Guest guest Posted December 7, 2004 Report Share Posted December 7, 2004 Majeed... First, welcome to the group...there are many good people with much to share! My introduction to hypothyroidism began much the same way as yours. After the birth of my third son, I suffered from unexplained anxiety and weight loss. Because I was " postpartum " my doctors assumed the anxiety was related to childbirth. It became so bad that I was hospitalized. I was not released until I agreed to take antidepressants. (for the safety of my children). I reluctantly agreed, just so I could go home. SSRI's like the one that you are on, work by causing brain neurons to fire excessively, releasing and taking up neurochemical. Unfortunately the body interprets this excessive firing as a defect, and actually seeks to destroy the malfunctioning neurons. Leaving you with less functioning neurons in the end. This is what makes it incredibly difficult to get off of these meds. It takes a long time for these neurons to regenerate. They will! but it takes time. We have difficulty sleeping during treatment with these drugs, because it leaves our brains in a constant state of arousal. And in general, a different medication is needed in conjunction with SSRI's to produce sleep. Are you on one? I was put on Klonopin. A very powerful, addictive anti-convulsant. Anyway, I continued on the meds only getting worse, and then I decided I could not live that way anymore, and I just flushed them all! I know I should have done it slower, but I saw no other way. It took me at least three months to feel remotely normal again. After I got off all the antidepressants, I saw a holistic practitioner, and she did many different tests...thats when my thyroid problems were discovered. " postpartum thyroiditis " was the official diagnosis. I would go between hyper and hypo states. She did not know why at the time...that was figured this year finally. But, with the administration of Armour, and now Synthroid..I have NEVER had another anxious moment. Gone.. Because of the time I spent on the SSRI's, I sometimes have trouble concentrating...and falling to sleep. I'm told it could take years to recover but that it is possible. The dangers of these medications are real... And the longer you take them, the greater the damage. good luck to you! please keep us posted... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2004 Report Share Posted December 7, 2004 I think you should just take Armour, be sure to get enough to relieve symptoms. Definately try to get off antiDs--if you are still depressed then get low dose cortisol, which really works. You could try DHEA too. You should be able to sleep well on enough Armour and d/c antiDs. If not, then cortisol will help. Are you in the US? Gracia > > > > I truly wish the best health to every and single one who has ever > suffered from thyroid disorder as me. > > My name is Majeed and I have a 3 year history of Thyroid > disorder.The onset of the disease stared with Hyperthyroidism and I > wound up Hypo after 6 month /2 of them were treatment of PTU ( to > lower T4 levels). > > > I have suffered for 16 months , being Hypo without doctors listening > to my symptoms and just dismissing it as it is in my head. > > > Anyway, I have been diagnosed with Hashimito's with the pressure > on my DO, who is helpful, but somewhat was slow to figure out the > myriad of symptoms that I was complaining about, which in fact where > all classical symptoms of hypo. > > I am on Armour Thyroid + Levoxl.( 90 MG Armour + 25 Levoxl). > > > I really need your support as I have gone/going thru difficult times. > > My problem now is Suppressed sleep quality due to Antidepressants. > AS I mentioned before, when I was hypo, I was just desperate to get > any treatment because i literally felt like a dead person physically > and mentally . They referred me to a shrink who started me on > Effexor. stayed on it for a year and switched to Lexapro, with the > help of my DO. > > > After the correct diagnosis of Hashimitos, I realized that I was > totally betrayed by doctors and them prescribing a medication is not > the correct one for my thyroiditis > > > Is it possible to have a normal life without depending on > antidepressant as now my metabolism have improved , so many aspect > have imporved, but yet I feel that it is the cause of my diminished > quality sleep and also diminshed quality of life. > > > > I need to hear a true story from you, because I am planning for next > year to wean off antidepressants, develop a plan for alternative > therapy. > > > > Best of health to us all. > > Peace . > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2004 Report Share Posted December 8, 2004 I'd like to add an amen to what is said here. I have been diagnosed as Hashimoto's hypothyroid, my children also have symptoms of hypo, one to the extent he was treated with the antidepressants and medications for pain. I was the observer in this situation and had not been diagnosed myself at the time. Since my diagnosis I have medicated under a dr. prescription but adjusting it myself when I couldn't get cooperation from them. And if that means I have to buy meds online, I will now. I prefer to do it with the regular prescription. I became hyper on the very tiny amount prescribed, the dr. said to quit taking it, I had worse symptoms when I quit, so began my research. I had to learn what I needed to know because only I knew my body. I also had very