Mood Face & Mental Health

[BreatheFocusRelax]

So in the last 12-18 months I have noticed a huge change in my body.

My period have become no-existent.
My weight has increased.
Am I now have something called "MoonFace"...

I'm currently under the endocrinology team at Addenbrookes Cambridge.

I have had MRI's done & the pituitary gland is okay with no tumours.

I don't know if all the changes have been brought on by a very traumatic time in my life or whether it's from the covid vaccine ??

My mental health is taking a beating.
I'm constantly pick faults in myself every time I see my reflection.
I don't want to look or feel like this anymore.

I know I probably don't but I have the horrible feeling like my Husband & Children will be embarrassed to be seen out with me.

I work from home so don't have to go out house unless it's to collect the girls from school or do groceries.

I just hate stepping out the front room.
The feeling of overwhelming anxiety creeps over me.

I got married 6 years ago this year & I know bodies change but I don't look anything like how I used to.

I don't want to feel like this anymore.
Is there a cure?
Is there medication that can make "MoonFace" disappear?

I will literally do anything to make this go away.
I don't want to live my life like this anymore, I'd rather stay locked up indoors forever.

Not to pick fault but what is your diet like? This could be a contributing factor to weight gain and mood. Do you practice self care in other ways like pampering/facials? Things like that.
I can relate to mental health. I've had anxiety/depression for years and it takes it's toll so I completely understand. Although right now the main thing I'm struggling with is sleep so I've got dark circles for days!! We all pick ourselves apart sometimes on how we look so you're not alone there. I'd say focus on self care more if you don't already and take more time for yourself. Nice long walks etc, maybe treat yourself to something nice like new makeup. Just intoducing small changes make the world of difference. In the mean time I need to work on my sleeping pattern as it's shocking 🤦‍♀️haha

Sorry to hear this OP

have you got a diagnosis? Are you taking steroids?

How old are you?

Do you have any other symptoms?

Sorry for the late reply on here, my mental health has been really bad.

@CassieMc My diet isn't great & I know that has a contributing factor.
The only thing that I do of self care is doing my nails. I don't do any facials or anything like that, I find it hard to make time for myself cause I am exhausted all of the time.
I have found a new love for reading so I have brought myself some books, so with that I guess I could do a face pack or mask at night while I'm reading!
Feeling low is horrible just wish I could get myself out of this cycle of feeling like this.
I start a new job next week which will be back in the office, as I have been working at home solidly for 3 years now.

@EmmaEmerald I'm not taking steroids but I am on a list of other medication which helps with my other medical conditions.
I have seen the specialist & they are wanting me to have a genetic test due to having a strange TFT pattern. I just need to go to the hospital & have the blood test done for this, which I plan to do this week.

@WishingMyLifeAway I am 31 currently. I have a number of symptoms:

• round red face (very swollen in appearance compared to 4+ years ago)
• bruise very easily, have large stretch marks
• reduced sex drive & without planning to get pregnant I have been having unprotected sex for quite some time & have not fell pregnant
• hair growth on my face, chest & tummy
• weakness in my thighs & upper arms
• swollen upper tummy & weight gain
• low mood, depression, anxiety, panic attacks

I also have endometriosis, PCOS, Fibromyalgia, PTSD & Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

Sorry for the long winded message, I just wanted to make sure I replied to you all as I have been rubbish.

"due to having a strange TFT pattern"

What's the strange pattern? What are your results?

@WishingMyLifeAway
This is what was said in my letter from the hospital...

"We cannot find a definitive explanation for the picture of isolate central hypothyroidism for J***. Certainly medications such as sertraline can have a potential suppressive effect on the thyroid axis, however her TFT pattern goes back a long time before she was started on Sertraline. We feel it is reasonable to proceed to genetic testing at this stage."

I don't otherwise know how to explain it, they seem to think it could be a genetic thing.

I haven't had the results back yet.

