Links to Articles About Thyroid and Bipolar Disorder

[ladybugpicnic]

Below you will find links to articles on Bipolar and Thyroid disease. If you suspect you could have a bipolar disorder, not only is it important to be on desiccated thyroid, but to discover and treat low cortisol.

http://www.satevepost.org/issues/2005/0 ... 0468.shtml
A world-renowned expert on bipolar disorder discusses the latest research demonstrating that thyroid hormone can have a positive and profound effect on mood in bipolar patients.

http://www.psycheducation.org/thyroid/introduction.htm
Thyroid and bipolar disorder.

http://www.psycheducation.org/thyroid/combostory.htm
This clinician’s patient was bipolar and had not had any success with any anti-depressants or mood stabilizers but responded favorably to a T3/T4 combination

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 061405.php
Research zeros in on bipolar disorder genes, link with thyroid condition

[banjobon]

Hi Lisa!

I was looking through these links and some others you brought over from STTM to see if I could find if there's a link between hyperthyroidism (perhaps from Graves) and bipolar. I have a friend at church who is about 7 feet tall (really!), weighs about 100 pounds and has been dx'd as bipolar and possibly schizophrenic. He can't sit still too long and can't hold a job and sleeps about 14 hours a night he says. He speaks with a lisp or maybe his speech is just slurred, don't know. He has a lot of anxiety and experiences heart palps, which I'm sure are not helped by the amount of caffeine he consumes.

Anyway, I told him to have his doc check his thyroid. Do you think there could possibly be a link?

Thanks!
Bonnie

[ladybugpicnic]

Bonnie,
It sure looks like it....I googled hyperthyroid, graves, bipolar and one of Mary Shomon's books came up with this below:

I have written this book for the millions of you out there for whom Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism is not a temporary flare -- it's a permanent, debilitating condition that is forcing you to live in a chronic state of poor health. If you have yet to be diagnosed, you may be mistakenly told that you have panic disorderor bipolar disease. Your friends and family may even accuse you of being anorexic. And you may be going from doctor to doctor, looking for answers. I hope you'll find the answers you need here.

http://www.thyroid-info.com/graves/chapter.htm

Here's another good link that sounds like similar symptoms:
http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=4640

I'm still building stickies and info and only brought over a few, so I'm glad you asked and I can include this with what I've collected.

Hi Lisa!

I was looking through these links and some others you brought over from STTM to see if I could find if there's a link between hyperthyroidism (perhaps from Graves) and bipolar. I have a friend at church who is about 7 feet tall (really!), weighs about 100 pounds and has been dx'd as bipolar and possibly schizophrenic. He can't sit still too long and can't hold a job and sleeps about 14 hours a night he says. He speaks with a lisp or maybe his speech is just slurred, don't know. He has a lot of anxiety and experiences heart palps, which I'm sure are not helped by the amount of caffeine he consumes.

Anyway, I told him to have his doc check his thyroid. Do you think there could possibly be a link?

Thanks!
Bonnie

[banjobon]

That is great information! I'm printing out the second link and will take it to my friend tomorrow. He sounds like a bit of all three of the case studies combined. Thanks so much!


Bonnie

[bddandthyroid]

banjobon,

did you also see this article posted in the list of articles at STTM on the "thyroid, depression and mental health" page:

http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/arc ... 04348.html

it says in part:

"Symptoms of hypothyroidism can mimic, or be intertwined with, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. Treating an underlying thyroid problem is critical to alleviating the associated psychiatric symptoms. The first hurdle to treating underlying hypothyroidism is in its diagnosis."

and these also:

http://www.drrichardhall.com/Articles/hashimoto.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... query_hl=3

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... uery_hl=14

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... uery_hl=12

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... uery_hl=31

[cathy]

Hey Bonnie!

I posted this somewhere at STTM before but thought you might like to see it.

On January 19, 2006, Dr. Phil had a follow up show on a woman with schizophrenia and they found out "that it was a thyroid issue"

At the time the story was located at: http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/656/

I don't think the link works anymore but thankfully I copied the story. This is a copy of the article about the show:


"Siblings Ann Marie and Tim came to Dr. Phil with a desperate plea for help for their mother, Sylvia, who appeared to be suffering from schizophrenia. Sylvia was far too paranoid to join them on the show, but Ann Marie captured her erratic behavior by installing a video camera in Tim's home, where their mother was living.

