning optimally, such as fluid retention, constant fatigue, a lack of motivation, bouts of depression, occasional tremors, heart palpitations, and trouble focusing...
Adobe, besides making sure you get thorough testing done regarding your thyroid and iron levels, you might definitely want to look into some supplements to help boost your circulation. There are plenty of herbal options out there—and honestly, a glass of red wine wouldn't hurt either—that can provide some support regardless of what the underlying cause might be! Please do let us know how your test results turn out!

swiftbison25 said:I have no intention of forcing doctors to pump me full of pills... things aren't that dire yet. I'll start them later, especially if I'm planning on getting pregnant. For now, they just told me to monitor my 🙄
.

You won't be overdoing it on medication; it's simply hormone therapy.🙄
Once you actually start planning for a pregnancy, that's when you should consider starting the treatment—definitely at least six months in advance.

Well, I suppose that's true, but they haven't actually prescribed any medication for me just yet... It isn't as if I'm being stubborn or refusing to take them if they do 🙄

swiftbison25 said:I’m certainly not going to pressure my doctors into medicating me with pills... things aren't quite that dire yet, and I'd rather hold off, especially since I'm thinking about getting pregnant down the road. For now, they just told me to keep an eye on 🙄

I really hope you've done your homework on hypothyroidism.
To be honest, when I was first diagnosed with hypo, I hadn't managed to do much research before my appointment, so I walked into that exam room completely uninformed. To make matters worse, the doctor didn't volunteer any information about the condition itself 😳(
When we finally got to the topic of treatment, she asked if I wanted to start hormone therapy, which honestly sent me into a rage. I didn't show up to a medical clinic to play a guessing game with a friend over coffee; I expect a physician to actually provide some expert insight regarding my diagnosis and what kind of regimen I should follow. So, I told her, "You tell me—do I need them or not?" A medical intern who happened to be in the room chimed in, suggesting we wait a few months to see how my hormone levels fluctuated, noting that values can vary significantly in younger patients. It sounded like a reasonable, measured approach, so I agreed, and the doctor went along with his suggestion.
It wasn't until later, once I had spent enough time scouring the internet, that I realized all those symptoms making my life a living hell—the ones that were systematically stripping away my quality of life—were being driven by my thyroid. When you're living through it, you don't realize all those disparate struggles fall under one umbrella; you just think you're suffering. Once I connected the dots, I got even more frustrated because I realized there was no way around it: I had to take the medication, because my thyroid was essentially destroying itself and taking me down with it. I brought this up at the next check-up, and then that very same doctor—who had been so quick to offer the pills initially—suddenly claimed they weren't particularly fond of prescribing hormone therapy. I mean, seriously, WTF!?
She eventually conceded that if I insisted, we could try it and see if I felt better subjectively. Of course I felt better! But then, just a month later, she decided to cut my dosage in half, leaving me feeling absolutely miserable until my next appointment. At that point, I lost all faith in her and switched to another doctor in the same practice, who immediately tripled my dose because my labs showed I needed it. I've been on this adjusted dose for a while now, and the difference is night and day.

Ultimately, hypothyroidism has to be treated, and attempting pregnancy without therapy would be pure madness given the risk of cretinism in the child. In fact, during pregnancy, you usually need even higher doses, so constant adjustments are part of the process.

My hormone levels are actually looking fine for now, though my antibody counts are elevated. According to my latest lab results, I’m eventually headed toward hypothyroidism, so for the time being, it's just a matter of regular monitoring... My mother had her thyroid removed, so I know this runs in the family. Until things progress further, I'll just be keeping a close eye on everything with my doctor.

swiftbison25 said:My hormone levels are fine for now, but my antibodies are elevated, and the lab results suggest I’ll eventually slide into hypothyroidism—for the time being, it’s just monitoring. My mother had her thyroid removed, so I know this runs in the family, but until things actually shift, I’m just keeping a close eye on it.

That sounds like a solid plan. 🙂
So you aren't dealing with any actual symptoms of hypothyroidism yet?

For me, it was that mental fog—that feeling of losing my edge—that really started to get to me before I began medication.😱