I have felt so low for the past week I have virtually stopped living. I am breathing, going to the toilet, remembering to drink water and from time to time I go into the kitchen and force myself to eat something. A bowl of cereal, a yoghurt. I sleep 12 hours a night (I'm o Zolpidem) then when I wake I try and cling onto sleep for as long as I can. I have to get up to feed my little cat Millie.
This is not living, I'm barely existing. My GP says hypothyroidism will give me bad mood spikes. The people on the thyroid support site tell me it takes a long time to get your thyroid levels up with the medication. My CPN is concerned because I am looking at various sites on the internet which are unhealthy.
I can't persuade myself to re engage with life again. I feel like all my friends and family have had enough of me.
I can't get out of bed I've spent 3 days this week not washing.
Antidepressants don't seem to work. Thyroid mess did for a while but now there army and I know I need an increase but the gps are very wary to take my levels up to quickly, so I continue on trying to stay alive. Even though I know I don't want to.
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Hattie194
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Well i said temporarily because I know how touchy everyone is anout the subject.
I am not a doctor but I have been suffering
From hypothyroidism ,coeliac, hashimoto's fibromyalgia for the last 20 years.
Last year , I went vegan and horrific pains dissapeared, energy levels rose etc.
Although not everyone is the same, this worked for me. I know it seems drastic, but by eating fruit nad veg for a week, you can get rid of toxins, that have been inhibiting from your thyroid to function well.
I'm sorry, an anecdote isn't evidence and 'fruit and veg' is not a vegan diet. Thousands of vegans have health problems just like everyone else, including hypothyroidism. I'm glad you feel well, I have nothing against veganism, but it is not a cure for uat and the idea that you can 'get rid of toxins' to cure illness is just a meaningless trope.
I'm so sorry to read this yes I too have really really dreadful days, I'm putting them down in a book now, I feel like I have a constant pmt going on which I had when I was young but on,ynlasted two days!!! Then a miracle happened and I felt calm and good again
Watched the menopause programme the other night and wonder how much of this is due to the drop of the hormones. X
Please dont give up i know how tough it can be, i have been Hypo for many years and went through the menopause 5 yrs ago which was bloody terrible, i do agree with Jeppy that hormones do play a huge part, my thyroid levels went all over the place as i was going through the change.
I have good and bad days i have been rather blessed and have had a good week!!!! i would go back to your G.P and insist that something be done, dont let them fob you off.
Your GP is wrong that thyroid hormones gives you bad mood spikes. Not if you are on an optimum in that your body has the amount of hormones it needs for a day to day life.
Please ask your GP to give you an up-to-date blood test to include Free T3 and Free T4. Tell him you need these as well as the TSH, T3, and T4. I shall give you a link and you can give him a copy and highlight why we need FT4 and FT3. It is T3 which has to get into our thyroid hormone receptors. It is the only active hormone. Levothyroxine is inactive and is T4 and it has to convert and we also have to have a proper dose which has been gradually increased.
Why do they prescribe anti-depressants when T3 probably does a better job for many who are hypothyroid. They should check our FT3. They also prescribe PPIs, when we most probably have low acid and we need to put acid in our stomachs to enable protein to be dissolved because we have low acid if hypo.
Many of us take either a good Apple Cider Vinegar mixed in juice or water with meals or Digestive Enzymes.
Hi Shaws, got to wait another 4 week till next blood tests. Before that I've got to have a colonoscopy as they have found some thickening in my bowel. I'm dreading the procedure.
I dreaded it too (colonoscopy procedure)..the worst thing was having to drink gallons of gloop beforehand to clear you out. I elected for mild sedation and honestly I KNEW NOTHING about what they were doing...all over in less than half an hour and I had the camera down throat as well. I'm sure you'll be fine
daffers123, thanks for that, that's comforting. A neighbour very helpfully told me that 'she'd been on the ceiling' when she'd had hers, I did think she was a bit of a drama queen to say that.
I also had a colonoscopy years ago and really it wasn't that bad.
