thyroid and psychosis

I was wondering if anyone knows how common it is that thyroid disorders can lead to psychotic symptoms.

[parker210488]

these are all medical conditions that can cause psychosis and yes the thyroid disorders are on there

Medical conditions
A very large number of medical conditions can cause psychosis, sometimes called secondary psychosis.[9] Examples include:
disorders causing delirium (toxic psychosis), in which consciousness is disturbed
neurodevelopmental disorders and chromosomal abnormalities, including velocardiofacial syndrome
neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease,[15] dementia with Lewy bodies,[16] and Parkinson's disease[17]
focal neurological disease, such as stroke, brain tumors,[18] multiple sclerosis,[19] and some forms of epilepsy
malignancy (typically via masses in the brain, paraneoplastic syndromes, or drugs used to treat cancer)
infectious and postinfectious syndromes, including infections causing delirium, viral encephalitis, HIV,[20] malaria,[21] Lyme disease,[22][23][24] syphilis[25][26]
endocrine disease, such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, adrenal failure, Cushing's syndrome, hypoparathyroidism and hyperparathyroidism; sex hormones also affect psychotic symptoms and sometimes childbirth can provoke psychosis, termed puerperal psychosis
inborn errors of metabolism, such as porphyria and metachromatic leukodystrophy[27][28][29]
nutritional deficiency, such as vitamin B12 deficiency[30][31]
other acquired metabolic disorders, including electrolyte disturbances such as hypocalcemia,[32] hypernatremia,[33] hyponatremia,[34] hypokalemia,[35] hypomagnesemia,[36] hypermagnesemia,[37] hypercalcemia,[38] and hypophosphatemia,[39] but also hypoglycemia,[40] hypoxia, and failure of the liver or kidneys
autoimmune and related disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus, SLE),[41] sarcoidosis,[42] Hashimoto's encephalopathy,[43][44][45] and anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis[46]
poisoning, by therapeutic drugs (see below), recreational drugs (see below), and a range of plants, fungi, metals, organic compounds, and a few animal toxins[9]
some sleep disorders, including hallucinations in narcolepsy (in which REM sleep intrudes into wakefulness)[9]
Psychosis can even be caused by familiar ailments such as flu[47][48] or mumps.[49]

[Super_sally888]

It is very common.  In fact, thyroid shoudl always be ruled out as part of a workup on any psychotic condition.

Proper treatmetn of a preexisting thyroid condition could resolve or greatly improve a psychotic condition.

Depression is also very common in hypothyroid, mania in hyperthyroid.

[JMC72]

I can sadly say that it seems I have been misdiagnosed with MDD and BP for YEARS and we are just starting to figure out that it was wrong... It has been my thyroid all along and I am FURIOUS!

I have been on/off so MANY meds that never helped and I can't even tell you without crying how long I have been suffering!

Please, take my advice, do not stop until you get your thyroid completely checked because MANY meds that they use to treat mental illness can alter the tests for the thyroid and I know that for a fact...

I don't know what you are on but you should do some searches to see if they are the ones.

Best of luck!

[Dina723]

Yes, do your homework! My doctor felt I had many symptoms of Hashimoto's Encephalitis, one of which is hallucinations. Thankfully, it was one symptom I did NOT have. Your thyroid symptoms will affect your mental processes and your emotions. What exactly are your symptoms? Do you mind sharing with us?

[i_am_who_i_am]

I dont have symptoms of psychosis I was just a little freaked out when I heard thyroid problems can cause that. I am concerned about my thyroid however. I went to the doc today and he told me he dont think that I am experiencing the pain in my neck from my thyroid because my thyroid is not enlarged he thinks it could be Esophagitis. I had my thyroid tested about 3 or 4 years ago and it was fine. However that does not mean its still fine. I have some symptoms of thyroid problems however there are also many other explanations for my symptoms. But I still got a blood requisition to go get my thyroid tested I just want to be safe.

[i_am_who_i_am]

Im sorry you had to go so long being missdiagnosed. But on the upside it must feel good to finally know whats going on and to be properly treated now.

[Barb135]

Any tests you  had 3-4 yrs ago would be irrelevant now, so you should certainly get a full thyroid panel done.  That would include Free T3, Free T4, TSH...... I'd also recommend to both, you and JMC72, that you get thyroid antibody tests done.  

Those would be Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGab).  These will determine whether or not you have an autoimmune thyroid condition, called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  

With Hashi's the body sees the thyroid as foreign, so produces antibodies to destroy it.  As the destruction progresses, the thyroid makes less and less hormones, until eventually, it's "dead" and can't make any hormones.  This leaves the patient completely dependent on thyroid replacement hormones.

It's quite common, in the early stages of Hashi to have hypothyroid symptoms and still have so-called "normal" thyroid labs. This is a major cause a lot of people being un/misdiagnosed.  

[JMC72]

Hi! I am glad you brought this up because she did test for the antibodies but she said that I didn't have enough to render the dx...

