Help Please My Wife's Personality

[HankScorpio]

My wife stopped takeing her thyroid medication for about 3 to 4 months.  She never took it regularly.  Also her dosage was low.

She seemed to change, dramatically.  She did things that I would never have believed she was capable of.  Her actions would be considered "off the deep end."  She says she felt "out of her mind"

She is now on her medication faithfully.  She seems to be back to the person I knew.

But now I wonder, could the lack of the medication explain her actions?  I just do not know.

Please give me any advice you have regarding this matter.

Thanks in advance

[MKlacza]

Welcome to the community! I am so sorry that you and your wife are going through such a difficult time... first, I must say that if she has been advised to take her meds, she must!! I dont know her situation...has she had her thyroid removed, what has she been diagnosed with etc... even if she were taking her meds religiously... she may not be on the right dose and this can make a person have many many symptoms...anger, rage, anxiety, doesnt care about the world attitude etc... please, please have her take her meds as prescribed and see her dr ASAP! There is help out there and you just took the first step!!

Good luck!!
MK

[kitty9309]

Is she hypothyroid?
I was extremely agitated and had anxiety and insomnia prior to my hypothryoid diagnosis.
I felt out of my mind as well. I was unable to care for myself or my 2 children.
Make sure she is faithful about taking her meds.
Any thyoid condition can have mental health effects.
Many here can attest to the same thing.

[HankScorpio]

My wife is now very faithfully taking her medication.  Her personality seems to be back to normal for her.

But when she quit about a year ago, she became "another person".  What I fear is that she is blaming her actions on the lack of thyroid hormone.  I wonder if the lack of hormone can really cause that marked of a change in personality.

I am talking about a librarian becoming a stripper type of change.

[peggy64]

For 2 years prior to my diagnosis of hypothyroidism, I kept telling a friend of mine, I think I am loosing my mind. When I was finally diagnosed, the dr told me that that was what everyone says to them.

It does alter your mental status in various ways, like the things that MK listed above and also something we call brain-fog, also mental sluggishness: like someone asks you a question and you might answer in 5 minutes instead of immediately. It is very frustrating.

I do know that you can't make someone want to get help and that is frustrating. Like seeing someone running into a train, but unable to stop it.

You are a good husband to be concerned about your wife and wanting to help her to wellness. I wish my husband would take an interest instead of playing ostrich....

[HankScorpio]

Yes she is hypothyroid.  She too had trouble taking care of the kids.  Further, she said she was delusional.  For example she heard voices.

[HankScorpio]

Thank you for your help.  Your comments seems to be some of the exact same things she has said.  Sluggish mind, and body, etc.

It is so hard to understand that a person can look normal, (whatever that is), but be broken on the inside.

[peggy64]

You said it perfectly. That is why thyroid patients have a hard time being believed. We tend to look normal..unless we are in an extreme hyper or hypo phase. I know, when I was hyper from med induction, I looked like an insane person. Then hypo has its physical characteristics, but these are usually blamed on laziness or depression or a "don't care" attititude.

Now that she is on her meds and stable, maybe you can convince her that for her safety and the children, she needs to be monitored by the dr and remain on her meds. Share your concerns with her. hopefully she will respond appropriately.

[MKlacza]

Let me tell ya... this thyroid MADNESS can make us LOON-A-TICS!!! And I say that with extreme caution and sensitivity! I swear there were many times my husband was deathly afraid of me!

It is the worst experience by far that I have endured.. I swear...I feel I am being punished for taking my health for granted when I was healthy. I cant think like that, but it is he//!! You are very very supportive of your wife and So..HATS OFF TO YOU FRIEND!!!

[peggy64]

Loon-a-tic! That has been me...my husband and kids haven't said a thing, but they sure did look scared and stayed away from me...I'm with you, MK, this is the worst thing I have endured. It is he// exactly!!

Hank,

God will reward you for your standing my your wife.....

