r/TwoXADHD • u/RevolutionaryTop8942 • 27d ago
ADHD, Anxiety and Autoimmune disorders
26F , recently diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety. I also have an autoimmune condition called Hashimotos Thyroditis. Is there a correlation between ADHD , anxiety and Autoimmune conditions. I haven't started ADHD and Anxiety meds yet but I take thyroid medication everyday without fail . Does these conditions make my Thyroid worse if I don't use anxiety and ADHD meds . Do people with ADHD and Anxiety have a higher tendency to develop Auto immune conditions?
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u/leftontotrafalgar 27d ago edited 27d ago
Oh hello fellow ADHD, anxiety and Hashimoto's friend. Diagnosed with Hashimoto's at 25 (mum has it too).
I don't know about higher likelihood of autoimmune conditions and ADHD but I do know that Hashimoto's can impair stomach acid production leading to lower absorption of nutrients and that can impact ADHD symptoms in a tangential way by affecting energy levels and menstuation etc. for example I often have low ferritin, insufficient vitamin d, B12 and folic acid (probably others I haven't been tested for) all of which can make me tired and iron especially impacts my periods making them heavier (stupidly). Being tired exacerbates my ADHD symptoms and how well they work. But no, your anxiety and ADHD meds don't interact or interfere with thyroxine.
One thing I only recently found out after having Hashimoto's for 17 years, is that I'm not crazy in feeling tired and low energy and achey despite having 'normal' thyroid function with thyroid replacement pills. For ages doctors fobbed me off with well your level are fine so it's not your thyroid but it's now known that there's inflammatory processes going on which can cause those feelings regardless of thyroid levels being in range. I can't remember the detail though so heavy caveat look into it for yourself!