When you're tired and depressed, it could be your thyroid.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

One of five American women is estimated to have a dead or low functioning thyroid. it happens in men too.

When you're tired, exhausted, and sleep all the time, you can get depressed real easily. It is often misdiagnosed by doctors. They also like to give people synthetic thyroid (Synthroid or Cytomel) instead of the cheap natural stuff, Armour Thyroid, which is a meat packing plant byproduct. Doctors often also go by the blood tests instead of how the patient feels.

My mother had Hashimoto's thyroid which killed hers when she was about 10 or 12. She had a lifelong problem with depression. She took Armour thyroid for 70 years.

The same thing happened to me. I got Hashimoto's and my thyroid died when I was ten or twelve. I've taken Armour thyroid since then which has been about 40 years now. And I've had serious problems with depression too. I'm on antidepressants at the moment as well.

At one point, a stupid internist in San Antonio took me completely OFF thyroid, and I stayed off of it for five years, and was almost at the point of a myxedema coma and death (yes, it can kill you) when I finally found a doctor that listened to me.

Please go to this website and read up on it if you suspect this might be part of your problem:

www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

This lady has been through everything I've been thru, arguing with doctors, and then some.

[hedgehog]

1. Many conditions can mimic or aggravate depression.

I had problems this winter because the generic form of Synthroid wasn't working for me. According to my pharmacist, the quality controls on generics allow a dose variation of a couple milligrams. That's OK for some medication, but for thyroid hormone that can mean halving and doubling the dose tablet to tablet. I do better on the name brand.

In any case, treatment of depression requires keeping in touch with your regular doctor as well as your therapist.

[Forkboy]

2. I had my thyroid completely removed in January...

..and while I've still had some intense bouts of depression it hasn't been as constant and grinding as it was before the surgery.

Now if I could just remove an organ that controls anxiety. :)

[mopinko]

3. fwiw, in my case

i have fibro. i have been complaining to docs for 30 years. every new doc has checked my thyroid. i've had blood tests, scans, and tests of med. it has always been the first thing they think of.