Just need someone to talk to... please

[EMT9549]

I have never had a clear head to ask my primary care doctor all the questions that I have when I am not pressured in the doctors office so maybe someone can talk to me. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and was wondering why I developed this anxiety disorder, why did I have to start taking Celexa ? I never had anxiety before all this **** with my thyroid is this normal?... I was taking my celexa maybe every 3 days I always forgot to take it so the doctor said that I should go off of it... that if I never had anxiety before my thyroid stuff was going on that I can just take celexa as a temporary treatment while my thyroid adjusts to my medications. I am off celexa now.  But here is my main question my primary doctor was out of town for two weeks and for some reason I couldnt refill my prescription for my levothyroixine so I didnt take it for about 5 days because I was waiting for my new prescription. Well just yesterday was my 5th day without it and I started to get anxiety and shaky, lightheaded, spacey, COLD, i have this brain fog... I just thought that the anxiety would go away, but now its back and I feel like I should start up on Celexa again which  I dont want to do. I just thought that the shaky, lightheaded, anxiety is part of being HYPERthyroid, not HYPO.... does this make sense ? I just got an emergency back up supply of my levothyroixine  and took one last night, and one this morning... is this anxiety shakyness going to go away? I pray to god everyday that I can just live a normal  life and not have this anxeity...

Thank you guys... I just need some support right now

Andy

[Barb135]

Insist on getting your FT4 and FT3 tested.  I looked back in this thread and don't see mention of antibody tests either (unless I missed it), so I'd insist on those as well.  

I'd also like to point out that even though your 2.4 TSH *is* in the "normal" range, it may not be "normal" for you.  My TSH stays down around 0.02, which is way below the range and I feel fine so long as FT3 and FT4 are up.  Other people feel better with their TSH much higher than mine - or even higher than the range.

The numbers need to be adjusted to what's right for YOU, not just "normal" on the lab report............

[gimel]

Most likely it is related to not taking your thyroid meds.  We have had other patients talk about symptoms they have had when abruptly stopping their meds.  I don't know what dose you were on, but 5 days without is a big change.  Personally I would not go back on Celexa. I would give your meds time to get back up to the prior level and then I would insist that the doctor test for FT3 and FT4 and see where they fall within their ranges.  If you still have lingering symptoms, then you will be able to best control your symptoms and med levels with those tests.  TSH is inadequate to determine medication and dosage.

[EMT9549]

Yeah I have the latest lab results it was 2.4 tsh... they didnt run a FT4 for T3 or T4, but just the tsh... they said that its normal which is (.3-3 tsh)... I just wanted to know if anyone has similar symptoms from not taking there levothyroxine?... or should I go on celexa again that I discontinued... idk is it anxiety disorder or could it be thyroid?

help please

[Barb135]

Lots of people have had the experience of not taking their med -- most suffer the consequences just like you are.  Don't cry over spilled milk -- just move along and make sure you get the med every day............

Do you have your latest blood test results?  If so, please post them, along with the lab's reference ranges as that will help members comment more fully on your situation.  

[EMT9549]

Has anyone else had this experience of not taking their levothyroxine?....

[gimel]

Sorry, that next to last sentence should have ended with  ---- without being constrained by TSH levels.

[gimel]

In order to alleviate the symptoms caused by hypothyroidism requires that your biologically active thyroid hormones (free T3 and free T4) be adjusted to whatever level it takes for you to get relief from those symptoms.   Free T3 is the most important because it is four times as potent as FT4 and based on scientific study, FT3 correlates best with hypo symptoms.  

Unfortunately there are some roadblocks you will run into from most doctors.  First, most of the doctors use TSH as the diagnostic test, by which to determine meds and dosage.  This is inadequate because TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by many variables, including the time of day when blood is drawn.  TSH does not correlate very well at all with hypo symptoms.  There isn't even any agreement on what the reference range should be.  The AACE recommended over 6 years ago that the range be revised downward to .3-3.0 from the old range of .5-5.0.  This was a huge change, affecting probably 20 mil. people, and yet most labs and doctors are still using the old range.  So my opinion is to minimize the importance of TSH.

The second roadblock you will run into is that many doctors don't think it is important to test for FT3.  Their logic is that T4 converts to T3, so all they need to know is T4 levels.  Many times this is okay, but also lots of patients do not convert T4 to T3 well, so why not test and find out the real level of these all important hormones?  Also, many doctors only want to test for the total T4, not free T4.  Total T4 is an obsolete and useless test.  Don't bother with it.

The third roadblock you will run into is that even if you coerce the doctor into running FT3 and FT4, if the results fall within the very low end of their reference ranges, most times they will pronounce you as normal and not want to do anything further.  In my opinion the ref. ranges are incorrect and need to be adjusted like was done for TSH, and for the same reason.   This is why many patients continue to have hypo symptoms until their FT3 and FT4 levels are above the midpoint of the range.

The fourth roadblock is to find a good thyroid doctor that will test and adjust your FT3 and FT4 levels with whatever medication is necessary to alleviate your symptoms, with being constrained by TSH levels.  

With Hashi's you also need to read this article, found by one of our members named Tamra.


   http://thyroid.about.com/od/hypothyroidismhashimotos/a/preventative.htm      

[Barb135]

Calm, son, calm..............

You should not for any reason miss your thyroid med, but sadly enough, anxiety does go along with hypo/hashi........have you had your blood pressure/heart rate checked lately?  The lightheaded, shaky thing you are having could be because your bp/hr is too low.  

Just prior to my hypo dx, my heart rate was like in the 50's most of the time and my bp was going low, so I had a shaky, lightheaded feeling most of the time.......

What are your most recent thyroid levels?  TSH, Free T3, Free T4?  If you can post those lab results, along with the lab's reference ranges, members can make better comments on your situation.  

We all agree that this nasty thing $^&*$, but we have to make the best of it that we can.  One thing you will need is patience, patience and more patience; and when you've run out, you will need to summon some more from deep down......but if you take your med(s), get your testing done and stay on top of it all, there really IS light at the end of the tunnel...........

[Hol739]

Hey Andy....!! The Anxiety I was told comes along with this stupid disease we have and yes it totally *****.. I've never had anxiety ever, and every since I was told I have Hypothyroidsm I've had massive anxiety issues..!!! :( I too was on lorazpam for my anxiety issues but when I got pregnant I had to stop taking all those meds. Needless to say I still can't take them as I'm still nursing. I was told by taking Omega Fish Oil pills will help with anxiety and I can say I've beent taking them regulary and they are certainly helping me.. at least I think so...!!!! Anxiety **** probably wont go away...but you shouldn't stop taking your thyroid meds at all, it's extremly important to take them every day. I'm still trying to figure this all out as well, I was just told I also have Hashi *****...!!!!!