Depression and weight gain

[Trixydee]

Has anyone had any joy with the above - my GP put me on Prozac and now wants to try Citalopram - they both kill the libido and make me gain weight- does anyone know of alternative antid's or natural ones? pulling my hair out

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hi Trixydee

I wonder if you are on the correct forum. This is ThyroidUK's forum for patients with thyroid disease. Do you have a diagnosis of a thyroid condition? Depression can be a symptom of hypothyroidism and antidepressants aren't the answer in that case, optimal dose of thyroid replacement is.

If you don't have a thyroid condition there are possibly other forums more suited to help you. Click on the square icon above made up of 9 circles, then "Find a community" and type in "depression", there should be 5 forums suggested.

[Trixydee]

Btw i have an underactive thyroid

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Trixydee]

In that case, if you post your latest test results, with their reference ranges, members can comment and hopefully help.

Being undermedicated will mean that you can still have hypo symptoms, depression being one of them, and weight gain is also a hypo symptons.

For a full picture you need

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

Also, what dose of thyroid meds are you taking?

Do you take any other medication or supplements?

[Marz]

You are probably under-medicated - many people are as Doctors incorrectly go by the TSH when they should be looking at the T4 & T3 results ...

Low B12 and other nutrients can cause low mood as can a poor diet. Are you vegetarian ?

[Trixydee in reply to Marz]

Yes i am veggi i am on 125 t4. And get brand sensitivity if i up dose

[Marz in reply to Trixydee]

Are you able to have the testing done suggested by SeasideSusie above ? The NHS rarely do them all - so are you able to have Private Testing done in order to have the correct tests ? Click onto the link below and then Click onto ABOUT TESTING where you will find a selection of companies sending out Home Testing Kits.

thyroiduk.org

Are you taking any other medications ? - Supplements ? How do you replace the B12 missing from your diet ?

[Trixydee in reply to Marz]

I am taking curcumin fir knees and naproxen for pain and thyroxin, due to start citorpalm i am not sure who interacts with what and a those pills.

[Marz in reply to Trixydee]

Wouldn't it be better to get all your thyroid levels right and vitamins and minerals optimal before taking a drug which may have side effects.

Did you look at the link I posted for you ?

[Trixydee in reply to Marz]

I have had it for thirty yrs and done it all. I am a medical researcher so i thought i would ask lay patients.tgank you for your thought though

[Marz in reply to Trixydee]

As a researcher I am surprised you have not found the connections between T3 and depression

[ThyroQueen in reply to Marz]

Years ago I had an episode where I carelessly decided not to bother refilling my T3, I figured, it's only 20 mcg compared to the 75 mcg T4 I take - it can't make much of a difference, right? Two months later I was in outpatient treatment for depression. They got me back on T3 and I was almost instantly better. US docs may not be much use for thyroid, but the psych folks really understand the value of T4 and T3 for depression.

[Trixydee in reply to Marz]

Exhausted that route twenty yrs ago

[Marz in reply to Trixydee]

Oh do tell us more ! It may help one of the other 101,000 members on this Forum

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Trixydee]

What were your last thyroid results and ranges?

TSH, FT3 and FT4

What vitamin supplements do you currently take?

Low B12, folate, vitamin D and ferritin are extremely common when hypothyroid

Being vegetarian makes low ferritin and low B12 especially likely

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

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Have you ever had thyroid antibodies tested??

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)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Depression is common symptom of being hypothyroid

Joint pain is frequently low vitamin D

[ThyroQueen in reply to Trixydee]

Decades of depression, weight gain, and fatigue here. Finally got into remission from depression six years ago on Cymbalta, which has given me 100% relief from my depression since then. But it's not for everyone, it's a medicine I would research before considering.

Meanwhile, I've been on T3 and T4 for almost 20 years because psychiatrists gave it to me even though US endo (old white man) said I was "fine" and "should look elsewhere for the solution to my problems".

I cannot imagine how sick I would have been without the T3/T4 - thank God for the brain doctors - because now I have an official Hashimoto's diagnosis, have had a scan, learned my thyroid gland has basically shrivelled down to nothing.

However the endo who diagnosed me was anti-T3, and got me onto a regime of 150 T4 and down to 10 T3. During that horrible couple of months I gained 8 kilos, developed the worst brain fog of my life, and became horribly bloated and puffed up. It was terrible. I put my foot down and found this forum when I began to have moments of depression again - there was no way I was going back.

So I started slooooowwwly reducing the T4 and increasing the T3, on the directions of the forum, and got all my supplements in order. After a couple months I got to my current regimen of 75t4 and 30T3 - and stopped fiddling because I feel better than I have in YEARS.

what I am saying is, T3 is a lifesaver for me, and for me, T4 makes me sicker, I can't increase my dosage and maybe will even someday eliminate it altogether. I would encourage you to follow the advice of the forum, get your labs, and FIGHT TO GET T3.

I wish you good luck and recovery.

[Hidden]

A more natural antidepressants is 5HTP, brill stuff and good for weight loss. An alternative your GP can prescribe is roboxetine, no weight gain or loss of libido but very dry mouth. However do post your thyroid results as likely as not you are not getting very good thyroid treatment from your GP or even your endo.

