Some people over age 60 have few, if any, symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), while others experience the same symptoms younger people do. Still others have hypothyroidism symptoms that are not typical at all, making the diagnosis even more difficult. Any of the following signs and symptoms can indicate hypothyroidism in an older person. Unexplained high cholesterol. High cholesterol is sometimes the only evidence of an underactive thyroid in an older p