Question

[LouiseMcD]

Hello. Could I ask if anyone on here suffers with aniexty and or depression? I was diagnosed with Hashimotos in January and blood results showed sub clinical hypothyroidism, I was started on 25mcg of levothyroxine but subsequent blood tests showed hypothyroidism and since then my dose has steadily increased and bloods are now within normal ranges. Some of the symptoms/problems I have are manageable but I can't shake the depression and anxiety, it's becoming debilitating and starting to effect my relationships with others. Is this common and does anyone have any ideas how to cope with it? Thanks.

[Marz]

Do you have copies of your recent blood tests with ranges ? Have they tested your T3 ? How are your levels of Iron - Ferritin - Folate - VitD - B12 ? They all need to be good for you to feel well and for your Levo to help with conversion. If you type depression into the Search Box on the Green Bar above you will be able to read the experiences of others.

Low B12 and the others can be the cause of low mood.

To the right of this page under the heading Topics - you will see Hashimotos - click and have a read. Am afraid reading and learning about this condition is the best way forward.

Hope you soon feel stronger....

[LouiseMcD in reply to Marz]

Thanks for this. I've had everything tested apart from B12. My VitD was low enough to warrant a 10 week course of treatment but everything else was ok, including T3. I'll speak to my GP about B12 levels. Thanks for the advice. It's actually been a big help finding this website and lots of other people to ask things to. My GP was very reluctant to do anything at first but in the months that followed initial diagnosis has become very helpful but I'm reluctant to discuss this at the moment with her.

[Marz in reply to LouiseMcD]

You say your results were OK - what does that mean - just in range is not good - where results are in the range are key. People here on the forum can only advise when you post your results. Again your GP will not know everything there is to know about B12 levels. When you have Hashis it would be good to have OPTIMAl B12 levels. Where in the range were the others - Ferritin - Folate - Iron ? If your D was so low then I am suspecting the others will be too. This is very common with Hashimotos - I am a sufferer too - so speak from experience.

Are you still supplementing VitD ? Best to keep going with a maintenance dose as levels can drop VERY quickly....

[LouiseMcD in reply to Marz]

Oh heck, no I'm not, I'll get some sorted. My latest results are as follows with reference ranges my practice use.

T4 - 14.0miu/L (7.8-21.0) On 125mcg Levothyroxine

T3 - 5.0pmol/L (3.8-6.0)

TSH - 1.0pmol/L (0.35-4.7)

VitD - 63.5nmol/L (50-75) After course of treatment.

Ferritin - 25ng/ml (15-300)

TPO Ab >1000kU/L (0-75)

These are the only ones that have been checked. They will be getting repeated in 3 weeks. I'll ask them to check my B12 whilst I'm there. Would you advise starting a supplement or would that skew the results?

[Clutter in reply to LouiseMcD]

IWNBB, TSH 1.0 is comfortable for most people, FT4 is a bit low only halfway through range but your FT3 is excellent.

Antibodies are high. 100% gluten-free diet has helped many members manage Hashimoto's and reduce antibodies.

Your ferritin is rock bottom, optimal is half way through range. Supplement iron (4 hours away from Levothyroxine) and take each iron tablet with 500mg-1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and minimise constipation. Retest in 6 months.

Supplement 5,000iu vitD3 for 6-8 weeks to boost vitD then reduce to 5,000iu alternate days. Retest in 6 months. Also take 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.

Don't supplement B12 until you have test results.

[LouiseMcD in reply to Clutter]

That's great thank you. I did go gluten free about 3 weeks ago and have heard very positive things about it. I have now got some iron and VitD supplements so will start on them too. I take my levothyroxine last thing at night and all other supplements I the morning.

[Hidden]

Marz is quite right - low iron can cause anxiety, and if your serum ferritin was measured at all you may have been told it was "in range" when it was at the bottom of a range which is based on a sample containing lot of sick people. Get a print out, and if you don't have a serum ferritin result, ask for a test. Do you have hair loss? Palpitations?

[LouiseMcD in reply to Hidden]

I do, the hair loss settled down initially but it's happening again. I have palpitations quite a lot as well as lots ectopic beats. I've been off work for a while with this but am returning soon. I work on a Coronary Care Unit so will be picking the consultants brains about increased cardiac risk when I go back. My endocrinologist told me that I had an increased risk of cardiac problems but all would be ok if I stick to the levothyroxine and more or less shrugged his shoulders at me when I asked if there was anything else I could do to help the problem.

[Hidden in reply to LouiseMcD]

Both palpitations and hair loss can be associated with iron deficiency, and could be associated with low iron short of actual anemia. So it would be worth checking the ferritin just in case that's a fairly simple thing you can fix and might also lift your mood.

