Reply to: Today is World Mental Health Day

[BrilloPad]

I looked up the side effects of levothyroxine

Sounds just like PMT.

[Gibbon]

That is actually possible; as drugs can affect different people in a variety of ways. My step sister's husband is a stem cell research scientist at Jimmys and we were discussing why some people have side affects to various drugs. The simple explanation he gave me is that we don't all have the same chemical pathways and we usually have more than one to achieve a particular job. Most drugs alter a particular pathway which is fine for most people as they will through some lefty over from evolution have another that helps them get round the 'blockage', but some people don't have an auxiliary one and then suffer side affects.

[Mich the Tester]

Fair enough. I suppose 'weight loss' could be seen as an 'unusual' form of weight gain.

[d000hg]

Unusual weight gain
Weight loss

[Mich the Tester]

I looked up the side effects of levothyroxine

death by ebola,
rabies,
etc...

Don't look for medical advice on the internet; it'll just convince you you're dying.

[OwlHoot]

Today I saw my GP and have just swallowed my first levothyroxine pill. Optimistic that years (decades) of feeling knackered and bloody miserable were all caused by low thyroid hormone and two weeks from now I should be a new woman!

Watch this space!

I looked up the side effects of levothyroxine

Hyperthyroidism (excessive thyroid hormone production) is the most common side effect of Levothyroxine. Symptoms of such medically induced hyperthyroidism include:

Tachycardia (high heart rate)
Mood changes
Hyperactivity
Nervousness
Irritability
Anxiety
Tremor
Feeling hot
Increased sweating
Flushing
Fever
An increased appetite, along with weight loss
Muscle weakness
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps
Difficult or painful breathing
High blood pressure
Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Insomnia
Hair loss
Menstrual problems
Seizures
:::
Fatigue
Severe or persistent headache
Heat intolerance
Excessive sweating
Changes in appetite (increased appetite or anorexia)
Nausea
Vomiting
Stomach cramps
Diarrhea (sometimes severe)
Fever
Joint pain
Lowing bone mineral density (especially in women)
Leg cramps
Muscle weakness
Seizures
Tremors
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Arrhythmia (fast or irregular heartbeat)
Increased left ventricular mass index
Enhanced left ventricular systolic function
Trouble sleeping
Anxiety
Irritability
Nervousness
Unusual weight gain
Weight loss
Changes in menstrual periods
:::
Dizziness
Breathing difficulty
Wheezing (unusual hoarseness)
Flushing
An unexplained rash
Urticaria
Hives
Itching
Unexplained swelling (especially of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat and neck)
Angioedema
Serum sickness

[d000hg]

Seriously though, the best antidote to mental health issues is to cultivate a sense of the ridiculous and a sense of humour.

Just because its all 'up there' doesn't mean its something you can get yourself out of.
Its a real illness. If you broke your leg you wouldn't expect to be able to fix it yourself, would you?

I know psycho wasn't replying to you but he might as well have and it IS the case many mental illnesses have a physiological cause.

However, the counter-argument to that is that the brain is well documented as being able to dramatically affect healing of 'proper' illnesses, for instance the placebo effect and so on. Of course when the illness is affecting your brain in the first place, that's a bit tricky.

[sasguru]

The other thing a wise old coot once told me is to develop a hobby - doesn't matter what it is, do something you enjoy for its own sake and for its own sake only.
Churchill used to deal with his "black dogs" by painting.

[psychocandy]

How do you know if you're sufferring from depression? How does anybody know?

You'll know...

[psychocandy]

Serious answer. Yep. Been mildly depressed for most of my adult life, and probably before. From time to time I get really low, but only had 'treatment' once - always feels like the kind of thing you should be able to get yourself out of, after all it's all 'up there'.

I do wonder (and admire) how people can go from day to day feeling joyous and happy, to me it all feels like a bit of a trudge through life, and things to 'look forward to' seem transient and unimportant in the grander scheme of things.

Well - you did ask.

Muddie,

Just because its all 'up there' doesn't mean its something you can get yourself out of.
Its a real illness. If you broke your leg you wouldn't expect to be able to fix it yourself, would you?

We're all closer to mental illness that you realise mate.

[fullyautomatix]

Dont know what depression means but seen a fair few very clever people going loopy. Once worked with a guy who had all sorts of mental issues. His wife had overnight disappeared with all his belongings, his car and his children. He went loopy, work got affected and would disappear for days from work. He accused me of installing spy software on his computer, accused me to spying on him in his house and even accused me of stalking him and that he saw me standing with a gun near his house.

[Old Hack]

Seriously though, the best antidote to mental health issues is to cultivate a sense of the ridiculous and a sense of humour.
We're all basically monkeys clinging to a rock hurtling through space, none of it really matters and some of it is quite funny.

I think that's the important part, to laugh at, ignore things out of your control, and worry about the things you can.

[sasguru]

Seriously though, the best antidote to mental health issues is to cultivate a sense of the ridiculous and a sense of humour.
We're all basically monkeys clinging to a rock hurtling through space, none of it really matters and some of it is quite funny.

[sasguru]

You are really enjoying that little fantasy for yourself, aren't you?

Fantasies lead to good mental health ...Enjoy

[Old Hack]

I have always thought there a thin line between being happy, and really unhappy, and that not an awful lot going wrong can send you down the wrong side.

It also depends on the personality. I think people whom you know who are genuinely the happiest people on earth, ridiculously so, are the ones who when they do go over the edge, go properly over the edge.

I lost a great friend some moons ago, James Utting, in Devizes who simply walked in front of a lorry when it all got too much for him. April 2004, will remember it for ages. I was working abroad at the time, but thought him one of the happiest people I knew.

I've always tried to look forward when tulip happens in life, as you have no control of the past, but I'd not wish depression on anyone.