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Thyroid symptoms: hypothyroid, Hashimoto's


Karma

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Elizabeth,

 

This is SO IMPORTANT!! I was on SS/NRIs, antipsychotics, benzos, for 18 years for what was very likely an underlying endocrine problem that caused what was originally low energy/malaise and treated with Zoloft in 1993. Never psychosis or hint of mania. I lost 30% of my bodyweight in my 40s when most women gain weight. Psychs and other docs attributed it to 'depression', asked if i was purging (in that acvusatory tone) and just said 'eat more'. No testing until this past year.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's throiditis in 1996, but nobody checked my reproductive hormones because I never tried to get pregnant. I recently found out that I have Premature Ovarian Failure that probably started many years ago. Infertility and depression run in my family. None of us ever responded to SS/NRIs. I have extensive endocrine damage now, liver disease, and more testing that i haven't been able to face (scans of pelvis, liver, thyroid, etc.) Also tested heterozygous mutation of MTHFR gene which is correlated to depression, infertility, heart disease, all of which run in my family. I don't know what could have been done with that info. It's very common from what I've read.

My FSH levels were well ABOVE the Reference Range for Postmenopause since 2010. Nobody has been able to tell me why there is a ceiling on FSH and what it means to be very far beyond it. In 2010, the Endocrinologist just said 'oh, it looks like you've been through menopause ' when i didn't have the usual signs (aside from mood). All of the literature I've found discusses FSH in reproductive years. Nothing has explained sky high FSH in postmenopause. My current endocrinologist said I might not have gone thru menopause yet. I just don't have the energy to care anymore.

How are they treating you? I'm glad you found out early. I have a tremendous amount of anger over this that I'm trying to deal with.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Thanks for your post, Elizabeth.

 

Ever since I started working as a psychotherapist back in the sixties, I've suspected that "clinical" depression has a physiological basis, and I'm not referring to the mythical chemical imbalance in the brain. I believe there are geniune, underlying medical issues.

 

While I don't seem to have any hormonal problems, I believe my depressive crash was caused by a cholesterol level that was far too low. I had told my doctor twice that the very low level worried me, but she apparently has been brainwashed by Pfizer and believes there's no such thing as cholesterol reading that's too low.

 

If there's one thing I've learned from the depressive crash and the barbaric treatment with antidepressants, it's that most doctors don't have any idea of what they're doing.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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If there's one thing I've learned from the depressive crash and the barbaric treatment with antidepressants, it's that most doctors don't have any idea of what they're doing.

 

That is why medicine is considered to be, of all things, an art, since Asclepius, the son of the Greek god Apollo, was trained in the healing arts Physicians in ancient times were considered artists, since the finding a diagnosis for a person was considered to be an art. The physicians frequently got it wrong. Things haven't changed much in several millenia.

History:

1995--Prozac--Quit CT by GP

1995--Effexor--Quit per my GP

1996--Amitriphene--Quit CT when changed GP

2005--Citalopram and BusPar. Prescribed when I decompensated in my GP's office. GP referred me to behavior health. Psychiatrist prescibed these drugs. Taken off citalopram in 2011 due to FDA warning. Quit Buspar during transition to viibryd.

Viibryd--2011 to present. Had a severe reaction in March 2012. Advised both GP and Psychiatrist I was trying to get off these drugs.

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Alot of horrible artwork going on. They are attempting to use same paint by numbers on everyone. They are 'practicing medicine' with the wrong tools.

 

I thought RULE OUT MEDICAL CONDITIONS was Rule #1 in Psychiatry, but it's rarely thought about any longer. A cursory TSH which is not reliable.

I know it's not feasible to test for every possible cause, but what is reasonable? Is there a guideline in existence?

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Alot of horrible artwork going on. They are attempting to use same paint by numbers on everyone. They are 'practicing medicine' with the wrong tools.

 

I thought RULE OUT MEDICAL CONDITIONS was Rule #1 in Psychiatry, but it's rarely thought about any longer. A cursory TSH which is not reliable.

I know it's not feasible to test for every possible cause, but what is reasonable? Is there a guideline in existence?

 

We can thank Big Finance (Insurance), Big Pharma, and Uncle Sugar for the mess. No one wants to spend the money.

History:

1995--Prozac--Quit CT by GP

1995--Effexor--Quit per my GP

1996--Amitriphene--Quit CT when changed GP

2005--Citalopram and BusPar. Prescribed when I decompensated in my GP's office. GP referred me to behavior health. Psychiatrist prescibed these drugs. Taken off citalopram in 2011 due to FDA warning. Quit Buspar during transition to viibryd.

Viibryd--2011 to present. Had a severe reaction in March 2012. Advised both GP and Psychiatrist I was trying to get off these drugs.

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If there's one thing I've learned from the depressive crash and the barbaric treatment with antidepressants, it's that most doctors don't have any idea of what they're doing.

 

That is why medicine is considered to be, of all things, an art, since Asclepius, the son of the Greek god Apollo, was trained in the healing arts Physicians in ancient times were considered artists, since the finding a diagnosis for a person was considered to be an art. The physicians frequently got it wrong. Things haven't changed much in several millenia.

 

Thank you, Meistersinger. You're correct, and that's an aspect of medicine I had forgotten.

