Hypothyroidism, a bereavement, stress, do I need more T3?

[TrayD]

Hi everybody,

A week ago today my dad died, it was sudden and totally unexpected. As you can imagine it's been a really stressful week, what with the post mortem, running around arranging the funeral for next week, and also having only the week to clear his flat and hand the keys back, which somehow I managed to do. I'd thought I'd just about got the dosage of T3 right after a year (since diagnosis) of messing about with T4, then a combination of T4/T3, then a few weeks ago dropping the T4 completely. I'd felt better than I had done for years, lots more energy, no crashes, etc etc - until today. I'm stuck in bed exhausted, feel really low, my joints are playing up, dizzy, constipation, etc. all those awful symptoms seem to have come flooding back again. I'm taking 20 x T3 in the morning, 10 at lunchtime, 10 at 3pm - or, if I forget the lunchtime dose I take 20 in the afternoon. Can anybody please help - should I have upped my dose to deal with this unexpected loss?? I'm desperate for any advice, the funeral is on Thursday so I haven't got long to get back on my feet. Thank you in advance!

[Aurealis]

Sorry to hear about your Dad. It is very likely that the stress of losing your Dad and the additional demands placed on you over the last week may have caused you to deplete your T3 levels slightly. May be advisable to make sure that you take your standard doses at the planned time and keep it stable. Perhaps you could make your half tablets a little bit bigger and perhaps this will help you get through the coming week. All the best, take care

[JanW]

I winced when I read this knowing exactly what you've been going through and the incredible amount of stress, my father died just over 2 years ago and being the only sibling living in the country I had to deal with everything and the stress was unbelievable. Odd how you think a funeral will be easy to arrange but it isn't and turns out to be so much work and at the same time you are trying to control your own emotions while ordering flowers, informing relatives, dealing with undertakers and their numerous questions and the church and theirs. Planning permission for a headstone, hymns, writing something for dad so others remember him by, flowers in the church, service sheets, a bit of a do after for relatives many interfering a nightmare.

I got through it by gritting my teeth and realising yes I was very stressed and hopefully it would pass. I didn't alter my meds didn't think/knew it wouldn't help sometimes you have to just get through things hour by hour but this might not be the same for you the stress afterwards does'nt just go away like that and maybe you should make an apointment and see your doctor. Good luck.

[Hidden]

Firstly I am very sympathetic for the stressful time you are having.

Your father passing away so suddenly is bound to have a huge effect on you both physically and emotionally and I really feel your pain,having gone through my own bereavement experiences and know what house clearing is like under pressure.....

Dreadful!!

Trying to do the practical things at the same time as trying to grieve for your dad is enough to affect your thyroid big time.

Do you have any one who can help support you through this coming week ? If not family,may be a friend? The important thing now is just to be able to stay strong for your dad.When his funeral is over,then you will hopefully be able to give time to yourself

and gradually regain that state of well being you know that you had already achieved.Slowly but surely it will return.Give it time.

Regarding any adjustment of your medication that might help,maybe someone else will advise you.

I recently managed to go to a funeral that I really didn't want to have to......an inner strength somehow helped me....I will be thinking of you on Thursday and hope that all goes well...Good Luck x

[Jessiepup]

I tuned in to some of the 'thyroid sessions' on the Internet last month and there was a really interesting one which explained why Hypothyroid people crash when stressed, (i get exactly what you are describing)Can't remember word for word but it was a real lightbulb moment for me.

I think it was that when you are stressed your cortisol levels raise which causes your available T3 to convert into reverse T3 which meant your levels drop dramatically , he then went on to explain that once you go back to a period of calm the T3 will released back into the system and energy levels will normalise. This is why I feel so unwell after a stressful time at work (or home - I have teenagers lol)

I do wonder if postnatal depression is sometimes misdiagnosed also?

So sorry you Dad has passed, I lost my Mum 11 years ago and same as you was the one doing the organising. Make sure you give yourself time to recuperate .

Take care xxx

[Hidden]

My sympathy for your loss. Interesting thread for me. Lost my soulmate two and a half years ago then moved home three months ago. Never felt so exhausted in my life. Needless to say ended up in doctors surgery pleading for help despite being within range. Got a slight increase in dosage every other day (T4 only, not on T3). Not sure so far if it is helping but yes agree wholeheartedly that we suffer badly when life throws stress at us. Hope you feel better soon and all goes well with funeral.

[Avalynd65]

My condolences to you on your sad loss , I lost my Dad twelve weeks ago and it really did exacerbate my symptoms . I can't offer anything other than good wishes to you for health improvements . xx

[waveylines]

Am so sorry to hear about the sudden loss of your Dad.

Am absolutely certain all of this will be placing an immense strain on your system. Whenever i am under stress I do slightly increase my dose of thyroid meds upwards -so you could try it and see if it helps. Your adrenals will have been working over time to support you.

i am sure you will feel very tired and exhausted so if you can sleep and rest (though I know how much there is to do -I remember it so well). This is the time to call upon kind trustworthy friends and relatives to help you out and lighten the load of organsing it all and help you out with simple things like cooking you meals and making you drinks -so often in times like this we don't think about looking after ourselves..

Thinking about you

Big big hugs

x