# Mood swings



## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Hello everyone!

I have posted on here before, but wanted to hear other peoples' opinions on how they felt before being diagnosed with a thyroid problem. I will briefly state I am a 24 year old woman who is 5'9 and weighs around 200 lbs when for the longest time I weighed 170 only. Has anyone ever had very bad mood swings before being diagnosed with a thyroid problem? I constantly feel irritable, impatient, and ready to go off at any minute. Just wanted to hear what others had to say. I am finally getting in to see an endo in early September, and I am ready to find answers and relief!


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

Yes I did...but that can be so many other things, not just hypo. In fact today, I feel like you do and my meds are optimal. Before going on meds, I felt dead inside, unable to feel joy, super fatigued (even from people and noise), brittle hair, muscle pain, unmotivated, depressed, anxiety, some weight gain, very cold to my core....even during the summer. Yes, I could say I was more moody...but ends or most docs will say that could be so many other things...I wish you luck!


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Oh yes I have other symptoms as well! Dry skin (especially on my legs), overall exhaustion, brain fog, some muscle aches (more so in knees and neck) dry, brittle hair, weight gain, and of course the moodiness! Hoping to feel better soon!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Do you have any recent lab's with ranges you could share?


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Unfortunately no....I only have from April 2018. Nothing recent. I had posted those on another thread. Would you like to see the labs from April?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

That would probably be helpful to see, even if they are a few months old.

Mood swings are very very common.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

I am a guy .
I don't know if that makes a difference or not.
I had severe symptoms.....
Started off with extreme pins and needles in my legs.
Then most of the hair on them feel out.....
I was a smoker at the time and whenever I lit one up it was like the 1st time I smoked with dizziness and nausea.
My neck started swelling and I felt like I was having trouble breathing so I went to a low cost clinic because of lack of insurance.
They gave me good old Levothyroxine and said I'd be good to go in a few months.

The swelling in my neck went down but...&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;..
within weeks I started getting severe side effects to the point of visiting the ER.
All I got there was another prescription for the same nasty medication.
I eventually got on State Medicaid and found a Doctor who listened to me and at least let me try desiccated thyroid.
It was like day and night.....within two weeks I could feel myself coming back again.
Now today, 7 years later and I feel better than I ever have in my Life.

I had fatigue but couldn't sleep....
Severe body pain, joints and muscles..

My legs were so cold it felt like I had a bag of ice on my lap...
Things tasted, smelled and sounded weird...
Complete "wet noodle" erectile dysfunction&#8230;&#8230;
Also severe constipation which caused me to stop eating.....
So you can imagine how pissed off I became.....
Anyone's mood would swing with what I went through....

"Be vigilant with finding where you feel best and don't take no for an answer from these knuckle head doctors.....
WE KNOW OUR OWN BODIES.....


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

\m/


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

My test results are from April 17.

T3 - 3.2 pg/mL on a range of 2.5-4.3 pg/mL 
T4 - 1.44 ng/mL on a range of 0.9-1.7 ng/mL
Thyroid peroxidase - 12.2 IU/mL on a range of <34 IU/mL 
AB to the Thyroglobulin- <10.0 IU/mL on a range of <115 IU/mL

*I HAVE noticed that I've been having numbness in my big toe and tingling on the second toe...more recently the numbness is traveling up the big toe. Is this a symptom as well?*


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

I experienced numbness prior to diagnosis and had my B-12 and vitamin D tested and both were low. I supplement both of those vitamins and the numbness is gone and has been gone for a few years....Do you have labs for those?


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

B12 was tested on February 24, 2018 and was 550 on a range of 233-1245 pg/ml. Vitamin D was considered insufficient on April 17. My number was 26ng/mL on a range of >19ng/mL. Are any of the lab results from April (t3, t4)anything to be concern of? Is there a chance when I do get blood work done these numbers have changed since?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

tk1018 said:


> My test results are from April 17.
> 
> T3 - 3.2 pg/mL on a range of 2.5-4.3 pg/mL
> T4 - 1.44 ng/mL on a range of 0.9-1.7 ng/mL
> ...


You are barely over 1/2 range on FT-4 and not even to 1/2 range on FT-3

You are HYPO and need to have your medication increased. Your conversion looks OK but once you get your FT-4 to 3/4 range you should be sure your FT-3 is tracking along with it and also close to 3/4 range.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Thanks for the response! I'm not on any medication and still waiting to get into endo for the first time in September.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Lovlkn, how did you know about 1/2 - 3/4 range? Just curious!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Take low end of lab range and subtract it from high end. Take that number and -:- by 4, multiply it by 2 and add the low range and you have 1/2 of range.

