Thyroid Disorder Care in Big Pine Key, FL: Accurate Testing and Personalized Management

Hypothyroid (underactive) symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, hair thinning, dry skin, constipation, brain fog, and depression. Hyperthyroid (overactive) symptoms include weight loss, racing heart, heat intolerance, anxiety, hand tremor, and trouble sleeping. Many symptoms overlap with stress or aging, which is why testing matters.

We start with TSH — a single blood test. If abnormal, we add free T4, free T3, and (when autoimmune disease is suspected) TPO and thyroglobulin antibodies. Imaging like a thyroid ultrasound is added only when there is a nodule or other physical finding.

Yes. An underactive thyroid slows metabolism and very commonly causes 5-15 pounds of weight gain that resists diet and exercise. Once the thyroid is properly treated, weight typically becomes much easier to manage — though levothyroxine is not a weight loss medication on its own.

Hypothyroid means the thyroid is producing too little hormone — you feel slow, cold, and tired. Hyperthyroid means it is producing too much — you feel anxious, hot, and your heart races. They are essentially opposite conditions but both originate in the same gland.

After starting or changing levothyroxine, we retest at 6-8 weeks. Once you are on a stable dose, every 6-12 months is typical. We retest sooner if symptoms change or if you are pregnant, since dose requirements often shift in pregnancy.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system slowly attacks the thyroid gland. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the U.S. We diagnose it with elevated TPO antibodies plus low thyroid function. Treatment is the same — daily levothyroxine — but knowing the cause helps us watch for related autoimmune conditions.