 

I have also read, in Joy at the End of the Tether - The Inscrutable Wisdom of Ecclesiates by Douglas Wilson, that the kind of medicine that is practiced today was considered sorcery in biblical days. We have *not* come a long way, baby.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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A lot of horrible artwork going on. They are attempting to use same paint by numbers on everyone. They are 'practicing medicine' with the wrong tools.

They may be the wrong tools for an ethical practice of medicine, but they're the right tools for making lots of money. I'm about two-thirds of they way through Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker, and the bottom line is $$$. Psychiatry has even stooped so low as to destroy children's lives for the sake of big bucks. Psychotropic drugs create "mental illness".

 

I thought RULE OUT MEDICAL CONDITIONS was Rule #1 in Psychiatry, but it's rarely thought about any longer. A cursory TSH which is not reliable.

I know it's not feasible to test for every possible cause, but what is reasonable? Is there a guideline in existence?

 

Once upon a time I thought that 'informed consent' was also part of the ethical practice of medicine. Yet I was not once informed of the possible side effects of the antidepressants or the benzo that was prescribed when I was hospitalized. No one advised me that withdrawal might be difficult. In the past ten years I have been misdiagnosed so many times that I have completely lost faith in mainstream medicine and that disbelief extends to every doctor - general practitioner, dentist, podiatrist, et cetera.

 

And I am just furious that medicine has turned out to be nothing but another scheme to make money. Whatever I can do to bring it down, I will.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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It seems to have evolved to masquerade as 'science' while retaining the 'practice/art' fallback. It's very difficult to hold a doctor liable for anything when they are 'practicing' an 'art'. In my case, I was told by an attorney that too many doctors screwed up, so I didnt have a case.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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One of the things that hurt me most was that my doctor of fourteen years didn't say she was sorry that Lipitor had caused me so much harm. She *looked* sorry and upset, but I'm sure the hospital's lawyers had told her to never admit to anything.

 

And I'm the one who's stuck paying for Ubiquinol, an expensive supplement, and physical therapy (at approximately $200 a month) for the muscular degeneration I experienced from this very strong and harmful drug.

 

Lipitor is now known to cause depression along with a number of other harmful side effects. Sharp reductions in cholesterol starve the brain, and that is what happened to me. Instead of being taken off Lipitor and allowed to heal, I was prescribed several antidepressants (Pristiq, Remeron, and Lexapro) which only caused further harm.

 

I consider myself blessef to have realized what was going on early on. I've been off Lipitor since last June and off Lexapro since mid-December. I am now almost out of withdrawal, not quite, but close, and for the most part I can function and live a near-normal life. For the time being I'm taking it easy on myself and expecting the best.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Do you know, I don't think I've ever given really informed consent to any treatment. Even when I went home and read the leaflet, there really wasn't enough info on that to give informed consent. :(

 

I also had thyroid problems that were originally missed. I had had post-partum thyroid issues, and part of that was being depressed. After my next child I told my doctor that I felt exactly the same. This doctor did a blood test and my TSH was beautiful (about 1-2, I think, perfect) and implied that it was all in my head. A couple of months later another blood test showed a TSH much higher than that and in need of treating. (And a later test showed high levels of Hashimotos antibodies, so definitely a problem there.)

 

Interestingly, the doctor believes that I had two diseases, one thyroid and one not, both causing identical sets of symptoms, the first of which dissappeared overnight when the second one (the thyroid one) kicked in. :)

 

Years later, I still had symptoms and dr added in T3 to my T4. I had a huge improvement in some of my symptoms, but not the depression, sadly. However, I wonder how much of depression is "learned". That is, I've been depressed because I had thyroid disease and was chronically exhausted due to having babies, and then later although the cause is gone, I was depressed because my thoughts are set in that track...

2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012

January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg

July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg

2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg,  July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg)

2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly

10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly.

May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week

29 August 2022 - first day of zero!

My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/

Current: Armour Thyroid

 

 

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Jemima, I am so pleased to hear that you think you're almost well from the w/d. I was thinking of you the other day as I am considering my taper being only a little longer than yours.

 

I haven't updated my thread or sig yet, but I have continued to taper at 1mg drops over a shorter period of time, and continue to feel better with each drop. I have even had a terribly stressful issue come up, and after dropping to 12mg I am now calm and focussed and quite at peace with it all. I am now having zero w/d, and the mild elation I felt with a couple of drops has gone now too. I'm thinking of making the drops even smaller as I continue, but if I continue at this rate I'll be done in about 5 or so months. (Bear in mind that being on an SSRI is damaging my teeth by worsening my bruxism, causing constant headaches and dental pain. This is improving as I taper, but I also have a mouthguard which is helping. I am keen to be shot of this and other side effects.)

 

 

Jemima, did you feel any w/d while you were tapering, or only afterward?

2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012

January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg

July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg

2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg,  July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg)

2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly

10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly.

May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week

29 August 2022 - first day of zero!

My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/

Current: Armour Thyroid

 

 

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Jemima, did you feel any w/d while you were tapering, or only afterward?

