You cannot be 'diagnosed' with anxiety and depression because they are symptoms, not diseases. You cannot be diagnosed with a symptom. That would be like being 'diagnosed' with a sneeze, when you have a cold.
Anxiety and depression are well-known symptoms of hypo/under-medication for hypo. And you are under-medicated to have a TSH of 3.17 - you are still hypo. Once on thyroid hormone medication - I take it you are on thyroid hormone medication? - it should come down to one or under. So, you need an increase in dose. Your doctor doesn't understand thyroid, I'm afraid.
So, it's perfectly possible that your night-sweats are due to your low thyroid hormone. It can be a symptom of that.
I am not on any medication as was discharged from consultant to gp
It is a long story diagnosed back in 2011 with graves with levels up and down for years. Gp won’t medicate because of levels being in normal range. Am not thinking straight you are right about not being diagnosed with anxiety and depression an error on my part.
And the stupid man will only test TSH? Best thing you could do would be to get private labs done and get FT4/3 and nutrients. A TSH of over 3 is hypo, but the NHS refuses to recognise that.
If you live in the US and Canada you can and do receive an official diagnosis of either depression and anxiety or both and they are recorded in your health records as such. One is called “ depressive disorder unspecified” and the other is called “generalized anxiety disorder “. These are the ICDM-10 medical codes. There are many more codes for both conditions with other descriptors, but these are the garden variety one size fits all classifications. Each is a considered a separate health diagnosis listed in the ICDM -10 medical code book with its own number for use in hospitals and physicians offices. So it depends where you live.
I agree with you that they are most certainly symptoms of hypothyroidism and in my case, I had anxiety with my hyperthyroidism prior my TT surgery, and post surgery as well, but they get diagnosed in their own right in these countries as separate conditions without hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
Now, the doctors may be wrong when they provide patients with these diagnoses, but patients are told that this is their diagnosis. The codes are publically available online.
Wishing you well and sending good thoughts your way today!
Yes, I realise it is done, that wasn't what I meant, exactly. Perhaps I should have said 'you shouldn't be 'diagnosed' etc.' It demeans the verb 'To Diagnose'. But it's just another way that doctors use to take the easy way out.
Your night sweats may be related to your cortisol levels. There is a relationship between cortisol and thyroid hormone levels. When thyroid levels become too low the body tries to compensate with cortisol to keep the body going. Higher adrenaline gets thrown into the mix somewhere as well. Both cortisol and adrenaline (the stress hormones) can cause sweating. And both cortisol and adrenaline at levels which aren't right for you can cause anxiety and depression. Sometimes people who have had untreated thyroid disease for a long time eventually end up unable to produce sufficient cortisol and their levels go low. Low cortisol has lots of symptoms similar to high cortisol, so it isn't possible to guess, it must be tested.
If you were to get your TSH, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies checked all at the same time it would tell you whether or not you are hypothyroid - and with a TSH over 3 you already are, although doctors would disagree with me - and how your body is dealing with it.
Since you were told you have Graves' Disease I'm curious how this was diagnosed. Did you have any tests for Graves' antibodies? Were you seen by an endocrinologist? Were you given any specific treatment, like carbimazole? Were you given radioactive iodine treatment i.e. RAI?
In autoimmune hypothyroidism (also known as Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or Hashi's) there is often a stage in the early days where people have what appears to be hyperthyroidism - low TSH and high Free T4 and/or high Free T3. But they aren't truly hyperthyroid - it is the destruction of their thyroid by the immune system that causes the problems and the high levels of thyroid hormones. Over time they have a smaller and smaller thyroid as its cells are destroyed and eventually they become permanently hypothyroid.
Although I mentioned your cortisol levels, don't worry about that too much for the moment. If you were able to improve the other factors that usually accompany a thyroid problem e.g. supplementing low nutrients, improving your diet, improving gut health, it could make enough of a difference to reduce your cortisol levels. If you were to start replacing missing thyroid hormones that would help even more. Cortisol and adrenaline will sometimes fix themselves when given the right conditions. It isn't worth worrying about it until you've worked on the other things and done as much self-help as possible.
Was under consultant for Graves’ disease didn’t do any antibodies bloods. Had trab done privately September 2018 as totally confused
Result 0.33 range 0.81-3 negative for graves
They went on TSH, t3 and t4. Was on carbimazole for 18 months came off it levels went up again. Was put on a maintenance dose 5mg. Was stable for a while saw another consultant who said I didn’t need the carbimazole
And stopped it. Was discharged back to my gp. My levels went up again so gp prescribed carbimazole which pushed my TSH up to 18 then put on levothyroxine. It has been a roller coaster. Not on any meds at present.
Antibodies should ALWAYS be tested to confirm Graves' disease
We see many early stage Hashimoto's patients misdiagnosed as Graves, solely based on low TSH, high FT4 and/or high FT3
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested for Hashimoto's or Graves . Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
TSI or TRab antibodies should be tested for Graves' disease
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raise due to Hashimoto's or Graves
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
If TPO or TG antibodies are high this is usually Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). You can have mildly raised TPO or TG antibodies due to Graves
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.
Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's or Graves. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten.
So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once. Plus TSI or TRab antibodies tested if Graves is suspected
I have horrible night sweats they have been going on for about 2 years. Its not the menopause because I went through that years ago. I feel like my body can't control my temperature because I also can feel really cold when it is lovely and warm outside like today.
You really need to get full Thyroid and vitamin testing
Are you on strictly gluten free diet ?
If not, it's always worth trying. Over 80% of Hashimoto's patients notice improvements in symptoms including reducing anxiety (strictly gluten free - reducing anxiety was my most obvious immediate improvement)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity and autoimmune disease
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Going gluten free is a strategy that everyone with Hashimoto’s should try. In some cases, we see a complete remission of the condition; in other cases (88% of the time), the person feels significantly better in terms of bloating, diarrhea, energy, weight, constipation, stomach pain, reflux, hair regrowth, and anxiety.
Many clinicians report that eating a gluten-free diet may help improve thyroid function in nonceliac gluten intolerance. “Getting gluten out is primary for patients with Hashimoto’s, even without celiac disease,”
You really need to get full Thyroid and vitamin testing privately
Thousands on here forced to test privately in order to make improvements
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
If vitamins are extremely low Below range GP should prescribe
If vitamins are low, but within range then you can self supplement (with advice from this forum)
Often getting vitamins optimal gives significant improvements and sometimes TSH rises so that you can get GP to finally see you need Levothyroxine
There is a high (approx 40%) prevalence of B12 deficiency in hypothyroid patients. Traditional symptoms are not a good guide to determining presence of B12 deficiency. Screening for vitamin B12 levels should be undertaken in all hypothyroid patients, irrespective of their thyroid antibody status. Replacement of B12 leads to improvement in symptoms
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