Thyroid issues

[ShyRon]

I've had a tyroid problem for a while, it's called Grave's Disease. Just talked to somebody else with it & just found out tyroid problems can lead to depression and anxiety. After he did radiation & fixed the problem, he's been feeling better. If I had know this earlier, I would have done the same thing. I should be doing the same treatment soon.. Anybody else here with thyroid problems?

[LaRibbon]

My cousin had Grave's disease. And she was on medication and eventually got some of her thyroid surgically removed. She's symptom free now. It's really something that HAS to be treated. Didn't the doctor who diagnosed you tell you your treatment options?

[ShyRon]

I was on medication & it was actually in remission for a while so I didn't think I needed surgery or radiation. It's come back again so it looks I'm going to have to do something drastic.

[Guitarstryker]

Hey this is my first post on SAS forums, but I thought it was interesting this topic was pretty recent. I also have Graves disease and had radiation therapy in April of last year. I got a ton of information on the stress it causes and symptoms (or causes?) of depression and SA. I do believe I feel better when my levels are regulated and my family definitely says they can tell a difference in my behavior. I was diagnosed when I was about 12 and spent the next 9 years on hormone reduction therapy. Not that I took it like I should have, but they just kept upping my dosage more and more but nothing seemed to help. Finally with the motivation of an anxiety attack and several stringent episodes with my ex girlfriend and surrounding drama, I started going to counseling and to a doctor who really understood hyperthyroidism. Although he admitted that the social situations I was in may have been triggers, that my thyroid wasn't helping one bit. Long story short, got the radiation done, now I'm on the "upper" meds to replenish the hormone. It's not the end all be all, but it does play a factor in your psyche and how you feel.

[UltraShy]

I have no thyroid problems that I'm aware of, but then I've never been tested for such.

I just heard from my brother (age 57) that tests show him as being within the reference range, though at the low end, for thyroid hormone which his doctors think may explain his excessive sleep. Or his sleep could just be that he admits to washing down every sedating drug he has with abundant amounts of whiskey.

He noted that our father was diagnosed with thyroid problems, but his were in the opposite direction. He was put on Methimazole, an anti-thyroid agent used to reduce the amount of thyroid hormone produced. This diagnosis was made when he was in his 70s. He stopped the drug quite soon as it made him very sick. That thyroid issue ending up being moot as he died of cancer within a couple years anyhow and death kind of ends all medical problems.

[therealone]

I'm not entirely sure what exactly Graves disease is, but I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism last year.
I did find that when I was put on medication (levothyroxin) to treat my thyroid problem, my depression lessened (as the doctor said it would).
I think I still need to be put on depression/anxiety meds though.

[bowlingpins]

Someone in my family has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, we don't know yet if it is due to Graves disease or something like infection. Either way, the doctor is planning to treat with medications. Surgery and radiation seem too invasive. As LaRibbon said, I hope your doctor discussed all treatment options with you.

[wxolue]

When I first started showing signs of SA I always hoped I would have a thyroid disease. One quick iodine injection (or treatment) and ur cured. I wish SA was that easy

[jeneep]

I've had hypothyroidism for years (5+). Synthetic hormone replacements never worked for me, and I was finally able to persuade my doctor into prescribing me Armour last year. I haven't noticed any change in my moods since starting medication though. My Doc did say at my last appointment (earlier this month) that anxiety and depression are closely related to the thyroid, so she checked my levels again. They were fine though. I don't think my anxiety has anything to do with my thyroid.

[kitterbug]

I have the autoimmune disease that does the opposite (Hashimotos disease). Instead of my thyroid being overstimulated, My body attacks my thyroid. I take a thyroid replacement hormone supplement (levothyroxine) daily. I have complained of low energy. They said it could be because i have low thyroid hormone levels and that taking the meds would help. They haven't. But no matter, i must take the medication because if i don't, my condition can get worse and over time, i could develop serious problems. Its as simple as that, i have to take a pill everyday... but looking at the long list of symptoms Graves causes, popping a pill once a day for the rest of my life is a piece of cake. Controlling Graves looks a heck of a lot more complicated, and can make life more miserable.

I don't think hypothyroidism can cause depression/anxiety... but i think its possible that hyperthyroidism can.

In your case, your thyroid is pretty much going wacko causing a wider range of problems for you. If your thyroid is playing a role in your anxiety issues, you won't know until you try treatment. Maybe you'll feel better, or maybe you'll feel no difference as i have with my treatment (and the whole lack of energy thing).

I think it's best to ask your doctor about it. What are the pros and cons of radiation treatment? What about other options? Is your condition severe enough to consider either of these yet? I hope you are being treated for it currently in some way. Your thyroid maybe a little gland, but its something you shouldn't neglect.

[chic_canadian_gurl]

I have Grave's Disease as well. I'm what the doctors call "subclinical" due to my TSH level being very low, but my FT4/FT3 levels being mid normal. My TSH level has improved over time, though it is still not within a normal range. However, since it was undetectable at one point, I'll take what I can get.

At this point, I'm on Celexa/propranalol to manage the symptoms I was having from the disease and, unless I get really stressed out, the disease is mostly under control. My disease isn't considered severe enough for the radiation treatment and since two of my three levels are normal, the worry is anti-thyroid pills would make me hypo...so it's a case where's there's no easy answers. At least I still have two treatment back-ups if the disease ever gets worse...

I feel I'm in safe enough hands for now. My blood is monitored monthly to make sure I don't get worse and I've had two thyroid scans/endo visits that have shown the disease is mainly stable.

To just round off this post, I'll go into what my symptoms were. My anxiety definitely went through the roof and I started having tremors and a rapid heartbeat almost all the time, as well as insomnia. I also became very depressed and had some serious memory problems. To this day, I still honestly cannot remember much of anything from November 2007 to March 2008, when the diagnosis was made. It's not such a bad thing, since there's not much from that period I care to remember, but it is embarrassing when I don't remember people I met during that period...

[felula]

I have a slow thyroid which probably explains my anxiety issues. I wish I would have found out about it earlier so I could fix it and maybe I would've done better in school.

But since my thyroid is slow than my metabolisim is also slow so people always call me fat - even though they know I have a medical condition.

[lyricalillusions]

I've never been diagnosed, but I think I have hypothyroidism. The medicine I was put on almost two years ago causes it in a lot of patients, & seeing as I have so many of the symptoms, I'm sure I have it, too. I'm supposed to get my blood tested at least once a month with the medicine I'm taking, to make sure I don't have too much of the med in my system, but since I don't have health insurance, that's not possible.

[eagleheart]

One of my parents has hypothyroid. I have been tested for it a few times, but was okay. But it has to be monitored now. My endocrinologist looked at my last bloodwork results and basically said my TSH was not abnormally low but was on the low side.