Hi everyone. In some of my last posts, I mention my experience after taking Quetiapine. I wrote to the BNF with the yellow card attached. I went severely hypo and had a massive physical and mental crash 6 weeks after taking these horrid drugs. I had been on anti-depressants since my diagnosis with Graves. I was in such a terrible state after taking Quetiapine, that I was told to stop them immediately, and was then prescribed Trazodone, as by now, I had suicidal ideation!. I could not have got any lower in mood. So, I thought, what is the point of taking them at all! I decided to wean myself off these drugs as I was like a zombie! Dribbling, unable to eat, energy completely depleted and thought that there was nothing else to live for. GPs were adamant that IT WAS NOT my thyroid and I was " depressed"
( SAME OLD CHESTNUT). YES, I was depressed, and no wonder! but not all to do with Graves. I thought that this was going to be my life from now on. But eight weeks down the line, and my body is now completely detoxed from these drugs. I have never felt so alive and able to cope with my " down days" naturally, since now.
I decided to go for psychotherapy which helped me to release all the pent up emotions and frustrations of living with Graves,and Drs telling me it was depression, which had been numbed down by the anti-depressants since my diagnosis, and the ongoing battle to wellness.
My appetite is back to normal and I have had to lower my dose of Thyroxin. (This may be due to the weight loss). I have been following the advice from the forum regarding vits and mineral replacements,foods, cutting back on sugary foods and drinks, reducing the amount of many gluten foods such as biscuits, cakes and bread, (although not completely). Anti-depressants nearly ruined my life! The BNF ( British National Formulary) has now added Quetiapine to their list of contraindications connected to hypothyroidism ( RESULT!).
I would like to share this with you all, as you have all shared your wealth of knowledge with me. I believe now, more than any other time, that the more knowledge we share in our Thyroid community, the more chance we have of reaching that road to our well being both physically and emotionally. It has been a very hard and painful road as we all know, and I have learned so much from here about possible drug interactions, but something good had come out of something bad.
I would like to thank every one of you who has helped me on to the road of my recovery. I know that Graves is a life long condition, but if it had not been for Thyroid UK and this forum, I would not be here now telling you all my story.
Lynne x
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I'm so glad you have turned the corner after such a dreadful experience. Congratulations and well done. It's great too, that you were able to get benefit from psychotherapy.
And well done with getting quetiapine added as a hypothyroid contra-indicated drug.
Its so good to hear that you're recovering Lynne. You've been through the most horrendous time and it's great you're pulling through now. Well done for yellow carding Quietapine. Let's hope no one else has to go through what you did. xx
Oh poor you. I can sympathise absolutely after my own dreadful experience after being prescribed Mirtazapine (or Zispin) becuae the "doctor" wanted me to have an antidepressant which would also calm me down, He had wilfully failed to recognise that I did in fact have raging hyperthyroidism due Graves'. No blood tests at all ,and he completely disregarded the fact that a previous GP had noted (although I didn't know at the time) that I had a "visible goitre".It actually landed me in the psychiatric hospital, where I see from my much later-acquired medical notes, that they thought I had a "personality disorder". In fact, I know now that one of the side effects of Zispin is Anhedonia: displaying characteristics of a personality disorder"!!
I do not have the words to describe what I think of these so-called doctors. They're the ones with disordered brains, who cannot use a scrap of common sense They do not possess any and canot see what's under their own noses.
My horrific story continued for another 5 years after the Zispin was thankfully discontinued (I see from my notes that the reason they gave was it was "ineffective"!!) I still suffered from suicide ideation on a second AD & that, combined with the excess thyroid hormone affecting my brain, causing me to be unable to think clearly or rationally, did in fact lead me to taking an overdose because life seemed to me to be so intolerable that all I wanted to do was end it.
Amazingly, I survived, seemingly with no permanent liver damage
After finally being diagnosed by a second GP (another long story) I allowed the endos to give me RAI far too quickly, because my brain wasn't functioning as it should have been. After 18-20 more horrendous months I became 2 1/2 stone overweight, so breathless I could barely walk and was told that my TFTS were "normal", it was nothing to do with my thyroid, so I must have heart failure. That was when I eventually, thankfully, discoverd Dr. P., who probably saved my life by discovering that I had no functioning thyroid hormones whatsover and started me on the right road with the correct treatment. It has taken a long time for my mental faculties to recover completely; in fact I'm extremely lucky that they've recovered at all because, through my research, I've seen that some people, after a period of untreated Graves', do not recover their brain functions properly.
I filled in a yellow card form online, re. the Zispin, but maybe I should do as you did & write to the BNF. It was because my brain was still not functioning properly then.
I reported the stupid, to put it mildly, GP to the GMC, but that was a complete waste of time, effort & precious energy. He's still in practice, apparently still telling patients, as he assured me, that he's always right. As soon as my mental abilities allowed, I left that surgery, but I try to keep away from NHS docs altogether now if possible. Dr. P. has given me the confidence to monitor my own health & adjust medication accordingly, but because my system was so totally messed up, it's taking me a long while to get better. All those precious, wasted years, when I couldn't enjoy life because I'd lost all interest in everyting & all motivatoin to do anything, was really just like a zombie, so couldn't earn any money and am now too old anyway, but at least draw my state pension, and the "doctors" are still raking in their terrific salaries. It makes my blood boil.
It was only through Dr. P. that I discovered this forum, where it's so good to find others who understand.
In the end, words to describe my feelings fail me, but I know for sure now that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. All the very best to you & stick to your guns!
OMG Trixie!! You have been through the most horrendous experience!!I know EXACTLY what you mean when you talk about the brain not functioning properly. It's like a " double whammy" isn't it!. It's bad enough trying to deal with hyperthyroidism and it's effects on the psychological and physical dysfunctions it causes, let alone being " fed" anti-depressants on top of it!. It's a continuous fight to stay pro-active. How these doctors can sleep at night AND still keep their licences really fills me with horror and despair! I'm SO pleased that you found Dr. P who is helping you on your road to recovery. I also believe that what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, but it's early days for me at the moment, and there is still some underlying anger issues lurking around due to my poor management. Like yourself, I was referred to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed Ciclathememia! Hence the Quetiapine! I have lost a very good boyfriend due to the mental condition I was in, but who can blame him. I am trying to deal with this at the moment, but I am telling myself that it was not meant to be. One thing for sure, is that I won't be reaching out for Anti-Ds again! I allow myself to cry when I feel sad about it, and just allow the grieving process to take it's natural course. ( losing this relationship feels like a bereavement). Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I hope that your road to recovery will continue. Lynne x
Lynne, I've just looked up your "diagnosis". How dreadful. Mine was "anxiety & depression" or "personality disorder" at the time I was put on Zispin. I am still very angry as well, not only about the "doctors" but even more about my brother & his family, who did me out of a terrific amount of money when I didn't know what I was doing. When I finally realised what they had made me do, I tackled my brother about it, but he's in complete denial, just like the GP, and refuses to return a penny. How do you deal with nutters like them? It's impossible, but as my friends say, they'll get their come-uppance one day.It's actually really very sad for them, because they understand nothing and when something does hit them, they won't know what to do.
Fight the good fight! We'll be the ultimate winners!
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