Position Statement on Fibromyalgia/CFS/ME

Thyroid UK focuses on working to support people with thyroid conditions and related disorders.

Hypothyroidism can cause many physical, mental and emotionally related symptoms and can take a long time to be diagnosed because of a potentially complex array of symptoms.  Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are similar to or the same as symptoms of other conditions such as fibromyalgia, vitamin B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, ferritin deficiency and Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Mentioned above are some conditions that may be seen, in some circles, as controversial: fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.  Thyroid UK would like to state that whilst these particular problems can present as part of undiagnosed hypothyroidism, Thyroid UK does not subscribe to the opinion that everyone with these conditions has undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

Thyroid UK encourages people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS to ensure that their clinician looks closely at vitamin and mineral deficiencies as well as thyroid hormone deficiency and dysfunction and adrenal dysfunction.

Date created: 01.08.19 (V1.0)
Review date: 01.08.21