Can thyroid disease CAUSE bipolar disorder/mood swings?

[ldyhawk]

Can thyroid disease/dysfunction CAUSE bipolar disorder/mood swings? Or is it just that a high percentage of people with bipolar depression have thyroid dysfunction of some kind?



I don't THINK that Bipolar can cause thyroid problems (unless being treated with Lithium), but can it happen the other way around?



I have just found out I have Bipolar II with mixed states, rapid cycling. I am also in the process of getting thyroid tests, no results yet. Wanted to know if a thyroid problem could be the blame and not my crazy brain.

Thanxs for listening and would appreciate any input. I don't know much about this yet. Thanxs,

[utahmomma]

I don't know which one is the chicken and which one is the egg. My daughter and sister were/are both diagnosed bipolar and their symptoms have decreased following thyroidectomies (for cancer/precancer) and synthroid treatment.  Not sure on my sister but I noticed personality problems with my daughter from birth (controlling, screaming all the time, inability to form friendships, destructive behavior, rapid cycling moods, etc.).  



My daughter had large nodules found with an ultrasound and because all of my sister's an I had our thyroids removed for cancer (only 1 precancerous), we elected to have hers removed too.  There were never indications of thyroid problems and we ran labs on her for months before the surgery - NEVER an abnormal thyroid reading.



My family has a history of both psychological disorders (schizophrenia, clinical depression, and bipolar) and thyroid disorders.  However, our thyroid disorders have been primarily cancer (mother has a goiter - probably  mostly cancer and sister had Hashimoto's along with her cancer).



There are links between all sorts of things associated with the thyroid.  Maybe someday they will find out some bipolar conditions may be an autoimmune response (like thyroid problems) but I don't even know if anyone is researching the link.



Do some research on bipolar disorder.  It's never fun to have an ominous label slapped on you without knowing everything involved.  



Now my motherly advice:  if you are anything like my daughter was, take a very deep breath, be calm, and focus.  You need to keep your thoughts from running away with you and from imagining the worst possible outcomes.  There is lots of support here!  No one is going to let you go through this alone.

[GravesLady]

Thyroid conditioned can exasperate existing mental problems or even mimic mental illness.

Thyroid problem, both underactive and overactive, can cause mood swings.(OH Boy! can they!)  An overactive thyroid may exhibit marked anxiety and tension, emotional liability, impatience and irritability, distractible overactivity, exaggerated sensitivity to noise, and fluctuating depression with sadness and problems with sleep and the appetite. In extreme cases, they may appear schizophrenic, losing touch with reality and becoming delirious or hallucinating. However the most common effect of an overactive thyroid is anxiety.

An underactive thyroid can lead to progressive loss of interest and initiative, slowing of mental processes, poor memory for recent events, fading of the personality's color and vivacity, general intellectual deterioration, depression with a paranoid flavor, and eventually, if not checked, to dementia and permanent harmful effects on the brain. In instances of each condition, some persons have been wrongly diagnosed, hospitalized for months, and treated unsuccessfully for psychosis.

Among us who have Graves' Disease refer to "Graves' Rage",  committed acts that might seem violent or out of character

(OH Boy!). Screaming, throwing dishes, or assaulting someone.  "Graves' rage" is describe as inappropriate feelings of anger (OH Yes!), frequently followed by an impulsive destructive response to this anger (Not proud, but, OH  Yes!) The medical literature states that patients with Graves' disease are likely to experience emotional problems, including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, depression, and emotional liability, characterized by mood swings. Sudden crying for no apparent reason and overreacting are also common. (Yes! Yes! Yes! to all the above) Many patients report feeling edgy and irritable one minute, and normal the next. The literature also states that before hyperthyroidism was recognized as a disease, many patients with Graves' disease spent their days in asylums.



That is why I take Lorazepam when I feel the need coming on.

With time it gets better, I'm getting better, the ugly monster is slowly disappearing. :):):)



Good Luck.

[lhowell]

I was dx in May with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism...there is no doubt in my mind that thyroid conditions can cause mood and mental problems.  I was experiencing symptoms of paranoia (and mood swings) for months until my meds brought my TSH levels down.  I now see how much I over-reacted to things in the past.  Now I am back to my normal self (I only take Synthroid).  I honestly thought I was going crazy and I didn't want to tell the doctor about it.  I was just hoping it was thyroid-related and would correct itself w/ meds.  It did.

[Bec_M]

Hi, I am a new/old person female-54.  I am in the pits of dispare and I have no where else to turn.  This is my last stop.



I have several Doctors that I see regularly, a headDoc for Bipolar and and ENDO for Graves and my GYN who never looks UP far enough to see if I am "crazy" or not but ultimately he has been the one to DX me over the years with serious Thyroid issues.  I guess because he doesn't see me ALL THE TIME and he noticed right away that I had lost 45 lbs .



No matter I almost died with Graves symptoms by the time I was dx'd  and have been on Tapazole for two years with success.  My ENDO against her best bishes has worked with me on medication and my thyroid finally responded and we (the Doc and I) are jumping for joy.  This is what we have wanted.  For me to be Euthroid without RAI!  BINGO!!!  



At this time my TSH is 66 and my Free T4 is .18    (my meds were stopped for several days and continued Tapazole but to lower it at half dose every other day)  This is our goal.  I think I am dying from it though.  I have not gained a pound but I have even lost down to 87 lbs  I eat well, I love food and I do not have a feeding problem *hint* but I could.



~ sigh ~ now my Thyroid is responding so well in fact that I am of the belief that it's finally burned out - KUPUT!  So be it,,,let nature take it's course and I'm for that.



(Interestingly I went to an extended family reunion this summer and at least half have scars like their throats have been cut and they take medicine - but then they forget why - scream!)



Here in lies my problem:  I am dying and I don't know why or how to tell or how to bring it up and be taken seriously.  I feel like such a baby and I cry constantly.  I wake crying, during the day, I can't take me anywhere.  I was like this two years ago when it was discovered I was very HYPER. I can assure you I do not have HYPER symptoms now... Now I believe I am HYPO...but the dispare is killing me.  I am having two family person crisis that I cannot discuss with anyone...not a soul on this earth except my HeadDoc and she understands I cannot tell anyone else - that again is a problem.



I am almost positive these crying symptoms are from my thyroid but how do I broach the subject to my ENDO...I'm not due for test for two weeks but I do not know if I can make it another two weeks living in this hell.  I am eating medications (ATIVANS-mood stablilizers (life savers)  I need help so bad and I don't know who to tell - even my HeadDoc is convinced this is part due to my thyroid - because interestingly enough my BIPOLAR symptoms go away when my thyroid is under control...I don't know what to do - someone help me..................PLEASE!  I really need to know I'm not alone.



After all - I'm just the crazy person.

[GravesLady]

You are not going crazy, it could be the disease!

I lost 50 lbs with Hyper/Graves' and still losing up until RAI treatment.  Don't assume your thyroid condition (hypo/hyper) until you have Labs done again.  At times I get real bad symptoms to where I want to change meds dose, then Labs reflect normal.  On the other hand