Check your thyroid treatment
If you have an underactive thyroid, you need to check at least once a year that you're getting the right treatment and taking the right medicine.
How it works
- Answer a few questions online - it should take about 5 minutes, and your answers are private.
- Your GP or nurse will take a look.
- We'll be back in touch with next steps.
Next steps include things like:
- carrying on with your treatment as it is now
- having an appointment, if needed
What an underactive thyroid is
An underactive thyroid gland is where your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. This is called 'hypothyroidism'.
There's no way of preventing an underactive thyroid, but it can be treated.
Symptoms
Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include:
- tiredness
- weight gain
- depression
- being sensitive to the cold
- dry skin and hair
- muscle aches
These symptoms often feel like other conditions, and they usually develop slowly. This means you may not notice them for years.
Read more about symptoms of an underactive thyroid.
Find out if you need treatment
Book an appointment and ask for a blood test.
Read more about testing for an underactive thyroid on NHS.UK.
What treatment involves
You can treat an underactive thyroid by taking tablets to replace the hormones your thyroid is not making.
What causes an underactive thyroid
Most cases are caused by either:
- the immune system attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it
- damage that happens during treatments for an overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer
When to see your GP
Symptoms of an underactive thyroid are often similar to those of other conditions, and they usually develop slowly, so you may not notice them for years.
You should see your GP and ask to be tested for an underactive thyroid if you have symptoms including:
- tiredness
- weight gain
- depression
- being sensitive to the cold
- dry skin and hair
- muscle aches
The only accurate way of finding out whether you have a thyroid problem is to have a thyroid function test, where a sample of blood is tested to measure your hormone levels.
Read more about testing for an underactive thyroid.