Do you think I have hyperthyroidism?

Most of the women in my family are really thin and underweight. I am no exception. I always thought it was just because of genes, but I recently read up about hyperthyroidism and I'm wondering if all of us have it... I get a physical exam every year with a blood test and my doctor never said anything about it...

P.S.
I just asked my mom about it. She said she thought she had hyperthyroidism so she got the doctor to check it out and she came out normal. Does that mean I don't have it and we are just a thin family?

No, I do not think you are. My mother is, and I guarantee you would lose weight VERY rapidly, have difficulty breathing, have difficulty with ANY AND ALL physical exercise, have frequent headaches, high blood pressure, extreme sensitivity to light, difficulty seeing in general. If it's just that you are "underweight" then it is probably genetics and lifestyle.

BUT did your doctor run a thyroid test?

Usually just a basic metabolic panel is run, which is your basic electrolytes, and then maybe a cbc, for blood count to see what your hemoglobin and hematocrit is.

Ask your doctor if he routinely gives the thyroid test, which may be called a TSH with free T4.

A random blood test would not reveal a thyroid problem. Your doctor has to ask for your TSH level to be checked. That's one way to determine it. Also, if the women in your family have it, then you probably do, too. I would encourage to get it checked because if you do have a thyroid problem, it can cause damage to your body if you don't get it under control.

Hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) can cause weight loss, fast heartbeat, breathlessness, fatigue and other symptoms. If your doctor suspects that you have hyperthyroidism, he/she would order specific blood tests and/or a radioimmunoassay (RIA) test. Because there can be multiple reasons that the thyroid is producing too much hormone, no one test is 100% accurate in determining the cause. It will usually take one test to determine something is wrong, and follow-up tests to determine the specific cause. For example, your thyroid may be diseased (producing too much hormone) or your pituitary gland, which regulates production, could be telling your thyroid to produce too much hormone. Each would require a different course of treament.

You should speak to your doctor and ask if he/she thinks that you may have hyperthyroidism. Your doctor is in the best position to determine whether or not you suffer from it. If your doctor is already testing your hormone levels during your physical exam you could get a quick answer to your question. If not, it can be addressed by a common test quite easily on your next visit.