i know i have a thyroid problem but all they bang on about is take anti depressants and another blood test in dec

[wendypartridge]

i have never felt so absolutely alone and miss understood

[rosetrees]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Not to mention a stack of anti-depressants sitting untaken in the cupboard. If it's any help, this time last year I was told I was hypo and to come back for a retest in 3 months. I was barely able to stand, bed bound apart from essentials, deeply depressed and every inch of me shaking. I rang the GP back and said "I can't go on like this. What possible harm would it do to try the treatment and see if it helps." He said he'd retest me in 2 months. A week later I asked a friend to take me to the GP. I totally lost it with him. He put me on thyroxine to shut me up. I can only suggest you that you try again, be firm and insist on trying thyroxine. If necessary point out that depression is a classic symptom of hypo. I didn't actually know that at the time, just said to my doc "it's all part of it, can't you see that". Said being not quite right, I suspect it was more a combination of tears and a scream. It worked!

[wendypartridge in reply to rosetrees]

Thank you .. Your words have helped me ..Most of my adult life i have suffered with depression and anxiety .. Then my daughter who is now 28 had a baby and became ill with an over active thyroid and she told me to get tested the GP said he would do it too but my mind at rest .. It came back borderline over active .. the next one came back normal but he sad i might go over active then yesterday i saw a different doctor who told me the results were not normal and because i was in such a state she said ohh your depressed take these anti depressants .i really am confused thank you for your kind words

[rosetrees in reply to wendypartridge]

You need to get a print out of your test results, then come back here and post them. You are entitled to them.

Regrettably most doctors wouldn't know "normal" thyroid blood results if they leapt up and smacked them in the face. If they are "not normal" then you need treatment.

Have you had your anti-bodies tested? There are lots of different thyroid conditions - over active, under active, auto immune. You need to know what you are up against and testing is the key. Be persistent.

I should add that if you are over-active thyroxine isn't the right medication.

[wendypartridge in reply to rosetrees]

ths level is 0.01 and my t4 is 17.4 which the doctor says will not cause the symptoms i am having .. Bloody confused ..

[rosetrees in reply to wendypartridge]

Your TSH is seriously suppressed for some reason. Are you on medication? Your T4 looks mid range. The important one is your FreeT3 level. Insist that is tested and also insist on having your thyroid antibodies measured. Something is going on and it is actually your doctor's job to find out what that "something" is.

Whilst you are there, also ask for your iron, ferritin, folate, Vit D, Vit B12 levels to be measured too.

Get all the results, with ranges, and post them here.

Also consider if you might have adrenal involvement too - adrenalfatigue.org/take-the... is a good questionnaire to help you decide. If you think you might have problems there too, then get the 24hour saliva cortisol test done by Genova UK.

[wendypartridge in reply to rosetrees]

I don't know if this means anything but my daughter is Ana positive

[wendypartridge in reply to rosetrees]

Am I allowed to ask for all these tests .. My GP tells me nothing

[rosetrees in reply to wendypartridge]

Ask politely. My approach is just to ask - not "is it possible" or "do you think", just "can I have x,y.z test, please". My doctor has the measure of me now - he does what he's told.

You might find this video interesting, webofstories.com/play/53949

Especially the end, from around 2.40 on and the bit about depression at around 2.59

I'm afraid I know nothing about antibodies as I don't have auto-immune problems. Hopefully someone else will chip in.

[Moggie]

Please have a look at this list of symptoms for an over active thryiod from the main thyroiduk website. There is also lots of other usefull information on the site so have a read,

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

You said the last doctor you saw said that you did actually have a problem so why did she not say what she was going to do about it. Does she think anti depressant will cure an over active thryoid!!!!!

If I were in your shoes I would have a good look around the thyroiduk website and read as much as possible and make notes of anything you find that relates to you and your symptoms. I would also have a look at the headings on the right hand side of this page (near the top) as one is headed hyperthyroid and if you go into it up pops lots of questions from other people who are also hyperthyroid. I know its a lot of reading but the only way to persuade your GP to take you seriously is to go to your next appt armed to the teeth with information. The more you know the less you GP can fob you off with anti depressant which is a total cop out by your GP.

Moggie x

[wendypartridge]

Thanks will do ... X

[Nanaedake]

Just hang on in there. Thyroid problems can make you feel very unwell, depressed, anxious and various other states of mind. The symptoms are often dismissed by those in the medical profession as not being connected with thyroid disfunction. I don't know what the cause of your symptoms are but your doctor needs to do full thyroid tests that include TSH, T4 and T3 to find out what's going on. Thyroid problems are complicated and it can take time to work out the problem. Sometimes people find anti-depressants help while they are trying to find out what the problem is as thyroid imbalance cannot be corrected overnight. On the other hand, if you do have thyroid disfunction, any depression should clear up or greatly improve once your thyroid is balanced. You do have choices and it's worth discussing which are the best options for you while you work out what the problem is. Keep a diary of symptoms and keep a diary of blood tests as it may help to match symptoms with your test results. Good luck and I hope you find out soon what is causing your symptoms.

[Hidden]

Here's a link for you about Pernicious Anaemia / B12 Deficiency, in case you want to explore that angle:

b12deficiency.info/

And as Rosetrees said adrenal problems also spring to mind.

I would argue that they can't give you anti-Ds if they haven't investigated you properly for other conditions.

They should also be referring you to an Endo, particularly if overactive is suspected.

Both you and your daughter should insist on the vit and mineral tests listed by the others - B12, folate, ferritin, serum iron, vit D. Low normal results are often enough to make you feel very ill.

Here is a link about the ANA test:

rheumatology.org/practice/c...

Hampster

[Glynisrose]

Doctors get a bonus for prescribing stuff like anti - depressants and (especially) statins so they will always tell you you are depressed!! When I was waiting for an appointment in the surgery one day they made the mistake of asking me to fill out a depression questionnaire... at the end I wrote, 'I have an illness that nobody regards as important, I do not get proper treatment for it and my symptoms are ignored, of course I'm bloody depressed!!'

[Hidden]

It might help if you could take someone with you next time. Just having a witness present might produce a more thoughtful response from the doc. And you could try booking a double appointment, if you want a serious conversation rather than the standard 'looks like you're xxx, take these'. You might also consider seeing a different doctor in your practice. Just remember who pays for the NHS (ie you). Good luck!

[wendypartridge]

Thank you for your kind advice .. It's good to know there are people who care. To be told there is a problem then be told there's not and then be told there is by two doctors is driving me to the edge

Of madness but you kind people have helped so much xxxx