Re: New test results/SSRI's and tsh??

February 17, 2005

, I would think they would have an effect on T3 and subsequently

TSH. There's a link between T3 and serotonin, and SSRI's effect

serotonin levels. I know that my own levels of neurotransmitters

(dopamine and serotonin) were really low when I was first diagnosed

hypoT and supplementing with 5HTP and Tyrosine together has made a

huge difference in how my thyroid hormones work. Psychiatrist have

been using T3 to help treat depression for years and know that if

your thyroid hormones are off then often ADs just don't work,

because the ADs treat the symptom, not the underlying cause of the

problem.

This is from Peripheral thyroid hormones and response to selective

serotonin reuptake inhibitors by Gitlin, Lori L. Altshuler,

Mark A. Frye, Rita Suri, L. Huynh, Lynn Fairbanks,

Bauer, and Stanley Korenman

Objective

To examine the relation between baseline measurements of thyroid

function and response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

(SSRIs) and to consider the effect of these antidepressants on

thyroid hormone levels.

Conclusion

Baseline thyroid function, as measured by serum TSH, may predict a

patient's response to antidepressant treatment with SSRIs. Optimal

thyroid function, beyond simply being within the normal laboratory

values, may be necessary for an optimal response to antidepressants.

> >

> > Can the antidepressants effect the thyroid peroxidase (tpo)

test?

> > Can you explain just what that is?

> >

> > kk

>

February 18, 2005

The antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft) is a dopamine agonist. It

binds to dopamine receptor sites on cells and can mimic the effects

of dopamine. Because it does this, the body can either recognise it

as a need for less dopamine and slow down dopamine production, or

bombard the cells with dopamine in an attempt to get some bound to

the receptors.

A BIG assumption on my part, but because I have autoimmunity, I would

GUESS that my body would recognize sertraline as foreign, and bombard

my cells with dopamine.

An increase in dopamine decreases serum TSH (what happened in my

case), and vice-versa, a decrease in dopamine should increase serum

TSH.

All the studies that I've seen available on the dopamine response

effect on TSH make the assumption of low TSH = high FT4 and high TSH

= low FT4. The cases of central hypothyroidism and peripheral thyroid

hormone resistance are two which don't follow this basic pattern.

Also, an undertreated or untreated thyroid imbalance for any length

of time can damage the HPT axis by slowing down the feedback system

(thyroid hormone is needed in the hypothalamus to stimulate TRH,

which in turn stimulates TSH, which in turn stimulates the thyroid to

produce thyroid hormones.) So you see, there are a variety of reasons

why TSH may not correlate with actual thyroid status.

Again, in my case, I had a suppressed TSH (.01), low-normal FT4

levels, and normal T3 levels while on Zoloft (FT3 wasn't measured as

my then doctor didn't believe it was of value). Once I stopped taking

it, my TSH shot up to a little under 3. Still not " high " by medical

standards, but high enough for me to know it was too high.

There are many other antidepressants that have an effect on dopamine

response. Most of them are tricyclics. But sertraline has the

distinction of being a " tricyclic SSRI " . I would imagine it's

classified this way because of it's known effect on dopamine. I'm not

sure how MAOIs work, but it would be interesting to find out.

> >

> > Can the antidepressants effect the thyroid peroxidase (tpo)

test?

> > Can you explain just what that is?

> >

> > kk

>

February 18, 2005