How do you tell if you have a thyroid problem?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Underactive thyroid: extreme tiredness, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation, dry skin and hair loss, brain fog, heavy periods. Overactive: weight loss despite eating, racing heart, anxiety, tremor, heat intolerance, poor sleep. Symptoms creep in slowly, so they get blamed on age or stress for years - but every item has other common causes, so no list diagnoses thyroid. A simple TSH blood test settles it in one draw. Ask for it if a cluster has lasted weeks, especially with family history of thyroid or autoimmune disease. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you match your cluster before the test.
What to do
- Sort slow from fast: cold, tired, constipated, gaining weight vs hot, anxious, racing heart, losing it.
- Note the creep: months of gradual change is the thyroid signature.
- Ask for a TSH test: one blood draw answers the question.
- Mention family and autoimmune history: both raise the prior odds meaningfully.
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