If you are starting to believe that you may have problems with your thyroid or metabolism, it is important not to ignore these issues as they worsen or impact your life. Instead, it is important to act so that you can get the advice and treatment that you need to manage your thyroid and metabolism issues. As such, here is what you should do if you believe that you are having problems with your thyroid and metabolism in 2023.
See a Doctor
Rather than trying to diagnose yourself and finding resources on the internet that may not be reliable or trustworthy, you should instead see a doctor as soon as possible. A doctor may be able to discuss your symptoms with you and give you advice on how to manage them and your treatment options. They will be able to give you an official diagnosis, send you for tests, and check to see whether there might be any other underlying conditions causing the problems that you are enduring. As such, you should try to find a doctor that you trust and who specializes in thyroid and metabolism issues, as this will ensure that you will quickly be on the right path to coping with your symptoms. You should especially take action if you have a family history of thyroid disease or if you have another medical condition that can increase your risk of getting a thyroid problem.
Get a TSH Blood Test
If you are reluctant to speak to a doctor or want to manage your thyroid problem yourself, you should consider looking into an at-home thyroid test. A TSH blood test can measure the level of thyroid hormone in your body. These hormones are thyroid-stimulating hormone, free T3, and free T4. This test will also be able to monitor the number of thyroid peroxidase antibodies that your body is producing. From this test, you will be able to recognize whether you are dealing with thyroid dysfunction and how much this is affecting the functioning of your body. You may even then be able to take these test results to a doctor or find the appropriate treatments for yourself.
Monitor Your Symptoms
The first step that you should take if you believe that you are having problems with your thyroid, though, is to monitor your symptoms. By doing this, you will be in a better place to talk to your doctor accurately about your symptoms and condition. As such, you should consider writing all your symptoms down in a notebook which you can take to your doctor’s appointment with you. You might even consider using a health-tracking app. You should track common symptoms such as fatigue and weight gain, as well as symptoms that do not seem related to you, as your doctor may be able to see patterns that you are unable to.
As such, taking measures against your thyroid problem is important, whether you decide to go to a doctor or perform a diagnostic blood test at home that can allow you to see the position that you are in. This will help you to improve your quality of life and well-being in the future.