I have been diagnosed with nodules on my throid. Have had the exact same symptoms for years and they were getting worse. Slooooooooow metabolism, hair falling out - ALL - EVERY ONE of the low thyroid symptoms. Went to our GP a couple of years ago and had the thyroid tests. Came back in the “normal” range. She gave me zoloft. I said I was not depressed. She said I could be and not know it. Gained weight and it did help me sleep - a lot. Tossed it after a year. This year I “googled” my symptoms and found a site called stopthethyroidmadness.com which said that even though results are in the normal range, you can still be hypo and have to be dosed based on symptoms and not ranges. Took the info I printed out to her and had the full range of tests done this time (which she didn’t do before) and low and behold, I had some high ranges this time. She ordered a sonogram “just to see what is happening” and I have nodules. She says she wanted to wait a month, re-sono, and see what it has done..... oh, yeah and give me an anti-depressant. Told her “darn” nurse (who relayed me all the info) that I wasn’t depressed and wouldn’t go on anti-depressants. Told her to refer me to the endocrinologist I found who was recommended by some people on that site. Have to wait until August 1st to see him but I can wait. She wanted to re-prescribe me the brand name drug again too, not generic. Makes me go “hmmmm, wonder why!”.
I was taking care of an elderly lady - 100 at the time - but in excellent health. She felt she needed something to help her sleep. The doc gave her Prozac!
The very first night, she had frightening hallucinations and flushed them - the pills, not the hallucinations, ;o) - I researched the possible side effects and, yep, hallucinations was one, ALONG with a warning not to prescribe to the elderly. If 100 ain’t “elderly”, what is?
A few years later, same thing with me. I was having trouble sleeping. “Prozac!” says the doc.
“But I'm not depressed. I just can’t get to sleep.”
“You can be depressed and not know it,” says doc. (Sound familiar?)
Hmmm - well, I figured this would be a chance for me to see just what Prozac was about. I took too - had nightmares and other side effects - flushed ‘em.
I then remembered that I had once taken melatonin and that it had worked. I have been taking it since and have no problem falling and staying asleep until morning - wake up with absolutely no side effects. That was 8 years ago.
And I have since found a doctor that doesn’t push drugs. I recommend that anyone/everyone should have the handy little paperback book “The Pill” - republished regularly to include new drugs, that give all the facts on prescription drugs.
Good gravy, just reading the myriad dire possible side effects that comes from the pharmacist with prescriptions is enough to scare the bejeebers out of you. If even ONE natural herb tablet or supplement had just one of those possible side effects, people would be jailed.