 

I must have started feeling it during the end of "tapering", because I signed up for this forum December 8th of last year and didn't take my last quarter-pill until December 14th. That would have been during the period when my doctor had me taking 2.5 mg. of Lexapro every other day. I don't remember it that way, but I do remember desperately searching the Internet trying to figure out what in the world was wrong and feeling just miserable. My "taper" was far too short (four months), jerky (10 mg. to 5 mg. to 2.5 mg., then off), and abrupt, because my doctor doesn't seem to be familiar with antidepressant withdrawal. I'm not sure if I would do things any differently, though. I was close to manic even on 2.5 mg. and I'm not sure I could have tolerated a longer taper. I was desperate to get off the drug before I became exhausted or did something crazy, like get into financial trouble.

 

I'm having something of a crappy day today, but I suppose that's just part of the up-and-down of withdrawal. Today is nowhere nearly as bad as the bad days back in January and February.

 

I'm very glad to hear that you're doing so well! :D

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Hey Karma,

Have you read anything by Datis Kharrazian? Other alt health bloggers seem to hold him in highest regard, "master diagnostician" said Chris Kresser.

 

http://thyroidbook.com/blog

 

Evidently though there is some controversy. It appears he trains practioners at seminars and then they use his protocols which supposedly require large commitments in time and money.

 

I've been reading his book. Lots of interesting stuff, lots of supp recommendations ... too bad I'm in w/d, though I may try gently with them anyway. Also, it's silly to say too bad I'm in w/d b/c if I wasn't all crisscrossed from psych drugs I highly, highly doubt I'd have suddenly developed thyroid problems which are "rare in men", particularly under 35 yrs.

 

Alex

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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Thanks for your post, Elizabeth.

 

While I don't seem to have any hormonal problems, I believe my depressive crash was caused by a cholesterol level that was far too low. I had told my doctor twice that the very low level worried me, but she apparently has been brainwashed by Pfizer and believes there's no such thing as cholesterol reading that's too low.

 

 

Cholesterol is used as the "building materials" by the body to make the hormones that you need to live. We need it to live.

 

Not enough/too low cholesterol means you don't have enough of the base material for your body to make the hormone levels you need. Not enough hormones you feel like crap.

 

If you ever feel like it, you can watch the movie Fathead-available online for free on youtube-which will show the politics that really are the basis for the anti-cholesterol recommendations from the government. It all started many years ago and scientists at the time that tried to protest where thrown out of their jobs.

 

Feel firm in your analysis of what happened in your case. I'm sure you are correct.

 

If you try to run a car without enough of the fluids it needs, it is not going to run well!!

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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Elizabeth,

 

This is SO IMPORTANT!! I was on SS/NRIs, antipsychotics, benzos, for 18 years for what was very likely an underlying endocrine problem that caused what was originally low energy/malaise and treated with Zoloft in 1993. Never psychosis or hint of mania. I lost 30% of my bodyweight in my 40s when most women gain weight. Psychs and other docs attributed it to 'depression', asked if i was purging (in that acvusatory tone) and just said 'eat more'. No testing until this past year.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's throiditis in 1996, but nobody checked my reproductive hormones because I never tried to get pregnant. I recently found out that I have Premature Ovarian Failure that probably started many years ago. Infertility and depression run in my family. None of us ever responded to SS/NRIs. I have extensive endocrine damage now, liver disease, and more testing that i haven't been able to face (scans of pelvis, liver, thyroid, etc.) Also tested heterozygous mutation of MTHFR gene which is correlated to depression, infertility, heart disease, all of which run in my family. I don't know what could have been done with that info. It's very common from what I've read.

My FSH levels were well ABOVE the Reference Range for Postmenopause since 2010. Nobody has been able to tell me why there is a ceiling on FSH and what it means to be very far beyond it. In 2010, the Endocrinologist just said 'oh, it looks like you've been through menopause ' when i didn't have the usual signs (aside from mood). All of the literature I've found discusses FSH in reproductive years. Nothing has explained sky high FSH in postmenopause. My current endocrinologist said I might not have gone thru menopause yet. I just don't have the energy to care anymore.

How are they treating you? I'm glad you found out early. I have a tremendous amount of anger over this that I'm trying to deal with.

 

If you'd like I can PM you with additional information about FSH. I'm an infertility pro-know a lot more than I wish I did.

FSH is the follicle stimulating hormone, meaning this is what your body has to pump out to get your ovaries to ovulate. As we age, we need more until we cross a threshold in which most fertility doctors will say your own ovaries are pooped out and if you want a child you must use donor eggs.

 

FSH of less than 10 is good, around 10-16 is diminished and over 16 is not good. (There are fertility drugs that can affect and lower FSH for an IVF cycle.)

 

People with higher number just have ovaries that have stopped responding-->premature ovarian failure or menopause. The ovaries also pump out the estrogen that we need in response to the monthly cycles so if they test high for FSH, you probably don't have the levels of estrogen that you need because the follicles make the estrogen.

 

Hope this helps. Happy to answer questions.

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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My last FSH was 195. In 2010, it was 135. The high Ref Range for postmenopausal is in the low 100s per lab. My doc and literature said POF is not menopause and that I may still be fertile (not that that matters currently!). If you don't mind posting info here and it's ok with Alto, maybe others can benefit from it, too.

Your original point about testing reproductive hormones is critically important because SS/NRIs are being prescribed routinely for PMS/ PMDD and menopausal depression - regular fluctuations of hormones. Again, not addressing the underlying cause and throwing drugs in that disrupt hormone function.

