Post Iodine treatment - anxiety and severe depression

[Greengiant]

Hi, My mum had an overactive thyroid and was treated with radioactive iodine in Oct 17. Since then she has become anxious, depressed and afraid to leave the house. She isn't eating (rapid with loss) and feels like life isn't worth living. This is heartbreaking to watch and no one seems to be taking her seriously. Her GP has prescribed antidepressants and diazepam so she can just about cope but this isn't living.....she's just about existing.

She is no longer under the care of an Endocrinologist and seems to have been written of from the hospital...told her symptoms will improve. her Thyroid levels are 'normal' but her Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is raised. She has been told she doesn't need any more thyroxin than currently prescribed but i think they are wrong.

She has lost her ability to fight so I'm going to fight for her......any advice gratefully received.

Thank you x

[humanbean]

Well, the first thing you need is information... You need to find out :

1) What are the results of the blood tests she's had since RAI. The reference ranges are necessary as well as the results themselves.

2) You will have to get your mother to ask for the results herself, because I doubt they would give them to you without some form of power of attorney - but that would be worth checking. Perhaps a letter from your mother giving you permission will be all that is required, but I don't know.

3) You need to know the following (if they have all been done, which is highly doubtful) :

TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Thyroid antibodies, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, and an iron panel.

4) One thing to point out is that if you can't get sufficient thyroid meds of the right type to help your mother feel well they can be bought online if necessary. Quite a lot of people on this forum self-medicate because we got nowhere with our doctors.

[Greengiant in reply to humanbean]

Thank you so much...that is really helpful....got an appointment with the GP and my Mum on Monday so will get all of these questions answered.

[humanbean in reply to Greengiant]

You may find it easier to get copies of results from the receptionists rather than the GP, but it does depend on the GP.

If you can't get copies at your appointment on Monday...

To ask for results, it is best to start off the process by phone. Phone up the receptionists, and ask for a copy of all the results that you want over a particular time period. If they say "I must ask the doctor's permission first", say something like "That's great, I'll be in to collect the results in a couple of days". Be cheerful and polite.

If they argue, say that you know that you are legally entitled to copies of medical records and test results thanks to the Data protection Act 1998.

Make sure that your mother takes proof of identity when collecting results. Expect to have to pay for paper and ink. Be aware that charging for access to records is being stopped from 25 May 2018.

A better solution is to get access to results online, but some GPs aren't geared up for this. Look at posts by our resident expert on online medical records, DJR1.

You can find her posts and replies here :

healthunlocked.com/user/djr1

[Greengiant in reply to humanbean]

Thank you....great suggestion, will get onto that now. You're a star

[humanbean in reply to Greengiant]

You're welcome.

[lumamel]

Hi there, I'm not a medical practitioner but was diagnosed with Hashimoto Thyroiditis in 2013 and was on Levothyroxin for years but my symptoms just got worse and worse, depression, brain fog, pain in my muscles, joints and and and. The doctors are not equipped and many aren't open to taking the holistic approach and just look at the T4 levels etc and won't test for T3 as it's too expensive. The Doctors just wouldn't listen and eventually I gave up trying and started looking else for healing and researching online. I heard about NDT natural desicated thyroid and decided to try it a year and a half ago. I've been taking Thiroyd (not misspelt) from Pimpomproducts.com. I felt an almost immediate change, brain fog mostly gone, mood lifted, more positive. NDT is the whole thyroid in natural (in this case, pig) form which includes T3 as opposed to Levothyroxin which is a chemical form of T4. It would take too long to explain all but it's maybe a place to start. There are grass-fed, bovine forms of NDT such as Thyrovanz from New Zealand but I like the tablets that dissolve as I can put them up der my tongue and they go straight into the bloodstream as opposed to via the stomach as I have digestive issues but there are many choices although I haven't found an NHS doctor who will prescribe them or even understand that I'm taking them but you can only really get it if you live it. I would definitely get your mum vitamin D3 + K in liquid Form which you can get on Amazon and B vitamins. Thyroid disease depletes vitamins rapidly especially D and B vitamins which also add to depression and lack of energy. Hope this helps but feel free to ask anything else. Good luck

[Greengiant in reply to lumamel]

Thats is so useful...thank you!! I feel a glimmer of hope

Glad you are feeling better x