Do Thyroid Levels Get Worse Under Stress?

[Girlslovescifi]

I'm at my wit's end with my health. The endo says my ft4 & ft3 are great, and despite having high cortisol for 3 of the 4 saliva tests, he wasn't interested. I suffer from anxiety anyway and started a stressful job in December. My insomnia has got so bad now. My skin and eyes are dry and itchy, but I'm not losing hair and my bowels are ok. I can't lose weight and my temperature is consistently low. Now I'm losing my appetite in the evening, which may be because I'm so tired from not sleeping. Jumpy at noise, tearful, ringing, congested ears. My heart rate isn't too bad (68) as it was 60 originally. My joints are stiff and my hands can tremble. I know anxiety can cause some of these symptoms. It's so hard to know what to do. Do I increase from 2.5 grains (split into 2 doses). I do take good quality supplements, including all the important blood nutrients, D3, magnesium etc. Sorry for constantly moaning.

[puncturedbicycle]

Don't apologise for wanting to be well! You are full of hypo symptoms. Do you have your last test results w lab ranges?

Anxiety can be a terrible hypo symptom despite most docs thinking it is a hyper symptom. Oddly in the 80s my mum's thyroid bloods were done (showing Hashi's) because she went to the doc complaining of anxiety. I wonder if it's one of those bits of knowledge that has got lost over time.

[Girlslovescifi in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Thanks. My GP kept insisting I didn't have a thyroid problem and tried to give me mental health questionnaires and antidepressants. After a year he did a blood test and started me on 25mcg of levo. Last Oct I decided to try NDT because the T4 wasn't solving the problem. From memory, the ranges for ft3 went up to 6.8 and mine was 5.4. The ft4 was 14 and the range is 11-22.

[dina7]

Thyroid levels may get worse under stress because they go down as cortisol levels go up. Some of your symptoms (eg insomnia, jumpy at noise) are more likely to be from your high cortisol levels and your NDT may not work as well until you reduce them.

If you haven't tried the adrenal reset diet that may help, (if you can't face eating in the eve you could try having some porridge or other carbs, make sure you eat protein earlier in the day) and Dr Wilson's book Adrenal Fatigue is brilliant.

Holy Basil and Phosphatidyleserine seem to be helping to reduce my cortisol levels and I've recently added 5HTP as well. I take 3 grains of NDT in winter, 2.5 in summer, all in one dose early in the morning.

We're all different though so I'm afraid it's a lot of trial, error and detective work. I go to a kinesiologist and to someone who does Asyra testing which helps me to get the right dose of NDT and to know the best supplements for me.

I do hope you feel better soon.

[Girlslovescifi in reply to dina7]

Such a helpful post! Thanks. I take Adrenomax but not sure that's sufficient. My homeopath gave me some flower remedies and I think it's helping me deal with the stress. I will try some holy basil and the other things you recommend. The worst is the awful insomnia.

[dina7]

I'd not heard of Adrenomax. Looks as if it has lots of good things in it ... but probably at way too small doses. The 5-HTP is 3.3mg whereas I take 100mg twice a day.

I do sympathise re the insomnia and will think of you next time I'm up all night! Fortunately not as often these days, but it does still happen. I have found that making the bedroom really dark has helped recently.