Thyroid Disease, A Common Cause Of Anxiety And Depression
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Chronic Anxiety a Complete Look
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In the year 2002, when I began experiencing the onset of hypothyroidism from Hashimoto's Disease (autoimmune thyroiditis), some of the more concerning symptoms I had were the emotional ones. Once I was diagnosed and began treatment these symptom eventually improved dramatically but as all of this was happening; I began to research intensely, finding out all I could about every aspect of thyroid disease and the symptoms, plus co-existing disorders that can also manifest in persons with thyroid diseases. I would like to share some of those things I learned.
According to many reputable, quality medical resources I studied on, about thyroid disease and its symptoms, I learned that in many people, the emotional symptoms are the first ones that are experienced. Many times, subtle symptoms of depression and anxiety begin to be experienced and over time, these will worsen if the patient doesn't receive treatment.
Doctors will often first think a patient is experiencing emotional problems and will prescribe patients, antidepressants. Of course the person with thyroid disease is experiencing emotional problems but the root cause is thyroid disease and so treatment is needed before the emotional symptoms will have any significant improvement. There is nothing wrong with patients needing antidepressant medications but in the case of a thyroid patient, an antidepressant alone will not resolve the root-problem. On the other hand, some thyroid patients take antidepressants and other medications to help with emotional symptoms, while also being treated for their thyroid disease and there is nothing wrong with this either, since the medical condition is getting the attention that is needed.
Many of the research articles I have read, also state that the emotional symptoms of autoimmune thyroid diseases (the most common type), are not only the result of the abnormal thyroid hormone levels but also from the actual autoimmune disease process itself. Anti-Thyroid antibodies such as the TPO (anti-thyroid-peroxidase) and TG (anti-thyroglobulin) ones, when elevated, can cause anxiety and depression symptoms, even before thyroid hormone levels become abnormal. Many of these research articles, stating this, I found concluded in their studies that patients with TPO, TG and other antithyroid antibodies, will experience symptoms, such as the emotional ones being discussed in this article, plus they may also experience joint pain and fibromyalgia type symptoms, etc..., from the elevated antibody levels.
As I began developing hypothyroidism from autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's), I began having serious anxiety attacks and panic attacks. Many patients experience these, just as the thyroid gland begins to fail and become hypothyroid. With Grave's Disease patients (Autoimmune-Hyperthyroidism), they too will have the anxiety symptoms but many times are continuous, until they can begin treatment to slow down the overproduction of their thyroid glands.
My anxiety was intermittent and would alternate with spells of depression. Researchers describe the anxiety symptoms from autoimmune hypothyroidism, as being caused by the gland's attempts to "sputter back to life" as it begins to fail and in attempt to fight off the autoimmune attack. The actual medical term for this is "Hashitoxicosis" and patients will have it to varying degrees but usually it is a milder form, yet still causes significant anxiety symptoms.
What are these anxiety symptoms? Well, here are some of the more common symptoms of anxiety; sudden intense feelings of fear, rapid heart rate, elevated blood pressure, rapid breathing (hyperventilation), sweating, trembling, muscle tension with pain (including chest area). There can also be anxiety that is more of a constant type keyed-up feeling, called "free floating anxiety" that causes a continuous nervous feeling and being on-edge that thyroid patients will experience. This also brings on feelings of constant, chronic worry, that they actually call "Generalized Anxiety Disorder". The more intense episodes I described would come under the heading of "anxiety attacks" and "panic attacks". These obviously are very unpleasant and there were times I would experience these, during the night, causing him to awaken in a cold sweat, while also experiencing the other described symptoms.
Now lets list some of the symptoms of depression, also common to thyroid disease patients. The more common ones are; feeling slowed down, inability to enjoy things, sadness, irritability, anger, feelings of hopelessness (including suicidal thoughts), feeling tired and lethargic. These symptoms of depression can commonly co-exist with anxiety or sometimes they will alternate to where a thyroid patient experiences anxiety part of the time and depression the other part of the time.
