Anyone hypo get "the death fear"

[Carrie97]

When I'm hypo I tend to get a horrific fear of death. My anxiety is awful. Eg- I'm constipated so I worry it's bowel cancer, my bones ache so I worry it's bone cancer.. Etc etc. anyone else share this?

[danceforever]

O honey, that is awful. Yes I get like that off and on. That is the anxiety kicking in. Constipation is just typical with hypo, and bones aching is also hypothyroid. When this happens, try to take deep breaths . Breathe in then blow out slowly. that will slow down your heart from racing from the anxiety. the anxiety is because of your thyroid condition, and we have to try to control it. it is not easy, but we have to try. Alot of people get anxiety from the thyroxine medication too, so dont panic, it is perfectly normal. horrible, but normal. As long as you can believe in you heart that it is normal, then the 'fear' will subside with time.

[marram]

In the middle part of the last century a doctor discovered that a fair number of women who were in mental hospitals with anxiety and paranoia were in fact hypothyroid. He began trying out pig thyroid preparations to see if they improved, and had a lot of success.

This is the link:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

It is a bit heavy going but if you save it and read it slowly, you will learn a lot about hypothyroidism, not only the mental aspects but some of the physical problems which can arise when it is not treated. When reading, it is good to remember that these ladies had very severe untreated hypothyroidism for a long time.

The important thing, too, is that your fears and anxiety can be resolved with treatment.

Marie XX

[SkinnerFan]

Dr Skinner talks about this level of fear in Diagnosis and Management of Hypothyroidism. It is also a symptom listed on his patient questionnaire. He says it goes away when the patient is on the correct dose of thyroid hormone replacement. I haven't experienced that dreadful level fear and anxiety since he treated me. Before that I was prescribed antidepressants for anxiety by GPs and endocrinologists and remained on a too low dose of thyroxine. The bone ache also disappeared.

It is such a relief when these symptoms stop.

Sounds like you need your thyroid medication adjusting.

Best of luck

[Sam75]

I am fine during waking hours, but often dream Ive been told I have cancer, and Im about to go under the knife....then wake up heart pounding and dreadful headache.

It soon passes but it is so horrible while it lasts. think its just supressed emotions.

[Caroline240265]

I definitely have those feelings. I always have underlying anxiety, but some days I feel like I am going mad and fear that I am dying and every ache and pain is something awful, then I get a feeling that I want to scream or cry and it feels like it is sitting on my chest. I have learnt to sit down and deep breath and find it helps a lot.

[shaws Administrator]

You may not be on enough thyroid gland medication. Constipation is very unpleasant. Have you asked at your Health Food Store for a herbal or fruit product which may suit you. Also keep your GP informed.

[debjs]

As skinnerfan says it is listed on the symptom checklist Dr S uses. I had it very badly and at times I could see or sense a big black ball of doom in the room. This has completely gone now I am on appropriate replacement even though I am not at my optimum dose yet and still have many symptoms. It was one of the first things to improve but I guess we are all different. I hope yours improves soon for you as it is horrible. I really sympathise.

[Carrie97]

Thanks guys! It means alot x

[wendypartridge]

Every single day .. But I have to learn not to mix the two up .. The doctors are useless .. Given up even going to see them , they make me feel worse ..

[mandy72]

i fear it every day especially knowing how my mum was with lung cancer and heart attack

the shortness of breath hit her bad in the last few months........so i get scared thats why my breathing is bad

im scared of heart attack

im scared they will find lung cancer

then im in a full blown panic attack

[shaws Administrator in reply to mandy72]

Mandy

I'm sorry your Mum suffered - mine had a similar experience. I understand your fear but when you feel unwell, we think of what else it could be when the doctor tells us its not due to our thyroid gland.

With hypothyroidism it can cause breathlessness, it could be due to being undermedicated. You should get a copy of your latest thyroid gland blood test results complete with the ranges and post on a new question for comments.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[mandy72 in reply to shaws]

thankyou Shaws i think it will be something that will be in my mind for many many years to come

my drs certainly dont help any as say none of my illnesses are thyroid related but will take no further action.....i sometimes wonder if they think im making it all up

i did post my recent blood a while ago but here they are again

blood test 9 sept 2013

Observations

"Liver function test"

"Serum albumin" 37 giL (35 - 50)

·'"Serum alkaline phosphatase" 48 u/L (30 - 105)

Will be filed as: 48 U/L

.,"AST serum level" 23 u/L (7 - 35)

Will be filed as: 23 U/L

(s) *

""Serum total bilirubin level" 9 umol/L (1 - 21)

(s) *

""Serum gamma GT level" 21 u/L (5 - 50)

Will be filed as: 21 U/L

.'"Serum total protein" 72 giL (60 - 80)

(s) *

~"Serum TSH level" 5.2 U/mL (0.35 - 6.9)

"Urea and electrolytes"

"Serum sodium" 138 mmol/L (135 - 145)

""Serum po t a'ssi urn" 4.61 mmol/L (3.5 - 5.0).

