Anxiety and Your Thyroid

According to a study published in Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, individuals who suffered from hypothyroidism showed a prevalence in anxiety symptoms of 63% (Bathla, 2016). Hypothyroidism is a condition that comes from having an under active thyroid. The gland itself does not produce enough vital hormones which means a person would need to take synthetic hormones for the rest of their life. Several symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, sensitivity to cold, muscle weakness, weight gain, depression, and anxiety. Did that last symptom shock you? It surprised me when I was diagnosed with the condition 8 years ago. 

My whole family has thyroid issues. Both my dad and sister had their thyroids removed due to the risk of cancer. My grandparents had nodules in their thyroids, and my mother has nodules on her thyroid. I thought my family’s unfortunate bond over thyroid issues was uncommon, but to my surprise almost 20 million people have some form of thyroid disease (thyroid.org, 2020).

As far back as I can remember I always felt very sluggish- physically and mentally. I never had the energy for anything. I would lay on the couch, super tired, and need two or three blankets to cover me because of how cold I felt. My brain was also just a foggy mess. I was very forgetful and constantly felt like I was "on edge". My anxiety was bad, but I convinced myself there had to be more to it. After researching my symptoms online, I called an endocrinologist whom my sister had recommended and scheduled a doctor’s appointment.

After discussing my symptoms with the doctor, she ran a thyroid function test. The test looks at your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and your thyroxine (T4). A "normal" TSH level should be between 0.4-4.0 mIU/L and T4 between 5.0 to 12.0 μg/dL. My levels were on the low end for both tests. My range was considered "normal" based on test measures. This happens to many patients that are on the low end of the scale and some doctors believe that those levels are completely normal. My doctor on the other hand said she wanted to put me on thyroid medication and see how I would fare in 3 months. It took experimenting with a few different medications, additional diagnoses of hashimoto's disease (the cause of hypothyroidism) and having insulin resistance, to finally say that my thyroid numbers are where they should be. I feel more like myself with each passing day.

Now, this is not to say that the main cause of your anxiety or depression may be your thyroid, just that it could be a factor. For me personally, once I started on the medication, both my depression as well as my anxiety improved! It's a good idea to get yourself checked out by a doctor to make sure that there are not any other underlying issues that may cause or contribute to your anxiety or depression. Although I feel better than I did a few years ago, unfortunately, my friend Mr. Anxiety is still around. It's a work in progress but my anxiety is something that is more manageable now.

*The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

References: 

1. Bathla, M., Singh, M., & Relan, P. (2016). Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with hypothyroidism. Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911835/

2. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.thyroid.org/hashimotos-thyroiditis/