I had a shock at the docs today and now feel that I don't belong here

[Going home]

Ive had anxiety and panics for many years and have learned how to cope with many of the symptoms. Ive also, like alot of people here, had many tests...cardio mostly and blood tests every year. I had a blood test the other week and the doctor has called me in to see him about changing my medication (ive been taking propranolol for about three years which has helped my ectopics etc) and when I went in today, he told me that my thyroid function is isn't too good and I need to start to take thyroxine :ohmy: I was absolutely floored by this...ive been so used to them saying that all my symptoms are because of anxiety, which brought me to this forum in the first place.

I told him that ive been tested for this amongst other things on numerous occasions and it has never been mentioned in the results, and he said that it can take a number of years to show up, and that all of the symptoms ive had in the past were probably because of this slowly building up over time...ectopics, breathlessness, forgetfulness, twitchy eyes, weight gain, constipation, losing hair on eyebrows and eyelashes, the list just goes on and on :scared15: but the thing is that now ive been told that it is in fact a physical problem, I feel that I can't now advise people on anxiety, because for me anxiety was a symptom of an underactive thyroid.

I just feel a bit lost and misplaced if you can understand me...what do I do now? Do I leave the forum? I don't know what to do :weep:

Anna xxx

[shaggyowen]

but as much that it is physical you was still mental for you as well and that shouldnt change what you know and do to cope with anxiety cuz ofcause that thyroid problem has made you have anxiety so carry on as normal i say :yesyes:

[looking4answers]

Absolutely not..This is the time you really need support and we are all here for you.Whether is anxiety or real illness or anxiety illness.We are all here for you. Michael

[Nigel]

Anna, don’t be silly :hugs:

I’ve sometimes felt that way too. I don’t suffer with the sort of panic and anxiety that this forum was set up for, although I do worry about things and have some confidence/social anxiety issues. Should I resign too :shrug:

That doesn’t mean I don’t understand and don’t have anything useful to contribute. My friend told me that many times in the early days when I was uncertain. Nic has told me much the same.

Anyway, who know how much is due to a thyroid problem and how much is anxiety? Hope the meds help ease some of those symptoms.

“I just feel a bit lost and misplaced if you can understand me...what do I do now?”

If you feel happy here, there’s always a light on in the window... :winks:

Nigel

[Going home]

...a light on in the window when I get there. And that's all I really asked for and you guys did that for me...Thank you.

Anna xx

[alicegreen]

I can imagine that was a shock.

I certainly dont think that you need to leave, you give great advise for a start!

[Groundhog]

I’m still a relative newbie but for sure don’t leave. One of the passions in my life is my classic car (see avatar) and I am a member of lots of classic car forums and can tell you that on average only half the folk have classic cars; by and large it is just a community of friends who support each other.

I am anxiety free most of the time as mine just comes in waves, sometimes I’m anxious for a few hours sometimes a few days or a couple of weeks but then it goes and can be gone for months. I think the best thing about this forum is that when folk have major worries and scares there are both fellow sufferers with similar symptoms who can reassure and there are anxiety free(ish) posters who can do the old ’pull yourself together’ lecture:D.

Please stay you know you want to:winks:

[JaneC]

Absolutely no need to leave Anna :hugs:. Hope the thyroxine makes you feel better x

[Anxious_gal]

Personally i dislike blaming everything on anxiety! How many tests have you had for your tyroid? I have had 3 in four years , lol i hope the meds help with the symptoms x aw dont go if you dont want to , there are a few here with tyroid problems too and other health issues n you can tell people to get there tyroids retested every so often .

[countrygirl]

Having worked for a thyroid advice charity as an advisor can I ask a few questions and give a bit of info if you don't mind. If you have had quite a few thryoid tests in the past then thankfully your thyroid has not been very low for a long time but was probably borderline in the past tests and alot of drs wait and see what happens. What dose of thryoxine is he starting you on???

I have had an underactive thryoid for over 20 yrs and even though i take the meds and my blood tests are totally normal I still have some of the symptoms of an underactive thryoid and my Dr says this is normal as the tablets cannot in everyone be a complete fix just as in a diabetic insulin keeps them alive but they still have problems so if your symptoms don't disappear completely don't worry its normal. Of course alot of the symptoms are also common anxiety symptoms so if its anxiety causing them they will not disappear either other than from the placebo effect.

On the advice front - make sure you get your blood tested frequently in the first year until you are stable and after that every 6 months - alot of Drs say once a year but this is far too long so just stick to the 6 months.

Hope you feel fighting fit very soon:D:D:D

[Mazzmate]

Stay on the site. I have an under active thyroid too, and take thyroxine, and yes, anxiety can be related to this condition but its still anxiety and still needs some support, no need to leave, in fact I did it the other way round...I went to the thyroid site first but wasn't keen on it really, so once I became really anxious I found this fantastic site, and it has helped no end.:):)

[joans60]

Hi There
I also have a under active thyroid
I had blood tests to start with and mine was borderline.
Yes it is surprising what an underactive thyroid can do but when you get your medication sorted it will even it self out I am on 100mg thyroxine.
You will be fine.