The camera captured Sylvia making statements like:

“I would imagine the Feds are going to have a field day there, Gabrielle," and, "Isn't that right? One bastard, Brian Bob, in my refrigerator!" to people who simply weren't there.

The brother and sister found themselves fearing for their own safety as well as hers.

Dr. Phil wanted to help, so he sent Sylvia to Creative Care to evaluate her condition and provide her with cutting-edge treatment. Now just 10 weeks later, she no longer hears voices.

"Today is the first time that I'm going to see my mom," says Ann Marie, as she walks the grounds of Creative Care. "It's been about two and a half months. She is also going to see my son, Maximus. I'm looking forward to seeing my mom and seeing the smile I saw before she got sick."

Ann Marie and Maximus settle into the waiting room, and soon Sylvia makes her entrance.

"Hi!" she says, smiling broadly. "How are you doing?" The mother and daughter embrace, and she tells Ann Marie, "I love you."

"I love you, too," her daughter replies. Soon Sylvia spies Maximus on the couch behind his mother. "Is he a lot bigger since the last time you saw him?" Ann Marie asks.

"Yes," her mother replies. "I can't believe it. I can't believe how big he's gotten. I can't believe I'm actually seeing him. It's wonderful. I'm watching every little move he makes."

"I like to turn lights on and off," Maximus declares.

"You like to turn lights on and off," Sylvia echoes in playful wonder.

"I can see my mom being the kind of grandmother who will take every opportunity to spend time with her grandson," says Ann Marie.

"The people at Creative Care are fabulous," says Ann Marie. "They went above and beyond to take care of mom."

Dr. Khaleghi asks Sylvia how it feels to see her daughter and grandson. She tells him the feeling is wonderful.

Ann Marie levels with her mother. "It was really hard to help you, because you didn't think there was anything wrong."

"I know. I know," says Sylvia, "and that was foolish, baby. I was trying to be strong."

"I'm not going to let this happen again, Mom," Ann Marie says. "It's been so long since I've seen that smile."

"And she's got her sense of humor back," Dr. Khaleghi adds.

"I am so thankful. I didn't think that she was ever going to come back, and she's here now, and it's just amazing," says Ann Marie. "I appreciate Dr. Phil helping me more than he will ever know. It's just a miracle."

"Well, it's so good to see your mom smile and connect with your son," says Dr. Phil. Ann Marie's brother Tim was unable to join her this time because of a previous engagement.

"Oh, my gosh, it was just unreal," says Ann Marie. "I've been waiting for that moment for the longest time, and I'm just so thankful. To find out that it was a thyroid issue, and I mean, just everything that these people have found that was going on with her."

"Tell me how you're doing with her," Dr. Phil says.

"Oh my gosh," she repeats. "To have my mom back. I had started to give up hope, and even after you guys were willing to bring her to Creative Care and try and get her this help I kept thinking, what if I had waited too long? What if she's too far gone? What if this just isn't possible? Amazing."

Dr. Khalegi chimes in. "The first week, Sylvia was so paranoid she wouldn't take the medication. And it wasn't until Ann Marie put her foot down and said, 'If you don't take medication, you're not coming home. I can't help you. You're not going to see your grandchild.' Until she did that, Sylvia was not taking her medication. And that's when I think the major change took place."

Dr. Phil chose not to put Sylvia in front of a live studio audience to avoid over-stimulating her. Instead, he goes backstage to visit her, along with Dr. Khaleghi, in the greenroom.

"I was so excited to meet you, because I am so excited about the work you've been doing," he says. "You seem to have just a radiant smile."

"Thank you," Sylvia responds, her smile growing wider.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Phil inquires.

"I'm feeling oh, so much better. I can't tell you. A hundred percent better," she says.

"Do you remember very much about some of these times where you were just kind of out of contact?" he asks.

"No," she says, "but so much of it was stress-induced."

"Right," Dr. Phil agrees.

