Over the years, I’ve compiled a list of symptoms of hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s that women often struggle with. One important thing to remember is that once you suspect that your thyroid could be the problem (based on these symptoms), you shouldn’t let the physician tell you otherwise without getting a full thyroid blood panel done first.
Common Symptoms of Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s (Recognized by Medical Professionals):
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
- Brain fog
- Unexplained or excessive weight gain
- Dry, coarse and/or itchy skin
- Dry, coarse and/or thinning hair
- Eyebrow and eyelashes loss
- Brittle nails
- Feeling cold (wearing a sweater in summer!)
- Constipation
- Infertility and miscarriage
- Throat discomfort and/or tightness
Other Signs that are Potential Symptoms of Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s:
- Forgetfulness
- Feeling socially distant
- Difficulty expressing yourself
- Lack of motivation
- Itchy skin
- Puffy eyes
- Swollen tongue
- Water retention
- Digestive discomfort or diarrhea
- Acid reflux
- Intestinal gas
- Intestinal bloating
- Candida (yeast overgrowth)
- Muscle aches
- Hypoglycemia
- Frequent colds
- High LDL cholesterol
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle loss
- Irregular menstrual flow
- Low sex drive
- Low level of vitamin D
- Low level of vitamin B12
- Low ferritin or anemia
The symptoms listed immediately above can be symptoms of hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, but they can also be symptoms of other diseases, disorders, and conditions. In order to know whether you have thyroid problems or some other issues, you should consult with your physician and get a full thyroid blood work panel done.
Supplementation may be a piece of the puzzle to thyroid health. To learn more about how to balance your hormones with supplements (and which to take), you can download our FREE Supplement Guide here.
What’s Next?
Here are four further resources I recommend checking out while getting yourself ready for this journey. Knowing your enemy (i.e. getting diagnosed with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s) is half the battle won. It really is. So, don’t give up, just get to work and learn what to do next!
Article #1: 6 Thyroid Lab Tests Every Patient Should Insist On (and What They Mean)
Article #2: How to Find Good and Supportive Thyroid Doctors
Article #3: What is The Thyroid Diet Plan?
Article #4: A recovery story to inspire you.
You can learn more about thyroid-friendly recipes in my cookbook, Cooking for Hormone Balance. You’ll find over 125 easy, delicious recipes to nourish your body and balance your hormones without calorie restriction or deprivation.
All of the recipes are based on 20 hormone-supporting superfoods and 20 hormone-supporting super herbs—with modifications for Paleo, Paleo for Autoimmunity (AIP), anti-Candida, and low-FODMAP diets.
You can get a copy of the cookbook here.
Photography by Roberto Nickson and Jonathan Zerger
I don’t know how to read my test results
Estriodiol Blood spot) -<10 pg/ml (<10-49 post menopausal), Progesterone Blood spot- 3.0 ng/ml <0.1-0.8 postmenopausal),
Ratio Pg/E2 blood spot- 600 Pg/E2 Bloodspot optimal 100-500), Testosterone bloodspot- 47 ng/dl (10-45 postmenopausal)
A previous nurse practitioner had me on much higher hormone levels last summer,
E2-0.375 mg, P4-100mg, T- 5 mg/ml
She did not do tests first at all. Chin hair & very high libido. Pharmacist said to test first. I went off for 6 months but numbers still high on above tests.
New practitioner put me on BIH prescription : Biest 50/50—- 0.4 MG Progesterone 30 mg, Estriol 0.2 mg, Estradiol 0.2 mg, & Testosterone 0.25 mg. She has told me to take 15 mg of DHEA S daily & other supplements for Adrenals & D3 w/K2. She is suggesting 50,000 IU of D3 – once per week for 12 weeks.
Hi Kim,
Unfortunately, we cannot interpret your lab results or comment on your meds. How are you feeling though with this regimen? ~Deanna HB Team
Hi Kim, It’s been 4 1/2 years since your post. How are you feeling and doing now? Did you follow the new practitioners treatment and is it still the same or has it changed in the last 4 years?
Really so interesting Post.Thanks for sharing this useful information.Very NIce.
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for your feedback on this article! ~Deanna HB Team
I’m hypothyroid and on Armour because my T3 will not convert. I’m also on inderal and elavil, inderal for racing heart and elavil for depression. Do these two medications suppress my T3 conversion? I’m taking a Brazil nut everyday because of the selenium and zinc . Could that help the conversion process along. Is there any other vitamins I can take to help the conversion process along?
