Destressed Over Husband's Depression

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2004
Destressed Over Husband's Depression
6
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 1:40am
This is the first time I've posted a message on any board. However, I am so desperate to understand my husband's condition.

In 1996 he was "finally" properly diagnosed with Graves Disease. And after careful consideration, he choose the Radioactive Iodine treatment and subsequent Levothyroxin medication. Serveral long years later, he finally seemed to "stabilize".

However, for the past three months, my husband has been spiriling downward into a deep depression. But his symptoms seemed all too familar for hyperthyroidism: sleeplessness, anxiety, weight loss (over 20lbs in two months), sweating, delirium, etc... Since his job requires mental concentration, he's finally taken a medical-leave-of-absents from work.

He has an appointment to see a new endocrinologist November 24th, but I couldn't bear to wait that long. So we went in to see our family doctor. He insist that, although the T3 and T4 are "slightly high", my husband's "condition" is not related to the thyroid and that he should seek psychiatric help and then prescribed Wellbutrin XL.

Is that it!!! Please, there must be something going on?

I guess my question is: Could the "slightly high" readings account for my husband's sudden "worsening condition" or is the doctor right, "it's all in his head"?

Please, has anyone experienced a similar situation? What did you do? I am frantic. What should I do?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 8:57am


Hi:

There are people on this board with experience with Graves and will be able to give you feedback on the labs. I just wanted to post my support to you and say that you're instincts are probably correct and it's always a good idea to 'listen' to your 'gut.' The new endocrinologist will hopefully be able to shed more light... but I know how hard the wait is when your daily life is a struggle!

I also just wanted to say how much I'm beginning to hate the word "slightly"... it infuriates me how there's an unspoken comparison to some statistical norm that frankly has no meaning when it comes to our individual well-being! What's important is how his labs compare now with his labs from when HE is symptom-free, not some range of normal pre-determined by the lab. Do you have copies of his labs from when he was feeling better to compare? And MORE important is the fact that he's having symptoms---! Don't stop until you find someone who will really help him with the symptoms.

Good luck, and hang in there. It's great that he has you as an advocate.

Take care,

Dee.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2004
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 12:14pm
Dear dee571,

Thank you for your kind words.

I wish we did have his previous lab reports. In the future, I'm going to insist upon it. Beforehand, I had left everything up to my husband, but now I believe I should take over. He's in a great state of confusion, that's why I was so surprised when our doctor said it was "definitly not his thyroid". His hands tremble, and even his eyes have that familar wide-eyed stare at times.

After reading several conversations from various messages, I'm wondering about the labratories results and the differences in the way testing and interpretions are done. (I.e., FreeT3 and FreeT4) If his lab reports are the same, could his age or some other factor make it necessary to adjust his doseage? Also, would you consider anti-depression medication as part of the "treatment" or a "bandaid" to the underlining problem? Would going to a psychiatrist help my husband if his true problem is the hyperthroidism or some other medical cause? Shouldn't these things be ruled out first? Or does it make sense to seek a psychiatist simultaneously?

Sorry, too many questions--I think I am going crazy too!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 2:30pm

Hi! I am newly diagnosed with Graves.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2003
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 4:09pm
This might sound a little off, but my husband had similar symptoms and when his sugar was checked they diagnosed diabetes. Has he had a complete blood profile or did the doctor only check the thyroid?

Just a thought.

Mary
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 4:21pm
Hi and welcome - I'm sorry that you and your husband are facing such a difficult situation. It's good that you have the appointment this month with the new endo because I'm not certain your family doc knows what he's doing!

The fact that your husband's T3 and T4 are high - and they really aren't slighty high but truly high - is because he is producing too much thyroid hormone!!! More than his body can use. And since he's already taking medication, his body is going into hyper- drive!! Not a medical condition, I just thought it seemed appropriate. You may want to point out to your family doc that the normal ranges for T4 are between 0.7 and 2.0. And the normal range for Free T3 is 2.3 to 4.2. I am NOT a medical expert of any kind but it seems that your husband needs his medication reduced. He has too much in his system. I could be wrong about this but that's what it seems like to me. His symptoms are classic hyper symptoms.

The fact that he's depressed is most likely related only to his thyroid and nothing else -unless you have some particular stressors in your lives that he might be reacting to. But otherwise, the thyroid is probably the source of his feelings. And that's very common. It's also common for doctors to overlook that and prescribe anti-depressants. So it's a wise decision you've made not to take them at this point.

Two excellent books on this are Living Well with Hypothyroidism, by Mary Shomon and The Thyroid Solution, by Dr. Ridha Arem. If you can only get one book, get Dr. Arem's. He talks specifically about how the thyroid effects our emotions and can be the cause of all kinds of mental health issues.

I'm glad you found us!! I hope this helps a bit. If there's anything I missed, let me know. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Try to hang in there. If your new endo is any good, he or she will recognize the problem right away. If you can't get anywhere with your family doc, perhaps you can call the endo and get the lab results faxed over there and discuss it on the phone. How much Levothyroxine is your husband taking? Cathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2004
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 10:23pm
Thank you so much for all your input. This is just what I needed.

I am sorry I hadn't had the chance to respond until now. Today was a very bad day. My husband has been walking the floors and muttering to himself. Last night he never slept and today I couldn't get him to stay in bed for more than 10 minutes.

I think you are all right. Just like April, this is not the husband I've known for 22 years. So I'm going to seek a second opinion. I don't think he can wait until the 24th to see the endocrinologist; although we will still keep that important appointment. I'm taking him in to see another doctor tomorrow and I will have his lab report faxed over to him as well.

Right now he is taking 112MCG of Levothyroxin. If the doctor does decided to lower his dosage, I wonder how long it would take for his body to respond?

This is a horrible horrible disease. I have so much empathy for all you dear people who are suffering as my husband is. God bless you all.