# antidepressants/thyroid stuff



## nikkij0814 (Jul 13, 2011)

I keep feeling better and better over time, but it is so hard to be patient a year into getting my thyroid levels to be correct, I want it to be done!

Short version - Thyroid removed due to papillary carcinoma in 05, I was overmedicated (225 mcg of Synthroid), became hyperthyroid (TSH of .02), got extreme anxiety and horrible depression (among many other awful symptoms).

It got better three months after I got to an endocrinologist and he lowered my dose. Unfortunately, it was too low so I became hypothyroid. (125 mcg of levothyroxine) Three months later, was raised to 150, and three weeks ago it was raised to 175. (3 weeks ago my TSH was 7.8)

I had my TSH drawn last week, and it is down to 2.8. So it's close, and my fingers are crossed that it will be down to 1 on 175 mcg of levo. My next endo appointment isn't until March, when my endo says we'll know the full effect of the higher dose. (175 mcg)

Point being, I still need to sleep a lot, although most days I don't nap anymore. (hooray!) If left to sleep without an alarm, I'll sleep 10 hours at night. What bothers me more is that I still get some depression on and off all day. Not extreme, it doesn't prohibit me from functioning or doing normal things, but it's still hard. Everything in my life is as I want it, I have it all. So, it stinks that my mind gets bogged down on and off throughout the day. I'm on an antidepressant and see a therapist occasionally.

Back in March, I went on antidepressants when things were really bad. My hope is to come off the antidepressants once my thyroid meds are regulated, as I'd like to have a baby and don't want to be on them during pregnancy. I never needed antidepressants before I went hyperthyroid, then hypothyroid, so I'm still on them. I'm scared that even once my thyroid meds are regulated I might still need them - what if I try to come off of them and the depression returns? Even as I am now, I would be scared to go off of them since I get mild depressive symptoms on and off through the day. I still have some time to have children, but my husband is a bit older than my and we'd prefer not to wait too long.

I'm so grateful to be doing so much better, I do feel like I have my life back. I just want it back 100%, and right now it feels like I have 85% of it back. I felt like I was losing it all, so I try not to lose sight of the fact that 8 months ago I was spiraling downward, and that I am on the upswing...

Anyone have experiences with a similar situation and coming off of antidepressants after episodes like this? I'm scared.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

nikkij0814 said:


> I keep feeling better and better over time, but it is so hard to be patient a year into getting my thyroid levels to be correct, I want it to be done!
> 
> Short version - Thyroid removed due to papillary carcinoma in 05, I was overmedicated (225 mcg of Synthroid), became hyperthyroid (TSH of .02), got extreme anxiety and horrible depression (among many other awful symptoms).
> 
> ...


Is your doc running FREE T3 and FREE T4? If so, can you share results and the ranges?

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.

http://www.drlam.com/articles/hypothyroidism.asp?page=2#diagnosis: standard laboratory test

T3 supports the limbic system in the brain. So, it is important that your FREE T3 is at the right place.

Also, you do know that because you had cancer that the TSH should be suppressed?


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## nikkij0814 (Jul 13, 2011)

Yes, I am aware that my TSH needs to be supressed and remain as close as possible to 1.0. This is what my endo is working toward with my med levels.

I had a Free T4 done and it was in range - I don't have the exact results in front of me.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I'll preface this by saying 1) I'm not on anti-depressants and 2) I'm child-free-by-choice...

That said, I've gone through a lot of thyroid-related hormonal changes in the past six months and it is very, very difficult emotionally. I think most people I know "in real life" would describe me as a rather chirper person and there's no doubt that I've struggled to keep my chin up. So, while I can appreciate why you are anxious, I think at this point -- until your thyroid meds are regulated and stay there for a few months -- your putting the cart a bit before the proverbial horse. It's going to be too hard to tease out the depression from the thyroid-related depression. Be kind to yourself, let your body adjust etc.

Moreover, if you are still struggling with depression after you become euthyroid, know that I have a number of close friends and family members who have been able to work with their doctors to find medications to safely take during their pregnancies. I realize this can be controversial, but we need to remember that many mental illnesses are biochemical. You wouldn't, say, stop taking your synthroid during pregnancy, so why focus on stopping your antidepressants during your pregnancy? to me, it's an apples to apples comparison and you need to be 100% you to be the best mom you can be.


