Hello all,
I have just signed up to ask for some advice, as I'm struggling with concentration, focus, memory and drive, among other things I suppose.
I was diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia in 2005, after being rushed into MAU with suspected leukaemia. I've been on injections every 3 months since then. At the same time, they tested me for everything, and told me my thyroid was under-active. I was put on 25mcg, which was slowly upped to an eventual 200mcg per day, of levothyroxine.
I have been tested for addisons and type 1 diabetes which is apparently all clear. My Dad has addisons, underactive thyroid, B12 deff and type 1 diabetes, and so did his brother. His sister has hypothyroidism without the others.
I have some form of poly-glandular autoimmune problem which is hereditary, although I am the only one a generation down out of many children with any of these problems!
I am male, 33y, so was diagnosed when I was 24.
The problem I have is concentrating and remembering things. Some things I remember, others I have no recollection of. I also lack enthusiasm for lots of things, things I normally care about. I seem depressed at times, but I'm sure I'm not depressed. I have been put on SSRI's twice and have had cognitive behavioral therapy, but I'm not convinced I'm depressed.
My auntie, who I mention above, has suffered with hypothyroidism for decades, and over the last decade or so has struggled to even read an entire book. She explained to my Dad recently that she felt like she had a foggy head, and a hole whereby information she is taking in just falls straight out. She made many visits to a doctor and got referred to an Endo, who put her on some T3 medication. They had to work on it for some months, but she said that she is much better for it now.
Basically, the way she explained her problems is exactly how I feel (apart from she would also fall asleep very easily, a problem I don't have).
I have asked my doctor when having bloods taken to tell me what my T3 is, and they say they can't test me for it; they only check my TSH. My GP says my TSH is fine, and is in the middle of the marker, and that means that I am getting enough thyroxine. When I challenge this with wanting more information, I am told that the TSH marker would indicate that I am getting enough T4, which naturally brings up the T3 levels to, so it must be ok.
Maybe I am looking for excuses for my memory and concentration, but my relationship is struggling because of it, and I can't get my job done efficiently like I used to, even though I know what needs to be done. I can't explain this very well, but I feel like I have a foggy head when I am meant to be concentrating, and when people talk to me I kind of drift off and think about something they have said, or something entirely different, resulting in my just nodding at them but not recalling what they are saying.
Any advice, if any of this makes sense? I've been so blasé about all of this, and taken it at face value, trusting what I'm given. Grew up with my Dad who never appeared to have any problems, but he covered it all up I suppose and never talks about his problems, so just take the tablets I'm given. I've even gone weeks before without taking them, because they didn't make me feel any different. It wasn't long before I started getting weird electric shocks going through my face and arms that I realised that I had forgotten them...won't be doing that again, I can assure you!
Thanks for reading if you got this far, and I hope someone will understand what I'm getting at, and able to offer some constructive advise.
Regards, V.
Hypothyroidism and Armour
adrenal fatigue should I change from levothyroxine
It's all in my head, apparently.
Is memory loss linked to thyroid problems?