"Well, I want to show Sylvia just how far she has come because I want her to really give herself credit for the hard work and progress that she's done," he says, turning to Sylvia. He tells her to take a look back at what her life was like when Ann Marie first reached out for help. Sylvia watches selected video clips of herself as she was the last time she appeared on Dr. Phil.

When the video ends, she says, "This is, um ... There's a lot of this I don't remember."

"What do you think about that?" Dr. Phil asks.

She laughs uncomfortably. "Well, that looks pretty bad," she says.

"I also want you to see that so you have a reference point if you get to feeling at all uncomfortable, if you start to experience any old behaviors at all, that you'll be the first one to say, 'Hey, guys, let me tell you, that tape I saw? It's starting to get a little noisy in my head or something.' Then you can tell us. You can be the very first one to say, 'You know what? I need to relax some, get the stress down a little bit, and be more of who I deserve to be instead of that dark place that I came from.'"

"That makes sense," says Dr. Khalegi.

"Yeah, that does make sense," Syvia agrees.

"Every case is different," Dr. Phil continues, "but hopefully this gives you an idea that there are things available, there are treatment modalities available. And you just don't ever want to give up. You want to always keep putting one foot in front of the other and help every family member that you can. And if you're one of those people that kind of slips in and slips out, reach out for some help. You absolutely are not alone."

Dr. Phil chose not to put Sylvia in front of a live studio audience to avoid over-stimulating her. Instead, he goes backstage to visit her, along with Dr. Khaleghi, in the greenroom.

"I was so excited to meet you, because I am so excited about the work you've been doing," he says. "You seem to have just a radiant smile."

"Thank you," Sylvia responds, her smile growing wider.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Phil inquires.

"I'm feeling oh, so much better. I can't tell you. A hundred percent better," she says.

"Do you remember very much about some of these times where you were just kind of out of contact?" he asks.
"No," she says, "but so much of it was stress-induced."

"Right," Dr. Phil agrees.

"Well, I want to show Sylvia just how far she has come because I want her to really give herself credit for the hard work and progress that she's done," he says, turning to Sylvia. He tells her to take a look back at what her life was like when Ann Marie first reached out for help. Sylvia watches selected video clips of herself as she was the last time she appeared on Dr. Phil.

When the video ends, she says, "This is, um ... There's a lot of this I don't remember."

"What do you think about that?" Dr. Phil asks.

She laughs uncomfortably. "Well, that looks pretty bad," she says.

"I also want you to see that so you have a reference point if you get to feeling at all uncomfortable, if you start to experience any old behaviors at all, that you'll be the first one to say, 'Hey, guys, let me tell you, that tape I saw? It's starting to get a little noisy in my head or something.' Then you can tell us. You can be the very first one to say, 'You know what? I need to relax some, get the stress down a little bit, and be more of who I deserve to be instead of that dark place that I came from.'"

"That makes sense," says Dr. Khalegi.

"Yeah, that does make sense," Sylvia agrees.

"Every case is different," Dr. Phil continues, "but hopefully this gives you an idea that there are things available, there are treatment modalities available. And you just don't ever want to give up. You want to always keep putting one foot in front of the other and help every family member that you can. And if you're one of those people that kind of slips in and slips out, reach out for some help. You absolutely are not alone."

[banjobon]

Thanks cathy and bdd! That is a lot of great info. I'm gonna print it out for my friend. I just hope that someone - like his mom maybe - will become an advocate for him because he's a young guy (early 20's) and already the mental ills have such a hold on him, so much so that I don't know if he has enough capacity to take this all in and take charge of his health.

Thanks again!

Bonnie

[Chris Jackson]

Hi Lisa!

I was looking through these links and some others you brought over from STTM to see if I could find if there's a link between hyperthyroidism (perhaps from Graves) and bipolar. I have a friend at church who is about 7 feet tall (really!), weighs about 100 pounds and has been dx'd as bipolar and possibly schizophrenic. He can't sit still too long and can't hold a job and sleeps about 14 hours a night he says. He speaks with a lisp or maybe his speech is just slurred, don't know. He has a lot of anxiety and experiences heart palps, which I'm sure are not helped by the amount of caffeine he consumes.