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

Yes, I have a bit of experience with this. Last year my husband was sick. For the first time in my life I needed an anti-depressant. I went on generic Prozac. It helped. But it also wrecked havoc with my thyroid, and caused my free T3 to decrease. My endo wanted me off the Prozac. I went off, and at the same time the endo prescribed a small dose (5mcg) of T3 (generic Cytomel).

I would ask to get your free T3 tested. Low T3 levels are closely tied to depression. You may need T3 supplementation. It really does help.

Good luck and let us know how you do!


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

I have battled depression my entire life and I'll bet I've been prescribed 25 or more antidepressants. Only one, Welbutrin, ever helped at all and even that was minimal.

Then, in 1998, I went to see a new psychiatrist who noticed that instead of paying attention to him, I was fixated on an aquarium in his office! :ashamed0003: One thing led to another and for over a month I and several of my family members were interviewed and I was tested at length, and I got a different diagnosis - ADD.

What I've found wildly interesting is that since I had my thyroid surgically removed, some days I feel as normal as a person could feel. Some days not so much. But...I can't help thinking no antidepressant is ever going to work normally for a patient who has a thyroid imbalance. I believe no drug is going to meet its full potential for a patient with a thyroid imbalance.

That's just my opinion but the "thyroid fog" so many of us are all too familiar with is probably being diagnosed as depression all day every day by doctors who don't realize what a thyroid imbalance (even a slight one) can do to a person's mental/emotional state.

I used to take and dearly loved a stimulant drug called Vyvanse for the ADD. Right now I'm determined not to take anything that even might confuse how I feel with Armour - I've always been conservative with prescription drugs in that I've got to fully understand how one effects me before I take others. Even when I was taking Synthroid, I did not have that horrible sense of depression that people have to have experienced personally to understand.

My endocrinologist has told me she has hypothyroid patients on Vyvanse and the day may come when I'll resume taking it but I want right now to know exactly what a healthy, stable level of thyroid hormone will do for me.


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## Koof (Nov 9, 2011)

I've been on and off anti-depressants for a lot of my life. I went off of them about 5 years ago and haven't been back on them since. In the last few weeks I have felt like I might need it again, but since I seem to be dealing with thyroid issues I'm trying to stay off, thinking if I can heal my thyroid the depression issues might resolve. Being on anti-depressants does not mean you need to be on them for life, but only as long as you feel you need them. You can learn to deal with some of your issues or get through stress in a healthier way (or just reduce stress) and that can help too - learning to deal with things as they come can sometimes stop the downward spiral of depression. Also, look at your diet. I think a lot of problems people have (both mental and physical) have to do with diet; I tend to feel more depressed when I eat more pre-packaged foods and fresh veggies (thus winter is a lot harder for me).

BTW, I was on anti-depressants for part of both of my kids' pregnancies. It was the lesser of two evils - feeling depressed while pregnant or taking meds.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

If things are working for you and you are feeling good with more energy, I'd say don't rock the boat. Your body is going through enough with the thyroid changes alone. I agree with everyone else -- the thyroid and hormone issues are seemingly kept separate from the rest of someone's issues, when in reality they are very closely intertwined.

Any movement or adjustment of hormones (not just thyroid), either up or down, can cause physical & mental signs and symptoms. See here: http://www.drrichardhall.com/anxiety.htm

The fact that you have an endo who is actively working towards a good spot for you is awesome. You've made a lot of changes to your dose lately, so I'm honestly not surprised that you don't feel 100%. Perhaps you can encourage your endo to test for other hormone issues (pituitary, adrenal, estrogen/testosterone) to rule them out.

hugs3


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## Gwen1 (Sep 3, 2011)

IDClaire: that is interesting that you said you were diagnosed ADD. When overmedicated the past year, I felt I was ADHD--that's just what it did to my brain. And when undermedicated, I experienced a foreboding kind of depression that I was always trying to shake. That went away with dose increase only to be replaced by hyper symptoms. I am starting a new doctor and hopefully this won't happen again. I've also educated myself through the forums, etc. 
I very much agree with your thinking on this. -Gwen


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## HeidiBR (Apr 4, 2010)

I don't know if you all have seen this, but it looks like a bunch of decent resources:
http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/thyroid/692143-new-thread-tons-info-psych-manifestations.html


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Wow, lots of links there. Thanks!


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