depression

Hi Lynne

I have had an underactive thyroid for 10 years now and the times when I get palpitations is when my thyroid levels are higher and so my medication has to be reduced as it goes over active and then as it is regulated my symptoms go? This has happens several times as my levels fluctuate?

When I feel that I am feeling symptoms I get checked via my blood. My levels have increased once again last week and as it is my GP said it is due to my other medication I am taking for my fibromyalgia etc? and so I have to have my blood checked again in the future?

I hope you feel better soon

Take care

SES

Hi Lynne

I feel exactly the same way as you do and am still getting some sort of help. I visit the endocrinologist at the hospital who is keeping an eye on my symptoms. Over the last week I have been extremely depressed and really don't want to go on anti depressants because they make me feel worse. I've been wondering whether to take HTP 5 - a natural anti depressant but that also comes with side effects.

I split dose taking 75mcg and 50mcg on alterate days but still feel terribly depressed. One minute I feel on top of the world and the next I'm rock bottom. My doctor wants to see me tomorrow regarding low iron levels - so I;ll be on an iron supplement. I am wondering if that will help or I;m just going to go insane.

My current symptoms are: weakness of muscles; unable to move sometimes; loss of interest in everything; feeling old (i'm 36); sensitive; emotional; anger and rage; tinnitus (ringing in the ears); and depression and no sex drive.

I only wish and hope that I can regain even a little interest in living or some kind of 'normality'. I have to drag my heels through each day to carry on looking after my three children. My marriage isn't brilliant either due to my mood swings.

I keep a diary of my everyday symptoms so I can see if I have any better days in my mood and energy levels. Also, I use the diary for when I visit the hospital.

I try to help myself by eating healthly and I do gentle exercises like yoga.

Recently, I applied for a five hour a week part-time job just to get me out of the house and today I feel I shouldn't have applied because I'm not well to do the job.

I hope things get sorted out for you and for everyone else. We all have to learn and find ways to cope but it doesn't mean we suffer in silence. If you feel unwell keep telling your doctor. I think this forum is really supportive and we can all understand each other which really helps.

Take care

ms

Hi there Ms,

So glad to hear from you once again, so sorry to hear you are not feeling well along with Lynne.......... I am no doctor but.........as I have thyroid problems like you I have fibromyalgia that can be linked to an under-active thyroid, this may not be the case with you but I think some of the following may apply anyway................

[quote:2a4bf4e1a8]weakness of muscles; unable to move sometimes; loss of interest in everything; feeling old (i'm 36); sensitive[/quote:2a4bf4e1a8]

and.................. [quote:2a4bf4e1a8]depression and no sex drive. [/quote:2a4bf4e1a8]

and so as you are feeling low etc it becomes a vscious circle.......

[b:2a4bf4e1a8]Another fundamental component of the link between FMS and sexuality is the emotional aspect of having FMS(Fibromyalgia). FMS can lead to a negative self-image due to physical changes in the body like weight changes and muscle mass loss. Self-esteem is impacted, as feelings of anxiety and depression elevate to an often-overwhelming level. While anti-depressants can help treat these emotions, they also can lead to a decreased sexual desire and function.

The catch is that while sex can relieve symptoms of FMS, like pain and depression, FMS itself results in a decreased libido, fatigue and pain that hinder the individual’s desire and ability to engage in sexual intercourse.

Sex helps decrease pain because it releases positive hormones in the brain, which reduce the distress an individual feels both physically and emotionally. [/b:2a4bf4e1a8]

I hope this helps x

Kind Regards

SES

hi ms

just been reading your reply,i can say i know exactly how you feel,im 37 and feel old too,i also have 4 kids and no sex drive for ages now,everyday i feel really depressed and lately ive been really tired dizzy and also alot of headaches,im going to see the doc on thursday and im gonna explain exactly how i feel,i never go out socialising due to me feeling depressed so i have no friends,when i tell my husband how i feel he is supportive(but i think deep down he thinks its all in my head)i thought the same til i came across this forum and i now know its not in my head,i just want to be happy but i find it impoosible to do that,sometimes i feel i dont want to go on living but i keep thinking of my kids,today i feel really tired and cant be bothered with anything,ive also got high cholestrol and it looks like im pregnant,recently ive lost my appetite,i just wish i could be like most people and be happy and no matter how hard i try it just wont happen,i hope you feel better soon ms

take care.

