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Hypothyroidism
I am 48 years of age, I have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder from my psychologist. He also informs me that I have Obsessive Compulsive tendencies and mood swings which resembles Bipolar. I am currently taking Doxepin 100 mg with Trazodone 100 mg in which I take at bedtime for anxiety/depression issues in which I have had problems sleeping so my psychiatrist put me on. Most of the day today I have felt like a 'zombie' walking around feeling very fatigue and 'wired' feelings of anxiety, shakey (shaky) at times...also have noticed of having fatigue headaches...wondering if my medicine needs to be changed. I also have been medically diagnosed as having 'hypothyroidism along with 'borderline' diabetes. I am currently taking Synthroid 50 mcg for my hypothyroidism but just watching my diet for the diabetes. My prim dr tells me the anxiety is NOT caused by hypothyroidism but other people say it maybe a factor. What do you think?
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Well, I know when I tell my family dr. that am feeling that the anxiety could be from my hypo, she keeps telling me that it is NOT related, that the only way it would affect anxiety if I was hyperthryoidism and not hypothyroidism....she says that my anxiety is separate than from hypo...
Do you know if there is a blood test for 'hormonal inbalance' since I am reaching 'menapause' stage, could my anxiety be coming from hormonal besides the hypo....?
Do you know if there is a blood test for 'hormonal inbalance' since I am reaching 'menapause' stage, could my anxiety be coming from hormonal besides the hypo....?
Well.
Symptom relief for many occurs when the FT4 is mid range and you are about exactly there. AND the FT3 are in the upper 1/3 of the range.
For you the upper 1/3 for FT3 would be above 3.56 And you are testing at 2.9 so you are a little low. In fact you are not even mid range which would be 3.25.
I think, that when everything in the conversion process is working fine, when your FT4 was mid range you'd expect to get a result of your FT3 being above mid range to the upper 1/3. Since that is not the case for you, you may have a conversion problem and may benefit from the addition of a T3 med.
Depression and anxiety ARE associated with being Hypo. SOME people can get off of antidepressants once their Thyroid is controlled. But not everyone.
I'm just saying that trying to get your FT3 up a bit more may help alleviate the anxiety/depression. But there are no guarantees.
Symptom relief for many occurs when the FT4 is mid range and you are about exactly there. AND the FT3 are in the upper 1/3 of the range.
For you the upper 1/3 for FT3 would be above 3.56 And you are testing at 2.9 so you are a little low. In fact you are not even mid range which would be 3.25.
I think, that when everything in the conversion process is working fine, when your FT4 was mid range you'd expect to get a result of your FT3 being above mid range to the upper 1/3. Since that is not the case for you, you may have a conversion problem and may benefit from the addition of a T3 med.
Depression and anxiety ARE associated with being Hypo. SOME people can get off of antidepressants once their Thyroid is controlled. But not everyone.
I'm just saying that trying to get your FT3 up a bit more may help alleviate the anxiety/depression. But there are no guarantees.
So you say my T3 is lower than Free T4 in the range?
T3 Free 2.9 Standard Range 2.3-4.2
T4 Free 1.27 Standard Range 0.80-1.80
So are you saying that my anxiety/depression problems are DUE to the fact of my thyroid?
I just saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she put me on add'l meds besides what I am already taken for my anxiety/depression. She actually put me on a antipsychotic type of med to control my anxiety....
I also did contact my fam dr to request T3 Free T4 Free along with thryoid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab, Vit A, D, B12, Zinc, Ferritin, selenium and RBC magnesum ...that 'gimel' suggested that was said earlier in my posts. I am still waiting to hear back from my fam dr about those tests to see if she will agree or not...
T3 Free 2.9 Standard Range 2.3-4.2
T4 Free 1.27 Standard Range 0.80-1.80
So are you saying that my anxiety/depression problems are DUE to the fact of my thyroid?
I just saw my psychiatrist yesterday and she put me on add'l meds besides what I am already taken for my anxiety/depression. She actually put me on a antipsychotic type of med to control my anxiety....
