thyroid and antidepressants

[waynegriffiths2]

Hi my name is wayne and i am new on here, i saw my gp yesterday about my tiredness and low energy,my gp asked me some questions and focused on my mild depression,what's frustrating is i've had thyroid problems for 8 years,but my depression started 2 and half years ago,about the same time i had vitamin d deficiency,should i start the antidepressants or leave them,my issues are ruining my life,any answers or ideas to improve my health would be greatly appreciated,i was re-classed with sub clinical hypothyroidism last year.

[Cooper27]

Can you post your latest thyroid & vitamin test results? You can get these from your GP.

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to Cooper27]

not sure my gp would give me my results,my last test was in october and the gp said was fine,asked for vitamin d test but the gp said the test is done differently and that was it.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to waynegriffiths2]

waynegriffiths2,

You have a legal right to your results (in the UK).

nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/re...

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to helvella]

i live in swansea it's like living in the dark ages here.

[Valarian in reply to waynegriffiths2]

I live in Wales. I agree online access to our own information appears to be stuck in the Dark Ages, but they are still obliged to give you a copy of your tests . They can make a ‘reasonable’ charge - many (including mine) don’t.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to waynegriffiths2]

Your GP must give you your results if you are in the UK, we are legally entitled under the Data Protection Act. Just ask at reception for a print out, make sure the reference ranges are included.

It would be helpful to know what your results were upon initial diagnosis. If you were diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism - high TSH, low FT4, and symptomatic, then you can't suddenly become sub-clinical.

Repeat request for Vit D test, it doesn't matter how it's done. If still refused you can donate fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays for £28 vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html

[Hillwoman in reply to waynegriffiths2]

Under the 1998 Data Protection Act, you have the legal right to see your test results, either at the GP surgery, or via a print-out. Your surgery can charge a nominal fee for printing costs.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

waynegriffiths2,

Just trying to get things clear: What were you classified as having before being re-classified as subclinically hypothyroid?

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to helvella]

at the time i was diagnosed i was told i had hypothyroidism.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to waynegriffiths2]

waynegriffiths2,

Do you take any thyroid hormones (e.g. levothyroxine)? Or, for that matter, any medicines?

Do you have any of your test results? (Include reference ranges if you post them.)

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to helvella]

at the moment i don't take anything,i do have some levo 50 mcg left from last year,my levels fluctuate all the time,i feel that something else is effecting my thyroid.

[Scazzoh in reply to waynegriffiths2]

Hi Wayne, if you were prescribed Levothyroxine last year, you should carry on taking it, even if you think 'something else' is affecting your thyroid. Your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones for your needs, which is why you are having symptoms. It takes about 6 weeks for Levothyroxine to start working. How long did you give it and why did you stop?

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to Scazzoh]

i was taking it for a couple of months,but felt that it didn't make much difference to my symptoms,all it really did was take the feeling of being ill away,if that makes any sense.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to waynegriffiths2]

waynegriffiths2,

Perhaps that is exactly what 50 micrograms would be expected to do?

Could well be that you desperately need more.

[shaws Administrator in reply to waynegriffiths2]

That's probably due to the fact that you are supposed to have a blood test every six weeks with an increase of 25mcg of levo until you are symptom-free and TSH is 1 or lower.

If we don't have sufficient thyroid hormones our body cannot work efficiently as our brain and heart need the most hormones and the millions of T3 receptor cells have to have T3.

Depression could be due to not having sufficient T3 which is converted from T4 (levothyroxine) which is an inactive hormone and has to convert to T3 - the only Active thyroid hormone.

[DeeD123]

Wayne ask at reception for a print out if the say they can’t do it ask to see screen and take a pic

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If your levels are going up and down then you almost certainly have autoimmune thyroid disease

Levothyroxine is for life (in all but extremely rare cases) you cannot just start and stop

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and vitamin B12

Likely they are ALL too low if not been taking Levo

How much vitamin D are you taking? Get tested via vitamindtest.org.uk £28

Low vitamin D and under treated Hashimoto’s both simulate depression

Get thyroid bloods retested 6 weeks after starting back on Levo

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don’t take any Levo in 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to SlowDragon]

i've been taking vit d for about 2 months,about 25 mcg,i overheat and sweat a lot when it's warm especially summer,never used be like that.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to waynegriffiths2]

25mcg vitamin D is only 1000iu. If you were low in vitamin D this is unlikely to do much to improve it.

5000iu or 3000iu vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function common with hypothyroid

Heat intolerance and/or cold intolerance are classic hypothyroid symptoms

As you have not been taking your Levothyroxine it's not surprising you feel depressed. Depression is one of the primary symptoms of being hypothyroid

However you were probably never on a high enough dose if only on starter dose of 50mcg.