To get to the 3/4 range multiply the number you just -:- by 4 and multiply by 3 and add to low end of range and you have 3/4 of range.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

I'm sorry what I meant was how did you know to do that to find if you are hypo? Did a doctor tell you or is it just experience in having a thyroid problem? I'm just afraid even though my levels are showing I am hypo...a doctor won't see that and only go off of TSH, which I heard that's what many do.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> B12 was tested on February 24, 2018 and was 550 on a range of 233-1245 pg/ml. Vitamin D was considered insufficient on April 17. My number was 26ng/mL on a range of >19ng/mL.


Have you been supplementing D and B-12?

Have you ever had your ferritin levels checked?

It;s easier to adjust to thyroid hormone supplements when all 3 of there are in decent ranges. Seems to be the trend on this board .

Years and years of mis management and hanging out on thyroid dysfunction boards is how I learned to realize where I and most seem to feel their best in the ranges provided by lab's. Many doctors will only focus on TSH - those are the ones you need to run from. Because you are trapped in the VA system you will probably need to work harder as you have a limited amount of doctors to choose from. Integrative doctors "get it" as do some chiropractors ( for some reason??) but its up to you to advocate for proper treatment. It took me 4 endo's and 2 MD's before I found my current OD who used FT-4 and FT-3 to dose me. I have BCBS and he is in network and never gives me any push back on running the FT-4 and FT-3 labs which means BCBS allows it.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Ferritin was tested 2/24/18 and was 36.0 on a range of 13-150. No I have not been supplementing any B12 or D in the meantime.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Getting those 3 items in decent range will help you when you do get a levothyroxine prescription.

Seems many here report they adjust more easily when adding thyroid hormone if those items are in decent range.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

Tingling or pins and needles were extreme in my case.
I hadn't seen a doctor yet and the tingling subsided on it's own and I was left with what I call slight tingling but it was constant.
I had all vitamin levels checked and they were within the medical specialists ranges...
Once on desiccated thyroid things got much better but not perfect.
I still get slight pins and needles from time to time but nothing like when un-medicated ....

Just like diabetes you can get nerve pain in your hands fingers and legs and toes from thyroid disease....
Doctors even gave me Lyrica witch did nothing but make me more tired than I already was.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

I wanted to bring up on other thing....has anyone every developed a buffalo hump with hypothyroidism? I've noticed for a while now I am starting to get a hump on the bottom of my neck. It's not very big but noticeable if my hair is up. It is also causing a lot of discomfort in my neck and down my back. Thanks for the response!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Have you had a thyroid ultrasound?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

tk1018 said:


> I wanted to bring up on other thing....has anyone every developed a buffalo hump with hypothyroidism? I've noticed for a while now I am starting to get a hump on the bottom of my neck. It's not very big but noticeable if my hair is up. It is also causing a lot of discomfort in my neck and down my back. Thanks for the response!


That's rare - I 2nd the ultrasound.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

No I have never had an ultrasound. But I’m seeing endo for the first time next week. Maybe he’ll order one? I’ve read online of people having hypothyroidism and the Buffalo hump, but wasn’t sure if anyone on here had one.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

Doest hurt to push the ultrasound if he doesnt mention it.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I've never heard the term buffalo hump with regard to thyroids, but I did have a goiter/neck swelling. If you have any kind of lumps, humps, swelling or whatever else you'd like to call it (????), you should absolutely have an ultrasound.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Well I saw the endocrinologist yesterday and it went awful. The doctor told me I'm tired because I don't drink coffee and gave me a list of sleeping tips. He said my weight gain is from eating poorly and that he would refer me to a nutritionist. And then he asked if I worked in a "safe environment" and wondered if that's why I don't feel like doing anything at work. He said the mood swings is because I'm tired. He told me flat out it is not thyroid. He did TSH and T4 (wasnt going to do the full thyroid) and said I don't need a follow up if the tests came back in range.

My TSH this round was 2.14 on a range of 0.27-4.2....different from February when it was 1.95. T4 is 1.23 on a range of 0.9-1.7. In April T4 was 1.44 on the same range of 0.9-1.7.

Have my levels changed and mean anything different? I know how I feel and this is frustrating.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Well I think its telling that your free t4 is dropping...it seems like you are absolutely under-medicated.

Your TSH is too high.


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

I'm not on any medication and this was my first appt ever with an endo.I was not impressed with the doctor. Maybe I should go outside of the area and get a second opinion. Very frustrating.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

Get a second opinion. And point out that your FT4 is actively going down and your TSH going up even though they might declare you in the normal range...


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## Pamzilla13 (Sep 9, 2013)

Do you have issues with cortisol? Buffalo hump reminds me of Cushing's syndrome or osteoporosis...of from use of prednisone long term. Have you looked into those?


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## tk1018 (Apr 11, 2018)

Nope! I was tested and nothing was wrong with cortisol.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I would think an ENT would want a closer look at your hump.

You absolutely need an ultrasound of your thyroid to see why you have a bump.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Agreed! If you are clearly seeing swelling in your neck, you absolutely need an ultrasound.


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