NEW I'm 16 years old and need some help with my hashimotos please!

Hi all

I'm 16 years old and have been diagnosed for just over a year with with hashimotos (hypo & hyper thyroid) and take 75mg of levothyroxine.

I've noticed more recently within the last few months or so that my anxiety has shot though the roof. before I was diagnosed I had no anxiety at all and was outgoing but now I get nervous all the time, don't want to go out or do certain things as I get extremely nervous. I get shortness of breath and my heart feels like it's racing even if I'm sitting down doing nothing (especially if I'm worrying). I haven't had a full blown panic attack that I know of.

I don't quite know what to do, I still haven't got my head around all of this thyroid-ness (should I get some books [any recommended?] as I still don't really understand) I don't know where to turn to but this anxiety is especially doing my head in I can't carry on like this it's ridiculous, normal day to day things worry me and I don't know why! it's got a lot worse lately.

(my medication is at the right dose according to my last check up with the endo)

any help or advice would be great, I can't just blurt all this out to a friend or my mum, I know they'll understand but they won't really understand as they can't relate, they're solution is to not worry and take a deep breath (not very useful haha)

thank you

[Marz]

.....sorry to hear you are feeling poorly at the moment. Yes it is so difficult to explain an invisible illness to people that do not understand. Firstly - on the positive side it is good that you have a diagnosis and that your anti-bodies were tested. When you are young or in the early stages of Hashimotos you can swing from over to under active. Do you have any blood test results with their ranges ? It would help us to help you more.

Feeling anxious can be one of the many symptoms suffered by thyroid people. It is good that you have found this forum and I am sure you will find lots of people to support you. I have Hashimotos but not the anxiety so am not the best person to advise you. Try looking at the tags on the right of this page and look at the posts by other people.....Hashimotos - Anxiety and anything else that may apply to you. Lots of reading and don't be alarmed when you read things that may panic you ! Just take some deep breaths and alow the body to relax. So much good information on this forum which does involve lots of reading.

Books - The Thyroid and How to keep it Healthy by Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield would be a good place to start in understanding the workings. I notice you live in London so could you be low on VitD ? Tall buildings blocking out the sun ! Also check B12 Ferritin Iron and Folate. All these need to be high in the range for good health and for auto-immune conditions. Diet too is important ?? A long and difficult topic but really does help. Selenium too is important. Don't take it all the time. 2 months on and one month off.

Did you start on 75mcg of T4 or have you built up to that ? It could just be that you need to reduce the dose for a week or so and see how you feel. Others here may say you need to increase. So difficult for you I know. Try taking 50mcg one day and 75 another.

Try asking for your results - if they question it you could say you want to discuss your results with a Naturopath or your Physio. It is your right to have your results printed out but at 16 they may just give you a hard time - as happens to many people on this forum by the way.

Not sure if this has been helpful - just hope you keep posting.....

[Hidden]

You really need your actual test results.

Do you take your levo with only water at least half an hour before food and well away from any supplements?

Helpful info here:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Louise

x

[Clarebear]

For me anxiety can be a symptom of over and under-medication from hypothyroidism. As mentioned above we really need to see your actual results (with ranges) please.

Often doctors will say we are at the right level of medication when results are just in range. The difference between how we feel when our results are just "in range" or are "optimal" for us can be really HUGE - the difference between feeling really ill and really well xxx

[Hidden]

thank you all for the advice, it's been really helpful and given me a starting point!

I'll go and see my doctor and get my test results and make another post

[pegorama]

I would say that the one supplement that made worlds of difference for this Hashi sufferer is Fish Oil Gel caps. 4 giant capsules a day, 2 in the morning with breakfast and 2 in the evening with dinner. It helped my mood tremendously. Also SAM-e tabs, 1 in the am and 1 at night - and 50 mcg of 5-HTP at night.

[tilly83]

Hi Marz, it must be really scary for you, have you got support from parents? Do they know a bit about it... your friends will be lovely hopefully but still it's something you need to feel safe about, keep in touch with GP and say how you feel, write a diary daily and try yoga, it is brilliant for calming anxiety x