weak adrenals which were not tested or addressed by the dr. I have probably been Hashi's most of my life with increasing and decreasing symptoms which has caused the adrenal fatigue. With good nutrition I had pretty much kept the symptoms under control so that I could function. It was still stressing my body. It explains a lot of what I have experienced throughout my life. My son who was treated with the antidepressants, experienced most of his symptoms when he was maturing at 18-20 as did the other children. I think it has to do with the body's adjusting of natural hormones and not having as much raw material as is needed. He has since, in the last 3 years gotten off the pain meds, vioxx was one, and the antidepressants. He did that under a dr. supervision and advise. He has also gotten interested in diet and nutrition and tells me what I should be doing! He found that his headaches and stomach problems were related to a wheat allergy when he began the atkins diet to lose weight. He is now doing well, lost weight and no depression. I still worry that at some time the depression will come again. I think he might feel better on some replacement meds but he wants to do it without a prescription. I will support him in that as much as I can. We almost had to hospitalize him when he was his most depressed. I have a long family history of the thyroid symptoms and depression but never diagnosed. If you are newly diagnosed, learn all you can. Read the previous posts here, do the searches, read the books on the market. Each of us respond in a different way to the same circumstances. I teach school and it also worries me the number of young people I see who I think would benefit from some thyroid testing or treatment. Dr. shop if you need to, to find one who will listen and work with you to medicate your condition. I would say use self medication as a last resort. My concern was and is " If I need to be hospitalized, how will I get the meds if I am self medicating? " I'm not sure any of the drs. have as much knowledge as needed where the thyroid is concerned. I have seen many over the years and it was never even mentioned that it could be the problem for me. Even the endocronoligist I saw who ran the blood test for the Hashi's kept telling me I would test negative. I stayed with it until the test was run and the diagnosis was made. The same endo now has me on meds for life. Joan > Majeed... > > First, welcome to the group...there are many good people with much to > share! > My introduction to hypothyroidism began much the same way as yours. > After the birth of my third son, I suffered from unexplained anxiety and > weight > loss. Because I was " postpartum " my doctors assumed the anxiety was > related to childbirth. > It became so bad that I was hospitalized. I was not released until I agreed > to take > antidepressants. (for the safety of my children). > I reluctantly agreed, just so I could go home. > > SSRI's like the one that you are on, work by causing brain neurons to fire > excessively, releasing and taking up neurochemical. > Unfortunately the body interprets this excessive firing as a defect, and > actually > seeks to destroy the malfunctioning neurons. > Leaving you with less functioning neurons in the end. This is what makes it > incredibly difficult to get off of these meds. > It takes a long time for these neurons to regenerate. They will! but it > takes time. > We have difficulty sleeping during treatment with these drugs, because it > leaves our brains in a constant state of arousal. > And in general, a different medication is needed in conjunction with SSRI's > to > produce sleep. Are you on one? > I was put on Klonopin. A very powerful, addictive anti-convulsant. > > Anyway, I continued on the meds only getting worse, and then I decided I could > not live that way anymore, and I just flushed them all! > > I know I should have done it slower, but I saw no other way. > It took me at least three months to feel remotely normal again. > After I got off all the antidepressants, I saw a holistic practitioner, and > she did many different tests...thats when my thyroid problems were > discovered. " postpartum thyroiditis " was the official diagnosis. > I would go between hyper and hypo states. She did not know why at > the time...that was figured this year finally. > But, with the administration of Armour, and now Synthroid..I have > NEVER had another anxious moment. Gone.. > Because of the time I spent on the SSRI's, I sometimes have trouble > concentrating...and falling to sleep. I'm told it could take years to recover > but that it is possible. > The dangers of these medications are real... > And the longer you take them, the greater the damage. > > good luck to you! > please keep us posted... > . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 Read the book Critical Condition on healthcare in this country!!! They are really telling it like it is, but maybe nobody but us is listening. Much of accepted healthcare is dangerous and just does not work. Gracia > > > I'd like to add an amen to what is said here. I have been diagnosed > as Hashimoto's hypothyroid, my children also have symptoms of hypo, > one to the extent he was treated with the antidepressants and > medications for pain. I was the observer in this situation and had > not been diagnosed myself at the time. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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