[Trixydee in reply to Hidden]

Thank you mandy i am literally off to H&B. Do you take anything else b12?

[Hidden in reply to Trixydee]

I inject b12 but you wont get that from h and B. Do post blood results as an under treated thyroid condition has long term health consequences.

[Trixydee in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mandy i have just taken first 5htp and sprayed some b12 . How long did former take to get going?

[Hidden in reply to Trixydee]

The 5HTP toke a few days, about a week to work with me.

[Trixydee in reply to Hidden]

All v exciting.

[Trixydee in reply to Hidden]

Mandy what did you notice and any impact on weight

[Hidden in reply to Trixydee]

reduced apetite and increased libido. Looking at bottle was making me blush. I have lost about 5 pounds. It wont fix thyroid though and T3 also very good for depression, weight loss and libido.

[Trixydee in reply to Hidden]

My gp wont prescribe t3

[Trixydee in reply to Hidden]

"looking at bottle..."?

[Marz in reply to Trixydee]

I asked you about B12 as you are a vegetarian - so are you supplementing ? Best to test first and to know your level so you know how much to take !

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Trixydee]

ALWAYS test levels before starting any supplements

[DaddyCool2001]

I tried Citalopram but stopped for the same reasons. I’m now prescribed Vortioxetine 20mg and have absolutely no side effects.

Google it, I convinced my GP to prescribe it.

Rob

[Angel_of_the_North]

Is there any evidence that your depression is actually due to low serotonin, not, for example low T3 (or dopamine or GABA)? I don't think there is any way to test the brain for serotonin unless you are dead. I would read Dr David Healy's articles on ADs (he's a uk psych) davidhealy.org/blog/ SSRIs haven't worked so it suggests that they are not what you need and serotonin is not the problem.

[Trixydee in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Tjx but SJW conflicts with T4

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Trixydee]

St Johns Wort also acts on serotonin, so it is not want you need - which is what I just said. Perhaps you meant to reply to someone else. All SSRIs affect conversion and absorption of levo.

[saritadelmar]

St John's Wort is a natural herb/tablet that some folks use to combat depression. Just stay out of direct sun. Valerian tincture is another that works as an alternative. There are also a myriad of homeopathic remedies and Bach Flower remedies that work well for those who do not care for pharmaceuticals. They are amazing if you choose the right one. No side effects either as long as you don't take a very high dose (500) of a homeopathic which could act in the reverse. Stick to 6x and 30x, to rid symptoms. This post is just to suggest natural remedies.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to saritadelmar]

St. John's wort should not be taken if on Levothyroxine as it can affect how Levothyroxine is used

[Clarrisa]

My very gifted college physiology instructor really swore by exercise (& nutrition). Have you already exhausted that route? Michael W. Otto, PhD’s book Exercise for Mood and Anxiety (Oxford) explains why most exercise programs fail. Exercise goal(s) he will advise you should not look towards the future, but towards feeling good now. His strategies are tailored towards feeling good now.

I suppose in the scorching 🥵 weather I hear so many of you are experiencing nobody wants to even think about exercising. This same physiology instructor looked upon shooting for the goal of most pharmaceuticals in this arena being ideally temporary.

[Calends]

Hello Trixydee! I was just having this conversation with myself this morning. Depression is defo one of the side effects and it is treated with anti-depressants sometimes but I have also heard that the anti-depressants might interfere with the absorption of the Synthroid. I sympathize with you completely. I am so sorry we all feel so damn bad. Good luck and let me hear if you choose the anti-depressent.

[Trixydee in reply to Calends]

Hello thank you for such an upbeat response. Another response suggested 5HTP thus i started it two days ago and am awaiting it to kick in.my GP wont prescribe T3 and i have rejected the Citorpalm.i will keep you updated. My start weight is 10.13 so i will update .And my level of aggitation is 6/10.keeping a diary is useful.

[mistydog in reply to Trixydee]

Many people buy their own T3, as they have the same problem as you.

[Trixydee in reply to mistydog]

Thank you .I did many years ago and the Dr who did was struck off. where do you buy yours from?

[mistydog in reply to Trixydee]

I take NDT, not T3. If you want suggestions, you need to post and ask for members to PM sources.

[Calends]

The diary of a mad hypothyroid sufferer. I told my husband today that that cute little downloadable diary that is on the Synthroid site would have color crayon shrieks and tiny knife cuts on it today. That said, the diary is becoming truly important so thanks for the reminder.

[humanbean]

If you want an alternative to anti-depressants that is available over the counter you could do some research on 5-HTP. I wrote a post with my experiences of using it on this post, and some cautions :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

See the third reply for my post.

[Trixydee in reply to humanbean]

Thank you i would be keen to read do you have a link pls

[humanbean in reply to Trixydee]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-Hyd...

healthline.com/nutrition/5-...

[The suggested doses given by the healthline link are much too high - stick to starting with 50mg per night to begin with, don't be in too much of a rush to raise dose, and raise dose by no more than 50mg at a time.]

selfhacked.com/blog/5-htp-s...

If you look at reviews of 5-HTP on Amazon or Ebay or iHerb you'll find quite alot of people who swear by it. I've been taking it for about 8 years. I only take 50mg, three times a week now, but for a long time I took 50mg every night.