I was one of these patients who, was suspected of having emotional problems, not being caused by an underlying medical problem. I ended up requesting my own thyroid blood tests because he suspected thyroid, even saying so, to that very first Doctor he went to. The combination of antidepressant, anti-anxiety medication and beta-blocker that the Doctor prescribed despite suggestion that it could be my thyroid, did not help me, in fact I became worse, until my thyroid disease was diagnosed and treated. Doctors are human and capable of mistakes like everyone else but it is situations like these that point out the need for more education by the general public on thyroid diseases and in Doctors also being updated as well.
It is mistakenly believed by many, including some Doctors, that only hyperthyroid patients experience the anxiety symptoms, while depression is experienced by patients with hypothyroidism. While it may be true that anxiety may be more common in hyperthyroid patients, it is also commonly experienced in those with hypothyroidism.
I have consulted with and corresponded with many Doctors, while researching these past several years and they state having found hypothyroid patients experiencing anxiety symptoms, commonly. One of these Doctors is a Board Certified Endocrinologist and he also confirmed seeing anxiety as a common manifestation of autoimmune hypothyroidism. It is also true that hyperthyroid patients commonly experience depression.
Many times anxiety and/or depression does not have a medical cause but if a patient has other physical symptoms indicating thyroid disease, they should have blood testing to determine if that is the cause, or to rule it out because treating the symptoms alone, without treating the medical condition that is causing them, will only do so much good or possibly no good at all. In a worse case scenario, medications for anxiety and depression alone, while leaving thyroid disease untreated may actually cause the patient to become worse. Thyroid testing is not that expensive, so should be done, so that if a thyroid disorder does exist, it can be treated and the resulting effect will be improvement of the symptoms, including the emotional ones. If a patient needs addition of medications to help with emotional symptoms, this can also be considered between the Doctor and patient, at the appropriate time during the treatment process.
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I have been trynig to figure out why I was getting Panic attacks. Now three years later I requested blood work to investigate thyrod. Hashimotos is clear... I am now taking a natural thyroid drug Armor. I am hoping to find some peace as I have another panic attack last night at church and actually chose to leave and head home. I go there to find serenity and solace. I was jacked up and decided it was too much. One of my symptoms is a continuous burping cycle as too calm myself or keep beathing, I become very short of breath and feel as though Im breathing from a straw.
Drew, Hashimoto's can definitely manifest with anxiety symptoms and happened in my case. Some patients with it have "Hashitoxicosis" (hyperthyroid spells) and even when they don't, flares of thyroiditis (inflammation) can cause mild hyperthyroid symptoms. Here's a link on the subject you might want to check out:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art54966.asp
Thank you so much for writing about what you learned! I have noticed subtle symptoms for awhile now but the past week or so has been absolutely awful emotionally. I am usually a very upbeat person and my faith in God has gotten me through lots of things in my life, so my mood swings just were not making sense to me. I have been very anxious as well as depressed and I just don't feel like myself. I started researching Hashimoto's disease and almost all of the classic symptoms line up with mine. I am getting my blood drawn tomorrow to test my levels and I am hoping that it is something easy to fix, because I'm not sure what else to do! Thank you so much for sharing your story...It makes me feel so much better to know that others are going through this also.
Rachel, You are very welcome.
If I may suggest, your blood draw should also be tested for "thyroid antibodies", which are the TPO and TG ones. Dr.s often feel these are not necessary but they can contribute to symptoms even when thyroid hormone levels are within normal range. I would be firm with the Dr. about including these and he can actually call the lab even after the blood has already arrived and tests already ran and have them include thyroid antibodies, if he adds an order for them after your blood sample has already been sent off. It costs Dr.s nothing but a stroke of the pen to add tests a patient feels they need, so should not be disagreeable about ordering them.
When you get results back, feel free to share those in a new post.
