anxiety &thyroid problems

[DI123747]

I have had gad for about 10 years as well as hypothyroid for 17 years. Have been on synthroid 112mg for past 10-12 years. Dosage increased in 2007 to 125mg after yearly blood work results. On amitriptyine 25mg for eight years but stopped taking  it in May 2008. Nov. 2008 thyroid blood work O.K. Spring 2009 started feeling lousy with lots of anxiety symptoms. Doctor did blood work and TSH level was ay 0.08. Thyroid being over-stimulated.(can cause same symptoms as anxiety). Medication was decreased to 112 mg. Aug.blood work TSH 0.11. Now has decreases to 100 mg. synthroid with a wait and see approach. Has also given script for Amitriptyline again at my request. My concern is whether my symptoms are anxiety or thyroid related. Symptoms:nervousness, nausea, headaches, shoulder/upper back tension/pain goes down right bicep to elbow, calf pain, waking up several times in the night especially from pain in shoulders and arm. I'm worried about a thyroid problem or wondering if years of thyroid medication(synthroid) can cause these symptoms. Also, does anyone else take synthroid and amitriptyline?
Could really use some input.
Thanks
Mama D

[chthompson]

I have had alot of your symptoms with anxiety,especially being tense in my shoulders, arms and chest.I suffer from anxiety even though for the most part I feel calm!Hope this helps.If you need to talk you can message me anytime!!
                                                                          Heather

[Paxiled]

Nobody can tell you the answer, but are they testing your T3 and T4 or just TSH?  You might need someone who's willing to do more sophisticated testing so they can get you normalized.  Also realize that, in the beginning, probably not now after this much time, hypothyroid doesn't need synthroid, you can often treat it with iodine from seaweed as long as the thyroid is still working.  It's only when it fails that you need artificial hormones.  But by now, after this many years, I doubt it would ever work again without help.  But just testing TSH won't tell you everything you need to know.  A good nutritionist will often test all thyroid hormones and get very specific in treatment, so that's an option if you can''t find a competent endocrinologist.

[Jennifer1987]

The only way you can treat the thyroid with iodine is if its caused by iodine defeciency! to much iodine can cause the thyroid to malfunction! Thats what i think anyway! The reason its treated by iodine is cause there isn't enough in the body (which is rare).. So the artifical meds are needed to relapce the hormone on there!!! I have hypothyroidism and think that the symptoms you have described are both the anxiety and thyroid!

[nursegirl6572]

Thyroid problems most definitely cause symptoms of anxiety!  Especially since you've had some dosage adjustments with the Synthroid and haven't been well regulated.  Now, that isn't uncommon either, many people require frequent lab tests and adjustments to find the right dose that will work for you.  Metabolism changes can cause the Synthroid to not be as effective....and a person's metabolism can change from time to time for all kinds of reasons.

Keep working with your doctor...and if you continue to have the problems with needing dosage adjustments, and having abnormal thyroid results....you may want to request a referral to an endocrinologist who will be able to better manage your hypothyroidism.

[Paxiled]

Actually, it's not at all rare to have insufficient iodine; it's quite common.  I encourage you to go to the complementary medicine forum and read the posts on iodine.  Very illuminating, and also very confusing.  But I think for this poster, it would probably be futile to think about it, and nursegirl's advice is point on.  I was just mentioning it for others who might read the thread.