Feel lousy all the time: thyroid, depression or something else

[Housetrolls]

I've really been struggling since the birth of my daughter in January, 2009. She is now 20 months old, and I also have a 5-year-old son. When my daughter was born, I took 2 months maternity leave, then returned to work full time in April 2009. At the point that I returned to work, I also assumed a new position at my company, one with a higher profile and more challenging projects.

By August, I realized that I was having a harder and harder time coping with the work/home balance. I was frequently drowsy at work, fatigued, had brain fog, concentration and memory problems. After a visit with my PCP, I was diagnosed with post-partum depression and put first on Prozac, then switched to Wellbutrin when my symptoms failed to improve as much as my doctor wanted. In January, I also started seeing a therapist who diagnosed me with an adjustment disorder (ie I was overwhelmed with the range of responsibilities on my plate), along with self esteem and social phobia problems. At the same time, she found me to be a well-adjusted, resilient person despite being overwhelmed by my circumstances.

Anyhow, since January I've been feeling increasingly lousy all the time. I frequently battle severe daytime drowsiness to the point that I can barely open my eyes again after blinking and can't follow conversations or easily form complete sentences. This happens even when I've gotten a good night of sleep. I've also been experiencing increasing episodes of achy, uncomfortable, sometimes painful feelings, primarily in my legs, but also in my arms and shoulders when things get bad. At least once a week I wake up with this achiness and it progresses through the course of the day. Other days, I frequently get achy suddenly, in the evening, and feel almost like I've got the flu. Needless to say, this is only adding to the stress of trying to run a house, work, raise my kids, etc.

I can't figure out what to do next. I've got Hashimoto's disease (hypothyroidism), but according to my PCP and endo, my numbers are fine. However, I have nearly all the symptoms you'd typically see listed for the disease. Of course, I also have most of the symptoms for fibromyalgia, to one degree or another, and there is a lot of overlap between the symptoms of the two.The only thing that makes me hesitant to ask my doctor about fibro is the fact that I don't seem to have 11 of the 18 pain points associated with the disease as required for a diagnosis. I did recently have a sleep study to look at Restless Legs Syndrome, but the results came back normal. Of course, I didn't experience any of my regular symptoms the night of the sleep study, which figures.

I don't know what to do next. I'm tired of people chuckling and saying that of course I'm tired, I'm a mom with small kids and a full-time job. And yes, I have some depression and anxiety issues, but they would be in much better shape if I didn't feel like crap all the time. The whole thyroid issue is somewhat controversial, with patient advocates disagreeing with current medical standards for treatment of the disease--with a great deal of anecdotal evidence to back up their claims, I should add. So, it could be my thyroid. It could still be RLS. It could be something else, possibly fibro (pretty familiar with the disease since my mother has it). Either way, I am convinced that something isn't right and that if my doctors could figure it out, I'd feel a lot better. My doctors are very thorough, caring doctors, but I do think there is a degree of thinking I'm too quick to discount depression as a factor.

I don't know what to do next, but I'm sick of living like this. I want to enjoy my family, improve my productivity at work, quit having to take sick days just to get rest, etc. The only thing I can come up with is to go see my PCP one more time and to take my husband with me as an advocate. Any thoughts/advice?

Oh, currently I take wellbutrin (300 mg), synthroid (9 .125 mg pills/week), flonase, and mirapex (started 2 weeks ago) along with a multivitamin, calcium, iron, vitamin c, and vitamin d (diagnosed with a deficiency in January).

[cheshchesh819]

i to suffer real bad muscle problems,and believe me it is all down to stress and anxiety,you are physically exhausted,your body is trying to tell you something,just go back too your doctors about this and he will help you as much as possible

[MMahon]

"I have some depression and anxiety issues, but they would be in much better shape if I didn't feel like crap all the time. "
I found this statement very familiar. When the first psychiatrist I went to told me I had anxiety and depression I said 'No Sh..! if you felt as bad as I do for as long as I have you'd be depressed and anxious too!!
Of course he was right. I just didn't understand then what he meant.  Anxiety and depression MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE CRAP!!  That's what these disorders do to you.  
You have a whole LOT on your plate that would make even the most healthy of us weary.
Having a thyroid problem complicates the situation even moreso.  Our bodies reach a breaking point and can only take so much stress and responsibility and long term wear and tear.  
I suggest that you make an appointment with a psychiatrist. He can review your entire medical history and your current medications and help you determine what is stress/anxiety/depression and what's other medical issues. He is the best capable to determine which, if any medication, is most appropriate for you.  He can maybe also help determine what, if any, impact your thyroid condition may be having on you and whether it can be causing your symptoms.
Please let us know how you make out.  Take care.

[Housetrolls]

A break would do me a world of good, I know. I do have a lot on my plate. But I do think there's something physical going on too, and have worked through this with my therapist. She thinks there's more to what is going on than stress too.

I forgot to mention a few other random symptoms that may all be related:
--I went from rarely having visible bruises on my body (even when I got kicked in the knee by a horse, there was barely a mark) to having all sorts of unexplained bruises show up over the past six months, mostly on my legs, most rather nasty looking
--I've become prone to sort of head rush/dizzy episodes. Some days, just moving my head gives me that rush feeling, and I'll pretty much have a whole string of head rushes all day long.
--I'm having more and more problems with muscle stiffness, particularly in my legs when I get out of bed. Our bedroom is upstairs with the rest of the house (incl. bathroom and kids' rooms) downstairs and getting down the stairs comfortably when I've had to get out of bed quickly can be tricky.

[cheshchesh819]

Wellit must be said you have taken on alot and more and you sound like you just needs a well earnt break,as for all the tablets you take i would suggest asking your doctor if they could be causing your symptoms,i would take your husband along with you so he can also explain what you have been like and then tell your doctor exactly what you want done,i was exactly the same as you last year and the physical worry of my symptoms took me to an all time low,until i had the test and answers that would help me.