I did not have sedation and apart from feeling embarrassed, it was not too bad at all, I really shouldn't have been embarrassed as the staff are doing it every day.
Hattie194 I'm sorry you feel so unwell. I have been there myself. It will take some time to feel better on your meds, but you'll get there in time. I wish you good health, I do hope you feel better soon. x
I also would like to sympathize with how you are feeling right now because I have felt like this myself and it is a horrible way to "exist". You should speak to you GP and have bloods taken then post the results on here so that others who are very knowledgeable can advise and help you. We all experience the roller coaster ride that our thyroid condition gives us, so please
don't think you are on your own. When you are given the correct dose medication you will
begin to feel so much better than you are right now. I am sending you a big (((hug))) today x
Thanks for responding to me. I have to wait 4 /5 weeks before my next bloods are taken. I had my last bloods taken 4 weeks ago. I know they won't do it early and I get why it's got to be gradual, but I don't think they understand how much we suffer in the meantime. I could have the tests done privately but I'm concerned that if I don't wait the amount of time suggested that the next dose up might be a bit overwhelming. I have a history of being very sensitive to side effects of antidepressants. The difficulty I'm having is not really knowing how much of this is thyroid and how much is depression. My depression seemed to recede quickly when I first went on the levo. I had horrendous physical symptoms but a lot less depression. And now it seems to have come back. I just don't know how much longer I can hang on. I literally feel like I want to just end it all. I live alone and have little or no support. Thanks for coming back anyway, I appreciate it.
I can only do what others do on this wonderful site and write to try and help you out of the bad place you feel in right now. I really won't last forever, but I know that it does seem like it will at the time. Been there, done that as most of us have and that is why we empathize with how you are feeling today. If you have lovely sunshine, try to sit outside. It will top up your vit D levels and sunshine is good tonic for us all to enjoy , and it's free too and forecast to be another cold week so best to enjoy the warm sun while we can
Just remember that you are not on your own as most of us have felt like you do as some point. Listen to you body and remember to be kind to yourself. x
It's comforting for me to read about other people in this state, as it's where I am with my hypothyroid, and a lot of people on the forum are doing a lot better. I don't know that I have any real advice, except that you're not alone, there are a few of us out there mostly in bed.
I found CBT helped me quite a lot, as we focused on how to get the most I could out of the amount of energy I had, and since I've done that I dont really spend any time just crying and distressed in bed unable to move.
But getting your dose right is the only thing that can really help, CBT stuff is just for learning to cope. This forum is great for advice. In the end I had to start self medicating with Natural Dessicated Thyroid in order to start really improving.
I am taking NDT. I tried Levo(T4), and T4 plus T3, but that wasn't much better. After a year or two on this forum I started buying my own blood tests and own NDT.
My thyroid blood tests got so they looked perfect a few times, but I didn't feel any better. On NDT I felt an immediate improvement. I started at a super low dose, terrible blood tests, but even though my stamina was tiny, I felt more comfortable, and when I stood up it felt better quality, I was more clear headed.
But you may not have to go all this far. You might just be on a crap dose right now as doctors know nothing You can get tons of great advice on this forum.
Just reread your OP and seen doctors are increasing you very slowly. That was one of my early problems I was being seen only every 3 months and getting tiny changes each time. It took like a year to get my blood tests LOOKING normal, even while I still felt terrible.
The ideal is to retest every 6 weeks. So it is still a slow process.
I've taken four years to get where I am. I'm nowhere near better, but I'm now more like 10 or 20% of previous energy levels, when I limped along for ages closer to 1% I now get dressed most days, can wash myself and prepare food, etc.
You are not alone - it has happened to me for period of time and l seemed not to have the strength to lean out of bed to take some herbal stuff that helped(not available now) l saw a Healer for last 20 years and it was a miracle literally. l saw him for 20 yrs every few months but sadly suddenly taken from us 4 years ago - and l am going down hill rapidly and now concerned for future. (Will talk about that separately)
A friend needed to up her Levo and got nowhere - so she kept putting in prescription renewal early! And that worked. Then she went to see a different GP and asked for the higher dose and said she thought it stated wrong amount on the computer. Next GP did change it for her.