Anyway, I told him to have his doc check his thyroid. Do you think there could possibly be a link?

Thanks!
Bonnie

I'm suspicious he could be an acromegalic (high GH usually caused by pit tumor, hyperpituitary) in combo with AI (not sit still, epinephrine may be high), hypothyroid and hypogonad (possible all of these are secondary), probably low aldosterone as well. Does he have protruding forehead, nose, chin, cheek bones, large hands, large feet, maybe deep voice, excessive or lack of body and facial hair? I stuttered and slurred my sentences for years until HRT and all that stopped.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following list of physical symptoms of Acromegaly:

Arthritis and/or related symptoms (pain in the joints).
Black and blue marks of the sole and/or instep of the feet.
Bone spurs or bony growths on the spine.
Carpal tunnel syndrome. Caused by growth of hands without corresponding connective tissue growth (the tendons do not grow).
Deepening of the voice.
Loss (weakening) of cognitive abilities and/or memory lapses.
Colon polyps (the colon may also get longer).
Drooling while either awake or asleep (see also sleep apnea).
Eye ridges thicken and eyes look deep set (look like a cave man).
Feet grow and/or swell (may not be bilateral).
Fatigue (unusual tiredness or loss of energy).
Headaches (from mild to severe).
Hirsutism or hair growth on arms, legs, shoulders, chest and back.
Kidney stones.
Lower lip grows.
Lower testosterone level in males.
Abnormal menstrual cycle in women.
Nose grows.
Numbness and/or weakness of the hands.
Osteoporosis.
Reduced sexual drive and possible impotence.
Saliva gland enlargement.
Skin discoloration or darkening.
Skin odor.
Skin tags or other growths.
Sleep apnea. Irregular breathing and breathing stoppages while asleep.
Snoring (see also sleep apnea).
Sudden and excessive sweating and hot flashes.
Teeth separation or other facial deformities.
Thickening of head or jaw (may not be bilateral or uniform).
Thickening and toughening of the skin.
Tingling, burning sensations or pain in the extremities (worse when tired - that old crazy bone feeling, only continuous).
Thyroid gland swelling and/or other thyroid problems.
Vision impairment and/or blindness.

Psychological Changes and Personality Changes:

Loss (weakening) of cognitive abilities and/or memory lapses.
Mania (but no depression. All that growth hormone gives one a constant high).
Megalomania (feeling of great power and invincibility).
Rage (fits of almost uncontrollable temper - with remorse afterward ...oh that wonderful growth hormone

[banjobon]

He does have some of those symptoms - deep voice, protruding forehead, the psychological and personality changes but also has a lot of paranoia. He is considered disabled and collects SSI. I believe he's in his early or mid-twenties. Unfortunately, I don't see him at church anymore. He goes through phases where he just completely withdraws. Last time I saw him, he said his dr. checked his thyroid and it was "fine." Right.

Thanks so much for the info, Chris. I will hang on to it and hopefully will see him around sometime to share with him.

[Chris Jackson]

You're welcome, by the way the disease wrecks the heart, average life span is about 40 years without proper treatment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acromegaly

Famous acromegalic include The Alton (Illinois) Giant, Robert Wadlow died at age 21 was shy of 9 feet, Andre the Giant, André Roussimoff (WWF wrestler), died at age 47, 7 feet 4 inches (at least two other famous wrestlers with acromegaly), Richard Dawson Kiel (The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker), still alive 68 years old, 7 feet 1 1/2 inches, retired several years ago from movies, is wheelchair bound after car accident several years ago. Gheorghe Dumitru Mure?an still alive at 37, tallest player in NBA history at 7 foot 7 inches, retired in 2003, still alive at 37 after playing 11 years. Theodore Crawford Cassidy died at 47, was Lurch on The Addams Family.

[banjobon]

Thanks for the info, Chris. Ironically, my friend's lifespan was 25 years - - he died a week and a half ago, but not from his illness. He was in an auto accident. The cool thing is - whatever his illness was, I know he's completely healed now.

Thanks again,
Bonnie

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks for letting me know.

You're welcome,
Chris