Your site is the first place that I've read that the antibodies themselves can cause the anxieity and panic attacks. For a solid month I've had heart palpitations, anxiety--every nerve is exposed, and I feel like I've been turned inside out. I did go to an endo who said my TSH had indeed risen, and she prescribed a new drug (levothroid) stronger than what I had been taking (Levothyroxine generic). I still feel raw, cry a lot, want to crawl under a rock, detached, biting to my family, and basically I'm unfit tolive with. I'm hoping that the new meds help soon. But your's was the first place that I've seen that the antibodies could be causing me trouble. Thanks for your information.
Maria
Thanks Maria for the comment.
The vast majority of hypothyroid cases are caused by Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the autoimmune disease that has the "TPO and TG" antibodies attacking the thyroid gland and damaging it. If you would like yours confirmed as autoimmune caused or to rule it out as the cause, discuss getting these two antibodies tested for.
They're also called the anti-thyroidperoxidase and anti-thyroglobulin levels and they are detected by blood labs.
I've always felt patients have a right and need to know what the cause of their thyroid disease is.
Im just wondering, can hypothyroidism just happen for no reason..I don't know yet why mine happened, didnt get my anit-bodies done. But I suffer really bad from anxiety! And to me it doesn't make sense because I just woke one morning and I was a sack of nerves. Horrible thoughts and worry about things I never worried about before. It just hit me out of no where!
Jennifer,
There's usually a cause and thyroid autoimmunity is the most common (Hashimoto's thyroiditis). Sometimes people have a problem with the major brain endocrine glands that regulate the others, including thyroid. If for example the pituitary fails to regulate the thyroid, this is called Central Hypothyroidism but is far less common. It is also a "secondary" cause if it's central and not a problem in the thyroid gland itself (primary) but there are other secondary causes like other diseases going on in the body that interfere with thyroid function and certain types of drugs can as well.
It is very likely that you have Hashimoto's as the cause of yours and patients with it commonly have anxiety because of "thyroiditis flares" and spells of "Hashitoxicosis" (intermittent hyperthyroidism/overproduction as underfuntioning tries to set in).
Here's a quote from a PhD MD/Phychiatrist in regard to hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto's and the anxiety symptoms it can cause:
" In a study of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, anxiety was a prominent initial symptom at the time that the condition was diagnosed."
Article Link>> http://www.drrichardhall.com/anxiety.htm
Also note the Amazon ad for "Hypothyroidism a Complete" look at top-center of this page. It is a great full length audio (I produced it & the ebooks next to it) for giving you an education on hypothyroidism and very low priced.
Thanks so much, I just feel like Im loosing my mind. Im going to docs. tomorrow and will ask to test my antibosies! Don't know if Il be happy if I have it or not. It would explain a lot though if I do have it!
That's an important step to take Jennifer and you are doing the right thing in my opinion. It not only will help you know the cause but if it comes back positive, you'll be able to see how much antibody activity is going on.
Also, there's another lady suffering thyroid symptoms who has normal thyroid hormone levels but tested positive for thyroid antibodies. You can see her comment at the bottom of this article, click here>> http://hubpages.com/hub/ThyroidAntibodies
I got my bloods taken today and the doctor said its unlikely to be hashimotos because my TSH isn't high enough! It was 6.5 last time tested! I don't really know what to think now. Is he right?
Jennifer,
TSH does not diagnose Hashimoto's. It is revealed through antibodies tests but in some cases when these are negative for Hashimoto's it is still diagnosed via an FNA-biopsy (Fine Needle Aspiration). The vast majority of cases however show up in the TPO and TG antibodies tests.
Hashimoto's is present long before hypothyroidism sets in because the antibodies can take months or years to cause enough damage to result in a hypofunctioning thyroid gland.
Il just have to wait till I get the results so.. Thanks for all the help!
Best wishes with it!
I got my results back:
TSH . . . . . . 2.41
FT4 . . . 12
FT3 ..... . . . 4.32
Anti TPO . . . . . . <0.01
Thyroglobulin . . . . . . . . 123.00
I don't understand why Iv got anxiety if I din't have hashimotos?? Is the TPo to low or is that normal??
