Please can I ask the group, Doctor saying I need antidepressants to get rid of my symptoms as Thryroid meds ok. I take 125mg of Levo been on this for almost 2 years. Latest results after requesting an additional fee T3 test be done are
ft3 4.8 range 4.3 - 6.8
Ft4 13.1 range 7.7 - 15.1
TSH 0.76 range 0.34 -5.6
Really don't know what to do just want to feel better.
Any comments appreciated.
Doctors are obsessed with antidepressants!
From what I've read, thry lower thyroid hormones, & have a lot of nasty side effects: rxisk.org/antidepressants/
Have youtried probiotics? 
chriskresser.com/heal-your-...
I'm in similar situation and have tried the anti depressants. All I can say is read the side effects and consider whether you can put up with them, some only last four weeks or so while the body gets used to the new medication depends on the individual. Personally I don't get on with them but nce again I've been offered them. If you can cope by doing alternative therapy instead I woukd suggest it unless the dr really thinks its biological. I think the tiredness and pains cause the depression for me and others. Knowledge is power against depression, feeling in control can help greatly, for me taking antidepressants makes me feel like a zombie and out of control like ive given up, but we are all different. I know people who have found antidepressants helpful and usuallyafter 18 months can slowly withdraw from them and are ok.
best wishes
Laurie
What are your symptoms? Have you tested your ferrtin, Vit D, folate and B12?
Svs56 It's not antidepressants you need, it's T3 added to your Levo. Your TSH and FT4 are fine, your FT3 is very low in range confirming poor conversion.
Your FT4 is 72% through it's range, your FT3 is 20% through it's range.
T3 is the active hormone which every cell in our bodies need, with your FT3 so low you are getting very little T3 through conversion. Antidepressants wont get rid of your symptoms when they are caused by too little T3.
Conversion can only take place when nutrients are optimal (not just 'in range'), so ask for vitamins and minerals to be tested, post results on here and we can suggest any supplements that may be necessary.
Also, supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine aids conversion.
Managed to get to latest results.
B12 184 NG/L
Plasma Folate 9.2 ug/L. Range 3.8 to 25
Plasma ferritin 52 ug/L Range 11 to 307
vit D 55 Ng/L
Any suggestions as to how I can improve conversion would very welcome .
Thanks.
Svs56
B12 184 NG/L
I am not familiar with that unit of measurement (only pmol/L) and as you've given no reference range I can't help much, other than to say that B12 should be at the very top of it's range.
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Plasma Folate 9.2 ug/L. Range 3.8 to 25
Folate should be at least half way through it's range, so 14.5 plus with your range. A good B Complex, such as Thorne Basic B, containing 400mcg methylfolate will help raise your level.
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Plasma ferritin 52 ug/L Range 11 to 307
Ferritin needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work, recommended is half way through it's range. You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...
You could use an iron supplement but you have to be very careful to keep an eye on the level so testing 3 months after starting is needed. Take each iron tablet with 1000mg Vitamin C to aid absorption and help prevent constipaton. Always take iron 4 hours away from thyroid meds and two hours away from other medication and supplements as it will affect absorption.
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vit D 55 Ng/L
Again, not a unit of measurement I am familiar with, and it doesn't appear on the Vit D Council's website, only ng/ml and nmol/L so are you sure you've got that right?
All I can tell you is that the Vit D Council recommends a level of 40-60ng/ml (100-150nmol/L). If you can provide your result in either of those two units of measurement I can help with a suggestion for supplementing.
When taking D3 there are important cofactors needed
vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...
D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.
D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.
Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds
naturalnews.com/046401_magn...
Check out the other cofactors too.
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Selenium l-selenomethionine aids conversion of T4 to T3, usual recommendation is for 200mcg daily.
Sorry typo as you say Vit d result is 55nmol/L
OK, so you need to supplement to the recommended level of 100-150nmol/L. My suggestion is to buy some D3 softgels like these bodykind.com/product/2463-b... and take 5000iu daily for 8-10 weeks then reduce to 5000iu daily. Retest 3 months after starting.
When you've reached the recommended level then you'll need a maintenance dose which may be 2000iu daily, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/
Make sure you take the important cofactors needed when supplementing with D3.
Thank you so much.
Yes get those tested. I was in the same boat as you and some of those were dire so increased my supplements and corrected the problem. Do that first, SeasideSusie will explain what you need to do if deficient, and tested though it can take time to get them optimal. Then see if you need an increase as well. I suspect that you may well need a small increase.
Thank you all, seaside suzie I will post vit results when I can get back into my records it's saying there's an error code.
Symptoms are gaining weight again 1 stone in 5 months not able to focus on anything but the worst is the muscle ache in the top of my arms .
Shocking if GP thinks antidepressants will cure brain fog and arm pain (they won't).
Along with nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities can cause these types of symptoms:
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
Gluten seems to be the most problematic. Worth trying cutting it out for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve. Alternatively an elimination diet will help you to identify specific food sensitivities, much more accurate than testing.
Thank you I will read up on this.
This always disheartens me when i read of yet another person being told they need anti-depressants. I feel anti depressants are like putting a sticking plaster over an infectious wound, it doesnt address the problem which is physical.
From my own personal experience, i was told this and took the pills just as i was told. There was no benefit whatsoever but I did become very ill with side effects from Noratryptaline. I developed a Parkinsons like tremor, Palpitations and a permanent postural hypotension problem. After a while, I felt my insides were slowly closing down and my body struggling to digest anything so I stopped after 6 unbearable weeks. Within 4 days there was a slight improvement which just got better as the days went by until i felt like my previous 'ill' self. I know there may be many who get on with no side effects but this was my experience. Incidentally, I am not depressed though it does get you down being ill all the time understandably.
New to the group, guidance on results appreciated
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