Does anyone know anything about 'thyroid resistance syndrome'

[CarolineAnne]

Hi everyone

I am trying to help someone that I suspect could have a thyroid problem. They have suffered from depression, anxiety and ADHD symptoms from teenage years.

Unfortunately they suffer from high anxiety levels and don't seem to be able to cope with stress or be able to function normally. This person seems to get stressed out from doing the simplest things such as sorting out their washing or dealing with bills. They over react and argue in a non logical way. Everything I have read about ADHD and bipolar fits them to a T. ( I know that thyroid can manifest in this way) but so far Tsh levels have always been around 2 and on one occasion just over three.

Unfortunately, due to the unbearable stress and anguish this person feels they have recently turned to drugs to cope. Although they do not want to go this way they almost feel compelled to self medicate in order to relieve the stress/ to feel normal. They have a history of drinking heavily and have been assessed and dismissed for both bipolar and ADHD by a pyschiatrist. ( they have said maladaptive coping with stress?)

Anyway, I turned to Dr Ridha Arems book as I remembered that he wrote of ADHD symptoms in thyroid conditions. On page 108 he talks of ' thyroid resistance syndrome' and how this can manifest as ADHD and sadly ' adults afflicted with this condition' tend to have high anxiety levels and often become drug addicts'. Is it possible this person could be suffering from this and how would I go about finding out?

The person has more than four family members with diagnosed thyroid problems and a couple of relatives thought to have bipolar.

How best could I help this person as I fear if help is not given soon they may fall further into self medication with drugs and perhaps less likely to be helped. Is it worth taking him to Dr P or another doctor?

Thanks for reading this long post. Please advise me on what I could do.

Carolineanne x

[helvella Administrator]

This is one heavy chapter on thyroid hormone resistance/resistance to thyroid hormone:

thyroidmanager.org/chapter/...

Note that there appears to be a specific pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone which has its own set of oddities not the same as general RTH.

Rod

[CarolineAnne in reply to helvella]

Thankyou- will take a look now

[shaws]

If this person has not had a recent full thyroid gland blood test is it possible to have one and post the results, with the ranges, on a new question for comments.

This is also re thyroid hormone resistance. Links within may not work.

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

[CarolineAnne in reply to shaws]

Thankyou

[CarolineAnne in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws. Do I follow the same protocol as it were - ordering thyroid blood tests, ferritin, vit b12 etc and take temps etc. ? There's not a different test?

[CarolineAnne]

Thanks RFU - will check it out

[shaws]

These are suggestions:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Most times if the GP only does the TSH and it is within range they wont do the others and sometime these have to be done privately.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

The GP should do the others, i.e. B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

youtube.com/watch?v=klobLSx...(Not working as expected?)

[CarolineAnne]

Thankyou Shaws- most helpful

[Triciatextiles]

HI - you say they have ADHD symptoms - do you know if they have been diagnosed with an autistic spectum disorder? the reason I ask is that many of the symptoms in your list could be attibuted to this - I know because my daughter is 15 and has in the last year been diagonosed with ASD and hypothryoidism. She couldnt cope with the outside world at all (very long and painful story for both her and I) Her ablity to cope with the world has improved once she recieved help with her ASD and put onto medication for her hypothyroidism. Its not an easy journey but one well worth travelling.

[CarolineAnne]

Hya

Thanks for your reply. No they haven't been diagnosed with anything but it might be worth looking into if you think the symptoms are similar. I will research. Thankyou.

Glad to hear that your daughter is improving. Sometimes half the battle is finding what the problem is before we can find the solution. Best wishes for her continued progress x

[CarolineAnne]

Thankyou Sandy12

Yes I've been working my way through all the info. Its heartwarming to receive help and links. I'm going to order all the relevant tests as only a tsh was done previously. We are also going to do the morning temps. Ive managed to get an odd one here and there which were low. I really want to help this person to have an improved life. It's difficult sometimes though as half the time I feel that they are fighting me much of the way. Other times they are on board though. It really does feel like how ADHD symptoms are described.

I'm glad you managed to work out the problem and solution for your son. It's great that he is doing good now.

I do remember reading Dr John Lowes story and where he said that he had an overwhelming urge of suicide which he fought daily before his treatment. At particularly stressful times my friend has broken down and remarked that everyday since he was young he has felt like killing himself but unfortunately he clams up again and won't talk about anything.

I will post the results. Thanks Sandy and everyone else who replied.

Best wishes

Carolineanne x