Hi -
My husband's doc (psychiatrist/neurologist) has prescribed armour thyroid 15mg day. We like the doc but he is not an HD expert. He has prescribed it because we feel my husband is overmedicated with antidepressants - too high dosage - and he thinks this will help the depression and we can then lower the dosage of the anti-depressant. All makes good sense but I was wondering if anyone knows anything about HD and thyroid meds or if anyone has had any experience with treating depression with thyroid med.

Thanks very much!

Sorry i dont know much, but i do know that if someone has a slow thyroid, it can cause depression. Did the doctor actually do bloodwork that showed he had a slow thyroid?

Yes, doc did blood work that showed normal thyroid. his experience is that if there is depression with normal thyroid, low dose can thyroid med can help...

I dont know, it sure doesnt make sense to me. I'm not a doctor, but if you add thyroid meds to a normal thyroid, i would think that could cause weight loss, racing heart, agitation, all kinds of things. It seems to me, that the anti depressant meds arent working right, he's very tired and depressed. It seems to me he should be trying a dif anti depressant med, one that isnt sedating, and will pick him up a little bit. I don't know, but i think i would DEFINITELY be getting a second opinion on this for sure.

PS What anti depressant meds is he on?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2011 10:25PM by Barb.

HE's on zoloft and seroquel. I will seek a 2nd opinion. thanks for the input...

hmmm, zoloft is an ssri, thats what i was going to suggest if he wasnt on one yet, hope this all works out

Yes, thanks Barb!

Have they tried something as simple as upping his ssri a bit, and lowering his seroquel a bit? I take seroquel at night, and effexor in the morning, and that works really well for me, just some ideas

The problem is that we think the zoloft dosage is too high. He is doing well in all areas except "he" is gone - no emotions, no personality... I am talking none.... he says he feels wooden. He was better when he was on a lower dose of the zoloft but he was much more depressed. A lot of things are better in his life now than when he was on the lower dosage but I think the doc is afraid to lower the dosage. I have to talk to the doc about it and find out his thinking. I believe he is going to lower the seroquel as well.

What dosage of seroquel are you on?

Is it possiable it is just the symptoms from HD , that is stunting his emotional personality . Maybe that is never going to change ; on the other hand the Zoloft might be doing some real good . I personally would be nervous to lower the Zoloft if it is agreeing with him . all my best. db

I suppose it is possible - but many things are possible - if it is possible that the zoloft is flattening him so much that he feels wooden I think it is the right thing to do to at least try to reduce the dosage and see if that works. He is barely symptomatic in terms of the HD... it is possible that his phsych symptoms are much more advanced than his physical and cognitive symptoms. You know how these things go - they are different in each person and so many factors play a role. Neither of us are ready to say "this is how he is because oof HD and we should accept it"... maybe down the road that'll be the case but not now. Also, what I have learned is that the psych symptoms of someone with HD are treated the same way as someone without HD (making smart choices in terms of the best meds for HD)... so we are trying. Poses an interesting issue though. Thanks for your input db!

Hope, my seroquel dose changes throughout the year, and as the need arises. But as you know, so many people are different, some people take as much as 600 of seroquel, and some as little as 25. Has he tried the thyroid med yet? And how is that working out? You are so right though, to not settle, finding just the right mix of meds is very hard work, but it's well worth the effort.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2011 05:23AM by Barb.

I can see what your saying makes sense . I hope he feels better soon .

Thanks all - he seems to be doing very nicely on the Thyroid med. he is more engaged... hard to describe but he is becoming a bit of his old self again - I am not saying that it is all due to the thyroid med - he's also gaining confidence at work for various reasons and having some good therapy... we are just starting to taper down the zoloft very slowly - we'll see how that goes...

thanks for your input!

Oh that's such good news

Glad to hear that your husband is feeling better.