(s) *

"Serum creatinine" 49 umol/L (62 - 124) "Low"

. "SERUM UREA"

Will be filed as: 44J ..ll Urea - blood

"Serum urea level" 2.2 mmol/L (2.5 - 6.6) "Low"

. "ESTIMATED GFR"

Will be filed as: 414 ..00 Sample sent to lab. for test

.'"GFR calculated abbreviatd MDRD" > 90 mL/min (59 - 9999)

[shaws Administrator in reply to mandy72]

Mandy, I am not qualified medically to interpret these but I will tell you, for someone who is on thyroid gland medication, your TSH is TOO HIGH. It's no wonder you are not feeling well They then pronounce that 'it's not the thyroid'. Dr Lowe has said they give us too little a dose but then give us other medication for the 'clinical symptoms'. Some get meds for pain relief, antacids,anxiety etc. etc

Email [e-mail] and ask for a copy of the Pulse Online article by Dr Toft who was President of the British Thyroid Association. Send a copy of the whole article to your GP so he can be educated (refer him to read question 6 particularly) and highlight the part where it says Quesion 6. Make an appointment to see him pronto to discuss. This is an excerpt:-

The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range – 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

[mandy72 in reply to shaws]

Thankyou Shaws i do have the article you are talking about so will get hubby to print it off for next time i see the dr and hope they listen to me and take notice

[hairyfairy]

Oh god yes!, I`m terrified of death. It wouldn`t be so bad if there was proof of life afterwards, but as far as I can see, once the body quits, it`s curtains. Everytime I read a scare story about this, that & the other causing cancer or heart disease, I`m scared out of my wits.

[shaws Administrator in reply to hairyfairy]

I'm sorry you're so scared as many diseases can be cured nowadays. Although they may keep us unwell by their stupid decrees about the treatment of hypothyrodism.

[Barbaraj]

I'm not suggesting it's the answer to everything but having my dna and genome mapped helped me enormously as I discovered all gene mutations. It's all related to so many health conditions. I now take vitamin/mineral and co-factor supplements relevant to my particular mutations in the mthfr genes amongst others. I feel the best I have in many many years and have had to lower my replacement by 50mcgs T4 and no longer even have to take T3. Explanation can be found mthfr.net. If you would like to know more then please feel free to pm me.

[edysia2 in reply to Barbaraj]

How did you do genome mapping tests, Barbara ? Ex

[Barbaraj in reply to edysia2]

I did it through 23andme.com

It cost $90 plus DHL carrier fees - in total around £170. I sne off my raw data when it came back to a site called livewello - you could send it to geenit genome but they don't analyse all the snp's on the genes. That cost $5 the livewello cost $20. It was the best money I have ever spent - nothing is a mystery anymore.

I'd always been mystified about why I felt worse when taking vitamins and minerals. I now know that my body cannot convert B12 in the form of cyanocobalamin nor can it does so with folic acid (toxic to me - I don't now eat foods fortified with it). I now take Nutrient 950 without copper and iron made by PureEncapsulations. I buy this online form PureBio. It has these nutrients in the form of methylcobalamin and the folic acid in the live form of LMethylfolate. If you log on to mthfr.net you will learn all about it. A good place to start is to watch 'methylation made easy' on YouTube. I hope this helps lead you into the right direction - I too was very ill. x

[Barbaraj in reply to Barbaraj]

sorry - for 'geenit genome' above read 'geneticgenie'

[edysia2 in reply to Barbaraj]

Thank you Barbara. It is good to know. I am waiting to become

rich:(, but maybe one day. I already take methyl forms of b12 and folate, just in case. E xx

[Barbaraj in reply to edysia2]

You could always ask your GP to test for mthfr C677T and A1298C which are the two most studied mtfhr polymorphisms - you could try asking - he/she may learn a few facts about epigenetics and functional medicine! Also, there is no harm in adopting the protocol for these mutations as they won't harm you. You are already on the right track - as long as you aren't taking cyanocobalomin or folic acid in any other supplement you may be taking. Also, look into magnesium deficiency and sulfite sensitivity - two good pages on Facebook if you're on there. Also there's an mtfhr group there that's very helpful. I hope you get sorted soon.

[hairyfairy]

I`d have my genome mapped if I was a young person considering whether or not to have children, but as I`m past reproductive age, I`d be scared of finding out that some dreadful illness like alzheimers or parkinsons was in my genes.

[cloud1]

Hypothyroid can affect ur mental health so much.I find that exercise helps alot;just a long,q brisk walk(i luckily live nr seaside so i get the good ions too!)I absolutely cannothave a day pass by without a walk;its essential for my health;physical and for depression/anxiety.I also fibd that the natural antidepressant supplement,5HTP,helps alot too(its for anxiety aswell.)Just try and remember that its ur hypothyroid causing it.

[Okubadejo]

Does carb works for hyperthyroid,I don't understand t all