Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 775111

Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?

Posted by stargazer2 on August 9, 2007, at 18:14:18

I have just had an endocrine workup on Monday. The nurse practitioner was very thorough and quite knowledgable. I'm actually glad I saw her instead of the endocrinologist who was booked until March of 2008!

I had alot of bloods drawn on Wed, and then immediately started on a tiny dose (25 mcg) of Synthroid, which after a week I will increase to 50 mcg. After 2 days I feel slightly better, in that I have more energy and almost feel like I am waking up wondering why I'm not working and feeling very out of sorts with why this has occurred to me. To be disabled with depression for so long, with no ability to work or get better despite trying as hard as I know how.

I haven't been able to work in over a year. I just really gave up working to try and find an answer to why I was so depressed and had not responded to any and all meds I've tried for many years.

Could this be the missing link to my treatment resistent depression? If it is I will be very happy, but also very angry that something so simple could have turned my life around before I wasted more than 20 years with med trials. It has been hell and I now see my lost years as preventing me from ever working again. Every job I've had over the 20 years with depression, I just barely functioned in and I never left with good references I can use today. I have no previous work contacts (too depressed) and that is what prevents me from looking for another job. I feel like all the years I worked were wasted since I was always depressed and struggling to get by each day. I always quit before I would "snap", without a good reason but doing it to survive at the time.

Anyone else relate to my situation? I am so afraid of the future since I don't see a place for me in it. The depression has prevented me from feeling good about myself for so long and even though I have worked, I have poor self esteem and fear looking for another job especially if my depression is not better. I want a life but since I haven't really had one, I find it hard to be around non-depressed people who have never been where I have. I can't explain what I have gone through and why I haven't been able to work.

Hopefully, this sliver of hope from this workup will give me the strength to push myself into finding a place in life now, since it has been defined exclusively by depression for so long and that is not living, but dying a slow death.

Stargazer

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence? » stargazer2

Posted by Quintal on August 9, 2007, at 20:37:45

In reply to Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by stargazer2 on August 9, 2007, at 18:14:18

Interesting stargazer. You sound a bit brighter too. I took Synthroid once for about a week and definitely brightened my mood. Did the tests show your thyroid function was underactive?

Q

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?

Posted by JohnnyBLinux on August 9, 2007, at 21:50:01

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence? » stargazer2, posted by Quintal on August 9, 2007, at 20:37:45

You're not alone there, stargazer2. Thyroid disorders *can* cause psychological problems when left unchecked / undiagnosed (i.e. hyper/hypothyroidism). Cheers...

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?

Posted by Phillipa on August 9, 2007, at 22:13:29

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on August 9, 2007, at 21:50:01

Stargazer even though you may now have an answer to part of the problem why are they upping the med in two days as it takes six weeks to show a real change. I'm sure if it was at an endos they did the hasimotos thyroiditis tests as also they must have checked for Graves which is overactive. With thyroid meds you will feel better when the level is between land 3 the optimal new ranges for today. But you will still require meds. Just as my neice takes zoloft with hers and funny as saw my pdoc two days ago and we talked about thyroid again and she says it really messes up the mind with depression or anxiety or both. And more psych patients do have thyroid problems. Don't get upset at the word autoimmune as most thyroid disorders are autoimmune. It's not scarey doesn't mean you have any other autoimmune diseases I've been checked for most all negative. So glad you found out as when I was exactly your age mine started . About 6 days after starting 25mcg felt like my ears popped open like a cold and I was at work and instantly felt better. Must take on an empty stomach as I'm sure you know. There are a lot of thyroid forums too. Love Phillipa

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?

Posted by Phillipa on August 9, 2007, at 22:17:18

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by Phillipa on August 9, 2007, at 22:13:29

Oh my neices started when she was pregnant and had gestational diabetes which resolved a while after childbirth. And she's not med resistant zoloft works very well for her. Love Phillipa. Might want to see if any family members have it too. I made sure all my kids although grown got tested so far so good. Love Phillipa

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?

Posted by stargazer2 on August 10, 2007, at 11:14:49

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by Phillipa on August 9, 2007, at 22:17:18

No way Phillipa, I have been banned by my family for being so reliant on the medical profession for all of my worries. No one even believes in depression. My mother criticises me everytime I mention a new doctor. She tells me i caused my own problems, so don't think every family want to know everything I am going through or even care.

SG

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?

Posted by sometimesblue on August 10, 2007, at 11:41:14

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by stargazer2 on August 10, 2007, at 11:14:49

I can sympathize with that Star, my mom sees me taking pills and says that "everytime i have a problem i turn to pills"...she doesn't get that some of us need that extra help, we can't all *fix* ourselves.

> No one even believes in depression. My mother criticises me everytime I mention a new doctor. She tells me i caused my own problems...

