I don't know that the original poster will see this, but I am convinced my mother's paranoid psychosis occured as a result of her total hysterectomy. She is now on risperdyl (Spelling?). She was seriously way out there until the treatment. A few years later she tried to get off the medication and it came back.
The answer refers to high levels of oestrogen. However, this problem seems to have been the result of the sudden reduction of oestrogen following the hysterectomy and a very low dosage transdermal patch, which was probably depleted further by exposure to humidity and swimming for a month. Any answers, or references to research, please?
The answer refers to high levels of oestrogen. However, this problem seems to have been the result of the sudden reduction of oestrogen following the hysterectomy and a very low dosage transdermal patch, which was probably depleted further by exposure to humidity and swimming for a month. Any answers, or references to research, please?
Like I mentioned a disturbance of the body's homeostasis may be the cause of the psychosis but no defintive conclusion can be established of why low or high levels of estrogen causes psychosis.
A search in medline showed few case reports. You might be be interested in the attached abstract.
Role of estradiol in puerperal psychosis.
Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1999 Nov;147(1):108-10
(ISSN: 0033-3158)
Ahokas A; Aito M Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki City Hospital, Finland. antti.***@****.
RATIONALE: Postpartum period has been considered a time of increased risk for the development of psychiatric disorders with long-lasting adverse consequences. Psychoses are the most severe of these illnesses and can be resistant to psychiatric medication. OBJECTIVE: We present two women with puerperal psychosis who had low serum estradiol, were refractory to neuroleptic medication but responded successfully to estradiol treatment. METHODS: Serum estradiol concentration was measured at baseline and during the treatment with sublingual 17-beta estradiol. Treatment effect was evaluated using Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. RESULTS: Both patients had a low pretreatment estradiol concentration (28 and 54 pmol/l). During treatment with estradiol, the rise in serum estradiol coincided with a decline of psychotic symptoms. Discontinuation of estradiol treatment resulted in a rebound of florid psychotic symptoms in both cases. CONCLUSIONS: Estradiol may have a causal relation to postpartum psychosis and significance in the treatment of this illness.
Like I mentioned a disturbance of the body's homeostasis may be the cause of the psychosis but no defintive conclusion can be established of why low or high levels of estrogen causes psychosis.
A search in medline showed few case reports. You might be be interested in the attached abstract.
Role of estradiol in puerperal psychosis.
Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1999 Nov;147(1):108-10
(ISSN: 0033-3158)
Ahokas A; Aito M Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki City Hospital, Finland. antti.***@****.
RATIONALE: Postpartum period has been considered a time of increased risk for the development of psychiatric disorders with long-lasting adverse consequences. Psychoses are the most severe of these illnesses and can be resistant to psychiatric medication. OBJECTIVE: We present two women with puerperal psychosis who had low serum estradiol, were refractory to neuroleptic medication but responded successfully to estradiol treatment. METHODS: Serum estradiol concentration was measured at baseline and during the treatment with sublingual 17-beta estradiol. Treatment effect was evaluated using Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. RESULTS: Both patients had a low pretreatment estradiol concentration (28 and 54 pmol/l). During treatment with estradiol, the rise in serum estradiol coincided with a decline of psychotic symptoms. Discontinuation of estradiol treatment resulted in a rebound of florid psychotic symptoms in both cases. CONCLUSIONS: Estradiol may have a causal relation to postpartum psychosis and significance in the treatment of this illness.
Potentially any drug or medical condition can cause a mental condition. Some drugs especially street drugs cause psychosis more commonly.
There is no exact explanation why some drugs or hormones can cause psychosis and to others not but it is likely that the change in the body's homeostasis could have caused a disruption of the chemicals in the brain. Sometimes, the rapid increase in dosage of the estrogen can also cause this condition
This is treated by lowering the dose of the estrogen or if necessary to discontinue it for a while and restart with a low dose and increase slowly in weeks duration.