Jennifer,
What was the normal range on that Thyroglobulin level? I also wonder if that was a test of your actual thyroglobulin level or the anti-throglobulin antibodies? My suspicion is that it's for anti-thyroglobulin antibodies because Thyroglobulin itself is more commonly a test-marker when you're being treated for thyroid cancer but some dr.s do test the level to help determine thyroid autoimmunity conditions.
<208 is normal >344 Postitve. It doesn't say anything bout antibodies, just says Thyroglobulin. Should it be the thyroglobulin antibodies that were tested??? Im at a loss at what to do next!
It may be the thyroglobulin level but either way, looks to be in normal range. Hashimoto's is not always ruled out via blood tests but may require an FNA biospsy. It is an in-office proceedure but in my opinion, your case needs follow up blood tests every few months and if TSH keeps rising or thyroid hormones start dropping, an FNA might be considered.
It might also be that other hormone imbalances need ruled out such as adrenal and sex hormones. You can usually find saliva hormone test kits at pharmacies. The "ZRT Labs" brand is the most reputable and regardless of what some Dr.s say about saliva testing, it is recognized by the World Health organization, National Institutes of Health, Bluecross etc... as accurate measure of these hormones.
Unfortunately, symptoms causing problems sometimes need lots of testing to zero in on and becomes a process of elimination. Other important tests, in case not already done would be CBC (complete blood count), glucose (for diabetes) and ones that rule out systemic inflammation or autoimmunity (ESR and ANA). This is just layopinion, but I always feel all hormone levels need tested before moving on to other possibles.
Don't get frustrated, lots of people have been where you are (including myself) but eventually zeroed-in on their medical conditions. Anxiety disorder is of course possible but very unusual to happen as suddenly as yours did and I believe in ruling out the things I mention above before settling on an emotions diagnosis. Even Dr.s are sometimes too quick to diagnose with mood/emotions when hormone imbalances can be a strong possibility.
I wish I had more to suggest but a doctor can better lead you through diagnositic tests for eliminating these possibles. Be firm as a partner with your dr. in ruling out hormone problems and other common health disorders. I wish you the best with it and glad to comment on any futher things you are seeking fellow patient input on.
I had my thyroid removed 7 years ago due to a goiter pressing on my throat... but only recently - as in days ago, was I diagonised with hyperthyroidism (well, as close as I can get anyway)... My TSH was .02 ... I am figuring that is responsible for my increased depression, thoughts of death and anxiety.
I'm hoping with cutting down the meds I can hopefully get over the insanity, because that is not usually me.
Thanls for the info!!
Thanks Dee,
I'm glad the info was of help. I hope you continue to see better days ahead with lots of improvement!
Dear Jim,
Thank you for your info. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 13 years ago after having panic attacks which led to severe anxiety. By the time the doctor began treating me, it took a long time for me to feel myself. I don't know what exactly caused mine and I don't know about all the antibodies, etc. I've done well for a long time now but began not feeling myself a few days ago and now I'm in the anxiety mode, not sleeping, can't eat and I think I'm going nuts. I was sick with a bug the week before and then realized I had missed about 8 synthroid pills over the last month. Could this be the cause why I'm out of whack now? I went to my doctor and am waiting for results from my blood work. What else should I look for?
Regina,
While many dr.s don't acknowledge this fact, hypothyroidism does cause anxiety symptoms. Many medical research articles confirm this. I personally have anxiety symptoms when my dose of thyroid hormone is too low. I can't explain why this is the case but I suspect it is similar to how the body produces more adrenaline when a person has hypoglycemia (low glucose). It's the body's way of compensating and trying to kick-start more production of hormones that become low in the body.
