·6 min read
Could It Be Your Thyroid? Five Subtle Signs Most Doctors Miss
Thyroid issues affect roughly 1 in 8 women — and the standard TSH test misses many of them. Here's what to actually ask for.
Beyond TSH
TSH alone is an incomplete picture. Ask for free T3, free T4, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies (TPO and TgAb). Many women have early Hashimoto's hiding behind a 'normal' TSH.
The subtle signs
Cold hands and feet, thinning outer eyebrows, constipation, brain fog that worsens after meals, and unexplained weight gain despite no changes to diet or activity.
What to do first
Address gut health and sleep before assuming you need medication. Many subclinical thyroid issues improve significantly once those foundations are stable.