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Work Issues/See Work

Posted by stargazer2 on August 10, 2007, at 15:58:32

In reply to Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by stargazer2 on August 9, 2007, at 18:14:18

I have a real dilemma with trying to ever get a job, it involves personal references. Can you get a job without them? I have left so many jobs and never have gotten a good reference because of the way I left, usually abruptly without any eplantion that really explains why I quit. I never looked at the reality of leaving and what it would do for my future employability. Am I screwed? See my thoughts under Work posts and give me some advice if you can, I don't know how to begin again after a year of unemployment. I'm not sure I'm ready yet either but without work I really don't feel like I will ever contribute again to being useful and I would like to help my husband out since the stress of supporting the two of us is obvious. Any suggestions are appreciated if you've experienced the same problems I am now. Thanks...

Stargazer

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Work Issues/See Work » stargazer2

Posted by Phillipa on August 10, 2007, at 18:08:38

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Work Issues/See Work, posted by stargazer2 on August 10, 2007, at 15:58:32

EBAY for us. Fun and profit. Love Phillipa

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence? » stargazer2

Posted by Maxime on August 11, 2007, at 20:55:44

In reply to Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by stargazer2 on August 9, 2007, at 18:14:18

I haven't read any of the responses, so I am sorry if I repeat anything that has been said.

ANYONE who suffers from depression should always have their thyroid levels checked before starting any ADs and whoever originally started to treat your depression should have know that.

You are probably experiencing a placebo effect from the Synthroid. Usually it take about a month to stabilise your blood levels etc. If it were Cytomel, then yes, you would feel the effects right away.

I've been hypothyroid for over 10 years (that I am aware of). I used to take 175 mcg of Synthroid. Recently I found an endo who let me try a combo of Cytomel and synthroid and I feel less depressed.

If your blood tests reveal that you are NOT hypothyroid, then you should try Cytomel instead of the Synthroid.

I hope you feel better soon.

Maxime


> I have just had an endocrine workup on Monday. The nurse practitioner was very thorough and quite knowledgable. I'm actually glad I saw her instead of the endocrinologist who was booked until March of 2008!
>
> I had alot of bloods drawn on Wed, and then immediately started on a tiny dose (25 mcg) of Synthroid, which after a week I will increase to 50 mcg. After 2 days I feel slightly better, in that I have more energy and almost feel like I am waking up wondering why I'm not working and feeling very out of sorts with why this has occurred to me. To be disabled with depression for so long, with no ability to work or get better despite trying as hard as I know how.
>
> I haven't been able to work in over a year. I just really gave up working to try and find an answer to why I was so depressed and had not responded to any and all meds I've tried for many years.
>
> Could this be the missing link to my treatment resistent depression? If it is I will be very happy, but also very angry that something so simple could have turned my life around before I wasted more than 20 years with med trials. It has been hell and I now see my lost years as preventing me from ever working again. Every job I've had over the 20 years with depression, I just barely functioned in and I never left with good references I can use today. I have no previous work contacts (too depressed) and that is what prevents me from looking for another job. I feel like all the years I worked were wasted since I was always depressed and struggling to get by each day. I always quit before I would "snap", without a good reason but doing it to survive at the time.
>
> Anyone else relate to my situation? I am so afraid of the future since I don't see a place for me in it. The depression has prevented me from feeling good about myself for so long and even though I have worked, I have poor self esteem and fear looking for another job especially if my depression is not better. I want a life but since I haven't really had one, I find it hard to be around non-depressed people who have never been where I have. I can't explain what I have gone through and why I haven't been able to work.
>
> Hopefully, this sliver of hope from this workup will give me the strength to push myself into finding a place in life now, since it has been defined exclusively by depression for so long and that is not living, but dying a slow death.
>
> Stargazer

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Work Issues/See Work » stargazer2

Posted by Maxime on August 11, 2007, at 20:57:51

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Work Issues/See Work, posted by stargazer2 on August 10, 2007, at 15:58:32

I don't know if they exist where you live, but there are places that help people get jobs who have mental illness or have been out of the workplace because of mental illness. I have never used one myself because I always feared that I would end up with the most boring job, but it might be worth looking into. You have to start somewhere, right?

Maxime

 

Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence? » stargazer2

Posted by Maxime on August 11, 2007, at 20:59:52

In reply to Re: Endocrine Workup...Answers to Med resistence?, posted by stargazer2 on August 10, 2007, at 11:14:49

*MASSIVE HUGS*
I am in the same boat. :( Last year I was in a psych hospital for 3 months and my mum and brother visited TWICE. They want nothing to do with my problems.

Maxime


> No way Phillipa, I have been banned by my family for being so reliant on the medical profession for all of my worries. No one even believes in depression. My mother criticises me everytime I mention a new doctor. She tells me i caused my own problems, so don't think every family want to know everything I am going through or even care.
>
> SG


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