thyroid, adrenal issues- WiReD how do you deal?

[Soror]

Any words of wisdom? I'm in the midst of a spell right now. It is like I'm tweaking but it is just my adrenaline. My daughter got into my thyroid pills last week and nearly gave me a heart attack, thankfully after talking to poison control we figured out she only got 1 maybe 2 at most and there was no worry and she has had no effect at all but my body went into overdrive and has stayed there ever since, combined with the usual time of my cycle where I have difficulty sleeping due to hormones, 6 hrs sleep is a real good night and 3-4 is not unusual, yet I still keep buzzing along. I've nearly finished kon-mari'ng(decluttering on steriods) my entire 1800 ft upstairs in 3 days, likely to finish today on day 4. Still doing some school, cooking and activities as well, now my house was fairly decluttered before but it is in large part due to the fact that my body won't stop. As usual during these spells I go to sleep well but I just can't stay asleep even when I take benadryl or melatonin which generally work pretty good. I know I will crash at some point, I always do but I wonder and worry when that will be. I'm supposed to lead some nature day Saturday and I don't know how that is going to work but I don't have a lot of options on that, it has already been such a mess.  On the whole it seems I'm doing better but I still can't take big stresses. Anyway, I'm open to thoughts or commiseration. I have tried various adrenal supplements but (1) it seems the science behind them is a bit nebulous and (2) every single ones seems to only wire me more.

[Starr]

That sounds miserable, although I like the clean house part. Have you seen your doctor recently? 

[Pawz4me]

Ditto the question of have you seen your doctor (and especially have you had blood work done) recently?  Is your medication for hypothyroidism?  Do you have Hashimoto's?  I'd wonder if you aren't hyperthyroid right now.

[Soror]

My last appt was in August. I don't think I've gone hyper, I've had spells like this a couple times before and after a bit I crash and then seem to regulate again. Last time I went off my meds b/c I thought I had went hyper- and ended up with a TSH of 39. My heartrate is fairly normal, no rapid weight loss or anything. I just feel like I'm on speed. I can tell I'm starting to crash today, hopefully I'll finally sleep tonight.

[Ellie]

My last appt was in August. I don't think I've gone hyper, I've had spells like this a couple times before and after a bit I crash and then seem to regulate again. Last time I went off my meds b/c I thought I had went hyper- and ended up with a TSH of 39. My heartrate is fairly normal, no rapid weight loss or anything. I just feel like I'm on speed. I can tell I'm starting to crash today, hopefully I'll finally sleep tonight.

 

:grouphug:

 

You need to see your doctor and implore him to do a complete thyroid panel--not just TSH, but at a minimum Free T3 and Free T4. Without those, you really don't know what your thyroid is doing (or not doing).

 

What meds are you taking?

 

And BTW, you should never just stop taking your meds.

 

Check out Stop the Thyroid Madness.

[myfunnybunch]

Yes, what Ellie said. Stopping and starting meds is definitely not the way to manage thyroid issues.

 

A conversation with your doctor about this pattern might be a great place to start.

[Soror]

I have had a full work-up done, just had one done in August. I have Hashimotos and we are still working on getting me levelized(obviously) but my numbers have never shown anything close to hyper, although that is what it feels like. I take Naturthroid and Cytomel. Yes, stopping meds was way stupid, I realized that when my function got so low I felt like I might not wake up. I called the dr and talked to him but he didn't seem alarmed, I don't know how I could have been more clear, and this was the "good" functional medicine dr. I just switched out drs, the new one seemed better but communication has been lacking as of late. I'm out of faith at this point. When I go low my bp does get super low, like 50s/40s and that wasn't even when I felt my worse. My bp doesn't seem to swing high when I'm wired. 

[trulycrabby]

I would stay on the thyroid meds but stop taking the adrenal supplements for now. If you don't want to stop, then taper down. I have the same effect if I take too much adrenal supplement.

 

Also, I agree with the others that you should go to the doc and get a full thyroid and adrenal panel done.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would avoid all stimulants - nothing with caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate, soda) at all, no sugar, no ginseng (if that is in your adrenal supplement stop taking it), no nicotine, no cold meds, no cayanne pepper, no maca (also often found in adrenal supplements), no gotu kola (sometimes in adrenal supplements).  That's all I can think of but there are probably other non-drug stimulants out there.  

[Soror]

I'm not on adrenal supplements, everything seems to effect me negatively so I've given up. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

If you aren't taking magnesium already, I would take that.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

Also - please, please don't be offended for me asking (and you don't have to answer this) but are you sure you couldn't be bipolar?  I'm only asking because the ups for some many days sounds like a manic episode followed by the downs (which don't have to feel like sadness).  

 

I've had the Wired feeling with an adrenal storm but it was always very shortlived for me.  Perhaps because my adrenals were already fried.

[Guest]

Yeah. All of what Jean said, right down to the bipolar. Please get checked out, the swinging is very unusual and not a sign of adrenal issues typically. And Ellie is right - full thyroid panel, maybe two spaced six weeks apart.

