NEED SOME HELP PLEASE

[Gizmo216]

I AM A 44 YEAR OLD FEMALE WHO HAS BEEN TREATED FOR ANAXITY AND PANIC ATTACKS FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS WITH ZOLOFT 150 MG AND ALPRAZOLAM 0.5MG.  I HAVE GAINED 20 LB, FELT VERY TIRED AND RUN DOWN, COLD ALL THE TIME, PROBLEMS WITH CONSITPATION, MEMORY PROBLEMS, AND ACKING JOINTS.  BY JAN 07 WAS SLEEPING ALL THE TIME.

JAN- DR TESTED TSH 86.5 STARTED SYNTHROID .50MCG

MAR- TSH TEST 40.80  FT4 0.5  SYNTHROID INCREASED TO .75MCG STOPPED ZOLOFT AND ALPRAZOLAM.

APRIL- TSH TEST 20.02 SYNTHROID INCREASED TO .100MCG

MAY- TSH 5.32

JUNE- SYNTHROID INCREASED TO .125MCG (STARTED FEELING NERVOUS, ON EDGE) STARTED TAKING ALPRAZOLAM 0.5MG AS NEEDED

JULY- TSH TEST 3.14 DR. SAID WAS NORMAL RETEST IN DEC. STAY ON SYNTHROID .125MCG
HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING, NERVOUS, ON EDGE, STOMACH PAINS, CHANGE IN PERIODS

AUG- STILL ON SYNTHROID .125MCG  SYMPTOMS THE SAME

SEPT- LUMP IN PELVIC AREA AND STOMACH PAIN. DR DID SONOGRAM SAID ENLARGED LYMPHNODES AND FIBROIDS, GIVEN AMOX TR-K-CL 875-12

SEPT  17- HEADACHS, HOT, SWEATING, HYPER, NERVOUS, PALPITATIONS, SHAKES, RACING THOUGHTS, NOT SLEEPING, PANIC ATTACKS, ALPRAZOLAM NOT HELPING

SEPT 21 BACK TO DR DID EKG SAID HEART WAS FINE MUST BE STRESS ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS, GIVEN SERTRALINE 100MG (50 MG 1ST WEEK, 100MG 2ND WEEK) TOLD TO RETURN IN 2-3 WEEKS IF SYMPTOMS STILL PRESENT

OCT 9-  BACK TO DR. DRY MOUTH, DIARRHEA, HOT, SWEATING ALL THE TIME, HPYER, NOT SLEEPING, RACING HEART, RACING THOUGHT, HEADACHE, SHAKES, STOMACH PAIN, NO APPETITE, EMOTIONAL, CHEST PAINS.  DEMANDED THYROID TEST.
DR. SAID IT WAS NOT MY THYROID BUT WOULD DO TEST.  SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS STRESS BRINGING ON ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS INCREASED SERTRALINE TO 200MG AND GAVE ME TRAZODONE 150MG. TOLD NOT TO TAKE ANY MORE ALPRAZOLAM.

OCT 12- BACK TO DR. SAME SYMPTOMS DR RAN ANOTHER EKG SAID IT WAS FINE NOT MY HEART TALKED ABOUT STRESS AND ANXIETY. DR. GAVE ME LUNESTA AND AMBIEN CR 12.6 TO HELP ME SLEEP.  TSH UP 7.7 INCREASED SYNTHROID TO 137MCG.  ASKED DR IF I COULD BE TAKING TO MUCH SYNTHROID? DR SAID YOUR TSH CAN NOT BE HIGH IF YOU ARE TAKING TO MUCH SYNTHROID  NOT POSSIBLE.

QUESTION
CAN YOU HAVE A HIGH TSH LEVEL AND BE TAKING TO MUCH SYNTHROID?
IF YOU ARE TAKING TO MUCH SYNTHROID ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS?
CAN YOUR TSH LEVEL DROP TO FAST AND CAUSE PROBLEMS?
IS THE TSH THE ONLY TEST A DR. SHOULD USE TO CHECK YOUR THYROID?

