Should I take anti-depressants with under active thyroid medication?

[Bristol1965]

Have been taking medication for under active thyroid for around 9 months and have been feeling very low. My Doctor in September prescribed low dose anti depressant tablets (Stablon x 2 a day), which I took for about 5 months and then stopped taking them.

Not sure whether they made big difference and found out after a visit to my Endocrinologist that an increased dosage of Levo was needed as blood tests indicated that I was under medicated and also changed the brand of the medication.

Is it the under active thyroid thats making me feel low and does anyone recommend taking the anti depressants as well to help feel better? Am not really keen on taking any tablets generally and don´t want to become reliant on them. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[shaws Administrator]

When our thyroid gland stops working efficiently our whole body suffers. It provides the essential hormones that enables our bodies to function.

We are prescribed levothyroxine but sometimes we don't convert it to the Active Hormone Liothyronine (T3) which we need in each and every of the millions of receptor cells in our body. Depression is often accompanied by hypo and some T3 may be more beneficial that anti-d's. Levothyroxine is the inactive hormone.

Your Endo is right that you need an increase and hopefully that will make you feel much better.

We have to have enough levo to feel well, but sometimes GP's stop when the TSH is 'within range' but we may need a low or very low TSH to function.

You have to read as much as possible to make sure you recover your health.

Always get a copy of your blood test results, with the ranges for your own records. If you have a query you can post for comments.

You take levo with 1 glass of water on an empty stomach and don't eat for around 1 hour. Before a blood test, don't take levo in the morning, take it after your blood test and have it as early as possible.

The blood tests recommended by reallyfedup are essential. In particular magnesium and zinc help convert levo. Vitamin B12 and Vit D (a hormone) are usually deficient.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Bristol1965]

Thanks for your replies, this helps a lot. I am due new blood tests in a week so once I have the results will post them.

I really would rather not take them but feel the pressure to as I am not feeling as well as I think I should do by this stage of taking the medication.

[Glynisrose]

Depression is a symptom of under active thyroid and should be treated with MORE meds not less and definitely NO anti-depressants!!

[Aurealis]

Regard depression as a symptom of your under treatment. Treat the cause not the symptom. I don't think anti depressants help if your depression is due to under treatment. Of course if it's not resolved by an increased dose, then you might decide to use anti depressants, if you feel you want to. Depression lifts quickly if it's due to under treatment. If it returns, this can be a sign that you're still under treated. If you zap out symptoms of under treatment with other drugs it impairs your ability to self manage/ monitor ... And you end up on a whole medley of drugs ... For dry skin, constipation, mood, etc etc.

[Bristol1965]

Good advice everyone - thank you so much. I am not going to take any more anti depressants and will look at the supplements mentioned, I am taking some for hair loss which I think are mainly vitamin A & D from what the Endo told me.

As soon as I have next blood results will post to see how they are and if there is anything I can help with supplements or increasing my meds.

I did mention about the T3 to my Endo as I had read this a lot on the forum so wanted her to see if this could have been why I was still feeling so bad - I will bring this up again with her in my next appointment. Is there anything on blood tests that would show specifically the T3 level?

Thanks again for your replies - it is so good to have this site to be able to ask for advice from people who know what its like to suffer from this illness.