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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 12, 2008, at 21:01:34
Just saw my pdoc tonight. She put me on 25mcg of Synthroid even though my tyroid function tests are all normal. She said sometimes your levels may be normal but the thyroid can still be diseased. Has anyone ever heard of this or Synthroid being prescribed for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Most people report getting anxiety from synthroid....
???????
Gary
Posted by Gabbee on June 13, 2008, at 0:22:10
In reply to Synthroid for Anxiety when Thyroid is Normal, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 12, 2008, at 21:01:34
Hi Gary.
My Doctor put me on Cytomel which is a T3
I think synthroid is a t4
I too thought I'd end up having a breakdown.
My main symptom was gut wrenching world spinning anxiety and just plain fear. He also put me on Dexedrine. They worked. He said that my anxiety (this isn't true for everyone) was a side effect of the depression, and when the depression was properly treated the anxiety would lift.10 years later I'm still taking both.
And I've had to change Doctors a few times, those who had their own ideas, or wanted to give me downers for my anxiety (Trazedone, Clonazepam sounds like it should work but it didn't)those two things have been taken out of my cocktail and put right back in. They're crucial.I did get anxious on Cytomel at first, but I think it was for about a week and it was more like nervous anticipation, it wasn't the same as
my life altering anxiety spells.I've read that many people have success and less "jolt" with Armour thyroid tablets, which is animal derived thyroid hormone.
So if this is too much there's an option there.
Posted by Phillipa on June 13, 2008, at 1:02:35
In reply to Synthroid for Anxiety when Thyroid is Normal, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 12, 2008, at 21:01:34
Did you have a complete thyroid panel with auto antibodies too? I have hasimotos the autoimmune kind. Cytomel for T3 was like coffee for me and high anxiety but sometime synthroid TSh levels if low lift a person out of depression. New guideline say TSH should be between 1-2. Free T4 is more important. Having a problem regulating mine now. Free T4 hight Tsh too low. So A lower dose of synthroid. And the first week or so of synthroid years ago did increase my anxiety so took .25 extra xanax for about l0 days. Love Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on June 13, 2008, at 19:01:18
In reply to Synthroid for Anxiety when Thyroid is Normal, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 12, 2008, at 21:01:34
Your doc seems wise to me. The good ones know that what appears normal on paper is no more than a rough guideline. Normal is a broad range that does not fit everyone. Someone with so called normal readings could in fact be hypothyroid or hyperthyroid. Symptoms are more of a clue than lab numbers. Lab numbers are useful to see how much the readings have changed from baseline. In Dr Bobs Tips, and in the STAR program, thyroid was given as psychiatric augmentation regardless of normal readings.
Here's a weird one. A guy I talked to was super skinny, couldn't gain weight, and run down with fatigue. His thyroid numbers were normal. With thyroid meds, he gained back his health and started putting on weight. The weight gain was opposite of what would be expected. Apparently his gut functions were somehow hypo as well, and they started working more efficiently with thyroid.
My doctor said my thyroid numbers were all within the normal range. But a high normal free T4, a low normal T3, a high normal total T4, and a high normal TSH tells a story to a discerning eye. It hints at hidden hypothyroid due to excess reverse T3. He prescribed compounded T3, which I haven't tried yet, as I am working my way through a laundry list of things he said I should try, one at a time.
I suspect tens of thousands of people are suffering right now because their doctors say their numbers are normal, and all the while totally ignore the symptoms right in front them. Oh, must be stress from work. That's it. Yeah, ok.
Stop The Thyroid Madness...a great website to learn about the intricacies of thyroid. The basic theme is...normal is not good...only optimal is good...and everyone's optimal is different and not measurable other than watching how symptoms respond. You want optimal, not normal. That involves looking closely at TSH, free T3, free T4, total T4, and more importantly, the story they tell. I pulled a chart off the web that allows you to plot the numbers on a horizontal graph. The numbers, if optimal, should line up vertically. If they don't, if they are skewed off to the sides in different patterns, they tell stories of what is actually going on. I congratulate your doctor, because most have no clue about this stuff, not even specialists.
You asked about anxiety? Well, I know beefing up thyroid seems like pro-anxiety. The thing is though, many people who have measured or unmeasured hypothyroid experience anxiety and panic. The improve when thyroid is supplemented to where it should be for that person. If it is overdone and you take too much too fast, yeah, anxiety and heart palpitations can happen.
An important thing I've learned about thyroid treatment from the website mentioned above and from people at thyroid forums is that it should always be started at very low doses and increased very slowly over time. Changes in dose, for example, should happen no faster than once a month.
