Thyroid Archives – Bipolar 1 Survivor

Is Your Thyroid Gland Really Normal?

10.25.2017 by Molly McHugh // Leave a Comment

Is your thyroid gland really normal? Or is it making you sick even though some tests a doctor ran says it is?

What tests did you have, what additional tests may be needed to give a more accurate assessment of thyroid function and how can your thyroid gland be contributing to your bipolar illness mood states?

Simplified Description of Thyroid Functioning

These are all important questions for anyone diagnosed bipolar to ask. They are especially important for those who are taking lithium, or who have unrelenting fatigue as a major symptom.

Lithium can cause existing thyroid issues to worsen, or create a thyroid problem all on its own as a side effect of long-term use.

And your underfunctioning or overfunctioning thyroid gland may have be the primary underlying biological cause that created the onset of your severe mood states in the first place.

What Does Your Thyroid Gland Do?

Your thyroid gland does a bunch of very important things in your body such as regulate metabolic rate, heart and digestive function, muscle control and brain development.

It is the part of the endocrine system that releases thyroid hormones into the bloodstream. Source: Society for Endocrinology

It does a lot of other things too that we don’t need to get into here except for how it affects moods and how it may be contributing to your bipolar illness mood states.

Checking Thyroid Function

This is not done thoroughly by most doctors. Most will only test your TSH levels and maybe T4 too. Free T4 if you are lucky.

TSH is thyroid-stimulating hormone that is released by the pituitary gland in the brain and tells your thyroid gland to produce hormones. The two main hormones produced are T4 and T3.

Your body makes more T4 but then converts much of it to T3. A few more steps and T3 becomes free T3 i.e. circulating in the bloodstream not bound to a protein. It is free T3 that does most of the good stuff at the metabolic level.

If they test TSH and T4 and both are in the normal range then your symptoms of depression, fatigue, weight gain, lethargy, difficulty sleeping, etc. will be thought to be from depression.

Even though test results can vary from lab to lab and accepted ranges for normal differ from doctor to doctor.

It is also possible that the underlying problem is a difficulty converting T4 to T3 and then to free T3. There are T3 medications, so be sure to get complete and accurate testing.

Many Doctors Will Not Do a Thyroid Antibody Test – But You Need to Have One Done

I’ve been refused a thyroid antibody test on a couple of occasions. One doctor, when I had insurance and made it very clear when I made the appointment I wanted thorough thyroid testing said to me “it’s really expensive.” She would only test TSH and T4.

Really. Yes, she was fired. I never went back.

Don’t let that be you. Get a full thyroid panel done that also tests for antibodies that may indicate you have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. That could be the root cause of your depression and mood swings. Psychotropic medications will not treat it.

They will make you worse.

Would you like to be rolled into surgery to have seizures induced in your brain i.e. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) because lazy doctors wouldn’t fight for your health and instead just kept writing prescriptions that caused severe worsening of your symptoms.

I didn’t think so.

The below is quoted from the article: “Everything You Need to Know Before Getting a Thyroid Panel.”

“In many cases of hypo/hyperthyroidism, the lymphocytes, which are the blood cells created by our immune system and released in the blood circulation with the function to protect our body from any viruses and bacteria by creating their antibodies, now create antibodies against their own thyroid.”

“These antibodies will either stimulate or harm the thyroid gland and its function. Two main thyroid antibodies are usually found in a case of hypo/hyperthyroidism are thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin.”

Source: ThyroMate.

If Don’t Have Insurance Try an OTC Product

A few years ago I used up the last of my Synthroid prescription and was off the med for a month or so. As is the norm for me, I started to get overly-tired, feeling like I could barely move, sleepy during the day, etc.

I had no access to care, so bought an over-the-counter (OTC) product. The results were very good. I wrote this post about that includes a photo of the OTC product I bought.

If you don’t have access to testing you may want to do a trial run of an OTC dessicated thyroid product. You may be amazed at how much better you feel, and how much it lessens your bipolar depressive states.

Don’t Tolerate Intolerable Fatigue

Don’t tolerate intolerable fatigue. And don’t believe that it is ‘just depression’ or the new label ‘bipolar depression’.

You may be given the name of a psychiatrist, or a prescription for an antidepressant. But what is really going on biologically is an underactive thyroid gland. Though the doctor refuses to do testing.

Depression – even with the marketing term bipolar in front of it – is a real physical illness. Find out what is going on in your body to make you feel that way.

If you are told your thyroid is normal, know that might not be the full picture. Insist on a full thyroid panel.

Peace, Molly

Image of thyroid system is a free use image on Wikipedia by Mikael Häggström.

Your Bipolar Symptoms May Be Undiagnosed Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

08.24.2017 by Molly McHugh // 2 Comments

Your bipolar symptoms may be undiagnosed Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

I found another Ninja Doc – Hyla Cass M.D. located in Los Angeles – when researching for my “Holistic Psychiatrists in the U.S.” free report. She believes up to 80% of women diagnosed bipolar are actually suffering from the autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

The list of holisitc physicians is online here: Holistic Psychiatrists in the U.S.

Your Bipolar Symptoms May Be Undiagnosed Hashimoto's Disease — All Symptoms of Thyroid Disease – Plus a Few More Like Mood Swings, Difficulty Concentrating and Heavy Menstrual Flow

After I copied her info onto the Word.doc, I signed up for her email list. A few days later I received one with the following information:

“Over the years I have diagnosed many patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the thyroid and a gradual destruction of thyroid tissue by the immune system.”

