How to Check for a Low Thyroid

Active people can sometimes get overly tired, gain weight, or develop swellings on the throat. These are some symptoms of low thyroid function, but also of lots of other diseases. Whether to clear or confirm suspicions regarding low thyroid function, laboratory testing is the best, if not the only choice. Testing involves checking key thyroid hormone levels in the blood, specifically, T4, thyroxine, and TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone. Diagnosis and treatment for low thyroid function can then be made based on these lab results.

Things You'll Need

• Physician consultation
• Laboratory work

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Instructions

• 1

  See a medical doctor who is qualified to order and interpret thyroid laboratory tests. Your doctor will examine you for signs and symptoms of thyroid disease.

• 2

  Tell your doctor any information pertaining to your symptoms. Sometimes, what may seem irrelevant to you, may be significant to your doctor. Tell him why you think you may have low thyroid function. Be an active participant in helping to solve your problem.

• 3

  Take any tests that can help with your diagnosis. If your doctor suspects that your symptoms warrant further investigation, laboratory testing may be ordered. This may involve blood draws to check T4 thyroid hormone levels and TSH levels. These tests can determine if you have low thyroid function called hypothyroidism. Lab results may indicate that medication is required or that further testing is needed.

• 4

  Take medication that is prescribed for you. Hypothyroidism is a treatable condition and requires lifelong commitment to a treatment plan.

• 5

  Go to follow-up appointments with your doctor. Lab tests are needed periodically to determine your thyroid function and to monitor your response to hormone replacement therapy.