ANY INFO WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED THIS IS MY SECOND DOCTOR AND I AM TIRED OF FEELING THIS WAY.  THANK YOU

[LOCNAR]

Stop taking the synthroid. Go back to your doctor and demand to try the ARMOUR natural Thyroid..

When I found out I was hypo. in my 30's. They almost killed me with synthroid and levithroid. I was wound as tight as a ruberband airplane for 2 years. Hardly ate and Stressed. So hot I was working constuction in below freezing with a teashirt on. I only selpt about 4 hours during that time. LOL  Seems like it.

It will not hurt to try and if your doctor will not let you. You need another doctor.  Then maybe back off the other meds.

[WhatIsNormal]

Were are they handing out PHD.'s I want to go wait in line!

[amtlmn]

Or maybe he needs to have his thyroid checked! LOL!

[peggy64]

it is best to go with your gut instinct. If you feel like you need a new dr, then you probably do.

That is very frustrating as most docs, even endos are not that up on thyroid info. I saw one that told me adrenaline was not produced in the adrenal glands, it is produced in the central nervous system.
Ain't he brilliant!!

[WhatIsNormal]

I am on the generic form of synthroid. My DR. refuses to let me try the original, saying there is no reason, they are both the same. I think I need a new DR! My problem is that the anxiety started as soon as I started taking the
Levo. not when I was symptamatic with my thyroid. (if that makes any sense), What to do? I get so tired of fighting my DR. to find out what is going on with me. Again I need a new DR. So tomarrow I will call around and see what I can do about that. Thanks for the advice.

[amtlmn]

I am symptomatic when my TSH is above a 2.0 . Maybe you need to bring your TSH down further (which would mean an increase of synthroid) for relief from those awful and crippling anxious feelings.

My TSH was 7.9 when I started treatment and man, was I uncomfortable. When I was under finally 2, I felt better than I had in years and years. Felt light-hearted, energetic, everything good.

Two months ago I switched to the generic of synthroid to save money and it messed me up. ugh. Those symptoms are back. Today I started back on the Synthroid brand name and I am hoping I can get back on track quickly. I learned a hard lesson - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The generic vs. Synthroid thread validated my experience.

[WhatIsNormal]

Hello, I have had a similar experience. It started out by weight gain of 50lbs, and I was extrememly tired. I had strep throat 3 times in a row. I was a mess. Every time I went to the DR, they increased my Zoloft, or tried a new antidepressent. Finally some genious decided to test my thyroid and that was that. They started me on 100 mcg of levothyroxine, I had a huge anxiety attack. (I have never had this before,mild depression due to alcoholism, but never anxiety) That was Feb/07. I have been dealing with the anxiety ever since. I am on disability , as I can not work. One thing I have realized through mu group therapy sessions is that EVERYONE with anxiety/panic disorder has had at least one EKG. Anxiety takes a huge toll on your body, you have so many symptoms of things like, strokes,heart attacks, and such. It's tricky. The farther I research this thyroid/anxiety relationship, the more I have come to terms with the fact that I think they go hand in hand. If you find any new info please let me know. Good luck, Deziree

[xammax]

I was on Effexox, Trazodone, Paxil, Ativan, Fluoximine, Remeron and several others before they found out I was Hypothyroid. They caused more problems then the thyroid. All of those should be tapered. I was told I could stop cold turkey and there would be no problems. The shrink was an idiot.
Your case may be different but my anxiety and depression was caused by my thyroid. The antidepressants made everything worse.  When I stopped Ativan I went from being hypo to hyper. Seven weeks ago my doctor decreased my Eltoxin by 20 %.
I am still trying to adjust to the decrease.

[GravesLady]

Taking too much synthroid would bring you to hyper (low) level.
Not enough synthroid would bring you to hypo (high) level.
Upping dose brings down TSH level.
Lowering dose brings up TSH level.

If too much synthyroid TSH level would be low out of Labs range and then could bring on hyperthyroid symptoms.  This is referred to Med. induced hyperthyroid.

The body adjust to the drop in TSH level as it needs, so there would not be a too fast situation.

Along with TSH, FT-4 and FT-3 should be done at the same blood draw. If these test warrant, than other test will or should be done.

Hope this helps you understad better.