Did any of u have depression and anxiety for a ... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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Did any of u have depression and anxiety for a while when u increased levo!??

ThyroidObsessed profile image
13 Replies

Does it pass if so, im up and down at the minute... long story... please look at my other posts for background... thanks in advance...

Iv been on 100mcg for 3 weeks now im trying my hardest to stick with it even though its mental torture...

Alcohol is my only escape at the minute as it numbs me and i dont want to take antidepressants or anxiety pills if this is gonna pass after a while xx

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ShootingStars profile image
ShootingStars

Oh. Ha. Glad you mentioned the alcohol. Alcohol itself is a depressant. It causes depression and other mental and physical problems. It's a poison, a neurotoxin, meaning it effects neurotransmitters in your brain. Don't want to take pills but drink the big poison. Stop the alcohol and you won't need antidepressants.

Answering your question, no. What are your bloods supporting the reason to take 100 mcg levo? More importantly, what was your dosage of levo before you started the 100 mcg? If it's too large of an increase, that can cause anxiety and other issues.

ThyroidObsessed profile image
ThyroidObsessed in reply to ShootingStars

I know exactly what alcohol does but if u have had the mental torture i have had for the past year and a half u would surely have a drink too!!.. i have been through mental torture and still am!.. i am on my 3rd endo after the others have just put my dose up and down!.. my levels are not normal with tsh being at 10, ft4 at 20, and ft3 at 4, endos are baffled, im hoping my new endo on the 1st of may can help me, i have addressed all vitamins in the last year and a half and also eat liver once a week too, i eat really good food fruit and veg every day, the only thing that i feel is affecting my mental state at thr minute i my hormones being unstable..

I have only started having a couple glasses of wine at night to help with my anxiety and depression rather than resort to mediactiom which is by far worse!.... xx

ShootingStars profile image
ShootingStars in reply to ThyroidObsessed

Actually no, I know better than to do that. ;-) I have Hashimoto's and am hypothyroid, and I don't want to make it worse. I don't put toxins in my body. Alcohol causes too many problems. Depression, weight gain or loss, liver damage, sleep disturbances. Autoimmune response to the toxin. Thyroid disruption. Bad doctors who can't diagnose your problems are no reason to drink alcohol in retaliation of how you're feeling, and only makes you worse.

Test your neurotransmitters and adrenals. If you are low or high on any of those, that can contribute to depression and anxiety.

Taking antidepressants is not always far worse! It is warranted in some situations. It is not far worse than alcohol. It's much better for certain people. If you happen to have a chemical imbalance aside from that being caused by alcohol, you might find that you feel better on a low dose of antidepressant.

Another thing, if doctors are raising and lowering your med level by 25 mcg each time, that is way too much of a swing. Not sure if your pharmacies have 12.5 mcg dosage increments where you are. We have that here. The only time that I did a 25 increase was when I went from 50 to 75. After that, it's always been 12.5. I can't image suddenly having 25 mcg yanked from my system, or suddenly having 25 mcg bombarding my system.

Joesmum profile image
Joesmum in reply to ShootingStars

Don’t like the tone of your response. Not friendly.

ShootingStars profile image
ShootingStars in reply to Joesmum

Oh. I'm so sorry that you are misconstruing it that way. My response was directed to ThyroidObsessed.

There is nothing unfriendly about my response. He/she came here looking for answers and I am concerned for his or her and what might be causing symptoms. I'm not sure why an articulate and a-too-the-point response would be taken that way. I am stating fact about alcohol and harmful it can be. It's nothing to be taken offense about. Facts about use of antidepressants and thyroid medication are shared, as well.

Joesmum profile image
Joesmum in reply to ShootingStars

Clearly you have all the answers.

ShootingStars profile image
ShootingStars in reply to Joesmum

No, I don't. No one does. I am stating medical facts about alcohol, antidepressants, and thyroid medication that are not new. Again, he/she was trying to figure out the cause of his/her depression and anxiety and indicated key elements that might be influential.

ShootingStars profile image
ShootingStars in reply to Joesmum

Why would you even get offended when someone is trying to help a fellow poster when they asked for help, and the response utilizes well known medical facts? That is just weird. Do you want him/her to keep suffering?

Tristy profile image
Tristy

Yes I did, especially after the last increase. I really thought I was over medicated at times because of the acute anxiety especially early morning but it levelled out after a few weeks. I think it took some adjusting. I know I was quite concerned at the time how erratic I was. Hope this helps a bit.

Joesmum profile image
Joesmum

Hello,

Yes I did get many periods of depression usually from dose increases being too frequent. I found that I could only increase by 6.25 mcgs every 2 or 3 weeks or I would be hit with the most awful depression and psychosis.

I was just very sensitive. But my endo was fantastic and very compassionate.

I’m sending you hugs.

Perhaps you could go 2 days without taking your meds and then resume at a slightly lower dosage.

Nanaedake profile image
Nanaedake

Make sure you are getting enough calcium in your diet because if not, it can cause depression. Read this web page.

mentalhealthfood.net/3-surp...

Unfortunately, alcohol can prevent absorption of vitamins and minerals. I've started drinking kefir - I do feel really healthy after starting to drink it and I'm hoping it will help long term. You need to eat something calcium rich at every meal.

marigold22 profile image
marigold22

I was diagnosed with hypo in 1981 when my son was 8 months old. Was on T4 between 1981 & 1995 (mega long story); then in 1995 was changed to T3 only. From 1981 until a few months ago I had horrendous depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, felt suicidal a lot of the time. I kept reading and discovered all the B vitamins. If you google all of the B vitamins individually - there are actually 8. There's B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12.

brainmdhealth.com/blog/how-...

I had been taking a multi B and sometimes B12. But it obviously wasn't enough. I bought individual bottles of Solgar B1, B3 & B6. Those 3 seem to be the 'depression' vits.

Also high dose of Omega 3 is needed. Our brain is made of something like 80% fat. So all this malarky we've been given about a low fat diet is making us all suicidal. I've been eating double cream, and lots of cholesterol in my food.

I truly understand about the alcohol. I used it daily as a crutch and the only way to get through a day. The B vitamins actually are used by 'clever doctors' to get alcoholics off the alcohol. I have no hankering now for any alcohol and haven't wanted a drink for months; in fact except for brandy in a coffee, it makes me feel very ill.

Stourie profile image
Stourie

I know that you haven't put the reference ranges on BUT, it LOOKS like your tsh is too high, your t4 is high but your t3 is low so that means that you aren't converting the t4 to t3 which is the active hormone. You are still very hypo. We really do need the reference ranges so we can see what is really happening. There is nothing wrong with a couple of glasses of wine a day. I really enjoy a glass of red wine. Take care. Jo xx

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