,lynne

OH bless you Lynne 376

If you are pregnant you levels of Thyroxine may need to be regulated as I had my son two years ago ( I am 35) and I had my Thyroid levels watched more carefully as the baby can take away your energy etc, especially in the beginning as your hormones are all over the place anyway :oops: If you are not eating and feeling dizzy it could be your iron levels too, as once again the joys of mother hood If I was you I would get your blood checked and then once you start enjoying your pregnancy you should start to brighten up, as I was so happy when I was pregnant, so I hope this applies to you too, they will however scan you more too as they did with me due to taking thyroxine, basically to check if the baby grows ok ......... my little boy was 9lb 1oz so he was fine!!!!!

Anyway Lynne, please do take it easy, and I hope you start to feel better soon :cheerup:

Take care everyone x

SES

hi Lynne just read your experience and im experiencing exactly the same, my GP also says my levels are fine but im not feeling too brill most of the time and I have days where i cant even get out of bed ? has anyone gave you advice on what to do next

take care ruth

hi ses,im defentley not pregnant but it looks like i am cos my stomach is swollen,im going the doctors tomorrow if i can get an appointment,my neck is swollen now,im on 100mg of thyroxine aday,does anyone know if simavastin can have an effect whilst im on thyroxine,this forum does give me a little comfort,i cant be bothered doing anything as i have no energy.

lynne.[/b]

Hi Lynne37

My opologies, I did say if you are? I had posted the thread early hours, was tired but was in pain but even still I would say get your blood checked as your iron levels may be low? along with your thyroid levels I do hope you start to feel better soon........ I feel I still look pregnant, I am going to see the nurse on Friday as she was off sick last week and she is going to help me loose weight as she thinks perhaps my pituitary gland may need a kick start as I have been the nearly the same weight since last year and I have tried so much to loose weight, I think it is due to be less mobile though due to my Fibro..... I am on 175mcg per day along with other meds for the pain I am actually sick of taking these too as they do not work, they take the \"edge off\" and thats it!!!! and so the fight for this continues..........

I hope you get some help of doctors Lynne, neck pain I have a lot of the time into my shoulders etc and this causes me to not being able to sleep and so then lethargic and so a vicious circle............ I try and keep a diary to show the doctor as he has an idea of what I am going through as I feel when you are in so much pain you can't also seem to function as you cannot concentrate along with having thyroid troubles that does not help and so we cannot communicate like we would like to............. I am waffling on a bit now but I do hope your GP listens to you as I have had one GP that just wasn't interested and there is nothing worse than that so anyway you take care x and lets us know how you got on xx

Kind Regards

SES

Hi Lynne and SES

Firstly, thankyou SES for still remembering me. Things aren't good with me at all. I've been put on liquid iron as they found my iron levels low at 6, my haemoglobin is 11. I'm taking 75mcg and 50mcg of eltroxin on alternate days. I;ve got really bad mood swings, in fact this week has been one of the worst because I've been going through hypomania. One minute I'm so high and the next I'm rock bottom. I've been on the iron since Monday and I've found it has helped my energy slightly, I don't know if it's that what's causing the hypomania or the thyroxine. To be honest I don't even know who I am anymore! LOL

Lynne, about your bloated abdomen, I had that last year when I was on unbranded thyroxine. I looked four to five months pregnant and it got worse with the thyroxine increase. When I came off thyroxine for around 4-5 months the bloating all went. I now believe the bloating is due to incorrect thyroxine levels.

Earlier this year when I was put on 75mcg (before the split dosing) my abdomen started to bloat and I started to gain weight, the area above my knees was swollen. Now, this has definately got to do with incorrect thyroxine levels. Since I've been split dosing this has all gone down again. What really upsets me is that the endocrinologist and Doctor has left me to find my own dosage!!

I've been so down but really have to be patient to find my way alone and continue with the split dosing to see if things get slightly better. This week I've seriously be thinking about taking an anti depressant. I will talk to the GP about this next week.