Blood should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Dose should be increased in 25mcg steps until TSH is around one and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range

Typically between 100-200mcg for most people, but some require even higher dose

Ask your GP to retest your vitamin and thyroid levels

Or for full testing get private tests

For full evaluation you ideally need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

See if you can get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP. Unlikely to get FT3

Private tests are available

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results

Link about antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Print this list of symptoms off, tick all that apply and take to GP

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased

You can not expect to get better if you stop taking the Levothyroxine

It's like wondering why your hungry if you have not eaten

[shaws Administrator in reply to waynegriffiths2]

You need a brand new blood test. It should be as early as possible, fasting (you can drink water) and if you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow a 24 hour gap between last dose and test and take afterwards.

Request the following and say you've been advised by the NHS Healthunlocked Thyroiduk.org.uk to get the following:-

TSH, T4,T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antobidies.

B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

Get a print-out of your results with the ranges. Ranges are important for members to comment on the results.

Post them on a new post for comments. Everything has to be optimal in order for us to feel much better and be symptom-free.

If we are diagnosed as hypothyroidism - it can be fatal if we don't take thyroid hormone replacements - and that's why, if in the UK, we do not pay for any other prescriptions for other conditions we may develop.

If antibodies are in the blood we would have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and that may be the reason sometimes you feel too hot and that's when the thyroid gland dumps the antiibodies into your bloodsteam. The antibodies attack the gland until we're hypo but treatment is the same.

If we are hypo and don't take replacement hormones, it can have a bad effect on everything in our body as all our millions of T3 receptor cells need T3 for our body to function normally, particularly brain and heart. Thyroid hormones enables our metabolism to work as hypo means low and we take hormones to bring it up to normal. Levothyroxine is T4 only and we have to gradually increase the dose every six weeks by 25mcg until we are symptom-free and feel well.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

reallyfedup123,

A case of jumping to a conclusion? Are you really saying that not one person in 7.6 billion could find levels fluctuating for some other reason?

Rubbish ....your levels only fluctuate because if antibody acctivity

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Fine - you can say you think it is the case. But you said it with the word ONLY in the sentence - which means there is no other possibility.

[Angel_of_the_North]

GPs get extra money for dishing out any-depressants, but nothing for thyroid meds so they have an incentive to see you as depressed. it's a good idea to look up the questionnaires for depression and anxiety online t make sure you never answer the questions in such a way as to get a positive score for depression (which is hard, as anyone who's had a bad week or is in a job they hate would score as depressed). Anti-depressants won't make you better and might make you worse as they are addictive, If yo post your latest bloods here someone can advise. Low T3 is often the cause of "depressive" symptoms. Vitamins D and B12 supplements have been shown in studies to more effective than anti-depressants.

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

i haven't started the antidepressants i agree they won't work,it's my own fault for agreeing with the gp on taking them,i couldn't be bothered arguing with the gp,but i'm looking into stress as a possible factor in causing my problems,especially sleep deprivation which ties into how my issues first started,i was working full time but struggling with an alternating shift pattern.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to waynegriffiths2]

Strongly suggest you get full private testing of both thyroid levels and vitamins

£99 or often on "sale" for £79

See details in my earlier reply

[waynegriffiths2 in reply to SlowDragon]

i'm currently unemployed,it will take time to pay that much,but will have a look at the link you sent.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to waynegriffiths2]

So see your GP, or a different GP at the practice

Explain you have not been taking your Levothyroxine. You didn't realise you needed to take them for life

Since stopping the Levothyroxine you have recently been diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency

These two can often be connected

Please can you have your thyroid levels retested before you restart taking Levothyroxine

If you have not had thyroid antibodies tested in the past could these be tested as well please

Once you start back on 50mcg dose. Bloods will need retesting 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Dose of Levothyroxine should be increased in 25mcg steps until TSH is around one and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range

Make a note of how low vitamin D was when prescribed vitamin D supplements too. You are possibly not on high enough dose of vitamin D. If result was under 25nmol should be prescribed LOADING dose (a high dose for short while)

oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk/profe...

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to waynegriffiths2]

Think about taking up meditation (TM or Vedic is the easiest to do) that's pretty effective for stress. I found a study not along ago that said people on ADs and sleep meds don't actually sleep more than 15 mins longer than they did before but the meds make them forget they woke up several times during the night - scary! There are several good sleep CDs around, too - worth a try. Shifts won't help. but you have to live.

[waynegriffiths2]

i'm looking into stress,as it ties with how my issues first started,i was working full time but was struggling with an alternating shift pattern.