Hypothyroidism & Anxiety

[stargiirl]

Hey,
Ok so about 2 months ago I was driving to work when all of a sudden my left arm went numb and tingly and I had a wave of sensation and tightness in my chest. My face was on fire and I thought I was going to pass out! I was able to pull over and collect myself. I decided I needed to go to the ER or to my dr's office. As I was driving this happened 2 more times. I ended up going to the ER because I thought I was having a heart attack. I'm 28 and overweight. Heart disease runs in my family on both sides. I got to the ER and they gave me baby aspirin, did an EKG, ran bloodwork and took chest x-rays. Everything came back clean and they sent me home saying to call my dr and set up an appointment. Also at this time I was on the 3rd day of my period. So I was thinking maybe it was hormones but i'm to young to be going through menapause!
I went and saw my dr and she sent me for bloodwork. Well come to find out I have hypothyroidism and my thyroid is extremely swollen (shown by an ultrasound) My dr told me that would go away in a couple of months and she put me on 75mg of Levothyroxine. The pills seem to be helping but I have Anxiety attacks everyday. I feel like I can't take in a deep breath or I pay to much attention to my breathing, dry mouth, my left arm tingles, my chest will get tight or I will get weird little pains.I also hate being by myself or driving far distances. Is this normal and will the anxiety attacks ever go away once my thyroid gets back to normal from the medicine?? This is very scary becuase up until now I have been a very healthy chubby girl :)
O also my dr put me on 50mg of Zoloft ( in the past week but I have not started it yet) Has anyone had any problems with Zoloft?
Thanks for any help!!

[stella5349]

In many hypothyroid cases  poor testing is used. I was one - who suffered all of those symptoms after I had my thryoid ablated out with RAI.

I found the tests Free T3 and Free T4 told more about the levels being off. I was low on FT3 levels so I was prescribed a natural decissated thryoid med and my system started responding well.

I was on anxiety meds for years to try and control that symptom, but none of them worked until I started the meds I am on now. I haven't taken any anxiety meds in almost 2 yrs.

A magnesium depletion may also be linked to these with being hypothyroid.

[Minicooper723]

I started having attacks like you describe in Dec of 2008, I went to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack.  They did a CT scan of my heart & lungs looking for a blood clot said everything was clear and sent me home that Saturday the nurse from teh ER called to say that I had a mass on in my neck & to see  my family doctor ASAP.  So I did and he found a mass on the left lobe of my thyroid, the endo started me on 25mcg of synthroid and it made me crazy, I thought I was having a heart attack everyday and major anxiety.  I'm now two weeks post-op from a total thyroidectomy and I'm taking 50 mcg of synthroid and all the symptoms are coming back, major anxiety and chest pains.  I have always been overweight and healthy until this all started.  I still feel better since my surgery than I did before but I hate synthroid.  I started taking anti-anxiety meds 6 weeks ago and they have helped but now that I'm back on synthroid everything is coming back.  Best of luck to you.