Underactive Thyroid: Symptoms and Questions for Your Doctor
The thyroid is a small gland at the front of the neck that helps control how the body uses energy. When it makes too little thyroid hormone, the condition is called hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. It is more common in women and becomes more common with age.
Common symptoms
- Tiredness and feeling the cold.
- Weight gain that is hard to explain.
- Dry skin, thinning hair and brittle nails.
- Constipation.
- Low mood, poor memory or slowed thinking.
- Heavier or irregular periods.
These symptoms develop slowly and have many other possible causes, so they cannot confirm a thyroid problem on their own.
How it is diagnosed
Diagnosis is by blood test, arranged by your GP. If treatment is needed, your doctor will prescribe it and monitor your blood tests over time. Do not start, stop or change thyroid medicine without talking to your doctor.
Questions to ask your doctor
- What do my blood test results show?
- How often should my levels be rechecked?
- Could any of my other medicines, supplements or foods affect my treatment?
- What should I do if I still have symptoms?
Where a compounding pharmacy fits
Registered medicines are the usual first choice. Where a prescriber decides a registered product does not suit an individual patient, for example because of an intolerance to an inactive ingredient or the need for a strength that is not available, they may prescribe a compounded medicine and we prepare it to their order. You may also like our article on diet and the thyroid.
How compounding works at NCC
- Your doctor or other prescriber decides whether a compounded medicine is appropriate for you and writes a prescription.
- You or your prescriber send the prescription to us, or to one of our partner pharmacies.
- Our pharmacists review the prescription and contact your prescriber if anything needs clarifying.
- The medicine is prepared in our Gold Coast laboratory under our quality management system and sent to you, or to a partner pharmacy for collection.
You can send us your prescription online, find a partner pharmacy near you, or contact our pharmacists with questions about your own prescription.
This page is general information only. It is not medical advice and does not recommend any medicine. Compounded medicines are prepared only on the order of a prescriber, are not assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or efficacy, and should be considered only when a suitable commercially available product is not appropriate. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own circumstances.