I worked full time for 25 years and on and off the 10 years before. I got sober through AA and Grace from God on December 24th 1982. Since then been was able to work full time, Got a B.A in Human Services and a M.S. In Rehabilitation Administration.
I found out that I was not schizophrenic in 1983 when I was in a Alcohol & Drug Treatment Center in 1983. 1984 I found out I had depression still though and was put on antidepressant medication.
I currently have Double Depression : alternations between and Major Depression. Also have Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. About 5 years ago I started telling my docs that I suspect I had Hypothyroid disorder due to the continuous and over whelming amount of fatigue.
I have been on a variety of antidepressant meds since this time. I went about year off prescription meds and then used natural medicine which worked ok. They work for sleep and low prescription dosing using a combination of both then. Always told my doctors what I took in Prescription meds and natural medicine Meds like Herbs (no pot), Amino Acids, and Vitamins. Especailly Valirian, Melatonin, Some Saint Johns Wart, 5 Hydroxal Tryptophan (not now though since Trazadone helps with this) on low prescription doses of anti depressant meds due to risk of serotonin syndrome, Diffinetly need to be cautious about this.
I was diagnosed a psychotic Paranoid Schizophrenic in 1976 Or possibly a Simple Schizophrenic which eventually became the diagnoses, and was then was abusing street drugs and alcohol. Was on Mellaril and Tofranil most of time until about 6 months sober in 1983 and then weaned off the mellaril and haven't taken it since, nor have I had schizophrenia or psychotic experiences. Must of been hallucinations induced by Amphetamine, Hashish, and Mescaline abuse, is my current best guess since Dr.'s say I never had it. Anyone with similar Experience?
Take Trazodone 100mg for both depression and sleep disorders. Previously it took remeron 15mg, but had a terrible side affect of increased (uncontrollable actually) appetite. Also take Prozac 60mg in AM.
I am in the process of trying to get long term disability and Social security. I have had treatments for Major and Dysthymic Depression (Double Depression)and Anxiety for 35 + years and is one of my long term primary Mental Disorders.
In the last 11 years in in addition I have been diagnosed with, Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (2011). sleep apnea (2006), other sleep disorders(2006), Obesity (1995), Hyperglycemia, Gerds, Barrett Esophagus (2006), and Hypothyroidism (2008). Heart attack (diagnosed 2011 by stress test) with scarring on right side with wall damaged but Healed/repaired with slight dysfunction, Heart Disease Healed/repaired. Around the year 2000 and is when the heart attack occurred, I believe.
Following is more details on my diagnoses that I use in formns :
Since age 13 I have had a on and off problem of seeing spots in front of my eyes as well as floating hairs and the also at times bright light hairs in my lower vision, particularly when waking up in the morning. Also happens though at various other times of day, and at times when very tired or stressed. They never checked my t3 until this last winter 2011, as far as I know. It was 8.47 Just below Severe. Anything above 3.0 (sub clinical) indicate some problems, over 4.0 and there will be problems, etc.
I have many other conditions that relate to the Hypothyroid Disorder. Depression is one of them, Obesity, Heart attack with scarring on right side with wall damaged but Healed/repaired with slight dysfunction, Heart Disease Healed/repaired, around the year 2000 and is when the heart attack occurred, I believe.
Also Low testosterone 200 mg/dl, High VLDL 175 mg/dl, High Cholesterol 222 H mg/dl, Pre-Hyper tension, Very low vitamin D which now is 41 taking 5000 iu daily for 1 1/2 years, Gerds, Barrett Esophagus, Sleep Apnea, Hypersomina, and a few Doctors in the previous year seemed to think there is nothing wrong with me that I should be okay to continue working. Now that they found the past heart problems and hypothyroidism they currently Agree that I am disabled. Filed for Social Security about 1 year ago.
The Short of this story is IF YOU HAVE DEPRESSION, have you Doctors Check for a Thyroid disorder. Make sure you ask for a copy of the lab results. Often times doctors told me that everything looked fine, when they did not test the full thyroid T's that follow, if even any. This way you can confront them. You have to ask them to do it. It should be required. Have them check T1, T2, T3, T4 .
Of course not all Depression is caused by Hypothyroidism (also Hyperthyroidism) , or cured by thyroid treatments, but a very large percentage are
I just started Levoxyl for my Hypothyroid disorder about 2 months ago.
Am wondering if anyone has similar experiences?