If you haven’t already watched it, I recommend starting with this informative and free workshop to learn more about thyroid wellness – https://hormonesbalance.com/td. For supplements, Magdalena suggests this kit –
Nice post
Thanks Anna :). – Lori HB team
I just want to let people know the extreme results of not gettin medications in time, yrs ago i was almost mentally retarded, and so close to coma . No one cud figure out wat was wrong w me, my older sister finally found my symptoms in an old medical dictionary, we took the book to hospital and show the Dr’s, they had all the interns come and see, i had no refuxes at all wen u hit my knee, no period or hair growth for 6 months, my muscles wud get so tired an sore just to wipe off the kitchen table, slept all day an night, my entire body was swollen and huge, my tongue, my eyes, etc. If asked a ?, i wud go to answer but then forget right away, cud not learn simple card games etc. I got fired from my job cuz my tongue swollen an they thought i was drunk, but the very first most important symptom people shud watch for so it doesnt happen to them is an enlarged lump ( goiter) in the middle of yur throat or neck….! I showed all the Dr’s that first, and all theyhadto do was a simple blood test.
Joni, so sorry to hear of your journey. Thank goodness for your sister. Doctors don’t do the right tests for detecting autoimmune – it’s a shame. I just found out too – ugg but will keep on like a force to get better. take care
See your doctor if you’re feeling tired for no reason or have any of the other signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as dry skin, a pale, puffy face, constipation or a hoarse voice.
You’ll also need to see your doctor for periodic testing of your thyroid function if you’ve had previous thyroid surgery; treatment with radioactive iodine or anti-thyroid medications; or radiation therapy to your head, neck or upper chest. However, it may take years or even decades before any of these therapies or procedures result in hypothyroidism.
If you have high blood cholesterol, talk to your doctor about whether hypothyroidism may be a cause. And if you’re receiving hormone therapy for hypothyroidism, schedule follow-up visits as often as your doctor recommends. Initially, it’s important to make sure you’re receiving the correct dose of medicine. And over time, the dose you need may change.
Paul, Thank you for your thoughts here ~HB Team
I was being treated by a very competent specialist without acceptable results when he decided to test me differently, due to new information he had just researching. It seems there are a small number of thyroid patients, 8%, who do not respond to normal treatment.
Hi Jeannean,
What treatment did he offer and did it help? ~HB Team
The medical community continues to debate this issue. Some endocrinologists worry that a narrow interpretation of normal TSH level (for instance a TSH of less than 4) will result in perfectly healthy patients being treated for a disorder they don’t truly have. Others think that leaving the broader range of normal TSH may result in more people living without a proper diagnosis or treatment for hypothyroidism.
It is always recommended to buy prescribed meds from online or any drug store and there are many online stores on which we can buy meds for Thyroid, mygenericpharmacy is one of them which i have searched.
Hi Lorrenainepeltier, Magdalena teaches how to support the thyroid naturally through dietary choices. Even if someone is taking a thyroid medication, it can often be more effective with the right nutrition. If you would like to learn more, please check out these recipes for the thyroid https://hormonesbalance.com/recipes/thyroid-recipes/ ~HB Team
my TSH is 5.9 mu/l and t4 12.8 pmol/L results are subclinical hypothyroidism and i have been told to stop taking my 5mg od of carbimazole and to check my thyroid functions in 6 weeks does this mean my thyroid is laying dormant and that i have no worries.
Hi Samantha,
We cannot make any statements from the results of this lab work. How are you feeling right now? ~HB Team
I’m having trouble with my thyroid. Swollen every day. All my blood test come back normal. I had an ultrasound that showed a goiter with a module on the left side.
I am seeing an endocrinologist he tried me on a med that stimulates my thyroid. It did nothing so he raised my dose. That made me very sick so I stopped taking it.
Waiting to see what else he puts me on.
The two lists provided I have symptoms on both.
Weight gain, goiter, cold at times, thinning eye brows, low sex drive, hormone issues. So how do I find out what I have if I have symptoms on both sides and my blood tests come back normal?
Hi Shelly, here is a link to Magdalena’s FAQ’s regarding the thyroid you might find helpful: https://hormonesbalance.com/thyroid-faqs/ ~ Jeanne HB Team
Some other symptoms are hoarseness/deeper voice, joint pain and neuropathy. I experienced these when I was severely undereducated for hypothyroidism. (My thyroid was ablated with radioiodine 15 years ago due to Graves’ Disease.)
*undermedicated
Gotta love autocorrect!
[…] Thyroid function can be too low (hypothyroid) or too high (hyperthyroid). Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid is unable to produce enough thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) for your body’s needs. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is the autoimmune condition, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. To learn more about low thyroid and symptoms to watch for, check out this article. […]
I have found the most useful information through this awesome post so thank you very much. God bless you!
I was diagnosed in 1998 after much investigations in other illness after bleeding from throat when specalist sent me to speech therapist who said I didnt need her but my symptoms (extreme tiredness overweight and others) led here to get in touch with my G.P . Now new area new g.p tests me foe ths knows I has Hasimotos but in medical records putas hyperthroidism or hypothyroidism has put my throxine down but feel tired cant think etc .I thought they where differe to Hashimotos