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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Neurotoxic Encephalitis
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Neurotoxic Encephalitis
by Robert, Feb 15, 2000 12:00AM
For many years I have been treated for deppression (but it kept getting worse) then Bipolar disease (although my symptoms weren't typical). All that time, the medicines never gave me complete relief and they would lose their effect after a year or so. So, the psychiatrists would just keep adding more medicine.
It comes to be that, over the last two years, it's been discovered I was developing brain damage from exposure to toxic chemicals where I worked. The psychiatrists were only treating the apparent symptoms without knowing the actual cause.
So, hear I am now with a lot of brain damage from the chemicals and still taking Wellbutrin, Effexor and 1800mg of Eskalith CR a day. I still have mental illness problems but I'm not sure if these are right kind of medicines for me to be taking.
Here are my questions.
1. Can neurotoxic encephaly of the brain cause symptoms that are like mental illness (depression, Bipolar illness, ect)?
2. Should such symptoms be treated like regular mental illness or are there other kinds of medicines for my illness?
3. Could the medicines I am taking now be making things worse?
It comes to be that, over the last two years, it's been discovered I was developing brain damage from exposure to toxic chemicals where I worked. The psychiatrists were only treating the apparent symptoms without knowing the actual cause.
So, hear I am now with a lot of brain damage from the chemicals and still taking Wellbutrin, Effexor and 1800mg of Eskalith CR a day. I still have mental illness problems but I'm not sure if these are right kind of medicines for me to be taking.
Here are my questions.
1. Can neurotoxic encephaly of the brain cause symptoms that are like mental illness (depression, Bipolar illness, ect)?
2. Should such symptoms be treated like regular mental illness or are there other kinds of medicines for my illness?
3. Could the medicines I am taking now be making things worse?
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS MD-JM, Feb 17, 2000 12:00AM
Robert,
Many medical conditions can mimic psychiatric disorders and are always important to rule the common problems out (ie thyroid disease, diabetes, cardiac conditions). Some identified medical issues such as Parkinsons DZ have associated psychiatric symptoms such as depression and dementia. The underlying condition needs to be addressed and sometimes the psychiatric manifestations will disappear but often they may persist. In the case that the behavioral manifestations persist then psychotropics are indicated and helpful. You may discuss this issue further with your psychiatrist and consider discontinuation of your meds to see how you function without them. I hope this was helpful.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: Medical illness, psychiatric manifestations
Many medical conditions can mimic psychiatric disorders and are always important to rule the common problems out (ie thyroid disease, diabetes, cardiac conditions). Some identified medical issues such as Parkinsons DZ have associated psychiatric symptoms such as depression and dementia. The underlying condition needs to be addressed and sometimes the psychiatric manifestations will disappear but often they may persist. In the case that the behavioral manifestations persist then psychotropics are indicated and helpful. You may discuss this issue further with your psychiatrist and consider discontinuation of your meds to see how you function without them. I hope this was helpful.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: Medical illness, psychiatric manifestations
