Anyone with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism here?

[Mindfulness4]

Hi All,

Im 27 years old (just needed to say that so u can follow along with the story timeline). Im here to tell my story to figure out the mystery if what I feel is due to predominantly an anxiety problem or thyroid. Or both playing into each other? idk.

When I was 9 I suffered from 3-4 terrible panic attacks due to some major stressful events that went on in my life.

then a few sporadically between 9-15. When I was 16 I had an out of the blue very terrible and terrifying panic attack that turned into panic disorder. The disorder didn't last longer than a month I believe but the panic attacks after that came here and there but always felt anxiety and some symptoms but nothing very major.

Then at 19, working, going to college, having other more responsibilities etc. I started getting really bad anxiety. I wanted to work out and change m body - and for some reason while I was working out, I would get bad anxiety, sometimes to a panic attack or I would feel terrible after a work out. I would get really back headaches, eye aches and HAD to go to sleep. My body felt terrible and took me 2 sometimes 3 days to fully recover. I was also diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis at this time. My mom has it as well. I got on the synthroid pill at 75mcg.

Finally I got treated for my anxiety because my anxiety got really bad. At 22 finally my anxiety disappeared from therapy and a 4-week mindfulness program. It was amazing. I started working out again but not quite as comfortably as I knew I could. Sometimes I still had to go to sleep after a workout and didn't have energy afterward.

Things were great for 3 years. I had a lot of energy, I felt myself etc. Then, more stressful events happened at 24 - heartbreak, my grandfather died, I was moving out and my dog got hit by a car. My panic attacks and anxiety came back full blown. I was SO DISSAPOINTED, LET DOWN AND TERRIFIED. All the same symptoms as I had before came right back. I worked so hard to beat this.

SO HERE IS MY DEAL:

I keep going back and forth. Sometimes I don't know if its my thyroid bothering me, or that the panic attacks and thyroid are separate. My anxiety makes me a different person and since I was 24 now 27, I also have tons of other symptoms that sound just like thyroid problems and adrenal fatigue problems.

- Terrible panic attacks and anxiety disorder (gives me breathlessness to the point it feels like I'm suffocation and I can't talk. Rushed to the hospital a few times for them to tell me I'm fine its just anxiety)

- I feel exhausted and tired all the time, like I can't handle anything

- I get stressed easily

- I cannot work out or be active - I crash and have to sleep or get so exhausted I panic and feel like I am dying.

- Every little thing makes me anxious

- Heart palpitations

- night panic attacks that feel like sleep apnea wit heat flashes and as if I stopped breathing my sleep and woke up right on time.

- I WAKE UP feeling UNRESTED almost every morning, get a Burt of energy at a random time of the day, then comes back down

- I feel depressed sometimes

- I just feel like I'm in a prison and can't live my full life!

- IBS, terrible gas pains

- fissures

- Moodiness

- Just no energy!!

I went back to therapy, tried 3 different therapists and for some odd reason I can't go back to how I used to! And they all said I should bounce right back and I haven't.

I miss myself. I keep buying thyroid books and it scares me that everything says that thyroid isn't being treated properly. I have tried going on diets millions of times and I live alone and its hard. I don't have the energy to do it sometimes but I'm about to try again because I won't give up. My doctor says my levels are fine and I don't know if the anxiety mostly or the thyroid doing this to my anxiety, I don't know and its driving me crazy. I spend almost 2k on an integrative doctor too! I even spent money on that documentary called "The Thyroid Secret".

They say I have to test for gluten intolerance and treat my gut for bacterial overgrowth. Then they say its from the EBV virus. I am scared my doctor won't do the gluten intolerance test to see if I'm gluten intolerant but she thinks I'm a hypochondriac because of my anxiety.

UGH IM JUST SO FRUSTRATED!!!!

[b1b1b1]

To resolve your thyroid problems you might consider seeing an endocrinologist. They specialize in this type of disorder and can do more sophisticated tests which I think could help with the thyroid issues. As to the IBS (which I also have), it may be caused in part by stress, but it is worth seeing a gastroenterologist. Mine helped me a lot. If thyroid issues are not treated properly, they can cause a whole range of problems, including tiredness and some other things you mention. Hope you can get to the bottom of this. xx

[Mindfulness4 in reply to b1b1b1]

I already see an endocrinologist. They also don't do much. they do do tests but then give me a pill and call it a day.

[b1b1b1 in reply to Mindfulness4]

That is crummy. There are so many doctors who don't really listen to or care about their patients. Some just want to be done with the patient as quickly as possible. I'm sorry you have had this experience.

[Usagold]

It sounds to me like your symptoms are primarily anxiety. My thyroid is normal and I have had the exact same symptoms you listed other than IBS & fissures. I know just how you feel! I had to stop working out, and had to quit my teaching job, although I'm better now and I've started back to work part time. But I mean, I had no energy! It seemed like just walking made my heart overwork and I would get short of breath. I would wake up exactly as you describe and be certain I was dying almost every night! I called an ambulance more than once. Still happens, but less than once/week now and not quite as severe. My heart palpitations are less frequent but still annoying, esp at night when I lie down. I get a LOT of missed beats, do you?

[Mindfulness4 in reply to Usagold]

Oh hell yeah when I lay down I feel my heart do crazy shit. My heart stuff doesn’t bother me as much anymore it’s my fatigue and breathing.

Did u ever get ur thyroid checked? R u on thyroid meds?

[Usagold in reply to Mindfulness4]

I have had my thyroid checked 3 times in the past 2 years. It's within normal limits. I was desperate for answers. I had all kinds of things tested! That's why I think your symptoms must be mostly anxiety related. Esp since you had it when you were young. So did I.

[Mindfulness4 in reply to Usagold]

honestly it’s all a mystery I do thing thyroid plays some type of role but u are right I think it’s predominantelty anxiety but my anxiety just happened randomly and I refuse to believe it’s not from an underlying cause that has also gave me thyroid complications I.e gut health toxins etc. my anxiety is just too terrible to be normal.

[Mindfulness4 in reply to Mindfulness4]

It has taken so much quality of life away from me.

[Usagold in reply to Mindfulness4]

ME TOO! I called it my "mystery illness". I was sure something (other than anxiety) was causing it. I figured either toxins (so I had fillings removed), Lymes, or some other undiagnosed malady. However, since I have finally felt halfway normal after working on my thinking patterns, I have begun to believe it might really be stress/anxiety. That said, it still could be something else. Whatever it is, we have the same symptoms!

[Mindfulness4 in reply to Usagold]

Have you ever done mindfulness? Look up John kabat zinn. My mindfulness workshop was life changing, that’s what I did to feel 100% myself. When I stopped the practice and got back into old pattern this is the results lol. Going back to it in January. It will change your life because anxiety/panic and other problems cannot survive while in the present moment!any of us have lost being able to stay present.

[Mindfulness4 in reply to Usagold]

And I called ambulance a Few Times too

[Usagold]

I went to an integrative doctor too! And they said basically the same things. I went gluten free for several months, but nothing changed. I already ate right, so gut dysbiosis or gluten sensitivity were NOT my problem. Changing my diet did not improve my symptoms. Working with a qualified anxiety counselor, eliminating stress and changing my thinking is what has helped me improve, and I hardly have any symptoms in the daytime anymore. I still get heart flutters and still experience anxiety in the middle of the night sometimes for some reason, but I think healing (when you're as severe as I was) is just a slow process.

[19malpas]

Hi i am allso confused like you i have anxiety problems & thyroid problems & anything i do ortake dñt make a bit of differance.