I'm struggling with Anxiety/Depression........

I've been struggling for two years now with anxiety and depression. I have tried various SSRI's and no effect. Only left me with more anxiety. Prozac decreased my platelet count. I take Promacta for my platelets and have been able to maintain a 70 to 90 range. My psychiatrist now wants me to try Pristiq. I'm scared it will have the same effect on my platelets. Does anyone take any medication for anxiety or depression? Any success?

Vanessa can your psychiatrist and your hematologist communicate? I would run this medication by my hematologist - I would want my hematologist and psychiatrist to get together. When I was diagnosed with Graves Disease I had my endocrinologist and hematologist get together to discuss what would be best for me & my ITP - anti-thyroid meds or RAI.

Vanessa
I agree with Mel.

I also have Graves disease!!! Do you struggle with anxiety and depression as well?

No I don't Vanessa.
What are you doing for your Graves? I had RAI as my hematologist did not want me taking anti-thyroid meds.

Vanessa
How long have you had Graves disease for? I ask as anxiety and depression are known to be associated with Graves. Maybe get your endocrinologist, haematologist and psychiatrist to have a 3 way discussion.

mrsb is that just when Graves has gone untreated?
I do know that when my TSH is off [hyperT] I feel like I'm on a very high dose of prednisone.

When I first got diagnosed with Graves, I had hyperthyroidism so they put me on a drug called MATHIMIZOLE. I felt great! Then about a year later, my thyroid stabilized. They took me off the MATHIMIZOLE and that's when the anxiety and depression started being severe. I kept telling my endocrinologist to keep check my thyroid, which he did and it was always "normal". He told me to seek alternate care for my anxiety/depression. I've been struggling for two years now trying to find the right medication, most of them I don't do well on and I'm scared because Prozac lowered my platelets. The only thing that I can do is take a Klonopin when my anxiety is bad, but lately that even doesn't seem to work anymore. I'm really just down about this. I'm not myself. I feel like I'm being robbed years from my life that I could be so productive. Unfortunately the severe anxiety has left me almost unable to do anything. I can barely work. It's very frustrating.

Graves Disease is hyperthyroidism - "Autoimmune thyroid disease: a group of disorders that are caused by antibodies that get confused and attack the thyroid. These antibodies can either turn on the thyroid (Graves' disease, hyperthyroidism) or turn it off (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hypothyroidism)." Even though I had RAI my body still makes those antibodies for Graves.

Are you happy with your endo? What did he mean by "seek alternate care..."? Have you thought of a 2nd opinion?

When was your last TSH blood work - what was the result? I'd like to know what your endo considers the range for TSH.

Mel
I found this, looks like problems can continue after treatment www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214623718301625 Abstract below but I think whole article can be accessed. I did not need to log in to read it
"Mental disorders merge highly with thyroid diseases. Because of its regulatory effects on serotonin and noradrenalin, T3 has been linked closely to depression and anxiety. It has known that in many cases, the mental symptoms persist even after normalization of thyroid function by treatment. Psychosocial factors including stress have been associated with mental symptoms even after thyroid function normalization in Graves’ disease and a combination of mental disorders have been related to the exacerbation of hyperthyroidism. These findings suggest that psychosomatic approaches based on the bio-psycho-social medical model are important for the treatment of mental disorders associated with Graves’ disease."

Vanessa
I would be looking for a new endocrinologist.

Like MelA, I'd want to know what your endocrinologist considers "normal" TSH. It's also vital to know the free levels of T4 and T3, which endos often refuse to measure.
Hyperthyroidism due to Graves' often burns itself out and then swings over to hypOthyroidism, which also can be a prime cause of anxiety and depression. Endos almost always go by TSH values alone, and many consider TSH up to 10 to be completely "normal". The fact is that healthy people without thyroid disease have TSH in the 1 to 2 area. Optimally replacing inadequate levels of T4 and T3 - especially T3 - can do wonders for mood disorders.
I suggest not giving up on the thyroid angle yet.

When was your last complete thyroid panel done Vanessa? Most doctors don't seem to order one - thankfully my PCP always ordered one yearly. What is interesting is now all my numbers are within range except for TSH.

A number of years ago the American Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists changed the TSH range to 0.3-3.0
My HMO uses the 0.320-5.5 range and I'll tell you if I get up that high I'm miserable! My endo however uses the 0.3-3.0 range & she listens to me. I'm comfortable when at around 1.50

I can't find the link I had copied at that time - but found this [a legit site?, I don't know]
hypothyroidmom.com/is-your-thyroid-doctor-using-the-old-tsh-lab-standards/
"In 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists issued a press release in support of lowering the upper limit of the reference range:

Until November 2002, doctors had relied on a normal TSH level ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 to diagnose and treat patients with a thyroid disorder who tested outside the boundaries of that range. Now AACE encourages doctors to consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.0. AACE believes the new range will result in proper diagnosis for millions of Americans who suffer from a mild thyroid disorder, but have gone untreated until now.

However in 2012, the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hypothyroidism in Adults: Cosponsored by the American Association Of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association recommended 4.12 as the upper limit of normal for TSH.[6] (Wait! What happened to the AACE’s press release in 2003 to reset the TSH level to 0.3 to 3.0? Do you see the craziness of all this?)"