THANK YOU for any light you can shed on this subject. Perhaps a separate topic of Reproductive Hormones/Endocrinology would be beneficial to separate it out from thyroid.

 

Would your doctors be willing to offer an opinion on what tests are reasonable and appropriate before using an antidepressant? Do they ever use antidepressants? I havent asked my doc that but he was very clear in his dislike for SS/NRIs because they CAUSE depression.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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My last FSH was 195. In 2010, it was 135. The high Ref Range for postmenopausal is in the low 100s per lab. My doc and literature said POF is not menopause and that I may still be fertile (not that that matters currently!). If you don't mind posting info here and it's ok with Alto, maybe others can benefit from it, too.

Your original point about testing reproductive hormones is critically important because SS/NRIs are being prescribed routinely for PMS/ PMDD and menopausal depression - regular fluctuations of hormones. Again, not addressing the underlying cause and throwing drugs in that disrupt hormone function.

THANK YOU for any light you can shed on this subject. Perhaps a separate topic of Reproductive Hormones/Endocrinology would be beneficial to separate it out from thyroid.

 

Would your doctors be willing to offer an opinion on what tests are reasonable and appropriate before using an antidepressant? Do they ever use antidepressants? I havent asked my doc that but he was very clear in his dislike for SS/NRIs because they CAUSE depression.

 

Based on what you have written, have you ever had an antimullerian hormone (AMH) test? It is often thought as being a better test than FSH. FSH measures the signal your brain is sending to your ovaries, sent from the pituitary. AMH measures a hormone being produced by the ovaries themselves and is becoming the more accepted sign of ovarian aging.

 

I'm not a dr, but FSH of 135/195 would lend me to think that your ovaries are not functioning well. Whether any of the meds could have caused the problem, I don't know. My worst has been 10.6, which was enough to stop an IVF cycle and wait until the next month and to take ganarelix to stop the FSH from re-elevating for that IVF cycle.

 

About being fertile with this number, per your MD said, you would need to xref it with your AMH. Could you carry a donor egg child? Probably yes, because technically your chances of success would go back to the age of the donor? Without your AMH, an FSH of this level would probably cause a repro-endo to send you towards donor eggs.

 

Have you had your cycle day 2 or 3 hormones tested, estradiol, progesterone and lutenizing hormone? Ditto on cycle day 21? Cycle day 3 will also let you know the "age" of your ovaries. Cycle day 21, if you have a spike of progesterone to at least 10 but ideally even higher will let you know if you are ovulating...which would mean the ovaries are functioning. Any other day of the cycle is generally not helpful because there is so much variability in day to day/cycle to cycle for each woman.

 

About the repro-endo and speaking with them about anti-depressants, I don't think they'd know what to say. I've always kept my pnurse paid privately out of pocket and never shared what I've done with her to these doctors. When I said I was having severe mood swings from the hormone imbalances they could respect that...it is all over the literature that being hyperthyroid causes anxiety.

 

My back up, to get someone to treat the hormones keeping the mood issue in mind, has been to find a holistic doctor (or maybe a private boutique PCP and pay out of pocket for that person's help). I just found a lady that would have been great for this, but she works for another MD who makes all patients use a lab in North Carolina for the blood tests and this lab is NOT within my network. I would not have minded so much paying the holsitic doctor full price for her time, $150 for half an hour, but for a simple hormone blood test, making me NOT able to use the lab that has agreed prices with my insurance seemed crazy and not an appropriate decision on the part of her boss. These business policy seemed like medicine from the 1970s and not today. These basic blood tests are not rocket science and there is no reason for me to overpay for something like this.

 

Kind of reminds me of some speciality oncology vets I had to use for my lymphoma dog. I don't mind paying the VMD for his time, but when he takes the drugs my dog needs, and charged me 400% more than they are at the local pharmacy without insurance I draw the line there. Thank g-d in this case, the vet board of virginia had a rule on the books that vets in va have to allow you to get any drug where ever you want.

 

Long winded answer, I know. Hope it helps!!

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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Hi Elizabeth,

 

I zoned in on the hyperthyroid in your post. Are you being treated for it or will your body correct itself on it's own?

 

Very interesting topic. Thank you

 

 

Daisy

 

My thyroid dr is running my hypothyroid right now, which sucks and makes you feel depressed. I'm on half of the dose I need based on body weight. Thyroid meds have a one week half life.

 

I've emailed his staff with what the repro-endo has said and am waiting to hear back. Why the thryoid doc didn't figure this out is beyond me. He too is at a major medical institution whose name you would know. When your TSH doesn't stay stable on replacement, the thyroid doc seems to just think that 1) you are not taking the right dose (you are taking too much or two little and won't admit it) or 2) you are taking it with calcium, soy or iron that can bind with the replacement.

 

This has so annoyed me for years because basically if you don't admit to 1 or 2 they basically ignore you and in my case, surprise surprise, something else was going on!!

 

Gosh, I wish I could be there when his staff hands him my email.

 

Elizabeth

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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Alot of horrible artwork going on. They are attempting to use same paint by numbers on everyone. They are 'practicing medicine' with the wrong tools.

 

I thought RULE OUT MEDICAL CONDITIONS was Rule #1 in Psychiatry, but it's rarely thought about any longer. A cursory TSH which is not reliable.

