What to do for depression and anxiety? What are good meds

[Keelah98]

I have been suffering since December with anxiety now its turning into depression! It all started after my thyroid meds were decreased. If I start on antidepressant will it eventually go away. I don't want to be on them for long!!!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Keelah98 Your post explains exactly why you are anxious and depressed. Your meds were reduced. What you need is an increase, not antidepressants. Don't allow your GP to put you on that gravy train!

Re-read the replies in your last thread and take particular note of what Greygoose said

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

[Keelah98 in reply to SeasideSusie]

My doc said I was overmedicated. I will admit for a while I was bad at taking my meds. So I would take a extra here and there. Don't think I was truly overmedicated. I went from 200 to 150. I will stay on the 150 for 2 months and I bet my meds will need to be increased with my next labs. I'm meserable!!!' And fatigue

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Keelah98]

Keelah98 Doctors tend to say we're overmedicated when TSH gets very low or suppressed and occasionally if FT4 goes over range. This is not true. Taking thyroid hormone reduces TSH, that's what it's supposed to do, because it's replacing our own and the pituitary gland doesn't need to stimulate the thyroid. It's actually the FT3 result that shows if you're overmedicated.

From what I can gather from your previous thread, on 26th January showed

TSH - 0.463 (0.358-3.740)

FT4 - 1.350 (0.65-1.34)

FT3 - 0.87 (0.70-1.90)

Your TSH was within range, your FT4 was 0.01 over range and your FT3 was low. There is your proof why you feel anxious and depressed. Your FT3 is bottom of range and shows that you are not converting T4 into T3 well enough. FT3 needs to be in the upper quarter. You need T3 added to a reduced dose of Levo.

[Keelah98]

I take my meds the morning of my test.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Keelah98]

You would have had a higher TSH if you had left off your Levo for 24 hours and taken the test after fasting overnight.

[greygoose]

Can you get new labs now?

Make your appointment for early morning - before 9 am - and fast over-night. That will give you the highest possible TSH.

DO NOT take your levo before the test - leave at least 24 hours between your last dose, and the test.

Because you took your levo before the last test, all you were testing was the dose you'd just taken. And you got a false high. And, the result was that your doctor reduced your dose, because doctors do not have the knowledge to understand that.

Also, as you took your levo before the test, it is impossible to tell how well you are converting. You therefore need a new test, with FT4 and FT3, without taking your dose before the test, so see just what your real level of FT4 is, and then we can work out how well you are converting.

If you do the test the right way, and get the highest possible TSH and the correct level of FT4, there's a possibility of your doctor putting your dose up again. Worth a try, don't you think? And certainly better than antidepressants! You do not need antidepressants, you need a decent dose of levo.