Should I get my thyroid checked?

[NickNacks]

Randomly I visited a podiatrist recently and she asked if I'd had my thyroid checked. I said 'no why?' and she said she thought my swollen ankles were concerning and a possible symptom. (We had already discussed that I'd had the oedema for years, never changed regardless of how much I drank or elevated then etc).

I can home and googled an under active thyroid and I do have many symptoms but they are all so vague and, I think, common in busy women's lives. Weight gain that is difficult to lose, tiredness, muscle aches and pains, dry skin, brittle nails, heart palpitations, constipation, being sensitive to the cold,

What do you think? I hate wasting the doctors time and I don't want to use nhs resources having an unnecessary blood test but will if I have to.

Opinions much appreciated.

[NickNacks]

Can anyone with hypothyroidism help? Do you think it's worth getting checked out?

[tobee]

Yes, it definitely is as it can be treated. My low thyroid function was discovered on a routine blood test some years ago. I now take levothyroxine once a day. As a bonus all my prescription meds are now free.

[NickNacks]

Oh how come? Is the thyroid medication exempt like contraception? Or do you mean all prescriptions even for other illnesses?! I've not heard of that before.

If I'm honest the thought of life long medications scares me. But I've read what can happen if not treated and it's even scarier!

[tobee]

Yes all meds free, all illnesses.

I was prescribed blood pressure meds before I got thyroid meds and was scared about taking those long term. Now, nearly a decade down the line, I think what was I worried about? I just take them once a day and have no side effects.

I presume thyroid meds are free because they can cause so many other troubles if you don't use them. If you have got a thyroid issue that needs meds they will probably put you on a low dose for a short time, retest and then work up to your optimum dosage. Then, usually, you get re tested every year to make sure nothing has changed - that you are still in the range.