First thoughtswhen I saw this

[Fruitandnutcase]

My first thoughts when I read this headline were - no wonder when I read on here about all the thyroid patients who are refused treatment for their thyroid but offered antidepressants. Obviously it’s not the only reason but if thyroid patients are fobbed off with antidepressants then who knows how many other conditions are treated the same way?

theguardian.com/society/201...

[RedApple Administrator]

Ah but it's ok FNC, thyroid patients soon won't be given antiDs any more because we'll be told we can talk ourselves out of our thyroid hormone problems with "the world’s most ambitious programme of talking therapies which can resolve common conditions like depression and anxiety.” 😧

[shaws Administrator in reply to RedApple]

RedApple - If we actually 'talked' to them I doubt they would like our responses.

[shaws Administrator]

Thanks for posting FNC and I would like all GPs and others who prescribe anti-depressants to state whether or not the patient is hypothyroid and taking levothyroxine or who remain undiagnosed as TSH has to reach 10 first before being prescribed.

We know full well they rarely test FT4 and FT3 and as T3 is needed particularly for heart and brain as well as the trillions of T3 receptor cells (brain has the most T3 receptor cells) deficiencies cause symptoms.

We also know - in the 'modern' method of diagnosing/treating hypo - that they only to look at the TSH to decide if an increase is needed in levo.

Whereas they are completely ignorant of what action the 'Frees' do in the human body.

NHS is wasting money - patients remain unwell - their families wonder why because patient is diagnosed and taking medication(s) but who are still very unwell. More consultations are needed by GP or 'experts' who then get fed-up with the patient who keeps having appoinments to complain that they are still so very, very unwell. Then they're diagnosed as 'depressed' but refused T3 or had it withdrawn.

Unnecessary suffering........... and it is well seen that the majority of those are female i.e. sisters/mothers/aunts/daughters.

[helvella Administrator]

Just to point out that some (so-called) anti-depressants have been (so-claimed) re-purposed - e.g. amitriptyline for pain and/or migraine.

We can all have our deep reservations about this. I know I do. But I wonder how the reported statistics cope with these other uses?

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to helvella]

You’re right, particularly with amitriptyline - they use it for all sorts of things.

I was given amitriptylene when I was being treated for Graves. I had just started on levo as part of my block and replace treatment and I was needing an increase in my levo.

The doctor was a bit like a rabbit caught in headlights and decided to go for amitriptyline to tide me over until I saw my endo - don’t think she wanted to interfere with the endo decision.

I took them until the worst of the pounding heart had settled then stopped - I was terrified I would get addicted - anyway I had phased them out by the time I got back to the endo who more or less rolled her eyes and said it wouldn’t work when I told her what I had been doing since I last saw her. She increased my levo and my body got back to normal. Next time it happened I stood my ground and was given a slight increase - doctor didn’t want me to become hyper again - until I saw my endo again.

I just really feel for the people who write here who are or think they might be hypo and can’t get a trial of levo but can get a prescription for antidepressants.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

All patients being considered for antidepressants should have vitamin D tested

Ideally folate, ferritin and B12 tested too