Joanx

[kaisersozay]

Lift your head up high, this is a momentous moment in your quest to be better!

[Geoff2301]

I've an underactive throid too... 75mg thyroxine. Can't honestly say I notice the slightest difference whether I take the medication or not. I always undertood that it was an overactive thyroid that could contribute to anxiety, underactive to depression.

[KK77]

I've often wondered whether I should be here as I don't really suffer with anxiety/panic - I have recurrent depression. But I think the question is whether you can help people here in some way and in the process also help yourself. If the answer is yes then there is every reason for you to be here - regardless of the root-causes of your anxiety.

[Going home]

Thank you all for your kindness and just to answer a few questions that some of you asked, the dose he has given me is 50mg once a day, he said he'd rather start me off low than high and yes, whenever ive had blood tests in the past they've often tested thyroid funtion too but have never mentioned it being underactive before, so it could have been borderline for a long time....but even borderline can produce some niggly symptoms apparently. Anyway this is how he wrote it down for anybody who understands the readings:

TSH 8.2 (0.3-4.2)
T4 11.8 (12-22)

To Geoff2301, yes I thought it was a bit strange to read that underactive thyroid can cause anxiety symptoms but ive done what I always tell others not to do, and Googled it! I'm actually ok with the diagnosis even though i'll have to take thyroxine forever now, because it explains a few things, but I was upset because its an actual medical condition after being told for so many years that my anx was nothing! I just feel a bit cheated if that makes any sense.



Thank you all again for your much needed support :)
Anna xxx

[suzy-sue]

Whether your Anxiety has been caused by Thyroid or any other condition is really irrelevant ..You have manged in your own way to live with it up to now .So you have as much right to be here as any one else Anna .You could say the same for someone who suffers with extreme Pmt as this too can cause anxiety .Lots of women who are Perimenopausal and Menopausal experience Anxiety .due to their hormone levels .It doesnt make it any less significant .All anxiety is caused by something or other and we are all unique .So whether the Thyroxine cures you or just reduces your Anxiety ,you will have to wait and see .It may be something of a combination as in some cases it is .Sorry if that sounds negative but it is a possibility .Your experiences and input to help others is as valuable as the next persons so leaving unless thats what you want really would be silly .Im sure as far as the Thyroxine is concerned ,once the dose is reached that keeps your Thyroid working efficiently you will feel better in a lot of ways .It will be checked frequently and your dose will be adjusted if necessary .I hope it means that you will now lead an Anx free life as well .T/c Sue

[Geoff2301]

to be honest, the underactive thyroid has probably only recently appeared and your previous anxiety may well not be related to your thyroid at all. When I suggested to my gp that my problems could have been related to the thyroid, he quite reasonably reminded me that I'd always been neurotic and the thyroid had been fine until recently!

[BubbleBonce]

TSH 8.2 (0.3-4.2)
T4 11.8 (12-22)

.... but I was upset because its an actual medical condition after being told for so many years that my anx was nothing! I just feel a bit cheated if that makes any sense.


I can totally relate Anna. I have a low thyroid condition & have also been kept in the dark, undiagnosed & then under medicated. What you are experiencing with this 'new' proper & real diagnosis is totally understandable.

The trouble is that there is a wide blood reference range for 'normal' thyroid function and until you are completely out of that range you will find it hard if not impossible to get that diagnosis. It is very common to go undiagnosed for many years.

I would recommend hanging out here, but also join a thyroid forum to find out more about the condition. I will send you a PM with a good board that I also belong to.

Almost all of the symptoms you describe in your first post relate to low thyroid....

Bubble:flowers:

[bexy84]

Thank you all for your kindness and just to answer a few questions that some of you asked, the dose he has given me is 50mg once a day, he said he'd rather start me off low than high and yes, whenever ive had blood tests in the past they've often tested thyroid funtion too but have never mentioned it being underactive before, so it could have been borderline for a long time....but even borderline can produce some niggly symptoms apparently. Anyway this is how he wrote it down for anybody who understands the readings:

TSH 8.2 (0.3-4.2)
T4 11.8 (12-22)

To Geoff2301, yes I thought it was a bit strange to read that underactive thyroid can cause anxiety symptoms but ive done what I always tell others not to do, and Googled it! I'm actually ok with the diagnosis even though i'll have to take thyroxine forever now, because it explains a few things, but I was upset because its an actual medical condition after being told for so many years that my anx was nothing! I just feel a bit cheated if that makes any sense.



