Thyroid Problems Mis-Diagnosed As Depression
Susan Star
Paddock, Gettysburg Times 24 March 2001.
Selena had
been diagnosed with Major Depression and was put on an anti-depressant.
The medication helped her mood somewhat, but not as much as expected.
Worse, the physical symptoms that caused her to seek out the medical
consult were still not resolved. She seemed to feel cold all the time,
her skin was dry, her hands and feet ached, and she was constipated.
Eventually the MD ordered a thyroid function test and this time Selena
was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Treating the underlying medical
condition cleared her depression and gave her more energy than
she’d felt in years.
The thyroid
is a small butterfly shaped gland at the base of the throat. When the
thyroid is working normally it sets the pace for the rest of the
body’s metabolism. When it is producing too much thyroid hormone
the heart rate, blood pressure and metabolism all speed up. On the
other hand, when the thyroid moves too slowly the heart rate and body
temperature lowers, and the metabolism slows so much that hardly any
calories are burned. That is called hypothyroidism and researchers
estimate that it effects 13 million Americans. Mary J. Shomon, a
thyroid patient, has written a heavily researched book called
“Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor
Doesn’t Tell You That You Need to Know” (Whole
Care-Avon, 2000, $14).
Symptoms of
hypothyroid seem so vague and disconnected that it is frequently
mis-diagnosed. The symptoms can include depression and common symptoms
of depression such as lack of motivation, “brain fog”, low
energy, trouble concentrating, feelings of sadness, forgetfulness,
restlessness, mood changes and weight gain. That is why depression is
often the first diagnosis. All people being treated for depression
should have a thyroid test.
Other
symptoms lead to other wrong diagnoses. For example, some patients only
report unexplained weight gain and inability to lose no matter how
carefully they diet or exercise. Their metabolism has slowed to a
crawl. Other thyroid symptoms such as digestive problems and
constipation can lead to expensive testing for stomach problems.
Thyroid-related problems can include high cholesterol and dry skin. It
can is also a factor in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome,
arthritis, or fibromyalgia.
Hypothyroid
symptoms can include lowered sex drive and fertility problems. New
allergies or a worsening of additional allergies, breathing
difficulties, recurrent sinus infections and asthma-like feelings can
lead to a diagnosis of an upper respiratory problem. Other symptoms can
include dizziness or vertigo, puffiness or swelling, and even snoring.
Eyes may feel gritty and dry or feel sensitive to light, and there may
be a ringing in the ears.
Hypothyroidism
can cause irregular menstrual cycles, trouble conceiving a baby, the
development of ovarian cysts and even miscarriages. People sometimes
feel a lump in their throat, or other strange feelings in their neck
and throat.
Thyroid
disease is ruled out through a simple blood test, the TSH. However,
some people have thyroid symptoms even though their blood test falls
into the normal range, because what is normal to one person is not to
another. More sensitive tests can be given. It is important that if
people think they may have hypothyroidism that they educate themselves
and ask for what they want from their doctors. On the Internet there
are some great web sites such as thyroid-info.com and
thyroid.about.com, both managed by Mary Shomon.
If
hypothyroidism is diagnosed, there are several thyroid medications that
can be used and diet changes can also help. Soy foods may need to be
avoided as they have been implicated in the development of thyroid
problems in infants and adults.
Susan Star
Paddock, MSW, is family counselor and family business consultant in
Gettysburg, PA. This is a weekly column to which Susan retains all
rights. It was originally printed in The Gettysburg Times on
Saturday, 3/24/01.
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