During a medical history to find out whether you have hypothyroidism, your health professional may ask:
- Whether you have had any thyroid problems in the past or any other medical conditions (such as diabetes or anemia).
- About previous thyroid treatments (especially radioactive iodine treatment, radiation therapy, or thyroid surgery) and whether you have ever had previous exposure to radiation (therapy for cancer, facial acne, or a thyroid condition).
- Whether you are taking any medications.
- What your usual weight is and whether you have noticed any changes in your weight, particularly an increase in weight; also, whether your eating habits have changed.
- How regular your bowel movements are and whether you have noticed any changes, particularly whether you are constipated.
- Whether you have felt more tired than usual, felt weak, or had problems sleeping; whether you have had any problems concentrating or felt excited or moody; and whether you have an intolerance to cold.
- Whether there have been any changes in your menstrual cycles and whether you have infertility problems.
Credits
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism |
| Last Updated | August 25, 2008 |
Author:Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Last Updated: 08/25/2008



