Cathy, I definately will keep you posted. I have suspected I have hypothyroidism for quite sometime, but figured since it came back normal I was okay. Once again, I really appreciate it.

Cyclothymic Disorder....Yes, that's it, I believe. I could have just been getting bad cocktails from my doctor, who never really seemed to know quite what to do with me anyway. Nothing ever seemed to make me feel any better....all they did was deaden me inside. Sure, I didn't feel the mental pain, worry, panic, sadness or any of the other bad things....but I didn't feel the happy, colorful, passionate things either. My friends and family have mentioned that my personality was totally turned off while I was being medicated and it did always feel like I was merely on auto pilot instead of really living. Since I've been off the meds, I feel more alive even if I do sometimes have to struggle (and sometimes wonder if I shouldn't go back on meds afterall during the rough times)...but then it passes and I'm fine and know that I can do it. I'm not a danger to anyone and have too firm a belief in God to ever consider suicide, I just deal with my emotions and mood swings myself.

good advice deafinlysmart. a lot of illnesses do resemble each other and the doc is the only one who can advise on that

flowergirl i had the same experience with meds. my first doc used to pump me full of pills. very high doses that left me a vegetable. nothing had an effect on me but it wasn't a life it was an existence and there was no joy. there was an underlying sadness but it just sat there nothing surfaced. i am glad to be off those nasty pills

I thought I didn't want to be on my pills either, but after a summer of being off of them I changed my mind. I couldn't concentrate for anything. I lost everything I touched like 2 driver's licenses, a cell phone, my graduation gown, several sets of keys..etc. I couldn't remember what my husband said to me 5 min ago (he would try to continue the convo and I would be lost) much less that he HAD TALKED to me 5 minutes ago. It was crazy and something I had never experienced before. Perhaps I COULD live with the depression, etc, but I couldn't live with the inability to function. Strange huh. It all started after the birth of my 3rd child.

i'm still on meds but they are lower doses and i am no longer on mood stabilisers anticonvulsants or antipsychotics. one day i would like to be without them all. i am training myself to think differently about things and improve my coping skills and it helps

you made me laugh with losing stuff i did the same thing. my therapist tried to teach me 'mindfulness' and being more consciously aware of what i was doing and where i put down my keys etc. i used to get in such a tizz i had no idea where anything was. it was a standing joke with me losing keys and other things. cost me a fortune too in replacement keys and locksmiths etc

OK Cathy.....here it is-
The only test they ran was the TSH of course, and it was 1.92. Well in the normal range. So the doc prescribed Celexa for the depression. I did start to take it, hoping that until I find another cause I'll at least feel better in the interim. It is keeping me nauseous.
I made an appointment with the DO for next Friday, and I think I will (show him the labwork of course) ask about homone imbalances also. The symptoms can mimic thyroid problems.

Pumpingiron - since we have been talking about this, I know you will understand where I'm coming from - but I just have to explain something - just ignore me if you don't want to think anymore about it - but I would not be able to forgive myself if I don't at least share what I have found to be true over the past 6 years.

All they ran was the TSH. The TSH is very unreliable and is not the tests that need to be run to at least make sure that you do not have an underlying thyroid problem. They would need to run the Free T3, Free T4 and antibodies tests.

Just bec your TSH was 1.92 and "well within the normal range" does not mean that your thyroid is normal. (remember mine was 2.7 and even lower for 20 years and I went untreated). Perhaps your thyroid IS normal but this test alone cannot determine that. People with better TSH numbers than yours are finding out that they actually do have a thyroid problem when the correct tests are done.

As I posted earlier in this thread, this gal had bloodwork done and her TSH looked really close to yours, but the Free T3 and Free T4 tests showed that her thyroid was low and the antibodies tests showed that she has thyroid antibodies that are fighting the thyroid hormone that she does have in her body.

"TSH - 1.7
FREE T4 - .7 (.8-1.8)
FREE T3 - 90 (60-180)
Also, her antibodies were 126 & 146"

Also (and I don't know if this applies to you or not) when someone is taking antidepressants and/or birth control pills, the TSH is even more unreliable.