I was going to post a question to the forum to ask if anyone got the dx with "Slightly elevated" antibodies...

What do you think...

A few people have said if you have them, you have them and last year in December  2010 I was tested and I did NOT have them...

ATA - 46 (0-30)
TPO - 69 (25-60)

I haven't been dx with Lupus, RA, or anemia and have had my blood tested quite often so I would think it would have come up...

[Barb135]

Thank you for refreshing my memory.  I think you did post this question, didn't you?  Elevated antibodies indicates Hashimoto's, whether they are at 69, like yours, 368 like mine were or in the thousands like some others we see.  Antibodies don't have to be sky high, to warrant a dx. Chances are, as time goes on, your levels may rise, but they may not......... doesn't matter; in my opinion, you still have Hashi's, and the resulting clear cut hypothyroidism is only a matter of time.  Your doctor would be serving you better by treating your symptoms now, rather than to let them get completely out of control.

Do you happen to know what your B12 levels are?

[JMC72]

oh yeah... they are low.. I had to get a shot a few months ago..

2009 - 234 (211-911)
2010 - 268 (200-1100)
7/2011 - Off the charts high because I just had the shot...

I don't know if I have anything else... I can't find it...

Thank you sooo much for your opinion... I can't tell you how it makes me feel better and at the same time so disappointed in the endo!

[Barb135]

How often do you get B12 shots?  I have to take them weekly to keep my levels near/at the top of the range.  Have you been diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia?  I was dx'd with PA with levels like your 234 (range 200-1100)......... If I don't keep my levels top of the range, I have the most horrible fatigue/exhaustion.  Add hypo to that ................  and I'm a mess.

BTW  -- PA is another autoimmune.

[JMC72]

Sorry it took so long... I had to go to a wedding and I REALLY didn't want to...
NOTHING FITS and I am so tired all the time but I am glad that I went... Single mom with a five year old daughter so I don't get out much and it was actually a lot of fun...

Anyway, I got the one shot. I was supposed to go for my physical i January but I cancelled it because I was sick of going to the doctor.



I was anemic when I was preg but then I never really was tested after that but I can tell you  that I feel terrible almost all the time.Some days by 1pm I want to take a nap, other days I at least make it to 4pm! LOL! Dinner time is the worst...

My red blood cells are always low and out of range so that could mean something too right?

Thank you for the info because I am going to bring that up to this new doc...

[Barb135]

Low red blood cell count indicates iron deficiency anemia, which is  not the same as pernicious anemia, but it's possible to have them both.

[JMC72]

ok... I don't know what the heck is going on with my body anymore!

All I know is, I don't feel well and it's been far too long now and I am fed up with the fact that I HAVE TO FIGURE WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME and these doctors and specialists can get away with telling me it's in my head when clearly, CLEARLY, it's not!!!

[terinaelam]

I have been prescribed so many anti-depressants. Dr kept saying if this one doesnt work try this one. Finally I refused to take anymore. I am not depressed due to mental illness, I am depressed because these doctors (the ones Ive seen) are literally 'incompetent'. I see another Specialist on Thursday, Im hoping for the best:)

[Barb135]

Good luck with your new specialist.  I think so many of have had anti depressants, etc shoved off on us, when that's not what we need.  

I had one doctor tell me I was tired, because I was depressed.  I said "no, I'm not tired because I'm depressed, I'm depressed because I'm so tired and you won't do anything to help me"......... years of the same and another doctor finally dx'd me with Pernicious Anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency)....... left untreated for years, it caused irreparable nerve damage in my hands and feet. Great doctors, huh?  

Again, wishing you the best.

[JMC72]

What are your nerve symptoms?
Do you know I had an EMG on my hands/wrists for CTS and the doc said it was off the charts, mind you I had to beg him for the test because I was in sooo much...it was waking me at night it was so bad and when he finally did it he said he was wrong! I did show a  problem and he recommended surgery...
So I had it on my left and the surgeon said after that it wasn't that bad... meaning, there was another cause for it!!! So needless to say, I still have the symptoms, yes, they are less severe in the left, now the right is getting unbearable but I wont opt for surgery until I get to the bottom of why its happening in the first place!!!

I cant take the numbness and the tingling...It really is painful and it even bothers my shoulders!

[Barb135]

The symptoms I have from the PA are numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, mostly along my pinkie and up into my hand and lower arm.  It's not nearly as bad as it was before I began the shots, but my doctor said it was probably permanent from my PA being left untreated for so long. 5 yrs into the shots and it still hasn't gone away, so I guess I'll have to agree with him.  

Once in a while, I get, what feels like, an electrical shock in my feet or legs - like someone hit me with a cattle prod or something. This is sporadic (may happen several times/week or maybe not for a couple months) and always catches me unaware.  

I find that exercise helps all of this considerably, even if it's just flexing my fingers/toes, light weights (try using a bottle of water or can of veggies)

I do have some carpal tunnel from spending nearly 30 years with my hands poised over either a typewriter or computer keyboard, but it's not bad enough to try to do anything about.