I know it's not feasible to test for every possible cause, but what is reasonable? Is there a guideline in existence?

 

Surprise, fixing the thyroid is cheap and easy. Ruling out other conditions should be #1, but now that we know the motivations, you would not be a patient coming to see them every two weeks for drug monitoring if synthroid could solve your problems. You would not be making drug company money (for the perks that the mds get back) if they can give you a cheap pill to take every day. Plus you would switch to a thyroid or PCP doctor who would be covered by your insurance and not paid at the $400 + per hour pdocs seem to want to average in fees.

 

TSH alone is not enough as it doesn't say much. Drs are not trained to look at more unless they are really good. You need to know (but MDs have different opinions based on where their profit margins lie) T4, t3, free versions of each and rt3. There are other things such as what is off in my case, thryoxine binding globulin, thryoid antibodies, etc.

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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Sorry for any misunderstanding! I don't want to know for for childbearing reasons, but would like to understand the issue. I understand that the pituitary is producing higher FSH to stimulate ovaries to produce estrogen. Low FSH may indicate pituitary or hypothalamus dysfunction. Have been unable to find explanation for very high FSH. More of a curiosity at this point.

Waaay past that time of life! The info I've found addresses ICF/fertility issues for younger women trying to conceive.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Thanks for your post, Elizabeth.

 

Ever since I started working as a psychotherapist back in the sixties, I've suspected that "clinical" depression has a physiological basis, and I'm not referring to the mythical chemical imbalance in the brain. I believe there are geniune, underlying medical issues.

 

 

 

In school for psychotherapy, do they discuss the route causes for depression? Do they train you to look for a biological basis? Or do they just train you to tell/work with a patient on remolding their thinking processes, ala CBT, etc.?

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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Elizabeth,

 

I just have to ask.....Is your serum Calcium within normal limits? I recently read that a high Calcium level could indicate a problem with the parathyroid gland.

 

Daisy

Effexor XL 2009-2012. CT 150mg Effexor XR  2012, Effexor XR  75mg  2012  then rapid taper to 0, Reinstated Effexor XR 13mg then updosed to 20mg, Tapered to 18mg Effexor XR 4/9/12, Off Effexor XL ?Reinstated  Effexor XL 150 mgs  August  2012, Crashed in November 2012, Prozac 40 mgs 2012 to Feb 2018, Buspar 60  mgs 2012-stopped 2015, Remeron 7.5 mgs as needed for sleep-stopped Feb 2017, Prozac 50 mgs Feb 2018 to March 2018, Lexapro 5 mgs March 18 2018 to May 17th 2018, Lexapro 2.5 mgs  May 18th to May 26th 2018, Prozac 10 mgs May 15th 2018, Prozac 5 mgs May 19th 2018 to current day May 28th 2018,  Xanax 0.25 mgs to 0.5 mgs daily for over 15 years. Increased Xanax to 1.5 mgs Sept 2012, Tapered Xanax to 0 mgs  May 2013.Reinstated Xanax Feb 2017 at 0.125 mgs as needed, Gradual increase of Xanax to 1.5 mgs daily till May 22nd 2018, Xanax 1.25 mgs daily. Holding

 

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Hey Alex,

 

I haven't read that book, but I've seen it mentioned on the forum. Supplements can be helpful, I've had good success with them. But I do find that I have to start them slowly and only change one thing at a time.

 

Karma

2007 @ 375 mg Effexor - 11/29/2011 - 43.75 mg Effexor (regular) & .625 mg Xanax

200 mg Gabapentin 2/27/21 - 194.5 mg, 5/28/21 - 183 mg, 8/2/21 - 170 mg, 11/28/21 - 150 mg, 4/19/22 - 122 mg; 8//7/22 - 100 mg; 12/17 - 75mg; 8/17 - 45 mg; 10/16 40 mg
Xanax taper: 3/11/12 - 0.9375 mg, 3/25/12 - 0.875 mg, 4/6/12 - 0.8125 mg, 4/18/12 - 0.75 ; 10/16 40mg;

1/16 0.6875 mg; at some point 0.625 mg
Effexor taper: 1/29/12 - 40.625 mg, 4/29/12 - 39.875 mg, 5/11/12 - Switched to liquid Effexor, 5/25/12 - 38 mg, 7/6/12 - 35 mg, 8/17/12 - 32 mg, 9/14/12 - 30 mg, 10/19/12 - 28 mg, 11/9/12 - 26 mg, 11/30/12 - 24 mg, 01/14/13 - 22 mg. 02/25/13 - 20.8 mg, 03/18/13 - 19.2 mg, 4/15/13 - 17.6 mg, 8/10/13 - 16.4 mg, 9/7/13 - 15.2 mg, 10/19/13 - 14 mg, 1/15/14 - 13.2 mg, 3/1/2014 - 12.6 mg, 5/4/14 - 12 mg, 8/1/14 - 11.4 mg, 8/29/14 - 10.8 mg; 10/14/14 - 10.2 mg; 12/15/14 - 10 mg, 1/11/15 - 9.5 mg, 2/8/15 - 9 mg, 3/21/15 - 8.5 mg, 5/1/15 - 8 mg, 6/9/15 - 7.5 mg, 7/8/15 - 7 mg, 8/22/15 - 6.5 mg, 10/4/15 - 6 mg; 1/1/16 - 5.6 mg; 2/6/16 - 5.2 mg; 4/9 - 4.8 mg; 7/7 4.5 mg; 10/7 4.25 mg; 11/4 4.0 mg; 11/25 3.8 mg; 4/24 3.6 mg; 5/27 3.4 mg; 7/8 3.2 mg ... 10/18 2.8 mg; 1/18 2.6 mg; 4/7 2.4 mg; 5/26 2.15mg; 8/18 1.85 mg; 10/7 1.7 mg; 12/1 1.45 mg; 3/2 1.2 mg; 5/4 0.90 mg; 6/1 0.80 mg; 6/22 0.65 mg; 08/03 0.50 mg, 08/10 0.45 mg, 10/05 0.325 mg, 11/23 0.2 mg, 12/14 0.15 mg, 12/21 0.125 mg, 02/28 0.03125 mg, 2/15 0.015625 mg, 2/29/20 0.00 mg - OFF Effexor