[Marz in reply to LouiseMcD]

Your T3 is good so am sure your risk of cardiac problems are negated. It will have more to do with the iron deficiency that you have palps. Cardiologists are aware of the connections between thyroid and hearts but sadly are also trained to look at the dreaded TSH and declare you normal if in range. Has happened to people I know !

Did your Endo explain why you were at risk of cardio problems ?

When your Ferritin is up to 80/90 I am sure you will feel better. If red blood cells carry oxygen that adheres to the iron - it figures that when iron is low then so is oxygen. The heart then beats faster to push more red blood cells around the body in the hope that oxygen will be increased.

I think it is sad that we have to push so hard for the basics to be tested and treated. I am just a fellow Hashimotos sufferer and do not have a white coat and a stethoscope

[LouiseMcD in reply to Marz]

Unfortunately when I saw an Endocrinologist he wasn't very helpful. Every question I asked him he answered yes or no or shrugged his shoulders at me. Told me that my 'numbers' weren't that bad and he had patients who were so much worse than me. When I asked him why I had Hashimotos his answer was 'who knows?' He then told me not to believe everything I read on the Internet. He did, however double my dose of levothyroxine and said he wanted my TSH below 2.5 (at the time it was 11) but then he discharged me and said my GP could manage me now. My GPs answer is that Hashimotos is 'nothing to get excited about' and at first was very reluctant to even treat it. It's only after lots of pushing and discussion, and telling her that I'm a nurse, that she relented. It's a very odd situation to be in as I find that I am already telling her about things she didn't know about and she googles things when I'm discussing it with her.

Thank you for your help and advice. Can I ask how long you've had Hashimotos for?

[Marz in reply to LouiseMcD]

I have no idea how long - but I was diagnosed in 2005 at 59 - so quite late. You can click onto my name and read my Edited profile and read my journey....

Glad to be feeling stronger

[Aeracognie]

I suffer from depression and anxiety for which I take antidepressants (not yet on any thyroid treatment as it is being investigated). My anxiety is a bit better but the depression I feel is just getting worse all the time, much like my hypothyroid symptoms.

I take a prescribed Vitamin D supplement every day which I do think helps but mostly I cope by setting limits on myself eg:

How many days I will let myself sit around the house and do nothing.

How much junk food I eat when feeling low

No alcohol

Strict sleep schedule (with lie-ins at the weekend!) making sure I never sleep past 10am.

Also:

Writing - getting the thoughts out my head before they build.

Bubble technique - when I get an anxiety thought or depressive ideas I visualise encasing the thought in a bubble and then i pop it and watch it disappear! If i can pop it then it can't possibly have any power.

Nesting - I pretty much always have a blanket and cushions or pillows around me when I am at home. Feeling safe and warm helps.

Reading - I keep myself busy either doing research or just reading a good book (or watching TV) Something immersive so I am focused on that instead of how I am feeling.

Hope that helps!

[LouiseMcD in reply to Aeracognie]

These are some really good suggestions, I especially like the bubble idea and setting myself limits. I woke up really cross with myself today for being so depressed again, cross that I feel I'm letting it control me so something like setting limits would be great. Thanks so much for that.

[minus in reply to LouiseMcD]

IWNBB hi, I've had bad anxiety and feeling low since being on levothyroxine, am seeing endo tomorrow but not getting too excited. I found splitting Levo dose in half works. Also letting anxious repetitive thoughts float past without listening in. Remembering the depression will pass I find mornings are worst and evenings are better. I think the worse thing is the embarrassment one feels I have only spoke to one friend about anxiety and depression as she confided in me years ago that when she was younger she had ad a nervous breakdown. I wish there was less stigma attached to depression and anxiety. Hope you start to feel better soon.

Minus

[doris59]

Hi there. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism around 6 years ago. I was previously diagnosed with depression and anxiety around 15 years ago and have been on antidepressants since then. Although I did have some major problems around 15 years ago with my son, I am convinced that I had undiagnosed hypothyroidism at that time but was treated for depression. I still feel anxious a lot of the time but it is under control with seroxat. I now cannot seem to come off the antidepressants without terrible side effects. So I will probably be on these tablets for life. I feel that if I had been diagnosed hypothyroid years earlier I may not have developed depression and anxiety. I hope this helps you a bit. Dee

[minus in reply to doris59]

Hi doris59, I feel the same in that I have had depression and anxiety before being treated for thyroid disease, and I am now thinking perhaps it was untreated thyroid disease all along. I'm seeing endo tommorrow to see if I can get some t3 added to my t4 as t3 can help lift depression.

Minus

[Glynisrose]

Depression and anxiety are symptoms of under active thyroid. DO NOT take any form of anti depressive treatment as it will counter the effects of thyroid medication.