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Pneumonia, Depression, Swollen Eyes, Headache, Arm And Leg Pressure, Numbness, Dizzy, Low BP, Anxiety, Trouble Breathing. Hypothyroidism?

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Posted on Tue, 22 May 2012
Question: I have been having many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism for many years. My problems are only becoming more bothersome. I just realized yesterday that hypothyroidism explains almost all of my symptoms. I'm 25 and haven't had insurance since 17. Got a job in the hospital so i could get good medical insurance for this and unfortunately their health insurance is almost a third of my check. So safe to say I haven't got this checked yet. But I was wondering if an pneumonia could cause hypothyroidism? I had an pneumonia when I was 15 and haven't been the same since. They checked my blood for everything. Told me I was ok and sent me off with depression medicine. More than a couple years ago when I started a physically and mentally demanding job they got worse and Im uncomfortable and uncontent all the time.
These are my symptoms I was gonna bring to my doctor.
__ Eyes blood shot and swollen
__ Eyes feel heavy and burn
__ I feel heavy in my shoulders and chest when I walk.
__ Burning Headaches and tightness
__ Constant regular Headaches
__ Tightness in my neck
__ Occasionally very very severe pressure and tightness in legs and arms.
__ Arms turned purple
__ Numbness In hands and tip toes or sometimes foot
__ I always feel dehydrated
__ Sometimes my joints hurt unforgivingly (wrists, knees, hips)
__ I cant remember anything, Forget what I’m thinking, Cant concentrate, Cant think clearly.
__ Cant hold my arms over my head without becoming dizzy and nearly fainting.
__ When I’m relaxing aches in my muscles whether I worked all day or stayed in bed all day.
__ Always pains in my back. Muscles and spine feels like its gonna disconnect if I lay certain ways.
__ Im always cold. More importantly I could go into convulsions in the cold.
__ I have my period 75% of the month
__ Severe anxiety
__ Sometimes I have trouble breathing. I have to take XXXXXXX breaths to get oxygen or yawn a lot to get oxygen.
__ When I stand up I feel pressure in my throat and get a headache
__ I have trouble sleeping. Falling asleep, staying asleep
__ Low blood pressure
__ Once in a while I feel my heart skip a beat.

I also have a back problem. So some of those symptoms like circulation and back pain I think will be solved with a chiropractor. But the others fit perfectly with a thyroid problem. And I looked at a list of thyroid symptoms I have 80% of them. I have my period all month with the exception of one week. Planned parenthood (the only program I could get on) gave me birth control for the hormones to help that.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Santosh Kondekar (2 hours later)
Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

Though one may find symptom over lap with hypothroidism, it need not be so in all cases.Many conditions like say anemia too can be associated with these symptoms.

Considering your status of depression history, I would like to classify you as "multiple somatic symptoms" which will be explained by the stress your are going through.

If you are only worried about possibility of hypothyroidism, the only way to confirm it for sure is by blood test for T3,T4 and TSH all together.

Pressure in throat, feeling fainting, dizziness, feeling like convulsions are medical emergencies. You should visit ER for such symptoms.

Hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries I will be available to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Santosh Kondekar (58 minutes later)
Im not depressed. Im actually very happy. I have real symptoms that make me feel uneasy. At work i have trouble standing up for long periods of time. I go to work at 630 in the morning I feel weak, cloudy, my eyes are puffy and blood shot. I dont feel ok till at least 11 am. Then by two thirty when my job ends I can barely stand up to punch out because how tired i am, No matter how easy I take it. My depression history was diagnosed once when I 15 as a result of drama I was dealing with from friends because I felt sick all the time and wouldnt go out the house after recovering from a pneumonia. I never returned to my easy maneuvering of life and energy. But however I really appreciate your answer and still was wondering if there was any way an pneumonia could start off hypothyroidism. I know that the immune system detects a foreign substance in the body, it responds to this by producing antibodies against the invaders. Maybe when I got the pneumonia it started this process then immune system mistakenly directs an immune "attack" against its own healthy cells. Antibodies are manufactured and misdirected against the thyroid gland. Ive had many unanswered questions for some years now that ive ignored the beginnings of my life till it started seriously affecting me. So please just try to humor me. Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Santosh Kondekar (5 hours later)
Hi
Thanks for writing back

I would like to classify what you have as "multiple somatic symptoms" which will be explained by the stress your are going through.

If you are only worried about possibility of hypothyroidism, the only way to confirm it for sure is by blood test for T3,T4 and TSH all together.

Pressure in throat, feeling fainting, dizziness, feeling like convulsions are medical emergencies. You should visit ER for such symptoms.
You need to visit a doctor in direct consultation, please go ahead with it.

Regards.
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Santosh Kondekar

Pediatrician

Practicing since :1997

Answered : 379 Questions

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Pneumonia, Depression, Swollen Eyes, Headache, Arm And Leg Pressure, Numbness, Dizzy, Low BP, Anxiety, Trouble Breathing. Hypothyroidism?

Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

Though one may find symptom over lap with hypothroidism, it need not be so in all cases.Many conditions like say anemia too can be associated with these symptoms.

Considering your status of depression history, I would like to classify you as "multiple somatic symptoms" which will be explained by the stress your are going through.

If you are only worried about possibility of hypothyroidism, the only way to confirm it for sure is by blood test for T3,T4 and TSH all together.

Pressure in throat, feeling fainting, dizziness, feeling like convulsions are medical emergencies. You should visit ER for such symptoms.

Hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries I will be available to answer them.