GAD & Hashimoto's Disease Link

Anxious Jenny · Post by **Anxious Jenny** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:52 pm

Hello. I just wanted to ask if anyone on here has been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease (Thyroid disease) and are suffering from anxiety and depression. I'm reading that they may be linked and undetected most of the time. Does anyone have this?

Waldo Hepinstein · Post by **Waldo Hepinstein** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 2:22 pm

Jenny, yes, I have Hashimoto's disease and believe my anxiety is directly related.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:11 am

Yes, I've had Hashimoto's Disease diagnoses for several years now. (For others reading this it is an autoimmunce disease which results in low thyroid). It is a chronic condition that is controlled by supplementing with a thyroid pill.
I've always known that this is directly linked to my depression. Frankly, I never considered a link to anxiety.

If anyone has symptoms of low thyroid, this is diagnosed with a simple blood test.

Can you let us know what you've been reading so we can check it out too? (smile)

Thanks in advance.

Anxious Jenny · Post by **Anxious Jenny** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:12 am

See the thing is, i have Hashimoto's but my thyroid panel came out fine. Meaning I am not Hypo or Hyper! He prescribed be no medication. But, now the more I've read about it, (Over the internet, which is never smart) the more I realize this is something that is very controlled with medication if you do become Hypo. It scared me at first to here I had this and looked up the link between anxiety and Hashi's on the internet right away! Very silly thing to do cause you'll always find something about it, but it's not always true! Thank you for your responses!

Paul R. · Post by **Paul R.** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:06 am

hey jenny,

i have Hashimoto's and was diagnosed 3 years ago.

i had been on synthroid for that time, but have recently switched (as of yesterday) to armour thyroid to try a more natural approach.

so far, so good. my mood has improved and my energy levels are more consistent throughout the day. but, alas, it is only day 2.

i began to suffer symptoms of anxiety back in november of last year, with a tight chest. this went away, only to return in january and february as headaches and dizziness.

they got so bad, i came home one day and got so caught up in the physical symptoms that i had my first panic attack.

i have been on this trail of recovery since then, and switched brands of thyroid hormone (levothyroxine to synthroid to now armour) and dosages (started on 50 mcg which worked great to get me down, but dropped to 25 mcg this past summer and feel less tense and irritable).

through working this program, lots of exercise and prayer, support from family, God, and reassurance from my counselor and doctor, i am getting better.

now, i have always had anxiety issues, i just never recognized them before.

and they certainly never became so debillitating as this past spring.

heck- i found out that i had hashimoto's because of the anxiety attacks that i had from my job. i thought that it was food poisoning, as i would always get queasy, extreme nervousness and stomach cramps going into my toxic job.

blood worked revealed the real problem.

sooo...i have been working hard on my anxiety, and getting to a place where i am not blaming my thyroid anymore.

i had anxiety before being diagnosed as hypothyroid before, even though i never knew it.