I am not a medical professional - this is not medical advice. My suggestions are based on personal experience, reading, observation and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers

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Read a few articles about hormone/estrogen role in depression. Thought I'd share here until I can review and post in Media.

The Estrogen Dilemma, NYTimes, April 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/magazine/18estrogen-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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In school for psychotherapy, do they discuss the route causes for depression? Do they train you to look for a biological basis? Or do they just train you to tell/work with a patient on remolding their thinking processes, ala CBT, etc.?

 

None of the above. I went to what had been a teachers' college for years prior to my attendance and took the counseling psychology courses to get a master's. That was six years after I began my career in art therapy at a state mental institution (Byberry, which was cited in Robert Whitaker's Anatomy of an Epidemic as being a snakepit at one point in time). My opinions and therapeutic approach were pretty much set by the time I went back to school. I believed then - and still do - that good therapists are born (or at least raised very well), not made by a curriculum.

 

There was very little in the master's program that had any scientific basis. My 'Intro to Research' professor asked why I had taken his course as an elective and was startled that I cared about doing psychotherapy only with techniques that had been proven to work. I believed then and now very strongly in "do no harm".

 

There is a lot of fluff and just plain harmful stuff passing as "psychotherapy". Toward the end of my career in that field, I was downright ashamed of many things my colleagues were doing (Primal Scream Therapy??? Eeeeeewww!) and even today Doctor Phil makes me want to throw hard, sharp objects at the TV.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Thanks for your post, Elizabeth.

 

While I don't seem to have any hormonal problems, I believe my depressive crash was caused by a cholesterol level that was far too low. I had told my doctor twice that the very low level worried me, but she apparently has been brainwashed by Pfizer and believes there's no such thing as cholesterol reading that's too low.

 

 

Cholesterol is used as the "building materials" by the body to make the hormones that you need to live. We need it to live.

 

Not enough/too low cholesterol means you don't have enough of the base material for your body to make the hormone levels you need. Not enough hormones you feel like crap.

 

If you ever feel like it, you can watch the movie Fathead-available online for free on youtube-which will show the politics that really are the basis for the anti-cholesterol recommendations from the government. It all started many years ago and scientists at the time that tried to protest where thrown out of their jobs.

 

Feel firm in your analysis of what happened in your case. I'm sure you are correct.

 

If you try to run a car without enough of the fluids it needs, it is not going to run well!!

 

Thanks, Elizabeth. I'll check out that video soon.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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Sorry for any misunderstanding! I don't want to know for for childbearing reasons, but would like to understand the issue. I understand that the pituitary is producing higher FSH to stimulate ovaries to produce estrogen. Low FSH may indicate pituitary or hypothalamus dysfunction. Have been unable to find explanation for very high FSH. More of a curiosity at this point.

Waaay past that time of life! The info I've found addresses ICF/fertility issues for younger women trying to conceive.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

 

Sorry about my mistake! Low FSH is good, means your ovaries are fine, available to make a baby, yada yada, to borrow the seinfield phrase.

 

Very high FSH means the ovaries are not responding, not making enough estrogen, your body is screaming at them to work and they are not listening, you are past the point in which they can kick out an egg to make a baby. Eventually they quit doing anything, meaning very low estrogen is in the body and I think (again I'm not an MD) estrogen is drawn from one's fat cells and the adrenals make a bit. When you get to this point, if menopause is going to bug you it really will. Low estrogen affects mood, depletes calcium from the bones, etc. Screws up your amount of thyroid hormone as I have now learned and can cause you to go hyperthyroid.

 

We are a closed system and too low estrogen screws with a lot of other parts of the body.

 

Hope this helps ! :)

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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I just stumbled on the adrenal part yesterday. I suspect I've had adrenal insufficiency of some degree for many years although the one cortisol blood level did not reveal anything. Karma has described better methods (salivary or temp 3x/day - not certain now).

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Read a few articles about hormone/estrogen role in depression. Thought I'd share here until I can review and post in Media.

The Estrogen Dilemma, NYTimes, April 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/magazine/18estrogen-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

 

Thanks for posting. I can't go without taking my hormones. I crash and burn. I will make an appointment to have my levels check again.

 

What is the name of the Thyroid Test that goes deeper than the generalized run-of-the-mill one they do?

