Does anyone here have an underactive thyroid?

the_questioning_eskimo

i'm not on a very high dosage (only 75mg) and don't get depressed but i am permanently hot...is a real problem at work where the air-con fries me...

tweetyshells

littlereddevil wrote: »

They say if you get hot flushes the dose is too high

Mine was fine before but have always had the same problem with Thyroine, just a side effect for me i think. As if any lower i feel ill and its also too low according to docs. So not alot i can do about it. grr

I get the cold feet too, just a hot head lol

I_love_Airedales

Hello, I have just been diagnosed with Thyroid problem so I was very pleased to see this thread. UNTIL I read it. Haven't I got a lot to look forward to? Thank you for the link I will have a good read of that.
I was under the impression that once the doctor got the pills sorted you went back to normal, I take it this is not the case?
Take care all, ILA.

tweetyshells

I_love_Airedales wrote: »

Hello, I have just been diagnosed with Thyroid problem so I was very pleased to see this thread. UNTIL I read it. Haven't I got a lot to look forward to? Thank you for the link I will have a good read of that.
I was under the impression that once the doctor got the pills sorted you went back to normal, I take it this is not the case?
Take care all, ILA.

Once they get the dose right then yeah you can feel pretty good. Even when the dose is right though i get terrible hot flushes at times. Not everyone gets this though.
Hope your meds kick in soon. Can take a fair few weeks for them to work properly.

CrazyCat

It's not as bad as all that! Once you've got your dosage sorted out you'll be fine, but make sure that you have regular tests to monitor the levels as it's liable to change over time. It's all too easy to get the dosage correct to begin with then become complacent and not notice when things start to go wrong at a later date.

Just keep an eye open for your original symptoms, and don't be shy to ask for a blood test even if it's not due.

In my humble, if you've just been diagnosed then it'll e helpful for you to read up on it. There's a few good books on the market which make interesting reading (just type thyroid into Amazon and it'll bring back loads). I'd personally recommend the Barry Durrant-Peatfield book, but I'm sure plenty of the others will also be helpful.

bristolleedsfan

BMA do a Family Doctor Series with a book covering most health topics, available from lots of chemists within the series is a book called Understanding Thyroid Disorders, costs about 4.25.

TomsMum is a support worker on the subject whom i found very helpful when my doctor merely said blood tests have shown that u have an underactive thyroid and therefore im going to prescribe you a thyroid replacement. Neither Gp nor Chemist informed me that condition was qualification for free prescriptions. _pale_

In addition to Family Doctor Series being useful, quoting BMA source can be useful when tackling Family Doctor if not happy with how things are going.;)

As Some GPS seem to want to minimise face to face appointments, eight months on i wrote to mine informing him that i was both needing and able to sleep deeply for 6 hrs in day ( after lunch) and still being restful/Sleep deeply through the night, when i subsequently saw him a month later he informed me that he was happy with the dose ( 50mcg per day) so i read out to him what the BMA stated should be Drs aim when prescribing, he nodded in agreement, then pointed out to me that hes treating me as a person not statistics or science studies.

:wall:

To which i replied so what does me telling u how i feel + what the BMA say should be a Drs aim when prescribing =, to which he replied "oh yes u not feeling very good are you, how about i add 25mcg a day"

I quit while i was ahead. :cool:

Hes actually one of the more approachable GPs and a good listener so im wondering if GPs have been encouraged to prescribe the minimum to save NHS money. :think:

Link shows all the subjects covered by BMA Family Doctor Series, sometimes they can be picked up very cheap on ebay.

http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/bmabooksonhealth

cyclonebri1

Can anyone please help advise how the hell you pull yourself through the depression that hits when it starts not working properly again?:(

Are you sure that thats whats causing your depression? if my underactive thyroid was my main worry, I'd be elated, they'd have to drag me down off the ceiling.
Sorry if I sound unsupportive, but I was diagnosed 4 yrs ago, more or less by accident as I didnt show the typical symptoms and conversely didn't show the resulting improvements so although I too am a permanent patient, I don't really know how it affects me other than my point below.

Just my experience. Is it a medical fact that the condition causes depression? or does it depend entirely down to the individual. Incase I appear as a critic may I add that I am on AD myself for other reasons and wonder if this keeps the effects of the thyroid condition masked.

As an observation it does appear to our GP's that if your treatment shows the dose is giving normal test results then you should feel no symptoms?
If thats correct why do I feel the need to were thermals 8 months of the year?

ali-t

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Can anyone please help advise how the hell you pull yourself through the depression that hits when it starts not working properly again?:(

Are you sure that thats whats causing your depression? if my underactive thyroid was my main worry, I'd be elated, they'd have to drag me down off the ceiling.
Sorry if I sound unsupportive, but I was diagnosed 4 yrs ago, more or less by accident as I didnt show the typical symptoms and conversely didn't show the resulting improvements so although I too am a permanent patient, I don't really know how it affects me other than my point below.

Just my experience. Is it a medical fact that the condition causes depression? or does it depend entirely down to the individual. Incase I appear as a critic may I add that I am on AD myself for other reasons and wonder if this keeps the effects of the thyroid condition masked.

As an observation it does appear to our GP's that if your treatment shows the dose is giving normal test results then you should feel no symptoms?
If thats correct why do I feel the need to were thermals 8 months of the year?

many people on antidepressants with a diagnosis from their gp of depression do not actually have depression but have thyroid problems. My underactive thyroid was so severe before it was diagnosed that I went back to my gp asking for a psychiatric assessment as I was suffering so much anxiety and paranoia. Myxodema (SP) is another name for an underactive thyroid and the symptoms are known as myxodema madness. I had textbook depression symptoms and back pain but it took blood tests to show that it was my thyroid at fault.

one point that should be noted when looking on the net for advice forums etc for any health problem is that generally only sick people look at them. I was feeling really down when I was diagnosed and looking on the net dragged me down further hearing about peoples negative experiences. So take note - the people who respond well to medication and get back to normal quickly don't go on health specific forums to brag about how well they are as those who are unwell wouldn't want to hear about that.

duchy

According to my doctor my test results are stable enough not to require dose adjustment however I can predict really accurately when they have dropped-and have now given up asking him to adjust the dosage and simply do it myself. He says the difference is too low to justify changing the dose and I shouldn't feel any different-but I know the only times I'm plunged into depression is when it drops.
Quite honestly I don't think doctors know as much as the condition as they claim and I know I can directly relate it back to my depression.

cuddlymarm

Hi

I have an underactive throid and get depression and find that I get unbalanced because my thyroid does work occasionally which gives me temperature changes (if I'm too hot or cold its really uncomfortable and makes me irritable.)
If you are really bothered about how your feeling your GP will do blood tests in between the yearly ones but it does seem that depression comes as part of the condition and once you get your head round the idea that you've got it for the rest of your life its easier to live with the fact that occasionally you will feel down and downright miserable. Also don't forget that this is a chemical conditions and it is no failure to take tablets to balance it out and if you need to take antidepresents its not a sign of failure.
I hope you feel better soon
Cuddles

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