anxiety and thyroid link?

[alisonw7118]

Have suffered with hyperthyroidism about ten years ago which caused palpitations and chest pains as main symptom and was treated with carbimazole. However, I didn’t suffer any extreme anxiety at all.

But have been suffering with extreme anxiety (fear and chronic obsessive thoughts) since 2012, this did follow a period of stress which I feel I still haven’t dealt with, obsessive problems that I can’t work out. I was wondering if there is a link to my thyroid, as I’m finding it difficult to work through it. My anxiety symptoms are obsessive worry/obsessional thinking/fear all about one situation in my life, then the downward spiral of negative thinking, ie. I'll never get better, what have I got to do to overcome this, do I have to face the situation and is that going to make me better, just going round in circles. Also thinking about anxiety and this situation all the time.

Been suffering anxiety for 4 years with 'good anxiety days' and 'bad anxiety days' but never anxiety free.    Mainly mental symptoms.

These are are my results and ranges:

Serum Free triiodothyronine level (XaERq) - result 3.7 pmol/L (2.4 - 5.7).

(this was 4.2 pmol/l in October 2015, so it has dropped since then)

Serum free T4 level (XaERr) - result 12 pmol/L (9.00 - 20.0)

Serum TSH level (XaELV) - result 1.57 mU/L (0.35 - 4.94)

My doctor hasn't called me in to suggest that these are anything other than normal, what does everyone think?

  I have posted previously but didn't seem to get a clear answer on my TSH levels.    Sorry if I have repeated myself.   I'm desperate.

[jeschiotz]

Alison, I feel for you. There is not a good place to be with all that fear. Having said that. Are you on any Thyroid medication? Both high or low (overdose/underdose) thyroid meds can give a lot of fear and and anxiety. For me you seem a tad low but depends if youre on thyroid medication or not.

[linlow]

check out nahypothyroidism.org/thyroi... this might help answer some of your concerns and give you something to take to your gp

[mountaingoat83]

Hi Alison, my experience is that I feel anxious when my levels are too low.  I read somewhere that this is because if you don't have enough thyroid hormones circulating, your body can produce adrenaline as compensation.  I don't feel good when my TSH is above 1, it looks from your results as though you would have scope for a small increase in meds.  Perhaps you could ask your doctor if you could try it, on the basis that you'll agree to reduce your dose if you become overmedicated or the anxiety worsens?

I do hope you can find a way to feel better x

[alisonw7118 in reply to mountaingoat83]

I don't have much hope with my doctors.   Could I self medicate?  What would I need to take?  

[mountaingoat83 in reply to alisonw7118]

I'm sorry Alison but I'm not medically trained and wouldn't be able to advise on self-treating.  Could you perhaps try and change to a different, more understanding, GP?