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[Guest guest]

>

> > ** I'll need background on this. It's impossible for me to

> remember

> > everyone's details.

Hi

Sorry should have written a bit more - J has never written his whole

history out and has only asked or spoken about things on a need to

know basis or as example / reference when similar things come up -

The thyroid problem goes back 3 decades - not sure how much or what

info you need so will do a potted history - brace yourself -

*******

J's suffered severe hyperthyroid crisis --Graves-- in his early 20's -

treated with I-131- left slightly hyper - leading to anxiety and

rebound depression --in retrospect probably due adrenal exhaustion--

treated for approx 14 years until 1993 with low dose benzo's on a PRN

basis --intermittent use no signs of addiction - tolerance or dose

increase cravings etc-- and occasional 3 month courses of tricyclics

for depressive symptoms - told caused by benzo's - but now queries

thyroid / adrenal exhaustion - During this period despite ill health

he worked - purchased a 5 bed roomed house with pool - outbuildings

and 4 acres of land and sustained a happy and comfortable family life

for partner & 3 children -

Early 93 he coped well with house move and shortly after dealt with

being involved in a severe RTA in Feb / Mar 93 - The move instigated

a change of Dr later that year who stopped the benzo's in Aug 93 - no

withdrawal - no withdrawal symptoms per se - at the same time the Dr

introduced Lustral --Zoloft-- 100mg - quickly increased to 150mg ---

later med notes state this is when everything started to fall to

pieces--- health deteriorated - anxiety and then depressive symptoms -

bilateral goitre developed which is in med notes along with reference

to significant weight loss -

After about 4 weeks swapped to Prozac 60mg which increased the anxiety

to new heights - and Melleril was introduced to deal with the anxiety

- akathisia is mentioned in notes - 4 weeks later swapped back to

Lustral 200mg along with the Melleril - This Lustral - Prozac -

Lustral swap induce suicidal ideation with intent - resulting in

suicide attempt and hospitalisation - 6 shots of ECT administered

whilst still on SSRI - Lithium introduced after 2nddose of ECT -

After three weeks in hospital discharged - SSRIs - Melleril & lithium

treatment continued - trial and error working through SSRI brands with

no stabilization or improvement - eventually swapped to Effexor with

the Melleryl & lithium - no real stabilization was achieved -

Following seizures --new symptom-- and diagnosis of epilepsy Dec 95

saw the introduction of Neurontin -

This 4 drug treatment continued until 2001 when Melleril was stopped

cold turkey by Dr because it was taken off list - Due to anxiety low

dose benzo's were prescribed again on a PRN basis --again intermittent

use - no signs of addiction - tolerance or dose increase cravings etc-

-

From his hospitalisation through to 2002 he managed to continued to

work - renovated the house and continued to sustain family life

despite developing ADRs including repeated bursistis in elbows -

prostate problems - tics and tardive dyskinesia which increased in

severity - Also potassium levels monitored during treatment have

increased and have remained above reference range -

In 2002 whilst sailing a boat from the UK to Ireland he developed

Serotonin Syndrome and skin shedding on feet - following which J

undertook a controlled taper off the 3 remaining drugs - first the

lithium - then Effexor and finally the Neurontin - completed taper

July 2003 - The benzo's were stopped following completion of

withdrawal as Dr's reluctant to continue prescribing -

Until 2003 J had not connected the thyroid condition with the

initiation of MH problems -

During final stages and following withdrawal - stabilized blood sugar

problems and addressed residual symptoms with diet and supplements -

Managing anxiety with calcium and magnesium - and getting buzzed up -

-a spontaneous -but short lived- over reaction when challenged

mentally or physically - like a severe adrenal rush-- with distraction

techniques and when all else fails removing himself --when possible--

from stimulus - This problem has persisted although external

stressors have reduced as other issues have started resolving -

Also during this period intermittent appearance of goitre - most

recent thyroid blood tests results show High TSH and low T3 -

indicates low thyroid function -

Routine checks have shown cholesterol levels elevated and BP increased

