Does Stress effect the fluctuation of thyroid levels?

[HyperT77]

Has anyone else lessened the stress in their lives and found that their thyroid levels seemed to "level out"?

Everyone time I have a stressful event, my thyroid goes up or down.  No rhyme or reason to it.  Still taking Methimazole (1 5mg pill a day).  Endo is trying to wean me off of it.

[bharrod]

Stress affects your adrenal glands, which is related to your pituitary glands and your thyroid, stress can cause havoc on the adrenal glands, especially long term chronic stress, which in turn can cause adrenal insufficiency. I cannot post websites on here for you anymore, as whoever owns this website has yelled at me for doing so, but go to johns hopkins hospital website and do a search there on "adrenal insufficiency".
Good luck.
Mia

[HyperT77]

Have had alot of anxiety lately (since the last time my Methimazole was "tweaked").  Seems I have symptoms each time my medication is changed.  Lasts for about 3 weeks.

What I don't understand is now that my thyroid levels are in normal ranges, I should be feeling much better.  But... my moods still bother me.

[HyperT77]

Well good news....  My labs came back and for the first time in a year, my TSH, T3 & T4 are all in normal ranges.  However, my TSH is 3.7.  I feel really good if that level is between 1 & 2.5.

My blood pressure still spikes up (especially at the doctors office - "White Coat Syndrome").  Not sure how to control that.......

[bharrod]

Go to the Johns Hopkins website and type in Adrenal insufficiency, this explains a lot and how stress effects your adrenals.

[HyperT77]

I still have to go in monthly to have labs drawn.  My Endo ask me each time about my stress, telling me to keep it under control.  I was initially diagnosed on a scale of one to ten at an eight.  The Endo told me most patients that he sees come into him at a two or three.  I was almost at a Thyroid Storm.  Thankfully my Endo is great and keeps a close eye on my lab work.  

Matter of fact, I go in this morning for labs drawn the other day.  Will keep you posted:)

[stella5349]

I think stress plays a huge role on the thyroid. To some degree - I believe the seasonal change can effect the levels.

I can be a quite out there at times though - but I think it makes a whole lot of sense.

[Rainydeb]

I think I was hypothyroid years before I was diagnosed, but I didn't hit bottom till the year my husband was in Iraq when I was so stressed out I thought I was going to lose my mind. So I finally went to the doctor hoping for something to chill me out, and off the top of his head, he said, 'let's test your thyroid!' Otherwise, I probably would have continued for years undiagnosed.

Also, I have read that your need for thyroid meds is lower in warm, sunny weather and higher in winter. Do you all think that's true?

[LoriD1966]

How do you know that it changes when you are stressed without a blood test?

[mudkme83]

I havent heard of stress changing TSH levels before. Not to say I wouldnt doubt thats possible.How much does yours change?

[ChitChatNine]

I have found that when the TSH is not optimal for me I get awful anxiety symptoms but the TSH itself remains the same no matter what stress I"m under if the med dosing is the same.

Hope that helps,

C~