I take it as you are under an endocrinologist they have checked your thyroid? My sister has similar issues to you, not only does she have an under active thyroid but she also has a parathyroid tumour (benign) which they are currently investigating and will probably have surgery for soon.

Sorry just seen they are investigating.

@HowdoIgetbacktothe80s
Yeah so I am currently under the Endocrinologist.
I have had a MRI scan to check my pituitary gland, which is good.
I have done saliva, urine & blood tests.
Oh bless her, it really is horrible.
I currently look at myself & hate who looks back at me cause it's not the real me. I know it's not all about appearance but it has stopped me from doing things socially. I just want to have my life back & I don't know if I will ever get that.
I hope all goes well with your sister x

Ok so this is basically saying your TFTs indicate central hypothyroidism. This means that the issue is either with your pituitary gland or your hypothalamus (rather than either your thyroid itself or an autoimmune disease affecting your thyroid function).

I was asking these questions as many of your symptoms including the moon face sound like hypothyroidism. Moon face is a classic symptom.

Are they treating your hypothyroidism? If you have low thyroid hormones and this is not being treating it's not surprising you feel exhausted, depressed, weight gain etc etc. when I was hypothyroid I felt like I was slowly dying, that my body was basically gradually malfunctioning/shutting down and I felt fat, depressed and beyond exhausted. And completely out of control of my own body.

If they are not yet treating the hypothyroidism I would be pushing to find out why and for treatment if there is no good reason for waiting.

I would suggest that you post what you have written here on the Thyroid U.K. Forum on Health Unlocked to get some more advice about appropriate management/treatment of people with central hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is very often mistreated and undertreated. I have found since becoming unwell with thyroid disease I have had to become an expert in my own condition and to strongly advocate for myself to ensure I had good and appropriate treatment (and unfortunately access private healthcare which I understand is not an option for everyone). I had years of feeling very unwell prior to doing that. I am now in a reasonably good place with almost all symptoms resolved or managed.

@WishingMyLifeAway
You have just put in writing exactly how I feel..
It is horrible.
I feel exhausted, depressed & all of the above.

Would be great to be able to speak with you more about this.
I feel so lost & just don't know where to turn!

I am not on any medication as when I have tried taking medication I get some sort of side effect.

Sounds like Cushings? Is this what the endocrinologist was looking for?

@Wallsofglass
I am not entirely sure what the endocrinologist is looking for.
She explained in my last appointment that she wants me to have a genetic test to find out why my TFT levels have this pattern, so once I have some sort of result from this I should know more.

I am happy to talk more with you but I don't know much about the treatment of central hypothyroidism specifically. That's why I suggested the Thyroid U.K. forum as you should find some people more knowledgeable about the condition and it's treatment.

I do know though that if you are hypothyroid for any reason and you are not having replacement thyroid hormone (it's not really a medication, it's a replacement hormone for the ones you are missing) you are going to feel increasingly unwell. I am very surprised they are not treating you at all but there may be a valid reason to wait that I am not aware of.

What medications have they tried you on? Levothyroxine? Sometimes the brand doesn't suit and the fillers can give you side effects. So you could try a different brand. With levo they should start you on around 50mcg usually then titrate you up until you are on the optimum dose. Sometimes when you first start taking it you initially feel worse. This is because your body will currently be working overtime to try to convert your measly amount of T4 to T3 (T3 is mainly what your body uses). When your body realises more T4 is coming by way of the levo (levothyroxine is T4) it takes its foot off the gas a little and so your T3 can initially fall making you feel worse, however as you increase the dose you should start to feel better. So don't be put off by this if this happens.

Some people don't do well on just levothyroxine and need some liothyronine (T3) as well or they do better on just T3 alone. Some people take something called NDT (natural desiccated thyroid). I take a mix of T4 and T3 and that works well for me. You are likely to find it difficult to get anything other than levo prescribed under the NHS though.

I am happy to PM the name of my private endocrinologist to you, if that's an option for you? He is excellent. Very patient and thorough. And works with his patients. And I believe one of the recommendations I read when finding him was from someone who had central hypo....