to point where referral to cardiologist was deemed necessary -----

Note: previous to withdrawal BP and cholesterol test results

considered normal for age / gender -

Introduction of slow release niacin Vit B3 to reduce LDL and increase

HDL cholesterol - increasing dosage 4 stages - Starting dose 350mg

and 1st increase to 500mg OK --- 2nd increase 750mg developed cough

--- 3rd increase to 1000mg caused chest pains - sent to A & E --ER--

with BP 225/140 - beta blocker Atenolol 50mg prescribed - reluctantly

accepted and started and the B3 simultaneously reduced to 500mg -

During the first week of taking the Atenolol he developed the

following problems - lethargy - coldness of limbs - return of leg pain

- fuggy head - slowness of thought and speech - 7lb weight loss -

persistent urination - dehydration - drooping lower eyelids - black

circles under eyes etc - He eventually collapsed with a serious

hypotensive episode requiring A & E admission - They told him to stop

the Atenolol -

--- big sigh from me ---

Since then ----- on occasions when he has become aware that his BP is

going up to an unacceptable level - he has self medicated with 1/3 of

an Atenolol tablet - When he does this the symptoms return and

persist - during the few days following this he is subdued - not

getting buzzed up - but does gets fussed and pestered - which makes

other symptoms worse -

Cholesterol blood test this morning show LDL moderately raised - and

HDL unacceptably low - indicates HDL still needs to be raised -

Atenolol reduces HDL along with blood pressure making matter worse in

respect of cholesterol levels -

Query SSRI / Effexor induced BP / cardio problems and are they going

to respond to *normal* treatments in the way Dr`s expect ?

**************

Having discussed this with J my gut feeling ---PLEASE don't slap my

wrist too hard --- and I stress I'm only saying this because

J is one person who has taken them intermittently - but consistently

for decades without addiction problems - Would be to request

reintroduction of benzo's to stabilize / reduce BP and inhibit the

getting buzzed up - This would remove the dangers associated with the

very high BP without the beta blocker caused ADRs and give time for

the B3 to raise HDL - Whilst a clear head and some functionality

would give space to sort out where to go from here and what

alternative remedies to introduce to resolve the problems -

J has dictated this in stages today over the phone - I've help write

it out because he has never voiced his whole story on the board -

having found it overwhelming and impossible to put into words - You

know his nature - he's a 22 - a fighter - but the drugs and

withdrawal have not been the only fight he has been dealing with over

the past 4 years - although it has been responsible for all the others

- Including family breakdown - exclusion from family home -

discrimination - stigma and victimisation by local residents resulting

in ostracism from the village he'd lived in happily for 10 years -

Along with all the associated - resulting legal issues to try and re-

establish contact with his children - his status and standing in the

community and to get acknowledgement by establishments and authorities

of the wider problems caused by drugs side effect - the drugs problems

in there own right and being given incorrect and unnecessary treatment

- not only on his own behalf - but for the benefit of others past -

present and future -

He has gained acceptance of everything that has happened - but until

these processes are completed - he feels he cannot gain the release of

forgiveness - He's also feeling that maybe taking these steps he's

not helping himself - whilst underneath knowing that not tackling

these issues would be worse - As he put it - he`s feeling a bit like

`a spent bullet' at the moment - but if the BP issue can be sorted I

think he'll bounce back on form - Being --again as he put -- `a pig

headed Arian male' I have no doubts -

Tues and

PS - Note ref: Niacin B3 - since starting this supplement J has had a

marked improvement in the skin on his feet - the white powdery

discharge in the fischer has cleared completely - the skin itself is

smoother and the red tide mark has reduced - The circulation and

feeling --PN symptoms-- in his legs and feet has improved - where the

skin lacked most sensitivity to touch - the sensitivity to light touch

is returning and the no longer feel numb when touched - Also even at

the highest dose he has had no facial flushing -