 

Hugs

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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Consider free t4 and free t3. This tells you what is actually available to your body to use. (Unlike TSH which is just a part of your brain telling your thyroid to work (or not work).

 

Once you get more into it, there are things like thyroxine binding globulin...something my repro-endocrinologist said should be tested for me but my endocrinologist said no. In my case, I don't know if the latter has a reason to overrule the former or if the latter is just p-ssed off that the former figured out what was going on. :lol:

Years:150mg Wellbutrin (to concentrate) 20-30 mg Celexa (rumination).

CT 8/2011 during a pregnancy attempt under MD orders. (Idiot!!!) Pregnancy hormones allowed it.

Felt great with 6 mg of melatonin per night to sleep plus preggo hormones-didn't last:(

Best time of my life. Botched IVF in Dec 2011.Stress.

Bone chilling exhaustion and told to go back on celexa and wellbutrin.

4/9/2012 Back on celexa wb for some relief, wb gave me heart palps so dropped and only need 6.6 mg celexa and 1/4 melatonin pill...IMPROVEMENT because my doses are much lower!

REMEMBER to get your thyroid and hormones checked/out of whack ones can appear LIKE MOOD DISORDERS!!

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I had a doctor's appointment today to get the results of cholesterol. 112...ideally needs to be under 100 is what she said.

 

Dieting would help :rolleyes:

 

I inquired about my last blood test to check Hormone levels and Estrogen is good.

Low on Progesterone. So I will be using the cream 2x's per day rather than one.

 

The thyroid tests were "well" withing the normal range.

 

I may not have asked about the hormones again if it had not been for this site.

 

Thank you all, and yes you do know more than the Doctor's do:)

 

Hugs

 

PS...forgot to take my hormones this morning and my HBP meds. Believe me I was out of sorts.

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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Nikki,

Is it the LDL alone that she wants under 100?

I've heard total of 200 for combined level.

B

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Administrator

I promised on another thread to share some information about how the TSH reference range is defined. I found this article on About.com that explains the situation. http://thyroid.about.com/od/gettestedanddiagnosed/a/tshtestwars.htm

 

In a nutshell, the TSH range is arrived at by taking the TSH lab values of a population of people assumed to be healthy. Unfortunately, because of how they currently diagnose hypothyroidism, this population includes people who are hypothyroid, but who have not been diagnosed. This then skews the normal ranges and patients who are truly suffering are told there is nothing wrong with them.

 

As the article points out, the new range would allow many more people to be diagnosed and treated, but it hasn't been universally adopted. I argue that a single data point is not adequate for a diagnosis ... as this article indicates, one should test free T3, free T4 and antibodies in addition to an observation of the patient's clinical symptoms in order to determine a diagnosis.

 

Karma

2007 @ 375 mg Effexor - 11/29/2011 - 43.75 mg Effexor (regular) & .625 mg Xanax

200 mg Gabapentin 2/27/21 - 194.5 mg, 5/28/21 - 183 mg, 8/2/21 - 170 mg, 11/28/21 - 150 mg, 4/19/22 - 122 mg; 8//7/22 - 100 mg; 12/17 - 75mg; 8/17 - 45 mg; 10/16 40 mg
Xanax taper: 3/11/12 - 0.9375 mg, 3/25/12 - 0.875 mg, 4/6/12 - 0.8125 mg, 4/18/12 - 0.75 ; 10/16 40mg;

1/16 0.6875 mg; at some point 0.625 mg
Effexor taper: 1/29/12 - 40.625 mg, 4/29/12 - 39.875 mg, 5/11/12 - Switched to liquid Effexor, 5/25/12 - 38 mg, 7/6/12 - 35 mg, 8/17/12 - 32 mg, 9/14/12 - 30 mg, 10/19/12 - 28 mg, 11/9/12 - 26 mg, 11/30/12 - 24 mg, 01/14/13 - 22 mg. 02/25/13 - 20.8 mg, 03/18/13 - 19.2 mg, 4/15/13 - 17.6 mg, 8/10/13 - 16.4 mg, 9/7/13 - 15.2 mg, 10/19/13 - 14 mg, 1/15/14 - 13.2 mg, 3/1/2014 - 12.6 mg, 5/4/14 - 12 mg, 8/1/14 - 11.4 mg, 8/29/14 - 10.8 mg; 10/14/14 - 10.2 mg; 12/15/14 - 10 mg, 1/11/15 - 9.5 mg, 2/8/15 - 9 mg, 3/21/15 - 8.5 mg, 5/1/15 - 8 mg, 6/9/15 - 7.5 mg, 7/8/15 - 7 mg, 8/22/15 - 6.5 mg, 10/4/15 - 6 mg; 1/1/16 - 5.6 mg; 2/6/16 - 5.2 mg; 4/9 - 4.8 mg; 7/7 4.5 mg; 10/7 4.25 mg; 11/4 4.0 mg; 11/25 3.8 mg; 4/24 3.6 mg; 5/27 3.4 mg; 7/8 3.2 mg ... 10/18 2.8 mg; 1/18 2.6 mg; 4/7 2.4 mg; 5/26 2.15mg; 8/18 1.85 mg; 10/7 1.7 mg; 12/1 1.45 mg; 3/2 1.2 mg; 5/4 0.90 mg; 6/1 0.80 mg; 6/22 0.65 mg; 08/03 0.50 mg, 08/10 0.45 mg, 10/05 0.325 mg, 11/23 0.2 mg, 12/14 0.15 mg, 12/21 0.125 mg, 02/28 0.03125 mg, 2/15 0.015625 mg, 2/29/20 0.00 mg - OFF Effexor


I am not a medical professional - this is not medical advice. My suggestions are based on personal experience, reading, observation and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers

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Here is a good article by a physician with citations http://hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html The article talks about the fallibility of "Reference Range Endocrinology." Of note, is what this physician has to say about bone loss caused by thyroid replacement therapy.