Posted by Phillipa on June 13, 2008, at 20:30:05
In reply to Re: Synthroid for Anxiety when Thyroid is Normal, posted by bleauberry on June 13, 2008, at 19:01:18
Blueaberry totally agree with you will check out that website and the yellow new pill I think I'm allergic to. Love Phillipa
Posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 14, 2008, at 13:41:07
In reply to Re: Synthroid for Anxiety when Thyroid is Normal, posted by bleauberry on June 13, 2008, at 19:01:18
Is it possible that the addition of the Synthroid can make your depression worse. I've been on 25mcg for 2 days and have felt what seems to be worse both days. I've had a few crying spells, which I havn't had in a while and a terrible headache. My anxiety hasn't changed but I certainly feel a little more depressed. Thanks in advace and thanks for your lengthy informative post.
Gary
Posted by bulldog2 on June 14, 2008, at 14:25:19
In reply to Bleuberry, Re: Your Post, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 14, 2008, at 13:41:07
> Is it possible that the addition of the Synthroid can make your depression worse. I've been on 25mcg for 2 days and have felt what seems to be worse both days. I've had a few crying spells, which I havn't had in a while and a terrible headache. My anxiety hasn't changed but I certainly feel a little more depressed. Thanks in advace and thanks for your lengthy informative post.
>
> GaryPeople tend to look for silver bullets. what works for one may be poison for another.
Posted by bleauberry on June 14, 2008, at 16:22:42
In reply to Bleuberry, Re: Your Post, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 14, 2008, at 13:41:07
Gary, it might be that there is a fault in the conversion of the T4 you are taking and it is making too much reverseT3 instead of T3. That would definitely explain feeling icky the way you are. I tried Armour Thyroid, which has T3 and T4 in it. For some reason the T4, which normally converts to both T3 (the accellerator) and reverseT3 (the brakes) converted too much to reverseT3 instead of T3, and overwhelmed the natural T3 in the supplement, and I felt more depressed and more tired. Doc has since given me straight T3 instead, so as to totally avoid that possibility.
Another possibility is to cut your current dose in half.
I would talk to the doc. I would cut the dose in half. If I absolutely could not endure it, I would switch to T3. But that's just me. I would also read up on the whole thyroid/adrenal thing at Stop The Thyroid Madness and other websites in a search to learn more.
Posted by bulldog2 on June 14, 2008, at 18:12:26
In reply to Re: Bleuberry, Re: Your Post » Gary_SSRI_Guy, posted by bleauberry on June 14, 2008, at 16:22:42
> Gary, it might be that there is a fault in the conversion of the T4 you are taking and it is making too much reverseT3 instead of T3. That would definitely explain feeling icky the way you are. I tried Armour Thyroid, which has T3 and T4 in it. For some reason the T4, which normally converts to both T3 (the accellerator) and reverseT3 (the brakes) converted too much to reverseT3 instead of T3, and overwhelmed the natural T3 in the supplement, and I felt more depressed and more tired. Doc has since given me straight T3 instead, so as to totally avoid that possibility.
>
> Another possibility is to cut your current dose in half.
>
> I would talk to the doc. I would cut the dose in half. If I absolutely could not endure it, I would switch to T3. But that's just me. I would also read up on the whole thyroid/adrenal thing at Stop The Thyroid Madness and other websites in a search to learn more.
>
>I think there is all this conjecture out on the internet that the new tsh should be around 2. So that means bumping up your dose on synthroid. Now I saw a study that some do worse when their tsh is driven that low. More anxiety and depression. So there's no absolute when dosing thyroid. Somebody may feel better on low levels someone may feel better on high doses or just being in the middle.I think you have to play around with doses and see how you feel.
Posted by Phillipa on June 14, 2008, at 19:52:54
In reply to Re: Bleuberry, Re: Your Post, posted by bulldog2 on June 14, 2008, at 18:12:26
Exactly right now tell that to the endos. Love Phillipa
Posted by bulldog2 on June 20, 2008, at 15:22:56
In reply to Re: Bleuberry, Re: Your Post » bulldog2, posted by Phillipa on June 14, 2008, at 19:52:54
> Exactly right now tell that to the endos. Love Phillipa
You have to get in your endos face and tell it like it is!
Posted by SLS on June 20, 2008, at 16:44:09
In reply to Re: Bleuberry, Re: Your Post » Gary_SSRI_Guy, posted by bleauberry on June 14, 2008, at 16:22:42
Hi Bleauberry.
T3 in the form of Cytomel makes my depression dramatically worse. T4 as Synthroid makes it somewhat better. Why do you suppose that is?
Thanks in advance.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on June 20, 2008, at 21:05:23
In reply to Re: Bleuberry, Re: Your Post » bleauberry, posted by SLS on June 20, 2008, at 16:44:09
T3 was explained to me as being like coffee boosts you up lasts a short time and then it's over. Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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