I hope and pray things get better for you. We're all here for each other and we can all learn from each other.

ms

Hi there MS

I am so glad you have kind of sorted things out (continuing taking the thyroxine at least) You have been through it hun and you should tell your doctor that it is about 9 months you haven't been feeling well!!!!!! Mind you it took a year for me to get diagnosed with my Fibromyalgia and so I can imagine anyone that is feeling like S**t that they are literally sick of it, at one point I was so sick of the pain all sorts of thought went into my head and I was so relieved to get answers as I think if I hadn't I could have cracked up or something......... my advice to anyone in pain or feeling low, tired etc, we feel these feelings for a reason and so the GP should listen to us, the only thing I can say though however is when you are feeling c**p you cant function properly and so cannot express yourselves as you would like to........ best thing is to write things down that seem \"new\" or continue to hurt etc and then he/she may hopefully listen......

I do hope both you MS and Lynne are having a better day than me :cheerup:

Take care everyone x

SES

hi ms and ses,ive been for blood tests today and i get results next week,people say that when you have an underactive thyroid its not an illness(is that true)cos i feel that it is,when i went the docs today she increased my dose of the anti depressants but i dont think it helps me at all,i feel so down in the dumps and no energy again,will we feel like this all our lives,as i said im only 37 but i feel about 80,do u feel like not going out?i have 4 kids and i hate them seeing me like this,i really do feel this forum helps me a little knowing im not alone,i also have cerebeller ataxia which affects my balance and i also suffer with migraine,has anyone of you got there neck swollen(mine has for the past year or so)cos ive read that its normally swollen if the thyroid is overactive(is this true)i was under the hospital but i got discharged because the specialist said it was under control,i was wondering if my blood tests come back ok what could be possibly wrong,anyway hope you are both feeling well again soon

take care xx

lynne

HI there Lynne

Well if an underactive thyroid is not an illness, why do we get medical exemption certificates? it is an auto-immune disease, affecting the immune system........

There are Possible Complications involved in this illness too so I think it is a serious condition!!!!! I am not going to list these though but anyone can research these and so if they did they could see that we could be effected in our day to day life one way or another? For example we have to make sure we are on our correct dosage as too much Thyroxine can lead to Osteoporosis in later life for example!!!!!!!

I am not sure about .............

[quote:ac094646b1]has anyone of you got there neck swollen(mine has for the past year or so)cos ive read that its normally swollen if the thyroid is overactive[/quote:ac094646b1]

but I have read the following......

There are 97 causes of Neck swelling??????? Not much help I am afraid xx

I was taking anti-inflammatories and Amitryptiline for my Fibromyalgia and I felt like my neck was swollen and had difficulty breathing and I read I had adverse affects to the Amitrypiline!!!!! I would check any other medications you are taking as some do not agree with thyroid problems!!!!!!

I do hope you both are having a good day xxxxx

Take care

SES

hi ses,thanks for your reply,thats really reasured me that underactive thyroid is an illness cos im fed up with people saying its not,cos i said if its not an illness why do i always feel so crap. take care

lynne

Hi there Lynne

Of course an under active thyroid is an illness otherwise we wouldn't be on this forum!! I've had enough of Doctors - but I'm sure there are really good ones out there willing to help.

Lynne, I have three children and I really understand how you feel. It's really hard for us because we try to put on a brave face and get on with it. My medication still hasn't been sorted out and it really upset me last week when my youngest (nine years old) said 'mummy, why are you staring like that, you look scary'. What was I supposed to say to that? I don't want to keep saying that I'm unwell.

I too, don't want to go out anywhere, I don't want to do anything. I feel so old (I'm 36) and my friends get shocked when they see that I have lost interest in looking after myself.

You're not alone at all. I'm still waiting for the right treatment and will hold on for a little while longer.

Take care

ms

hi ms

when i just read your comments then it brought me to tears when you said about your 9 year old,cos ive got a daughter the same age,i really do hope you get your medication sorted,i really do feel for you,and i now know its not all in my head,when i get the results of my blood tests on friday i was wondering if they come back as normal what could be wrong then cos i really dont feel well in myself,i was also wondering if anyone suffers from anxiety cos i do and i hate being in crowds.

take care

lynne

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