25 years ago, l took a simple live-in job as my brain just wdnt work, and in the end l had go bed with all my clothes on wthout washing or teeth - as had be up early. There was an excep-tionally nice GP near who did say to me: we will have to find out what the problem is no matter what it takes. He was lovely & likely retired now as l need to go back that way. l had to give up that job, but tho it wasnt onerous l cdnt cope at all.
Hi - not easy but ok last 20 years with help from magical Healer now gone over - and l cant find another as good as him. Problem turns out to be one l never hardly heard of - low Cortisol produced by Adrenals in a circuit triggered by Pituitary and Hypothalamus; info rarely appears in all the Thyroid books l have bought and causes major over-tiredness, irritability and extreme PMT. l am sure you wont have found it easy Hattie either. In my case l had been comlaining to 6 or 7 GPs and thryroid tests dont show it up. Have to do specific test. So many just think we are making it up etc
I'm no one to give answers but think if say own experiences it may help just one person!
Agree totally with the adrenal overwhelm and cortisol
Then this impacts hypacampus pituatory thyroid, I do see the whole loop as can it not?
...what starts it though? isn't it a bit catch 22 in my opinion anyway, is it the thyroids, is it hormones, probably Both.....
I went into irrational fear! So this is anxiety in full form I'd spend all day getting going, trying to cope with it then would be calm later just to wake up in the night with it all again
In the end I do need a great programme that deals with anxiety phobias etc, so at least if you follow the idea of it you can have a bit of clarity and hope whilst you seek the medical side
It was simply to learn how to float, with ANY of the symptoms, let them be there but float, takes Practice for sure!
If you feel you are holding on, or going to fall apart, going mad as I did, just sit with this. Quietly look at it, use cut on it, whatever, know you have felt this b4 but then later felt ok! (it's the heightened emotions we out on it that keeps it there )
This is the idea, floating can be imagining something if you prefer eg a butterfly on a bush, anything!! It gives your feeling time to get into perspective again, and breaks the loop of the negative thought, doom and gloom thoughts etc, It enables you to build hope which think in some level is the crux
Hattie , did you test for adrenal fatigue ? Some patients on synthetic T4 and T3/NDT can unmask adrenal fatigue . Either by dosing on T4 only the adrenals get strength from T3 and have to pick up the slack for what there not receiving . Meantime you might try to supplement with B-complex ,Vit "C" , Pantothenic Acid, magnesium , omega-3 fatty acids . There are some adaptogenic herbs or desiccated adrenal support product . One product I heard of is "Standard Process / Drenamin" for adrenal fatigue .
Go off sugar , wheat , alcohol , starchy foods . Eat low glycemic vegetables /fruits fish eggs nuts have protein every meal go to sleep early and do some exercise don't over do it . Go to sleep on time . Keep pleasant people around who don't suck your energy out . Watch funny movies and laugh a lot .
Please do not give up life is a gift we should all cherish no matter how hard it gets, millions of people keep on fighting who live in poverty and have nothing to look forward to except being able to breath. Next time you wake up just imagine you have been born into a third world poverty stricken no resources no comfy bed to ease your pain no running water no heat etc this is the only thing that has kept me alive or I would have given up a long time ago. I feel your pain and desperation I hope you get the help you deserve, it is ridiculous why people do not and makes me so angry. I have m.e. and am hypothyroid with low eostogen so it is a daily struggle to carry on thungs could get better each second is your future never give up life is too short to waste, fight the system don't let them beat you. xxx
would also add that I was on Zolpiderm too and I found it built up in my system and made me feel like you about getting up etc. had to reduce the dose and take days off here and there
I also suffered with anxiety very badly but once thyroid dose was getting corrected the anxiety faded and I felt much better
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You can get tons of great advice on this forum.
I was being seen only every 3 months and getting tiny changes each time. It took like a year to get my blood tests LOOKING normal, even while I still felt terrible. 
scared 
Struggling to get levels right. 
Still can't get diagnosed but extra tests being carried out
Feeling confused 