I also did contact my fam dr to request T3 Free T4 Free along with thryoid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab, Vit A, D, B12, Zinc, Ferritin, selenium and RBC magnesum ...that 'gimel' suggested that was said earlier in my posts. I am still waiting to hear back from my fam dr about those tests to see if she will agree or not...
Exactly.
When the Free T3 is lower than the Free T4 in the range it suggests a conversion problem.
Many people obtain symptom relief when the FT4 is about mid range (which yours is!) and the FT3 is in the UPPER 1/3 of the range.
The fact that you are still having hypo symptoms, AND the FT3 is near the BOTTOM of the range and not in the upper half or better yet 1/3 explains this fact.
Now, getting a Dr to believe this to be the case is another story all together. Having your TSH still being high offers you some hope that a Dr will be willing to increase your medication dosage.
You may want to mention to your Dr to look into conversion problem issue. However you do have some room to increase your dosage of T4. But you should put him on notice that you must have both Free tests done and pay particular attention to the amount of increase that the FT3 results from the increase. if your FT4's get to the upper part of the range but the FT3 remain below mid range, you will not feel good until you get FT3 up and the only way to do that is to add a T3 medication. Or change to natural dissected Thyroid which has both T3 and T4.
When the Free T3 is lower than the Free T4 in the range it suggests a conversion problem.
Many people obtain symptom relief when the FT4 is about mid range (which yours is!) and the FT3 is in the UPPER 1/3 of the range.
The fact that you are still having hypo symptoms, AND the FT3 is near the BOTTOM of the range and not in the upper half or better yet 1/3 explains this fact.
Now, getting a Dr to believe this to be the case is another story all together. Having your TSH still being high offers you some hope that a Dr will be willing to increase your medication dosage.
You may want to mention to your Dr to look into conversion problem issue. However you do have some room to increase your dosage of T4. But you should put him on notice that you must have both Free tests done and pay particular attention to the amount of increase that the FT3 results from the increase. if your FT4's get to the upper part of the range but the FT3 remain below mid range, you will not feel good until you get FT3 up and the only way to do that is to add a T3 medication. Or change to natural dissected Thyroid which has both T3 and T4.
It is appears possible that you have a problem converting T4 to T3.
With your FT4 just about exactly mid range, and your FT3 that appears low in the range would be evidence of this fact.
You could increase the T4 med and test again to see what kind of response there was to the FT3 levels. This could potentially verify that you have a conversion problem if there is little to no increase in FT3. If that is the case, you will need to add a T3 medication to directly raise your FT3 level as it won't really matter how much you raise your FT4 level if it won't convert. Finding a Dr willing to prescribe this is the trick.
Also do not be surprised if your TSH is suppressed. (very low) and your Dr freak out and want to REDUCE your meds. This will likely result in disaster for you as you will slam back down into Hypo land and feel like crap.
Understand also that if you do get a T3 med, they will or should lower the amount of T4 med you are taking. The rule of thumb is lower the T4 by 20 to 25 mcg for each 5 mcg of T3 med that is added.
Please post your FT3 along with the reference range.
With your FT4 just about exactly mid range, and your FT3 that appears low in the range would be evidence of this fact.
You could increase the T4 med and test again to see what kind of response there was to the FT3 levels. This could potentially verify that you have a conversion problem if there is little to no increase in FT3. If that is the case, you will need to add a T3 medication to directly raise your FT3 level as it won't really matter how much you raise your FT4 level if it won't convert. Finding a Dr willing to prescribe this is the trick.
Also do not be surprised if your TSH is suppressed. (very low) and your Dr freak out and want to REDUCE your meds. This will likely result in disaster for you as you will slam back down into Hypo land and feel like crap.
Understand also that if you do get a T3 med, they will or should lower the amount of T4 med you are taking. The rule of thumb is lower the T4 by 20 to 25 mcg for each 5 mcg of T3 med that is added.
Please post your FT3 along with the reference range.
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Your latest symptom fits perfectly with an enlarged Thyroid. Many people feel pressure or feeling of being choked. Maybe it represents itself in you as the feeling of the need to clear your throat.
Until you have completely exhausted the whole Thyroid thing. I would NOT let them convince you that this is all in your head and some how mental or psychiatric.
It could be psychiatric. But I would rule out Thyroid first.