Ndt and sertraline

[NatGuy1978]

Hi All,

I'm not actually new here, but got locked out of my account so had to create a new one 🤦‍♀️

Anyway, I've been prescribed sertraline and propranolol for anxiety. I have Hashimotos, take thyroid s and have had stable/optimal bloods for years now. My concern is that the anxiety meds may cause problems with my thyroid or thyroid meds? I've put of taking anxiety meds for years but I'm struggling now so I'm having to give in!

Thanks in advance

Nat x

[Lalatoot]

It may mean that you need a slight increase in thyroid dose but that's ok. Just monitor your levels .It'll be ok

[NatGuy1978 in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What are your current thyroid and vitamin results

Anxiety can be common hypothyroid symptom

Retest thyroid 6-8 weeks after any new medication

Always take levothyroxine well away from all other medications

[NatGuy1978 in reply to SlowDragon]

I've suffered with anxiety all of my life, it got worse after my divorce last year and I'm under a lot of stress currently. It's not thyroid related. I am going to get my iron levels tested though as I've been a bit crap at remembering to supplement for a while.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Increased anxiety for me signals that my thyroid meds are not optimal or key vitamins (folate, ferritin, B12 or VitD) may need adjusting. Have you had these tested recently? Can you share your most recent thyroid results for members to advise if it’s possible to optimise them?

I was initially diagnosed by my GP as having ‘health anxiety’ and saw a psychotherapist for months. It was only joining this forum that made me realise that many symptoms I was experiencing were actually thyroid related. Seeing the psychotherapist was useful in that I started to do some meditation/ yoga which has helped reduce my anxiety.

[NatGuy1978 in reply to Buddy195]

Thank you, I've always had anxiety but have had a crap couple of years which has escalated it. I'm seeing a counsellor which has brought up a lot. My thyroid and vitamin levels have been optimal and steady for years now.

[humanbean]

Optimising my iron and ferritin as best as I can helped my anxiety enormously.

[jgelliss in reply to humanbean]

Yes for me too. But no Dr tells you that.

[Jodypody]

Hi there. I’m a lifelong anxiety sufferer and only gave into propranolol after a recent nervous breakdown. I took it for 3-5 days I think but wasn’t massively keen but like you felt I had to give in. I since learned that it can cause insomnia which in already have 🙄. I ended up getting stuck back into yoga and using aromatherapy. I normally do heavy weights etc. I also did some therapy work using an audiobook. I have trauma from childhood that was hanging on so complex ptsd was what I was experiencing. Counselling may well help but some of these other simple things may too

[NatGuy1978 in reply to Jodypody]

The propranolol is ok but if I take it too many days in a row, it makes me depressed. I'm only on day 2 of sertraline...didn't sleep well last night, headache and nausea too...but I'm going to persevere. I've tried herbal remedies and they haven't helped. I like to walk and garden but it's mornings and late evening it's worse and I'm just so fed up of it now.

[Jodypody in reply to NatGuy1978]

I completely understand it’s so debilitating I haven’t slept properly since a week last Saturday and it’s difficult not to fall apart but my kids are young so I have to keep going and know it will be fine in the end.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

For me, guided meditation really helped get my resting heart rate to somewhere near ‘normal’ I like MarkWilliams/ Danny penman Mindfulness in a frantic world & the app is good to have on your phone if you feel you are spiralling when out of the home. I try to do regular Pilates and mindfulness to keep my anxiety at bay.

[jamesal0]

Hi Nat I find if I tune my NDT (up and down) my anxiety mostly goes away. Use you symptoms to drive NDT dose. anxiety is one of your symptoms - anxiety means (for me) go down a little. I adjust my dose from day to day. Generally I'm always trying to increase. I swing between slow thumping heart (45bps) is not enough NDT and anxiety is too much NDT. There a heaps of other symptoms but these are the first warnings I get that my dose wrong for the daily conditions (Winter/Summer/How much Exercise/Stress at work/big heavy meals) You also want to get plenty of B12 into you.