There are many different hypothyroidism symptoms. You may be experiencing only a few of them or possibly many.
Complete the quick self-assessment below by checking off all of the hypothyroidism symptoms you’ve noticed. Be sure to share this completed list with your doctor:
A TSH Blood Test Can Help
Hypothyroidism can be diagnosed with a TSH blood test. TSH stands for “Thyroid Stimulating Hormone” – a common hormone found in the blood. If you have high TSH levels, it is possible that you also have hypothyroidism.
Diagnosing hypothyroidism with a TSH blood test
If you’re experiencing hypothyroidism symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about getting a TSH blood test. If he or she agrees that hypothyroidism is a possibility, you will likely be referred to a laboratory where blood tests can be done.
What's the TSH hormone all about?
When you have hypothyroidism, your TSH levels are high because your thyroid gland isn’t producing enough of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. This results in your pituitary gland producing more TSH so that it can prompt your thyroid to work harder.
Following a TSH blood test, your doctor may also want to test your T4 hormone levels.
Another test, which looks at thyroid autoantibodies can also be of assistance in arriving at a diagnosis. Finally, if the shape of the thyroid gland appears abnormal to your doctor, he or she may perform a thyroid scan or ultrasound.