I have hypothyroidism. I did a zero/low carb diet after reading so many good things about this diet. But it made me so anxious that I got a panic attack out of nowhere. This was in July 2020.Sinve then I have had 3 panic attacks and been diagnosed for Generalized Anxiety disorder.
I'm so lost and disappointed. Iam on T4 since 2015 and it is just making my symptoms worse but doctors keep telling me that my thyroid is normal.
Anyone here with hypothyroidism who also got anxiety disorder? How do you deal with the feeling of tightness in your chest or shortness of breath? It's very difficult to convince myself that it's all in my head.
I have been to so many therapists, also taken anxiety medication(which gave me horrible side effects so had to stop.) nothing seems to be helping me.
I have noticed that I get high blood pressure and mood issues if I take less than 100mcg of T4 tablets. Doc will cut my dose if TSH gets low. So I just follow him. And he won't listen to what I say.
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sa1234
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You poor thing - it's miserable when we don't feel "right" - particularly when the GP is no real help ...
I'd strongly recommend you get FULL thyroid blood testing - that means TSH, free T4, free T3 and key nutrients - ferritin, folate, vit D and B12. If your GP won't do them (I had some success with mine by saying that these are the tests recommended by Thyroid UK) - you will see LOTS of posts here about private testing. Discounts are available through the main Thyroid UK site.
There is a well-known correlation between anxiety and under-medication - and the key thing to remember is that TSH is NOT a thyroid hormone, so it's really important to see what your actual thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) are doing.
I would guess that these are both too low. There is a world of different between being "in range" and "optimum". For example, the lab range for free T4 might be 12 - 22 [these vary so it's really important to post your results with the lab ranges that applied to your tests]. If your result was 12.5 you would likely feel dreadful but if it's 19.5 you would probably feel much better - but both are "in range" and therefore acceptable to a dozy GP.
They are trained to go by TSH - which is a useful primary diagnosis tool but really not much use once you are on thyroid meds - so it's important to humour them and only have early morning blood tests when TSH is highest. But a low TSH doesn't necessarily mean a good level of free T4 - so you need to see where this is; and a good level of free T4 doesn't necessarily mean a good level of free T3 - you could be a rubbish converter, like me. Free T3 is the most important blood result and yet the one done the least ...
Your key nutrients are important when you're hypo, but GPs aren't trained in nutrition so don't know about them - you need these to be good to get the most from your levo and feel properly well but many of us hypos are low and need to supplement.
Post your results (and lab ranges) in a new post when you get them, and the lovely people here will help you to understand them.
I had anxiety and panic attacks for many years. What happens is that because you don't have enough thyroid hormones to keep going, the body uses adrenalin instead. And a body part fuelled by adrenalin is awful!Why it was worse on your diet is that we need calories to convert the thyroid hormone FT4 into the thyroid hormone our cells use FT3. By restricting calories you were giving your cells fewer hormones to work with so again adrenalin stepped in to fill the gap.
It is not in your head. What you need to do is to get your actual blood results and follow fuchsia-pink advice about how to look at the actual results.
Strongly recommend getting full thyroid and vitamin testing done
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
Lalatoot has mentioned that we need calories to convert, but we also need carbs. You were on a very low-carb diet, which more than likely reduced your conversion, making you more hypo, with all that that entails.
But, your doctor is very, very wrong to dose by the TSH. He needs a smack on the nose! Is there no other doctor you can see?
Was weight loss the driver behind your low carbon diet?
Weight gain is a symptom of hypothyroidism
I lost about 3 stone once my thyroid medication was correct for me as an individual.
For good thyroid function the body needs to convert the storage thyroid hormone T4 to the active hormone T3 which, for good health, is required by almost every cell in the body by way of a constant and adequate supply.
Carbs are essential for this process!
Your conversion may be being compromised by your diet.
The ignorance amongst medics regarding thyroid disease is widespread and shocking as is evidenced by the arrival here of over 100,000 people seeking help.
Anxiety is absolutely a symptom of hypothyroidism, don't be persuaded that this symptom is all in your mind.
TSH is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone and research shows it is not a reliable guide to dosing medication.
SlowDragon has already given you excellent advice regarding testing...please follow it. Without advice from SD and other experienced and knowledgeable members I would now be very ill indeed ....or worse!
You either need to see another GP or if you have no luck there do as many of us do....take control and self medicate.
We know our own body better than anyone else and if we feel unwell there is a reason for it.....beyond a need to dose with antidepressants!
The more I read about poor thyroid care the more angry I become....this should not be happening to you or anyone else when in the 21st century medical interventions/treatments are more advanced than they have ever been.
You can feel well again, but not with the appalling treatment that you have been subjected to.
You have arrived at the best place for thyroid advice,I can vouch for that
Sadly know all to well. Mind ended up with psychosis so severe. The last bad attack was seven months ago thats when I was brave enough to tell my doctor and the results thyroid . It has personally caused issues for my family. Covid thought I was managing fine shielding hubby. Then I just flipped with stress/anxiety. On the funny side I sprayed bleach so much it blew a light switch .
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