Here's one quote from Dr. Richard Hall, a PhD medical researcher and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry University of Florida, Gainesville who has done so for different medical groups including Johns Hopkins University:
"In a study of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, anxiety was a prominent initial symptom at the time that the condition was diagnosed."LINK> http://www.drrichardhall.com/anxiety.htm
Other things that can cause anxiety symptoms would be glucose imbalances and sex/adrenal hormone imbalances. Some hypothyroid patients do develop anxiety disorders from thyroid disease and there are research studies stating this as well.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcg
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcg
Jim. thank you for responding to me. My tsh was 3.46 , up from 1.5 where is has been for many years. I'm still expereincing anxiety, but not as severe, just more an on edge feeling and on and off again insomnia. My appetite has not come back and still feel I'm struggling just to feel myself. Would the missed Synthroid cause this and how long does it usually take to get back to normal. I see the doctor again in about 3 weeks. He kept me on my present dosage of Synthroid, 112mcg.
regina,
According to the AACE revised TSH guidelines released in late 2002, a TSH of "3.0" is suspect for hypothyroidism needing treatment, so the same is true of treated hypothyroidism when TSH reaches that level. It indicates need for better treatment and the 1.5 is definitely a better level for symptom relief for most patients. Some even need a TSH at between 0.5 to 1.0, the lower normal cut off range. Many Endocrinologists and other doctors specializing in treating hypothyroidism use 1.0 as a target TSH level.
When you're on a dose change, it usually takes about 8 weeks to fully realize the effects of it. This is why blood lab retesting is done at about eight-week entervals.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in July 2007 and have still not recovered to my old self. My blood test results have however improved drastically since I've self-medicated (on the advice of a gp in Australia). Depending on my heart rate and body temperature I take between 100 & 150mcg a day, my uk doc would like me on 150mcg every day but my body can't cope with it (sends me hyper).
My mother told me today that perhaps some of my problem is anxiety and after reading your article I think you have finally hit the nail on the head. My recent FBC & thyroid blood test says everything very good (within NORMAL levels) although my Hashi's antibody count is still high. Perhaps the aches, pains and much reduced remaining fatigue are all getting me down because the Hashi's is very active.
Thank you so much, I feel better now telling me that it is my thyroid disorder messing me with, and not something worse.
Ennis R,
Thanks for commenting.
The best way to monitor thyroid hormone replacement, is through blood retesting your levels after you're on a dose for 6 to 8 weeks. It takes that long for it to adjust and level-out in your system.
I've read the testimonies of lots of thyroid patients who experience the hyper type symptoms with adjusting their dose, especially when first starting thyroid hormone therapy. I'm one this happened to but these adjustment symptoms resolved after a few weeks for me. It did greatly increase my anxiety level and my heart rate/blood pressure as well. My body adjusted however and I no longer have these problems.
Thyroid antibodies themselves can contribute to anxiety symptoms according to medical research conclusions. They state that the TPO antibodies especially are linked to causing anxiety symptoms and even anxiety disorders in thyroid patients.
Proper treatment will also help reduce your antibody levels over time. They usually never totally disappear however, which is the nature of thyroid autoimmunity (usually lifelong).
Best wishes with your treatment regemin and let us know how it goes if you can.
Thank you so much for posting your experience. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's last January and have been doing well with medication, until they decided to change my medication last month. I started having all sorts of adverse side effects: heart palpitations, hot flashes (I'm 26), tremors in my hands, high blood pressure (which has always been good), fast pulse (125-150 resting), and PANIC ATTACKS. My primary care physician of course thought I was crazy and told me I needed to see a psychiatrist.
I went to my endo the next day, she ran blood work and my TSH had doubled in the last month that they changed my medication. I'm still having a lot of problems with Panic attacks, but it's only been a few days since I adjusted medication levels and went back to the original medication I have been on for the last year. It helps to know that I'm not crazy and that I know my body well enough to know when things are out of whack, even if a doctor doesn't believe me.
The one thing I have discovered over the course of the last year is that you need to be your own advocate. You know your body better than anyone else and if you know something is wrong, don't take no for an answer. Research for yourself and find a doctor who is willing to work with you and do the right bloodwork.
Kristin,
Thanks for that great comment and for sharing your experience. Self-advocating is exactly what it takes to find good treatment and self-educating is also a part of that.
Your doctor who stated that your anxiety is not thyroid related, is letting his ignorance show. Not only can Hashimoto's patients experience "Hashitoxicosis" (intermittent hyperthyroidism with anxiety as a symptom) but medical research has concluded in many articles found on the U.S. Gov, PubMed site, that thyroid autoimmunity itself can be a cause of anxiety symptoms and even anxiety disorders. Dr. Richard hall, a researcher for Johns Hopkins Medical, has stated in his research that Hashimoto's patients commonly present with anxiety symptoms as a first indicator of the disease.
I'm proud to see your advocacy and appreciate your inspiring comment!
This post is very enlightening. I was on thyroid meds 6 years ago, but went off of them. I currently am experiencing high levels of anxiety, losing my hair, sweating. I think I am losing my mind. I can't sleep. I have an app. with a Osteopath doctor on Tuesday. I am hoping whatever he prescribes works. Has anyone else experienced hair loss?
Jean,
Best wishes with the Osteopath appointment!
He/she should be able to test you with blood labs to see if maybe you have transitioned over to a hyperthyroid condition (overactive) which is what your symptoms sound like.
Hair loss happens with both underactive and overactive thyroid conditions and can also occur when you take a thyroid medication and your body is adjusting to it. I have mild to moderate hair loss with mine and happens more-so when my levels are off intermittently (high or low).
Feel free to post again to let us know how it goes!
I went to the doctor and had a blood test done. He ran a TSH, 3rd generation and it came back as 1.64, which he says is in the normal range. He told me it is stress and that there is no magic pill, but that I have to deal with the sress. It was not the answer I expected or wanted. While I have been stressed, that doesn't explain the sweating, and racing pulse every night, so bad, I cannot sleep. My mind is racing. I got up after a sleepless night, and ran around the house doing projects for hours, then crashed. Last night was no different. I don't have health insurance to keep going to the doctors. Is there any test I can do myself to determine what is going on? I won't have insurance for another 6 months.
Jean,
When you mentioned being on thyroid meds sometime ago and then going off of them, I assumed you were talking about replacement hormone. You may have been talking about anti-thyoid drug that slows the thyroid but really, either way, there must have been a reason you were placed on the meds, due to a thyroid problem. You may also have been talking about a supplement like a thyroid booster which I have strong reservations against but my suspicion is you were talking about a doctor-prescribed medication.
I'm not trying to cast any doubts on your doctor but I'm surprized he didn't want to test more thoroughly on thyroid labs because TSH alone does not always correlate with all cases 100% of the time. Some people have normal TSH but abnormal T3 or T4, such as with Central Hypothyroidism and low T3 syndromes.
Early onset Graves' Disease patients can also have normal TSH in some cases. Apart from thyroid, there are sex hormone imbalances and less commonly there are adrenal hormone imbalances that can cause symptoms similar to thyroid. I mention this because of your energy and sweating. While this can happen to a degree with anxiety, the energy part of it is not that common because with anxiety it's more of a nervousness and feeling on edge, not a welcome burst of energy that makes you want to burn the energy. Anxiety sufferers usually do more work etc... because they want to distract their thoughts from triggering more anxiety and not because they literally have an energetic drive. Hyperthyroidism on the other hand literally causes a sped up metabolism, so that you literally have more energy being burned.
These are just some thoughts and certainly can't replace diagnostic testing. My point however is that you may need more thorough evaluation with more thorough thyroid testing (including thyroid antibodies tests) and tests of sex and adrenal hormones if more complete thyroid evaluation doesn't find anything to be abnormal. I've always felt that thyroid testing should include TSH, T3, T4 and thyroid antibodies if symptoms match those of thyroid imbalance. I'm just a layperson but those opinions come from six years of extensive search and research and correspondence with literally hundreds of thyroid patients. Many of them were missed in diagnosis until more thorough testing was done. It also more properly rules thyroid out if it's not the problem.