[Venora Moonwind]

No thryoid medsfor hypothryoid can mimic bi polar and that sounds like what happened to your wife. I pray she stays on hers medfrom now on. I am bi polar myuself and thryoidless so I know whereof I speak. good luck to you and your wife.
Love Venora

[utahmomma]

My daughter is bipolar and had her thyroid removed a few years ago.  When she is on her meds she is very "normal" but when she doesn't take her meds she gets very psychotic.  Please encourage your wife to stay on her meds and to see her doctor regularly to check her levels.

My best to you!

[kitty9309]

Here is a great link:

http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/pdf/0511/0511CP_Article4.pdf

I have some other mental health/thyroid links if you want them.

[kdevall]

yes thyroid problems can screw your head up even when the doctors say your numbers are good. its a very hard thing for people to understand be supportive and know its not her fault.

[HankScorpio]

Thanks once again to all of the kind people who answered this thread.  You all really helped a great deal.

[peggy64]

Hank, You restored my faith that some husbands do care and are interested. Your wife is blessed to have you. Just remember when she is acting "unusual" its probably her thryoid, not you......

[tashan]

ya! its very natural for someone like your wife suffering from hypothyroid to go out of box sometimes.
this all happens when you are falling short of required tsh levels.give her time for her recovery period she will just be normal in few days time.
all she needs is your patient understanding,trust and care.give her ,hers own space and see the miracle unhurling.no panickink just listen to her.

[HankScorpio]

Hi back again.

I have been talking to my wife about the period of time that happened a couple of years ago.

I guess I have not really told you all of what happened but I need to, in order to have a hope of saving my marriage.

My wife quit taking her medicine for about 4 months.  She says she began to hear voices, and she became fearful of me.  She thought I was going to kill her.  She could not get out of bed.

She then found another man who told her that what she believed was true.  He was a therapist.

My wife seems to be a different person now.  But could she have been that succeptable to a suggestion?

[redheadaussie]

In the black dark days before I knew I had anything wrong with me, I was an evil horrible person to know. I did violent, irrational things, that totally went against my quiet peaceloving nature. I was very susceptible to obsessive thoughts to the point I genuninely believed that someone was totally in love with me and was driving past my house at night to sneak a peek at me. I look back at that time and cringe with shame that I could be so weird. I then got to a very low point in depression and had a total breakdown....I went on anti-depressants and that is another story!
All my thyroid tests kept telling me I was normal.
   In short, 15 years later when I thought I just can't take  this madness another minute, I found out I had severe Hashimotos' Disease. If left untreated it can and does cause severe mental dysfunction, every person is different in how it affects them. All it took was a simple anti-bodies test to find out, but no-one had even considered it. I lost my children do to my personality failing me and me not being able to look after them. I was devastated and kept believing something was not right and not just a mental disorder.
  My psychiatrist has finally (after 8 years!) seen the light, got me off the anti-depressants and now TOTALLY checks the thyroid levels of most of his patients who present with schizophrenia, OCD, and post natal depression.
   There is plenty of  information on the web about this if you google 'hashimoto and personality change'.
I do not know if your wife has Hashimoto's or not but that is usually one of the main thyroid disorders that can cause such a huge personality change.
  As long as she is treated she will be fine.  
Good luck to you both.

[suzanna1]

definately... i feel like a totally different person too.. i am always angry, cant concentrate, and depressed like crazy.. that could change anyone

[HyperT77]

You hang in there.  Yes, Thyroid Disease can cause a multitude of disorders.  The Thyroid is a very complex organ and controls many chemistry reactions throughout the body.  If your wife is "better" when taking her medication regularly, then that is a good indicationr that her thryoid is causing alot of her issues.  She needs to keep taking her medication and most importantly, continue to follow-up with an Endocrinologist so he/she can keep up with her numbers.

[HankScorpio]

Thanks again.  It is so, so very reasurring to hear from a person who "has no dog in the fight."

God bless you all