Hi all, first time post And would love some help from the community.
Me and my mother suffered with exactly the same mental issues I.e recurring bouts of severe anxiety, intrusive thoughts that lasted weeks and sometimes months.
She was diagnosed with an under-active thyroid and has been on thyroxin medication for several years ( I believe hers was auto immune hashimoto but I’m not exactly sure). Her mental issues have now cleared up.
I recently started with another episode of anxiety and OCD and took a thyroid function test. I have attached the results. My FT3 is elevated above the range and I am wondering if this could be a trigger or cause of my issues and could potentially be the same thyroid issue inherited from my mother but in an earlier stage. I have heard thyroid and mental health go hand in hand and I can’t help but feel something is causing / triggering these episodes I.e a hormone level or autoimmune thyroid issue.
Does anyone else suffer or has suffered with mental health issues and thyroid problems (specifically anxiety / intrusive thoughts) who has ever had a reading or result like mine? I know it’s a long shot but I am hoping I can find a root cause to these issues and get back to being myself!
Only person I can find online like myself with mental symptoms is “mrs a” from this story
Also ask GP to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels. These are often too low with Hashimoto's.....and/or can cause symptoms in their own right
Depression and anxiety are common hypothyroid symptoms, especially with Hashimoto's
Excellent thanks! The result shows I am slightly hyper rather than hypo but I have also read hashimoto can cause this during thyroid degradation.
Just really don’t feel like myself at all mentally and I had thought I was bipolar at one point, just seems too much of a coincidence that my mother has the same thing!.
I will ask my gp for the ultrasound and for the vitamin tests.
Yes, absolutely there's a very strong connection between thyroid hormone levels and mental illness. The fact that your FT3 is over range, despite FT4 being well within range may well be the clue to solving your mystery. Presumably you are not taking any thyroid hormones or any supplements or other medications that might cause this?
Are these results from an NHS test (i.e. via GP), or a private test? Have you discussed these results with your GP?
Thanks red apple, this is a private test. I am struggling to find any real evidence or specialist to tell me that the results I have uploaded are a potential cause to the mental issues I have suffered. I do think the fact that my mother had exactly the same issues and resolved in later life via thyroid meds cannot be ignored. I just don’t know what to do next with regards to testing other than the ultrasound, I just know that I am not feeling myself and the anxiety and ocd is not me! Feel like someone else when it starts up and like a level has changed.
Yes, there is a major problem in that most GPs and even endocrinologists do not understand the connection between thyroid hormone levels and mental illness. Even some so called mental health practitioners don't seem to understand or believe it either. Unfortunately, one test result won't be enough to prove a point to your GP.
I'm not sure what to suggest at this moment, but will give it some thought and get back to you if I have any bright ideas
In the meantime, I hope others with experience of thyroid related mental health issues will contribute their thoughts.
Thank you for your input, my mum used to say the same thing regarding thyroid and doctors and I am ashamed to say I ridiculed her for it ☹️ And didn’t believe her. From now on I will be taking private tests when well vs when unwell to see if there is any correlation. Only just discovering the lack of knowledge re: thyroid issues and mental health.
I have a wife and 2 children and I am so so so desperate for this to never re-occur or to find a cause.
My thoughts exactly about testing when well and unwell. Make sure you do all tests at the same time of day so that you have reasonably accurate comparisons (we tend to do them first thing in the morning before eating or drinking - other than water).
Hi, I am desperately trying to find out if I have a thyroid problem, but exactly like you my mum had a thyroid problem and as much as I hate to say it, but she too had mental health issues, often very aggressive, not diagnosed though, only antidepressants later in life. I have been having awful anxiety and depression since I was 30 and I’m also wondering if the two are connected, so I’ll be keeping an eye on your post with great interest. Good luck and I hope you get the answers you need too. 🙂
Hi there, 14 years ago I suddenly became really down, anxious about everything, couldn't sleep, heart racing and could only walk short distance like a minute or 2 before I felt a discomfort in centre of my chest. Attended GP who did basic tests including thyroid and I was overactive, referred to endocrine and sent home with a prescription for antidepressants! Asked gp why I needed them and said my hormones ie thyroid was causing an upset and 6 months on antidepressants should balance it out. Needless to say it didn't and I was on them for several years even after block & replace treatment. I relapsed and diagnosed again late June and long story short I had RAI therapy 30th October past. Looking back I had once again been feeling really anxious, tearful and felt like the world was ending! Almost 4 weeks forward and feel like my immune system has hit rock bottom with sinus problem, sore throat, bad cough with phlegm aching in lung and yes rather depressed so I would give a resounding YES to the connection of thyroid problems with depression anxiety etc.
Hope you get sorted and it does eventually get better, I'm telling myself this at present.
My follow up appt is 9th December and I might ask for them as I've never asked before. I will most likely be hypo by then in which case they will start me on levothyroxine. Hoping I can eventually get a better balance.
RAI will have trashed your immune system as well as your vitamins and minerals.
Please take good care, and do get copies of all your blood test results, as you never know when you might need them in the future.
RAI is a slow burn and ultimately your feedback loop, the hypothalamus - pituitary - thyroid axis broken, so it is most important that you are monitored on T3 and T4 blood test results and not solely on a TSH blood test which seems common practise in primary care.
I will see how my follow up with endocrine goes and I will ask for results also thankyou. I've never self medicated but will see how things progress over next few months and now that I've found this site it will be a big help.
Yes, I think it's in your best interest to stay under hospital management for as long as possible. Knowledge and expertise are more likely to be there than in primary care.
I'm guessing you have Graves Disease - if you don't know of Elaine Moore you might like to take a look at her website - she has Graves Disease herself and went through RAI back in the late 1990's. She is a medical researcher and her website is all things Graves, and auto immune, for any body to freely use and research. There is an open forum much like this amazing site where you can ask any questions of the group, and I know she is actively involved in all aspects of her Foundation.
Thank you Pennieannie i will Google Elaine and care has been very good up until now because i had presented at A&E twice with chest pain, very severe 2nd visit and they thought I'd had a heart attack but thankfully not. I've had a cardiac ct scan but not heard anything back yet.
Yes! I experienced severe OCD, panic attacks (literally 24/7) and depression for 5 whole years! Didn't see a way out. GPs did lots of tests for physical symptoms, kept saying there was nothing wrong. Was then given strong meds for this time, which all made it so much worse.
Last Feb, after my symptoms getting worse, I decided I needed to start doing something myself, because I actually just couldn't live the way I was anymore. I started on an anti-inflammatory, healthy diet, with organic, sugar free, whole grain foods etc. Stayed away from coffee, and literally anything that gave me symptoms. I now eat like every 2 hours to avoid my blood sugars dropping. I meditate many times throughout the day, do yoga etc and i'm awaiting treatment for thyroid problems with a specialist team (although undiagnosed at the moment). What I would say is, I figured out I was struggling with my blood sugars and that made me very very bad. I also try and manage things with food whilst i'm waiting and it really seems to work!
I've got it under control now (slightly) but it still comes back with certain foods/times of the month with hormones. There is hope and it can cause so much distress!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Mental health and thyroid
Mental health or thyroid issues?
Mental health and hashimoto's hypothyroidism 
Mental health and thyroid issues research ideas and help :-) 
