# Anti-depressants?



## ksgal (Nov 19, 2010)

My endo suggested I might benefit from anti-depressants. I don't have any experience with them - does anyone here take them? Thanks!


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## McKenna (Jun 23, 2010)

Ugg....sorry but this is a sore spot for me since my endo tried to get me to take antidepressants last year too, rather than help me work through my mental symptoms from my thyroid freaking out. I refused and I did end up feeling better once I had my thyroid out.

I feel that they are too quick to hand out prescriptions for psych drugs and I also feel that once the thyroid gets in order (which takes a while and I see that you have only recently started synthroid) that people do better mentally.

That's not to say that you shouldn't take it if you absolutely feel you must, but that endos are not psychiatrists or mental health professionals and don't feel pressured to take something because it was suggested to you. Mental symptoms and thyroid go hand in hand.

I suggest you read The Thyroid Solution by Dr. Ridha Arem which sheds a lot of light on the thyroid and mental symptoms. It was an eye opener for me and helped me to understand a lot about my own mental state back then.

I'm still in the titrating process too, and dealing with the hypo mental symptoms that brings, but I'm working through it.


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## ksgal (Nov 19, 2010)

thanks - that is part of the reason I am hesitant. I am just beginning treatment and am slowly starting to see "window" of feeling better. I am uncomfortable with taking anti-depressants but do feel like they would help me - I need to read that book - maybe I could get some insight to what is going on with me!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

ksgal said:


> My endo suggested I might benefit from anti-depressants. I don't have any experience with them - does anyone here take them? Thanks!


My humble opinion is that the only person that should Rx antidepressants would be a Psychiatrist. No other doctor should be allowed to Rx them. Final and absolute.

I don't take them. Way back in the 50's the docs started offering me Valium. Pooey on that. The whole time I had undiagnosed thyroid disease.

If a person has suicidal ideation (or other suspicious activity), the endo, PCP or whomever should refer out to psychiatrist.


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Sore spot for me too. I have tried 3 different antidepressants at 3 different times in my life. I don't feel better on them and tend to feel really spaced out, don't care what happens, drop a bomb in my lap and I won't care. Not good.

I fired my last family doc when she prescribed me anti-depressants (two weeks after telling me she thought they were not a good idea for me) and refused to consider that my symptoms were an indication of a physical health problem, like possibly not having a thyroid and not being given adequate hormone replacement to function! I didn't feel depressed at the time, I just couldn't function. Two different therapists told me they did not think anti-depressants were the answer for me at that time. Amazing that all the symptoms she wouldn't eve listen to suddenly disappeared when I got the right hormones!

I know that some people truly have clinical depression and feel tons better on these meds, but they have not been the answer for me.

Research shows that anti-depressants are more beneficial when combined with psychotherapy. Many people can feel better with psychotherapy alone. I would recommend starting with non-chemical means, and resulting to meds only if psychotherapy alone is not effective. And then make sure you have been diagnosed by a qualified physician.


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## nikimcn (Oct 16, 2010)

I've taken them for YEARS~at least 15, on and off.
And I'll tell you why I play the meds roller coaster with these meds...I gain tons of weight! I'm sitting at 260 as it stands. and the last 20 pounds was just from last year. I started Celexa in March and finally weaned myself due to weight gain. My moods were great and they really worked, but I could not tolerate any more weight! sheesh!
So I don't know..
My PCP swears any weight over 5-10 pounds is something else going on, and these meds don't cause this~ok sure.:confused0033:


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

nikimcn said:


> I've taken them for YEARS~at least 15, on and off.
> And I'll tell you why I play the meds roller coaster with these meds...I gain tons of weight! I'm sitting at 260 as it stands. and the last 20 pounds was just from last year. I started Celexa in March and finally weaned myself due to weight gain. My moods were great and they really worked, but I could not tolerate any more weight! sheesh!
> So I don't know..
> My PCP swears any weight over 5-10 pounds is something else going on, and these meds don't cause this~ok sure.:confused0033:


Something else could be contributing as well but anti-d's are known offenders when it comes to weight gain.

Do you eat a lot of glutens? Did you know that if a person is gluten-intolerant that that can cause depression and a lot of weight gain. The weight gain is because in the intolerant person, the gluten turns to fat.

You might want to research this.

http://gluten-intolerance-symptoms.com/gluten-allergy-symptoms/#b2

http://glutenfreenetwork.com/faqs/s...how-do-you-know-if-gluten-is-making-you-sick/

Weight gain is a symptom of the above. Combine that w/anti-ds and you have a double whammy going on.


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## McKenna (Jun 23, 2010)

ksgal, 
Just a thought......I noticed on your sig line that you wrote you are supposed to start taking Vitamin D. Are you deficient? That can bring a slew of symptoms too, including depression and mood swings.


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## daisydaisy (May 12, 2010)

I take paxil. They prescribed it years ago after i had my kids due to panic attacks. It was an undiagnosed thyroid issue and I also have hashimoto's which they didnt' know about. I do know that it does help as it does help alleviate some symptoms and improve your mood. I really wish I was never on them in the first place BUT...I have done some research and they have said it does help certain patients with hashi's during the flare ups. It also helps with those hashi flare ups that can cause panic attacks as well and increased anxiety. So the meds to help alleviate the symptoms. I wish i knew it was my thyroid first before I got on the pills but it didn't happen that way. The paxil help me get through things so that I could later figure out it was the thyroid all along. I find now getting off the paxil is difficult as it causes the hashi's to flare up. Its like too much stress on my body trying to wean down with the disease.


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## ksgal (Nov 19, 2010)

I am low in vitamin d and have just started taking caplets for that...so maybe everything together is the source of the problem? I have just started treatment for my thyroid so maybe everything will improve eventually.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I could write a book about Vitamin D.....but that's a subject for another day.

Re antidepressants: NO one except a psychiatrist and in some cases a neurologist should ever prescribe antidepressants. Doctors who are not board certified in psychiatry too often hand out antidepressants like M&M's and frankly, just don't know what they're doing. BAD MEDICINE.


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## ksgal (Nov 19, 2010)

I am so glad that I posted my question here before going ahead and getting the script for the meds. I really didn't want to take them but I really wanted to feel better too. I will just continue how I am going and try to exercise also - i think that helps with depression symptoms. I have only been on my thyroid meds for a couple weeks....so probably too soon to have it take away all my symptoms. I think I also need to remember that I am going to have good days and bad days - I was not officially diagnosed with Hashi's but I wonder if I am not headed that way - maybe? My sister had hashi's and said there was a good chance I would get it.

Thanks for all the advice!!!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

ksgal said:


> I am so glad that I posted my question here before going ahead and getting the script for the meds. I really didn't want to take them but I really wanted to feel better too. I will just continue how I am going and try to exercise also - i think that helps with depression symptoms. I have only been on my thyroid meds for a couple weeks....so probably too soon to have it take away all my symptoms. I think I also need to remember that I am going to have good days and bad days - I was not officially diagnosed with Hashi's but I wonder if I am not headed that way - maybe? My sister had hashi's and said there was a good chance I would get it.
> 
> Thanks for all the advice!!!!


It is too soon as it takes 8 weeks for the Levothyroxine to build up in your system at which point, you do need to get labs so doc and continue to titrate up or down as needed. Every 8 weeks until you are euthyroid (feeling good.)


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