Still feeling very lazy, laclustre and cant be bothered.....

[haloras]

I was diagnosed 7 Years ago and I have a high daily dosage ( 125mg) My Test results always show that my levels are within expected "Normal" levels but I still struggle on a daily basis.

My initial diagnosis happened when I had a very sore back, Pins and Needles and a lot of weight gain. Whilst the weight gain has stopped, I have infact lost some weight, I still have a stiff back, and I've recently started to get the pins and needles back. Worse than all of that I have no desire, for almost anything. Im not interested in work, family or DIY I cant be bothered with anything apart from watching TV or browsing the internet. My doctor has put me on a dose of Fluoxotine (20mg) which I have been on for about a year. The thing is I cant see any light and I cant be bothered to change it, i'm "Happy" for it all to just fall about around my ears..... Only I'm not.... Any Ideas help or thoughts?

[helvella]

125 micrograms is NOT a high dose. It is a very common level of dosing.

You really need to get hold of your test results. We repeatedly say that "Normal" is inadequate. Numbers please, and reference ranges.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/NHS_In...

I would also like to know that you have been tested for vitamin B12, folates, iron/ferritin and vitamin D. If so, what were the results, if not, please ask your doctor if he will check.

Rod

[haloras]

Thanks Rod

I havn't been tested for anything since the first set of bloods were done - I get the feeling that the Doctors feel that as they had a reading that the hypothyroidism was there that that was their course and since then its been a case of you feel low because you have put the weight on and found everything difficult. My bloods are taken every six months. I have just moved Drs having moved house so hopefully the new Dr will take my despair a little more seriously. The last practice seemed to to do the "I understand, your levels are normal here's some Anti depressants" routine.

Don't get me wrong if I need anti depressants for the long term, fine. Where I struggle is that I cant seem to get any further along than just about coping.

I suppose the vent and anger is that I don't know.

I'm not a Dr, i'm not an expert on my condition, and I have no idea how to get going again. I feel like a stalled car.

Thank you for the advice I will book in and ask the questions and get my results back on here.

[Hidden in reply to haloras]

My surgery do annual blood tests as a matter of course. However, that doesn't stop them putting me in the normal bracket despite a whole list of symptoms I never had before.

I had a private blood test done which I presented to my doctor and as a result (after NHS tests) he did increase my dose. The increase did nothing for me and when my TSH recently came back below 1 he immediately wanted to reduce it again. At this point I had had enough and asked for a referral to a private endo.

The story continues, hope to get somewhere and my life back.

I wouldn't go down the anti-depressent route myself though, thyroid symptoms are enough to make anyone depressed because it just goes on and on and shuts down your normal family and social life.

[PinkNinja in reply to Hidden]

Your TSH should be below 1 if you are taking thyroid medication (for most people, anyway). There has also been recent research that shows that TSH is pretty much useless once you have hypothyroidism as it doesn't vary with T4 and T3 levels in the way it does with euthyroid, or even hyperthyroid, patients.

I hope you finally get the treatment you need from your new endo.

Carolyn x

[Hidden in reply to PinkNinja]

Yes, I have read on this site that below 1 is good or OK but you know how it is, GP's panic and tell you a heart attack is on its way. I sort of guessed this was going to be the response so asked for a referral. My doctor is very nice and knows his limitations.

The endo has ordered further tests, ferritin, iron, transferrin, B12 etc, and coeliac screen and also a trial of T3. Already had adrenals done privately and Vit D, so now on 800iu of Vit D and monthly check of calcium.

So it seems a good start and I am hopeful the answer will be in there somewhere.

Thanks, Jan x

[marram in reply to haloras]

I personally have avoided antidepressants like the plague. They are difficult to stop once started and they also have a side effect of encouraging more weight gain. Anti-depressants should not be for the long term, they should really only be a short-term stop-gap.

As I have got closer to my optimum dose of thyroxine, my 'depression' has begun to lift and I am even going out alone which I have not been able to do.

As Rod says, you are not on a high dose. And you do need your results to get a better picture of how you are doing. The return of symptoms indicates that you need an increased dose, so it will be interesting to see what the next tests will reveal.

[DaizeeFoo]

I would get yourself slowly off of Prozac. It's no good for you. I was put on it for about 8 months without councelling which you should be getting on antidepressants, and found I ended up a complete zombie doing nothing except sitting at the computer all day. It was great for the first few months, lots of energy, weight loss, etc. But it's bad news. More depression crept up, as did more weight and a total lack of any self respect or care for myself. Never again!

Good luck.