You might consider a firm like HealthCheckUSA.com that sets up blood draw for LabCorp but requires no doctor visit and results are sent direct to you for sharing with your Doc. They also take insurance cases.
I was on meds for hyperthyroid 6 years ago.
I called my doctor and even though he thinks my thyroid is ok, I asked him to run a test on T3, T4. I will get the results tomorrow. If not, I will do what you suggested. Thank you so much for your help and listening ear.
Jean,
That sheds a whole different light on your case. If you were on a drug for hyperthyroidism, you likely have Graves' Disease. The hyperthyroidism it causes can be brought under control in some patients but can also return because it is an autoimmune caused disease, that results in hyperthyroidism and for most people is lifelong. Some eventually have to have their thyroids removed by thyroidectomy or radioactive iodine ablation (destruction).
The antibodies test I would think you would need ordered would be the "TSI" (Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins) in addition to the "TPO" ones. Another possibility is that you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and it started out with a hyperthyroid phase (Hashitoxicosis).
Let us know how it goes!
Well, Jim I got my results back.
T3-30;
T4 -10.3;
Free T4 -3.1. I don't know what those numbers mean, but the doctor says this was normal ranges. And again, the doctor says it is stress. So I think I will have the anitbodies and sex hormones checked out. I will go to the web site you recommended. Thanks so much for your help.
Jean,
Also ask your doctor, when he is ordering tests, to have his office run you a copy. You are allowed a copy by HIPPA law and has the reference ranges so you can see where normals fall in the range. Some doctors call borderline readings normal and technically they are but a result that's on the edge of becoming abnormal, is worthy of observation. Yours may not be but would be good if you can see the lab page.
Your antibodies tests will not be expensive although no tests are completely cheap but in my opinion the better evaluation is worth it to rule out underlying thyroid disease or confirm it.
Update me again if you can on those further tests and best wishes with it!
Hi
I began suffering from serious anxiety attacks back in January. In febuary I was diganosed with hoshimotos disease based on antibodes, this is a test I had to beg doctors to do. My T3 T4 are in normal range. I have gone to 2 Endos who wont treat me because they say the antibodies arent a reason to treat. They say I must wait until my thyroid is abnormal(t3/t4) yet Im still suffering from serious anxiety practically everyday. They both recommended Psyc help yet Im not sure if this should be my next step. The research I've done on Hoshimotos does show anxiety as a common symtom. Im confused and dont know what to do. Im affraid to start taking Psyc meds if the problem is truly with my thyroid. Im at my last straw and dont know what to do.
johnnyo23,
I replied to your comment via a new Hub. I like doing this because other thyroid patients can have the same scenario and in need of answers. I hope the info in the Hub is helpful!
It's newly posted, titled: "Why Doctors may Delay Treatment for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis".
I was feeling much better until Armour Thyroid reformulated. Have started feeling like what I assume could be hyper-thyroid. Could I be having anxiety from coming off the Armour? Dr. said tsh is over-corrected but t3 and t4 look great so she wants me to start a compounded thyroid medication. I am confused and feel horrible. Will be doing another saliva test soon to check hormone levels. I just want to feel normal with energy on the outside not the inside. Your input would be appreciated. Thanks!
Lynne,
The compounded dose via the compounding pharmacy sounds good to me because they specialize it to meet your specific needs. When you're blood retested next time, after being on the new dose, they can also adjust it further if needed by changing the T4 to T3 ratio in it.
You may be pleasantly surprized at the specially made dose and I certainly wish you the best with it!
Let me know how it goes if you can.
JimLow says:
12 months ago
Judy, what many patients and even some Dr.s don't understand is that the "disease" itself involving "thyroid antibodies" (found in Hashimoto's) can be largely responsible for the anxiety symptoms.