Thank you all again for your much needed support :)
Anna xxx

hello, i am new here also.. i am 26 and was diagnosed with under active thyroid when i was 19.... with a TSH of over 250 ( they stop measuring the units at this figure ) i was soooo poorly it was untrue... i couldnt even lift a glass.... i am taking 175mcg of thyroxine and it has been up and down through the years especially since having 2 children. but i agree that even when u r on your medication u still get funny syptoms, i have never really felt the same since the thyroid started...this was the start of my anxiety palpitations, dis trust in doctors ( as they said it was anxiety for months, i was too young for thyroid apparently!!!) although i do definatly suffer with anxiety now i beleive it all to be linked to my hormone levels with the thyroid....as a normal thyroid secretes thyroxine as and when u need it .. if u r on a constant dose of the same amount every day , nomatter what u r doing or what situation u have the same amount of thyroxine in your blood ( free T4) so i think it is bound to have peaks maybe where u dont need as much or falls where u need more.......hope this makes sense .. rebecca

[Going home]

Thanks Rebecca, and I'm sure I will understand it all with time, though you sound like you had a really rough time with it to begin with. I know it's not the world's worst disease, and whenever I think about nmp nicola and all she's been through i know I'm lucky that its 'only' an underactive thyroid, but its all a bit new and I think its knowing that I have to take the medication for the rest of my life...I don't have a choice like I do with the meds for anxiety, the choice to be medication-free has now gone and that without it I could become really ill. That's hard to get my head around at the mo. But I won't be a baby about it and life goes on and i'll be fine.

Anna xx

[Hazel B]

Anna, anxiety is anxiety, regardless of the "source" or "cause". You know what it feels like, what it does to your body and mind and how frightening it can be. You can empathise and advise other people here - don't give it a second thought.

I do have times when I feel a fraud as I've turned a corner after Propranolol and counselling helped me, but I still log in every day as I've made friends and had such great support here. Surely it's about the ups and downs together?

Take care.

[blue moon]

Hi Anna....I hope you start to feel better soon,and looking forward to reading your future posts Take care
Love Petra x:hugs::flowers:

[bottleblond]

Anna

I have suffered from anxiety for most of my life. Have had numerous bloods done including Thyroid and all came back negative.

You appear to have had similar so to have thrown a Thyroid problem up now i would say it would be unrelated to previous issues.

Don't build your hopes up on this recent test and i hate to be horrible saying that but if your anxiety has been ongoing then i highly doubt it has been your tirgger.

Lisa
x

[Anxious_gal]

I still see anxiety as much of a physical condition as it is a mental condition.
on the plus side you probably will get more sympathy from people now you have a medical issue , I know it sucks in a way but it's pretty true from what I experienced.
I hope the meds help, must be hard coming to terms with needing to take a tablet every day, but hopefully it will all go smoothly, you will used it and soon it won't bother you at all :-)

[Going home]

Lisa, yes I understand what you say. Hypothyroidism is hardly likely to have always been there all that time because like you, ive had anxiety and panic issues for many years so the anxiety was there before the thyroid problems...so for this reason I can still relate to people about it. Why didn't I think about it in this way yesterday? I will answer myself by using one of Paula Lynne's phrases that I love...I had my head in the shed! I wasn't altogether with it and guess what...I panicked!

Thank you all for making me feel so much better. But where's Mick when you need him eh? :D

Anna xx

[serendipity]

I have suffered with anxiety since my thyroid trouble started after having a baby. I had over-active then was left for 7 months with under-active. I have improved since taking levothyroxine but cannot say that the anxiety has left me. I am going through a really bad stage at the moment as i'm waiting for smear results since having lletz in March for cin3. (Feel sick thinking about it)

I hope that the medication makes you feel better. Be patient too as my consultant told me as I was so under-active it would take 3 months to feel better and he was right.

Also dont think you need to leave the site as you can still be a shoulder to those in need...:)

All the best :yesyes:

[Going home]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply and to reassure me...its much appreciated. Ive learned more about the condition over the days since being diagnosed, and while the diagnosis itself is ok for me the meds made me nervous, because I already take beta-blockers (propranolol, half-inderal) and wasn't sure how they would react together. So I had a talk to one of my local pharmacisits who took me into the little consultation room in the shop and he explained the meds to me, how they worked and what you can and can't take with them etc...bless him. He even printed off some info about it all which was really helpfull. So now I have to take a leap of faith with the meds and see how it goes.

After talking to the pharmacist I just wanted to let Geoff know that it is in fact possible to be suffering from the symptoms of an underactive thyroid for some time as it can take a fair while for it to show up on a blood test. So not sure what your doc meant when he told you that it happens suddenly...apparently not always and not even usually. Mostly, an underactive thyroid takes time to deplete itself of thyroxine and the symptoms can present themselves steadily over some years. So the borderline theory for me was correct and its only now that its showing up. But thank you for your reply and your advise, it meant alot.

Thank you all again
Anna xx :flowers: