Thyroid and depression: Hello guys, I would like... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid and depression

aleksandrasawczyn0 profile image

Hello guys,

I would like to know/hear any opinions or your voices about this connotation. My last episode of depression was caused by sick thyroid- it was very long and very serious. Due to unbalanced hormones and thyroid I felt like I was dying although I am taking meds and checking my blood/hormones levels often. Do you felt something similar ? It is possible? Or Iam going crazy?

It is hard to explain but i felt like my depression wasn't caused by any other triggers like stress etc. It was something from inside-like something biological not my brain- like it was my thyroid. It just came one day and stayed with me for more than a year,then I had break and now when my thyroid results are bad again- depression is coming back....

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aleksandrasawczyn0 profile image
aleksandrasawczyn0
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12 Replies
NickP1 profile image
NickP1

No you're not crazy.

I had a total thyroidectomy last October after years of feeling like shit. Thought I was going crazy, going from feeling on top of the world to seeing no point in continuing with life. Very bad panic attacks anxiety attacks. No drive to do anything. This all started in 2008. I'm pretty sure it was caused by Hashimotos causing thyroid issues. I was going from hyper to hypo.

So, no you're not crazy.

Nick.

aleksandrasawczyn0 profile image
aleksandrasawczyn0 in reply toNickP1

Yes! Exactly. This is sooo me. Same situation. I have Hashimoto, now I have bad thyroid results again and feel the same. I knew it!

Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

Low thyroid hormones are well known to cause depression, or low mood. So no, you're not crazy at all.

Josiesmum profile image
Josiesmum

There are lots of mental and emotional as well as physical symptoms:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Frustrating that GP's never think to test thyroid function in patients presenting with depression.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toJosiesmum

......or LOW B12 :-)

Josiesmum profile image
Josiesmum in reply toMarz

Or vitamin D

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

I am sorry you are suffering with depression symptoms at present. Ask your GP to give you aFree T4 and Free T3 blood test. Always have thyroid blood tests at the earliest and fast and leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test.

They are so obsessed about the TSH (which is from the Pituitary gland) and sometimes doesn't correlate with our thyroid hormones or symptoms.

The active thyroid hormone is T3, it is required in all of our receptor cells and the brain contains the most. If levothyroxine isn't sufficient to convert to enough T3 but sufficient for your GP not to increase due to TSH somewhere in range (it should be around 1 or lower) ask him/her to check both your FT4 and FT3. Both should be towards the upper range.

Is it not better to give you some T3 rather than an antidepressant.

aleksandrasawczyn0 profile image
aleksandrasawczyn0 in reply toshaws

My TSH is 7.98 , T3 and T4 is in norm.

NickP1 profile image
NickP1 in reply toaleksandrasawczyn0

My thyroid results were always normal, it wasn't until last year that someone bothered to test my Anti-TPO. It should have been below 35, it was 1335.

When the thyroid was removed surgeon told it was 10 times bigger than it should have been and had grown down under the collar bones.

I can't tell you what to do that will help, I don't know what stage your thyroid is at, but I would suggest reading everything you can on here and any where else and try anything you can to prevent yourself getting to the stage that you have to have your thyroid removed.

I think the biggest cause for me was stress in my personal life, where you should feel safe and in my business life, I was always running on adrenaline. Get rid of anything that doesn't gel with your life, people situations whatever. It may be painfull but your health is your number one priority nothing else.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply toaleksandrasawczyn0

Aleksandra

I hope your doctor has prescribed levothyroxine, at the very least. Your TSH is above normal range and is high.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Your T4 and T3 may be 'normal' but not optimal. By that both should be towards the top of the range not near the low end.

The Free T4 and Free T3 blood tests should be done. If your GP wont, maybe you could get your own. We have some recommended labs and you get a small discount as does Thyroiduk.org.uk.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/t...

Excerpt from the following link:

The relation between thyroid function and depression has long been recognized. Patients with thyroid disorders are more prone to develop depressive symptoms and conversely depression may be accompanied by various subtle thyroid abnormalities. Traditionally, the most commonly documented abnormalities are elevated T4 levels, low T3, elevated rT3, a blunted TSH response to TRH, positive antithyroid antibodies, and elevated CSF TRH concentrations. In addition, thyroid hormone supplements appear to accelerate and enhance the clinical response to antidepressant drugs. However, the mechanisms underlying the interaction between thyroid function and depression remain to be further clarified. Recently, advances in biochemical, genetic, and neuroimaging fields have provided new insights into the thyroid-depression relationship.

hindawi.com/journals/jtr/20...

vambat profile image
vambat

Hi everyone,

Reading all these replies, I was thinking , some of my lupus symptoms, might not be from Lupus, properbly from hypothyroidism, cos my rheu said my blood test is very good except wbc always low. I was very depress 5 to 6 weeks ago, hair loss and difficulty swallowing, swollen tongue, scalloped tongue,……

Thanks for all thyroid links from all of you.

vambat

Amyds2104 profile image
Amyds2104

Hi,

I totally sympasise. I am a very laid back person, probably too laid back for my own good lol. However the few months before I got my diagnose and my blood results showing my hypo I felt like the world was on my shoulders and if it wasnt for my little boy I don't think I would have left my bed for weeks. I have so much get up and go and loved being busy but I soon found brushing my hair and having a shower was a measurable achievement somedays. I am now seeing it as a symptom of my hypo, I am not taking any anti depressants for now because I am trying to self-help but when the point comes I need them I will be going to the doctors for some and will see them as a supplement for my illness.

Sending lots of positive thoughts your way and I hope your hormone levels and happiness improves soon xxx

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