[Ellie]

Also - please, please don't be offended for me asking (and you don't have to answer this) but are you sure you couldn't be bipolar?  I'm only asking because the ups for some many days sounds like a manic episode followed by the downs (which don't have to feel like sadness).  

 

I've had the Wired feeling with an adrenal storm but it was always very shortlived for me.  Perhaps because my adrenals were already fried.

 

One of the "symptoms" of undermedicated Hashimoto's is bipolar.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just wanted to come back to say that I'm not trying to diagnose anything.  Going to a doctor is a good idea no matter what.

[kellebelle]

Soror, you are describing me completely in your post (even down to the problem sleeping getting worse around your cycle). Although, I don't usually get a lot done because I am so tired from the lack of sleep, but I also feel wired. I have Hashimotos and also, I believe, adrenal issues. I had this happen 5 years ago after a stressful move and I moved 3 months ago in an even more stressful move and this same problem is happening again. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

[HSmomof2]

I've had Hashimoto's for many years, and I still have times that my thyroid levels get out of whack because my own thyroid is still occasionally functioning. I take Cytomel and Synthroid, and when I get close to 'hyper' (tsh under 0.8, and I will have symptoms), I feel very edgy, jittery, just kind of 'amped up', if that makes sense. My eye will twitch as well. I never have an eye twitch unless my tsh is too low. This is also accompanied by severe fatigue.

 

Definitely agree with others to see your doctor. It's been over two months since you were last checked, so it's not unreasonable to check it again.

[Soror]

I don't think I'm bipolar, there has always been a precipitating stressful event before any episode, the first was after I was prescribed pseudoephedrine- I didn't realize that  the variety of Mucinex I was prescribed had it or that it was counterindicated for the thryoid(newly diagnosed), the dr missed the counterindication too. It wasn't until I couldn't sleep for like 24 hrs that I started researching and figured it out. It was also my understanding that swings are normal with Hashi's. I'm just tired of being *that* patient, I already have too many complaints and it seems it doesn't do any good anyway. I've had a few episodes since then and although I was terrified the first time I know what to expect now, as I said usually it last about a week. I think I already would have crashed except that I keeping getting stressed. Yesterday we had a field trip and by the time we left I felt sure I was going to pass out on the way home, I was so exhausted. As soon as I got home I had a call from a friend, her husband was in the ER, so back to town to pick up 5 of her kids to feed and take care of until she picked them up right after 8, then just as I had finally sat down to relax dh calls, he had been gone all night to a meeting and hadn't got to eat and had misplaced his wallet so he couldn't get anything, back up again to cook him something as with 9 kids they wiped out everything I had cooked for lunch and supper, needless to say by the time I did get to go to bed I was beyond exhausted but I had pushed so much I was also wired again. Fwiw moodwise I've been happier than I have been in a while, not euphoric or anything but just generally content and at peace, well this week as much peace as you can have while being wired anyway. 

[Ellie]

I don't think I'm bipolar, there has always been a precipitating stressful event before any episode, the first was after I was prescribed pseudoephedrine- I didn't realize that  the variety of Mucinex I was prescribed had it or that it was counterindicated for the thryoid(newly diagnosed), the dr missed the counterindication too. It wasn't until I couldn't sleep for like 24 hrs that I started researching and figured it out. It was also my understanding that swings are normal with Hashi's. I'm just tired of being *that* patient, I already have too many complaints and it seems it doesn't do any good anyway. I've had a few episodes since then and although I was terrified the first time I know what to expect now, as I said usually it last about a week. I think I already would have crashed except that I keeping getting stressed. Yesterday we had a field trip and by the time we left I felt sure I was going to pass out on the way home, I was so exhausted. As soon as I got home I had a call from a friend, her husband was in the ER, so back to town to pick up 5 of her kids to feed and take care of until she picked them up right after 8, then just as I had finally sat down to relax dh calls, he had been gone all night to a meeting and hadn't got to eat and had misplaced his wallet so he couldn't get anything, back up again to cook him something as with 9 kids they wiped out everything I had cooked for lunch and supper, needless to say by the time I did get to go to bed I was beyond exhausted but I had pushed so much I was also wired again. Fwiw moodwise I've been happier than I have been in a while, not euphoric or anything but just generally content and at peace, well this week as much peace as you can have while being wired anyway. 

 

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

FTR, not all Hashi's people have swings. I never have.

[Soror]

Thanks for the hugs.

 

I started coming back down yesterday, it helped not being thrown into any stressful situations. My period also started so I slept better last night. It just happened to be bad timing I guess, I always have 3 days of horrible sleep before my period and that was directly following the stressing event and then stresses kept happening, now most of it wouldn't have been a big deal but when you are already stressed it just adds on.  I have a day without anything at all scheduled and no time-lines, that should be a nice good follow-up to this week, not to mention I like to relax the first day of my period. Dd1 is puking though, so lets hope she stops soon and no one else starts because oh, vey, that is not good in many, many ways.