I am not telling you what to do, but if I were you, and knowing what I know now, I would at least have the other thyroid tests done. You can ask your doc to do them at the same time he runs the tests for hormone imbalances or you can request the tests yourself thru healthcheckusa.com

Ok - I won't bother you with this anymore - unless you ask me about something.

hugs & concern,
Cathy

pumping how long have you been taking the celexa? it can take a couple of weeks for side effects to iron out

as for the thyroid tests it can't hurt to get them done. if i had more symptoms i'd get mine done too. what i really need tho is a good night's sleep. for now i'd settle for 1. but i
d be in heaven if i slept well every night or even a few nights a week

Cathy Don't be silly. You are not a bother!! You are very helpful! I will press the thyroid issue more with my next doc. I keep meaning to do the morning temperature test as well, I heard that is a little more reliable than TSH. It's getting tough around here, this problem is starting to hurt my family, and I will not give up until I feel better.
Sweet Pea All I took was one dose and I was severly nauseated for the next 24+ hours. I don't think I can wait even a week for that to subside!! :-(
Drugs make me very nervous, too. I was thinking of trying St. John's Wort until I get to the bottom of the issue.
The reason I feel there is something "wrong" not just plain old depression is that my body temp is always low. Most days it is 97, but I have seen it go down to 96. To me that says hormones. It's just a tough thing to pinpoint.

Oh, and by the way....I am almost done reading Hormones Health and Happiness.....what a great book. I am so happy to know there are good Docs out there still. I might take it with me to my appointment. (March 3rd)

pumping - there is a common misconception that "natural" ADs are safer or better in some way than the ones prescribed by doctors. in fact they have similar chemical interactions and are probably less safe than the ones your doc gives you as there is less testing and research done on them. also St Johns Wort interacts with lots of other things

I know what the nausea etc feels like but one day is not enough for you to give it up and you may have the same reaction with SJW. When you take the pill make sure you take it with food and allow yourself time to rest during the day. you can take ginger root for the nausea or ginger tea. you say you're not going to give up until you feel better so give it a go for a couple more weeks while you are exploring other options. trust me i know how disgusting the nausea feels but it will come right.

Well I am excited... The doc I am switching to is highly recommended by many people in the area. (My health store and also one I happened to pop in to yesterday.) All say he really looks for the cause for problems and doesn't just treat symptoms. I am so relieved....One more week!

Hey, guess what..it is winter, you live in Pennsylvania and you are feeling like hibernating? Have you considered the possibility of Seasonal Affective Disorder?(depression brought on by reduced amounts of daylight thus reduction of natural production of serotonin). I have a firm diagnosis of SAD. I cried on June 21 because I knew the days were getting shorter and celebrated on Dec. 21 because that is when they get longer. Do some reading. There are excellent sites on SAD. Talk to your doctor but if they say "go tanning" they don't know what they are talking about.

I used to use meds starting in September (4-6 weeks to get levels up) and discontinue them in March(Paxil is good if you have SAD). FINALLY I bought a light box(false sunlight, stimulates the brain to produce serotonin) because they became smaller and more affordable www.litebook.com is an example. I have used it this winter and have had NO MEDS...whoo hoo.

My mantra used to be "in my next life I am gonna be a bear" translates to..go to bed in November, stick a DO NOT DISTURB sign on my ***, and get up in April...Now I live the whole year, not just part of it. My friends say I am the same person ...not my autumn/winter sad sack and spring/summer joyous energetic soul. Just a thought...do you feel like this in summer or just in fall and winter?

I am no expert, just experienced.

The answer to the thread topic: EVERY SINGLE DAY!

I know I usually get a mild dose of this every year!!! This year it seems like it is much worse so I feel there is something else at play.
I am exactly like you about wanting to cry on June 21 and starting to feel better on Dec 21!!!!!!! I HATE WINTER. My husband and I are looking into going away to somewhere warm and sunny when it gets crappy here!!