[Theresa1991]

I have recently been reading about the connection between a low working thyroid and bipolar.

As I understood from this article about 50 % of bipolar people have thyroid problems and those who have thyroid problems are aboutr 25 % more likely to develop a bipolar disorder in their lives.

What about you guys? Who else has thyroid problems? I have Hashimoto, I was diagnosed at 17 but since I take Thyroxin 50 micrograms I haven't had any problems anymore.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I got hypothyroidism after taking lithium at age 20. I'm currently having issues with mine. Waiting on lab results. I take 125mcg levothyroxine to keep it in check

[popuri88]

When my doctor started suspecting of bipolar disorder he asked me if it runs in the family or something.

My mom has hyperthyroidism and depends on meds to stay stable. When her thyroid is messed up, her mood gets 300% worse. I believe she already had some undiagnosed mental condition before hyperthyroidism, possibly bpd and/or bipolar. Same for at least one of her sisters...

Thyroid issues aggravate mood swings like hell. I also """wonder""" if thyroid and untreated mental illnesses have something in common or if their development is somehow linked.

Edit: I get my TSH, T3 and T4 checked every once in a while because hyperthyroidism runs on my mother's side of the family and hypothyrodism on my father's side .

[Moose72]

That reminds me: I need to go get some blood work done

[Leia78]

I have hypothyroid problem. I took lithium for a little while and it made it worse. Interesting thing though, BEFORE, I started lithium, my dr. looked at my blood work and said my thyroid numbers were already on their way to being in trouble and that I should be prepared for lithium to bring out the problem, to make it worse. It did. So now I'm on Synthroid forever. Even though I no longer take lithium.

[benzenering]

Yep, hypothyroid here, too. My psychiatrist, not my PCP, is the one who sent me to get my thyroid checked. My numbers were high before the lithium, and now, every few years, they creep up again and I have to get a med adjustment. On 100 mcg levothyroxine currently. The lithium is worth it, though...probably saved my life.

When my mother had hyperthyroidism (graves) she lost her mind. I feel it's unfair to diagnose a mental health issue in someone who had thyroid or other health problems that cause it's symptoms. If someone has Bipolar and gets thyroid issues from using lithium, that's a different story. Do 50% of people with thyroid issues have bipolar because of the meds, or do thyroid problems often get misdiagnosed as bipolar? I will need to research this and see what the information tells me cause it's fishy!

[jacky8807]

Good question Elsa. I have read thyroid issues can cause mood disturbance by themselves and mimic bp and that is why it should be tested for before giving a bp diagnosis

But I'm sure you can have both as well

[BipolarMama31]

Me!

I was diagnosed with hypo last year. They did an ultrasound, then a biopsy. And it was cancer.
I had surgery very shortly after.
I requested the whole thyroid removed.
During all of that, hashimotos was confirmed also.
Post surgery life: I was very lucky that it hadn't spread, so no chemo or radiation needed. My moods are the same. The same psychosis, the same mania, the same urges. I think I'm now on the right synthroid dose tho. And I have a scar on my neck. I also gained over 40 pounds in a few months that I just can't lose.

The whole reason we found the cancer was because my family insisted I get a second opinion from another pdoc.

I'm glad I did.

But, we can now say, I have hashimotos AND psych issues. I'm now being re-assessed, and going thru psych med changes, and tracking moods.... it's been crazy, and emotional, but it finally convinced me and my husband to quit the cigs!

Plus, I'm alive

Originally Posted by BipolarMama31

Me!

I was diagnosed with hypo last year. They did an ultrasound, then a biopsy. And it was cancer.
I had surgery very shortly after.
I requested the whole thyroid removed.
During all of that, hashimotos was confirmed also.
Post surgery life: I was very lucky that it hadn't spread, so no chemo or radiation needed. My moods are the same. The same psychosis, the same mania, the same urges. I think I'm now on the right synthroid dose tho. And I have a scar on my neck. I also gained over 40 pounds in a few months that I just can't lose.

The whole reason we found the cancer was because my family insisted I get a second opinion from another pdoc.

I'm glad I did.

But, we can now say, I have hashimotos AND psych issues. I'm now being re-assessed, and going thru psych med changes, and tracking moods.... it's been crazy, and emotional, but it finally convinced me and my husband to quit the cigs!

Plus, I'm alive

I'm so sorry for all you went through but glad it's worked out. Did you per chance take lithium in the past?

[BipolarMama31]

Thank you.

I did for about a year. Is that related?

I have family history of hashimotos, so that's not surprising to me. But zero history of cancer on both sides of my family and extended family.

Originally Posted by BipolarMama31

Thank you.

I did for about a year. Is that related?

I have family history of hashimotos, so that's not surprising to me. But zero history of cancer on both sides of my family and extended family.

I'm not a doctor but lithium is well known for damaging the thyroid so it might be. I'm so sorry.

[BipolarMama31]

Oh wow.

Well, I tell everyone, if your moods are all over the place, get a blood test, then see a pdoc.
Because pdocs threw dozens of drugs at my moods for years, and it was my thyroid.
And that damage can't be undone.

Blood test, pdoc, therapy, healthy lifestyle and a strong support system (even when they push you to drive 3 hours one way and pay out of pocket for a second opinion. Sometimes they have a gut feeling that is correct).

I think the doctors should have tested your thyroid before the lithium if they didn't....and while taking it you should have had regular blood tests to monitor thyroid and other things.

Take for instance birth control pills. I'm a smoker over 35 and was warned by previous Gyno's about the stroke risks associated with birth control and my risk factors. My current Gyno wasn't going to warn me about it which I consider negligent. I should quit smoking but it's not that easy and the fact that I'm a smoker shouldn't mean I receive less considerate care, just as obese people should not get negligent care because they don't diet.

As I stated, I'm not a doctor but I do worry you either had the thyroid issues to begin with and now that you no longer have a thyroid and the hormones running through your body are synthetic, you continue to have symptoms. Or, you had risk factors for thyroid issues and it should have been discussed prior to making a decision to take it. If it's health related, a mental illness label seems excessive. This is how I would feel if it were me, you probably have experiences which differ. No matter how it happened, I'm sorry.

[popuri88]

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

When my mother had hyperthyroidism (graves) she lost her mind. I feel it's unfair to diagnose a mental health issue in someone who had thyroid or other health problems that cause it's symptoms. If someone has Bipolar and gets thyroid issues from using lithium, that's a different story. Do 50% of people with thyroid issues have bipolar because of the meds, or do thyroid problems often get misdiagnosed as bipolar? I will need to research this and see what the information tells me cause it's fishy!

That kind of misdiagnosis almost happened to my mother. She was so close to be put on antidepressants by some stupid doctors. Her hyperthyroidism is chronic.

She was victim of child abuse as a kid. I think she had issues before this hyperthyroidism crisis, however her mood was never that bad again once she controlled her thyroid. Even now, I think she should get some psychiatric help and therapy, but she refuses to do it.