[Marshellette]

Hypothyroidism could cause both manic and depressive symptoms along with always feeling cold and exhausted as well as insomnia and migraines. You may need thyroid drugs instead of psych meds. The tests cost $100 though so most psychiatrists would rather hand you a prescription. Rule out other causes (physical) of your mental illness before getting started on psych drugs.

[wildflowerchild25]

Thanks for the advice! I totally agree. If you're entering treAtment you should always get a physical too. Too bad I hate doctors but yay for me that my the hospital I always end up in does those tests on the reg.

HA I'm talking like my students. Feeling some typa way.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Well I take medicine for my underactive thyroid and am tested as often as my primary care physician suggests and it has been level for years but I still have bipolar symptoms that are controlled by my psych meds.

[Nightside of Eden]

I thought about that, but I lack the fatigue that's supposed to go with hypothyroidism, so it seems unlikely. I'm actually pretty highly energetic a lot of the time, for better and worse.\

ETA: I also don't think hypothyroidism can give you hallucinations or paranoid delusions, unfortunately.

[TheatreKid]

My first pdoc didn't test me for physical causes, but when I was eventually referred to the psychosis program I'm in right now, I got a bunch of tests, including thyroid test, an MRI, and an EEG. All were clear. Thyroid function is still a part of my regular blood tests.

I'm glad I didn't refuse medication though, since, like Nightside, I had delusions and paranoia. And bipolar gets progressively worse if it's not properly treated.

I can agree with this! When I first went to my pdoc I was feeling depressed at the time. That was what she wanted to check first was for thyroid issues. Which all came back clear on me. The tests don't take long to do and get the results back on.

[BipolaRNurse]

My pdoc tests me yearly. I have cold intolerance, weight problems, depression (at times), pretty much everything associated with hypothyroidism.....and yet every one of those tests come back normal every time. Neither of us really thought my thyroid was the reason for the bipolar symptoms, but it's always good to check because sometimes it IS one's thyroid causing havoc with their moods.

[CastlesInTheAir]

Im impressed by my current pdoc she ordered a crap load of lab tests and a thyroid test is one of them.

[Nammu]

No excuse for any doctor not to rule out physical cause first. Almost 30 years ago when my life went to hell they first ruled out any physical causes including thyroid, the only reason for not RO is laziness and big pharma pay off. If you doc isn't RO physical causes run, and run fast. I do have hypothyroidism now thanks to lithium but because I had a smart doc it was caught.

Good tip, Marshellete. My providers were careful to run thorough blood, thyroid, etc. tests before prescribing me any medication. Still, I'm sure that many are not so careful.

[shortandcute]

That whole "blame it on your thyroid" thing is not as much in style anymore. I have had my thyroid checked several times, and it is fine.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Originally Posted by sidestepper

No excuse for any doctor not to rule out physical cause first. Almost 30 years ago when my life went to hell they first ruled out any physical causes including thyroid, the only reason for not RO is laziness and big pharma pay off. If you doc isn't RO physical causes run, and run fast. I do have hypothyroidism now thanks to lithium but because I had a smart doc it was caught.

And lithium is why I have it too! Sucks, huh?

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by HALLIEBETH87

And lithium is why I have it too! Sucks, huh?

Yup. That and age makes it too easy to gain weight just looking at food.

[Happy Camper]

Thyroid is the first thing they checked me for everytime I ever had a mood problem. I lean towards the upper end of normal, so I'm closer to hyperthyroidism.
While in inpatient a doctor also tested me for a pheochromocytoma (adrenal tumor) because she noticed that my heart rate varied quite a bit (even without stress or anxiety). It tested negative, but because I have orthostatic hypotension, I may also have postural orhtostatic tachycardia syndrome because it's mostly to do with changing body positions.

I also found food allergies played a large role in my mini day to day mood swings.

Originally Posted by TheatreKid

My first pdoc didn't test me for physical causes, but when I was eventually referred to the psychosis program I'm in right now, I got a bunch of tests, including thyroid test, an MRI, and an EEG. All were clear.

wtf? Where are you that they would perform brain scans for psychosis?

I've been wanting these two exact scans done for various reasons and I keep getting jerked around/stone walled. My pdoc told me he couldn't do anything about this and said to wait until the psychologist saw me, and when I saw the psychologists, they said they couldn't make a referral and that the pdoc should have been the one to do that. I told her what he said, and then the psychologist told me to wait for a phone call from people that actually can make the referral, which hasn't happened and this was over a month ago.

I'm worried now that these clowns won't even see a reason to have me scanned even when I explain why it's a good idea. The psychiatrist I had in inpatient earlier this year setup a CT scan when I said I wanted imaging performed, but I turned her down because a CT scan is unnecessary radiation (hundreds of times that of an x-ray).

I can't go to my GP because he almost denied me a referral for a sleep study (because he didn't think I was having breathing troubles in my sleep, which the study actually confirmed I was having trouble). I'm going to switch him out but the point is the next doctor may not be any better.

I'm seeing a sleep specialist due to the apnea and possibility it could be worse than he machine detected. Do you think a sleep specialist would entertain the idea of being scanned, maybe due to neurological reasons?

[TheatreKid]

Originally Posted by Happy Camper

wtf? Where are you that they would perform brain scans for psychosis?

My memory is bad but I seem to remember the MRI was because my prolactin was high, and they wanted to rule out a pituitary tumour before blaming it on the meds. The EEG was to check for seizures. They did all the flashy light things.

I'm in Canada.

[Happy Camper]

Originally Posted by TheatreKid

My memory is bad but I seem to remember the MRI was because my prolactin was high, and they wanted to rule out a pituitary tumour before blaming it on the meds. The EEG was to check for seizures. They did all the flashy light things.

I'm in Canada.

Other than psychosis, did you display anything at all that indicated you might be having seizures?

[TheatreKid]

Memory loss.

[Happy Camper]

Originally Posted by TheatreKid

Memory loss.

What kind?

Were you not able to recall events, losing time, or names? Or do you walk into a room and forget why/forget things almost right away?

[TheatreKid]

Why is this so important? It was losing time. It doesn't happen any more, I think it was stress related.

[Hedwig3.0]

My wife was in the psych ward twice 18 years apart because of her thyroid.

She is not on psychotropic meds and does not have a chronic mental illness but she has a chronic thyroid condition.

[Happy Camper]

Originally Posted by TheatreKid

Why is this so important? It was losing time. It doesn't happen any more, I think it was stress related.

Because I need to get scanned myself and have memory trouble, but it's a different kind.

[shortandcute]

Originally Posted by shortandcute

That whole "blame it on your thyroid" thing is not as much in style anymore. I have had my thyroid checked several times, and it is fine.

Although you are right--it's always a good idea to check physical possibilities because physical symptoms can mimic other stuff.

[Lil Ant Lady]

I have hypothyroidism. I'm medicated and my levels have been fine for years. It does make me wonder tho that my mental illness came on baaaaad at the time my thyroid packed up. Tho have had mental instability beforehand. I just think the thyroid has made it 20,000 times worse!! I wonder tho, if my thyroid levels are controlled how can it possibly mimic the effects of BP? I still think there is a link tho

[Can-I-Say]

Thankfully, my doctor immediately had my bloodwork done to eliminate the possibility of a thyroid problem when I initially came in for help with manic and depressive symptoms.