Under Active Thyroid & Depression

[Northdown23]

I am currently taking 50mg of levothyroxine for my under active thyroid and also 40mg of citalopram for a touch of depression that I have. With these 2 medications I am taking I feel the constant need to eat everything in sight ! Not proper meals just absolute rubbish ! Buns, cakes, crisps, ice cream and the list goes on. Anything at all I can get my hands on. Its driving me crazy ! Does anyone have any suggestions as to why I am permanently eating and never feeling satisfied ? I had lost a lot of weight 3 years ago but 3 stone has crept back on. I need to loose this weight as none of my clothes fit me ! Any advice would be greatly appreciated ! Thank you for taking the time to read my post xx

[MrsRaven]

Hi Northdown23, agree with what reallyfedup says. Gluten free is the way forward. But seriously I would ditch the citaloprom asap. That stuff is evil and very addictive. My GP put me on it and it sent me psycho, plus wanting to eat everything in sight.

Try using mindfullness techniques and meditation. I suffer from depression because I am bipolar, and cannot take antidepressants even if I wanted to. If you have a smartphone there are some very good apps by the therapeutic hypnotherapist Glenn Harrold that you can try free. He also uses the old solfeggio scales, which have been known to be beneficial for hundreds of years. You can also download them as MP3s and if you use Facebook he has a page.

[Northdown23 in reply to MrsRaven]

Thanks MrsRaven I will check that out online and do a bit of research. I am at my wits end and feel so low !

[realturbo]

Not sure about your desire to keep eating, but as has been regularly suggested on this forum, it would be good to post your thyroid test results for people to comment. Would be good to know your ferritin, B12, vitamin D - low levels in these as well as non-optimum thyroid function might be the cause of your depression. Lot of people report exercise helps with depression.

[greygoose in reply to realturbo]

Yes, but exercise doesn't help with hypo. It uses up your T3, and my guess is that Northdown23 doesn't have enough T3 to begin with, and that's why she's depressed.

Therefore it would be very good to see her labs. Northdown23? Do you have your lab results? If so, post them here - with the ranges. If not, ask for them. It is your legal right to have a copy.

[Northdown23 in reply to greygoose]

Greygoose - going to ask for them today. I was also going to go and see an Endo for some professional advice. UAT since February this year. 3 years ago I lost 8 stone 10 pounds. 3 stone has now crept on. I have no clothes to fit me now and just want to eat more ! Been off work now for 3 months due to anxiety and depression and getting my medication sorted. Grateful for the advice. Thank you xx

[greygoose in reply to Northdown23]

You're welcome. But Don't fret about the weight, it's mainly down to the fact that you're hypo. And that's why you're craving all this 'unhealthy' stuff, as well. Carbs are easier to digest than things like meat and vegetables, and your body desperately needs a quick fix for energy. Everything will sort itself out when you get on the right dose of the right thyroid hormone replacement FOR YOU.

[MrsRaven in reply to greygoose]

I agree over the exercise gg, but if you can set small realistic goals each day, and manage to achieve at least some it can give you a big positive mental boost. it might just be something small (maybe colouring your hair, or clearing out a cupboard), but however small it doesnt matter, if it makes you feel good.

I do this and it makes a difference x

[greygoose in reply to MrsRaven]

Well, I wouldn't recommend colouring your hair, either! The chemicals can be absorbed into the blood Stream, and they're usually endocrine disruptors...

But, yes, some sort of goal - just dusting one room or doing one square metre of weeding, or something. It does give you quite a boost!

[MrsRaven in reply to greygoose]

No probably isnt a good idea to colour your hair, but I do mine occasionally because tbh I get brassed off with all the misery sbc restrictions put on my life by being ill all the time and being told I look ten yeas younger gives me a psychological lift

[greygoose in reply to MrsRaven]

Well, if I knew of a hair dye that took ten years off, I might be tempted, too! lol

I used to dye it because I started going grey very Young. But now, I embrace the grey and wear pink! lol

[MrsRaven in reply to greygoose]

I cant wear pink. It turns my complexion to MUD 😂

I have thought of trying the Miranda Priestley look, but I cant afford the clothes. And dont have Meryl Streeps cheekbones 😕

[greygoose in reply to MrsRaven]

I've got the cheekbones (well, almost!) but I haven't got enough hair for that look! lol

[MrsRaven in reply to greygoose]

Well mine is thinner. But who wants fat hair. 😜

[greygoose in reply to MrsRaven]

groan

[Northdown23 in reply to realturbo]

I will try and get a print out of the bloods and see whats what. Its a great forum here for advice and real stories from people actually going through it all. Thanks xx

[puncturedbicycle]

I felt just like this when diagnosed. I was mad for any kind of carbs all the time. (I also had that experience on bupropion.) I saw a naturopath who said it was to compensate for my lack of energy. I agree w realturbo that you might benefit from posting your results to see if you're being adequately corrected w levo. 50mcg is quite a low dose, not that it can't be adequate, but it's possible that you need more, and/or you need some t3 or supplements etc.

A lot of people w underactive thyroids end up on antidepressants when they're not adequately treated for their thyroid problems. You may feel better when you're on enough thyroid support and you might eventually want to try reducing your meds but maybe best to address one thing at a time.

Always worth seeing if gluten is an issue for you if/when you feel able to go down that route. I was gf for a year and it never made much difference for me but I'm glad I did it and I'd do it again if there was a need to.

Good luck.

[Glynisrose]

ANY anti- depressant will negate your thyroxine. So if you can dump it. Any doctor should have known better than to prescribe anti - depressants but then they are paid to prescribe them. Depression is a symptom of UAT and you need to get your thyroxine working for you.

[Northdown23 in reply to Glynisrose]

Thanks for that. My GP is useless. Going to go and see a professional. It's doing my head in !

[Northdown23 in reply to Glynisrose]

That's unreal I wasn't aware of that. Really I should be getting the correct dose of Levo and come off the anti depressants ! Go gluten free too. I haven't a clue about all this its just a learning curve for me. Just wish I could stop eating everything in sight ! Thanks for the advice much appreciated xx

[realturbo]

L think making sure our guts are functioning well is always a good idea, and probably helps to improve numerous ailments. This research sounds interesting...

eurekalert.org/pub_releases...

[Northdown23 in reply to realturbo]

thank you for that will check it out. thanks xx

[Northdown23]

thanks for that. My problem is lack of knowledge too of what is gluten free. I suppose I could re-educate myself ! Just feel so down at the moment with this constant urge to eat everything in sight !

[Angelawimbledon]

Hi, very good comments here but I do take exception to the views on anti-depressants. 40mg of Citalopram seems quite high. I'm on 20mg and it's magic. Depression/edginess comes with Hypo but for other reasons too and being anxious is not going to help you.

I'm working on better meds via an endo who listens. I'm reducing Levo with added T3 and not normal but improved. Seeing him again soon with utd blood results. Next step may be to get rid of Levo and increase T3. if all this twiddling about doesn't work the next step will be something like Armour or another brand of natural hormone. Endo trying T3 first as available via my GP.

I felt so much better very soon after starting Citalopram and am very wary of the strong anti-views. Take it slowly and see how you do.

All the best.

Angela

[marditart]

Hi northbound 23, very interesting to read your question and answers, I was given 100mg of sertraline for menopause, depression and 50mg of tyroxine for interactive tyroid every time I query it it's not my thyroid ! I posted my blood results on here and everybody was very helpful. I have now purchased thyroid s and am about to start taking that with a view to ween off antidepressants and see how it goes . I'll try anything to shift a few pounds !! I eat healthily and do gym and yet weight at moment never goes down recon I'm well over a stone heavier than this time last year and carn 't breathe in any of my clothes. Grr ! Look after yourself. Be strong. Xxx