 

My bone specialist thinks that my thyroid treatment is contributing to my bone loss, but as this article points out, I was already losing bone density (as I am post menopausal and my BHRT is not optimized) ... T3 just speeds up metabolic activity and stimulates bone cells.

 

Fortunately, my bone specialist understands that I am not changing my thyroid treatment ... I am finally optimized on T3 only therapy. I suffer no aches and pains, no fatigue, no sleep disruption, no dry skin, no excessive hair loss, and no depression. You can refer to my Karma thread for more information about what I'm doing to reverse my bone loss ... and it doesn't involve bisphosphonates or other drugs.

 

Karma

2007 @ 375 mg Effexor - 11/29/2011 - 43.75 mg Effexor (regular) & .625 mg Xanax

200 mg Gabapentin 2/27/21 - 194.5 mg, 5/28/21 - 183 mg, 8/2/21 - 170 mg, 11/28/21 - 150 mg, 4/19/22 - 122 mg; 8//7/22 - 100 mg; 12/17 - 75mg; 8/17 - 45 mg; 10/16 40 mg
Xanax taper: 3/11/12 - 0.9375 mg, 3/25/12 - 0.875 mg, 4/6/12 - 0.8125 mg, 4/18/12 - 0.75 ; 10/16 40mg;

1/16 0.6875 mg; at some point 0.625 mg
Effexor taper: 1/29/12 - 40.625 mg, 4/29/12 - 39.875 mg, 5/11/12 - Switched to liquid Effexor, 5/25/12 - 38 mg, 7/6/12 - 35 mg, 8/17/12 - 32 mg, 9/14/12 - 30 mg, 10/19/12 - 28 mg, 11/9/12 - 26 mg, 11/30/12 - 24 mg, 01/14/13 - 22 mg. 02/25/13 - 20.8 mg, 03/18/13 - 19.2 mg, 4/15/13 - 17.6 mg, 8/10/13 - 16.4 mg, 9/7/13 - 15.2 mg, 10/19/13 - 14 mg, 1/15/14 - 13.2 mg, 3/1/2014 - 12.6 mg, 5/4/14 - 12 mg, 8/1/14 - 11.4 mg, 8/29/14 - 10.8 mg; 10/14/14 - 10.2 mg; 12/15/14 - 10 mg, 1/11/15 - 9.5 mg, 2/8/15 - 9 mg, 3/21/15 - 8.5 mg, 5/1/15 - 8 mg, 6/9/15 - 7.5 mg, 7/8/15 - 7 mg, 8/22/15 - 6.5 mg, 10/4/15 - 6 mg; 1/1/16 - 5.6 mg; 2/6/16 - 5.2 mg; 4/9 - 4.8 mg; 7/7 4.5 mg; 10/7 4.25 mg; 11/4 4.0 mg; 11/25 3.8 mg; 4/24 3.6 mg; 5/27 3.4 mg; 7/8 3.2 mg ... 10/18 2.8 mg; 1/18 2.6 mg; 4/7 2.4 mg; 5/26 2.15mg; 8/18 1.85 mg; 10/7 1.7 mg; 12/1 1.45 mg; 3/2 1.2 mg; 5/4 0.90 mg; 6/1 0.80 mg; 6/22 0.65 mg; 08/03 0.50 mg, 08/10 0.45 mg, 10/05 0.325 mg, 11/23 0.2 mg, 12/14 0.15 mg, 12/21 0.125 mg, 02/28 0.03125 mg, 2/15 0.015625 mg, 2/29/20 0.00 mg - OFF Effexor


I am not a medical professional - this is not medical advice. My suggestions are based on personal experience, reading, observation and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers

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Karma,

Great resource and good to know of a knowledgeable endocrinologist in PA.

THANKS!

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looking through old labwork. My TSH was 47.62 uIU/mL when originally diagnosed w/Hashimoto's in 1996. I know that's high, but wondered if it's offthecharts high?

 

My T3 got above normal range in 2005 - not remarkable

 

The value that was never addressed is elevated Creating phosphokinase (CPK) in 1995

CPK = 356 IU/L [26-189]

This was in bunch of labwork ordered by my pdoc. Results never discussed. It was at a time of severe pain. Husband just asked if I had a heart attack. GRRR}}}

 

Also

FANA PATTERN 1:160 HOMOGENOUS [<1:40 TITRE]

(In same box as ESR - sed rate?)

Also never mentioned.

 

Why do docs get labs and never review them??? I dont think they know what they mean. Same w/Xrays. They hold them up to the light as if they know what they're looking at. BaaaHaaaa!

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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