“Frequently presenting with anxiety, depression, moodswings and fatigue, it is often just treated at face value with psychotropic medication — and the opportunity for correct treatment and a much improved life are missed!”

Opportunity for Correct Treatment and a Much Improved Life are Missed

Isn’t that sad? It’s awful. And also simply inexcusable. The connection between thyroid issues and depression, weight gain (and difficulty losing weight with diet and exercise), irritability, mood swings, trouble concentrating, etc. have been known for decades.

[bctt tweet=”The Connection Between Thyroid Illness and Depression Has Been Known for Decades.”]

Yet a patient (usually female) who complains about these problems to a doctor will more often be given an antidepressant rather than extensive thyroid or other medical testing.

And even if you do get thyroid, blood sugar or other testing, you may be told you are normal when you’re not: Is Your Thyroid Gland Really Normal?

Then a patient gets worse as the antidepressants cause the side effects they are known to cause such as fatigue, constipation and worsening of depression and suicidal ideation in some.

Worsening of all symptoms plus a few more because the underlying illness is thyroid or other medical issue and not being treated.

But what usually happens next? A bunch more psych meds are prescribed and they continue to worsen. The side effects from more meds adds new problems such as impulsivity, acting erratically etc.

Then what happens?

They get a diagnosis of Bipolar 2 Disorder – but they are not bipolar. Their ‘hypomania’ was caused by the medications and untreated underlying illness; not actual Manic Depression.

It’s medical malpractice, plain and simple.

If a physician can’t read, prescribes medications without understanding the potential side effects and then ignores the connection to the meds when the patient gets worse and gives out more harmful drugs, not even knowing the interaction in the body of what they are prescribing… they should not hold a medical license.

Simple. First, do no harm.

How Is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Diagnosed?

The following is quoted from an article on Endocrine Web.com: “Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Diagnosis – Many Tests Can Detect This Common Thyroid Disorder“.

It talks about three primary ways to diagnose Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroid antibodies (ATA) and thyroxine (T4).

1. “A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test is a blood test that is one of the go-to tests for diagnosing hypothyroidism. Remember, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.”

2. “Anti-thyroid antibodies (ATA) tests, such as the microsomal antibody test (also known as thyroid peroxidase antibody test) and the anti-thyroglobulin antibody test, are commonly used to detect the presence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.”

3. “Thyroxine, or T4, is the active thyroid hormone in the blood, and your doctor may measure the level of free T4 in your bloodstream to help confirm a Hashimoto’s thyroiditis diagnosis.

Each of the above is described in more detail in the article, click here to read.

What is the Treatment for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

The following is from a Mayo Clinic.org article: “Hashimoto’s Disease – Treatments and Drugs“.

“If Hashimoto’s disease causes thyroid hormone deficiency, you may need replacement therapy with thyroid hormone. This usually involves daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, others).”

Source: MayoClinic.org.

I’ve been reading about thyroid illnesses for many years – since subclinical hypothyroidism was a large part of my extreme bipolar mood states. A great resource is Hypothyroid Mom.com – that covers these issues in-depth and from many angles.

The below is quoted from the article: “10 Reasons Why Hashimoto’s Patients Don’t Get Better“.

“There is not one easy fix to successfully managing Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, an autoimmune thyroid disease. As many people have learned the hard way, using thyroid hormones to get TSH within lab ranges certainly doesn’t guarantee a fix for most people, although it can help.”

“Hashimoto’s is a multifaceted autoimmune condition that involves many mechanisms. To truly manage your autoimmune Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, it’s important to understand the factors that contribute to it.”

Source: HypothyroidMom.com.

The article is written by Dr. Datis Kharrazian, author of the book: “Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal?”.

It talks in detail about additional things a Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis sufferer can do in addtion to medications, especially when they don’t improve on meds.

26 Years on Synthroid and Still Have Hypothyroid Symptoms

Of the symptoms of hypothyroidism listed above, I still have many though a low dose of Syntroid has kept me stable and out of the severe episodes of Manic Depression that lead to hospitalization. For that I am very grateful.

I got to enjoy life, work, raise my son.

But I still to this day have hypothyroid symptoms, and still try to find ways to treat whatever is the underlying cause of my health issues. I’ve recently gone gluten-free, to prevent worsening with age.

My periods are so heavy for the first night I am up three times or more to change tampons, pads, etc. or would have blood-soaked sheets. Yes, it’s gross. And yes, that’s “heavy menstrual flow.”

I was constipated for years, now only regular due to supplements I take.

I still deal with fatigue and mood swings. I have very low blood pressure, always have. I have high cholesterol (though eat a healthy diet and don’t smoke) – always have.

But no doctor ever put those together to come up with a thyroid-related diagnosis. And when I’ve asked for a full thryoid panel I’ve been refused on many occassions.

They refuse to test for Hashimoto’s, believe it or not.

Since I am taking Synthroid and that is the primary treatment they don’t want to bother. But it’d be a good thing for me to know, don’t you think?

They will diagnose depression in 10 minutes – then love to prescribe psychoatropic meds. To get many forms of payback from Big Pharma.

To have to figure out what is actually causing your symptoms? That may be – like it has been for me for most of my life – simply up to you.

Read, learn and seek out appropriate medical care. Don’t accept a ‘depression’ diagnosis. Or bipolar. Find out what is causing your mood issues.

To your good mood health, Molly

Hypothyroidism May Be a Root Cause of Your Bipolar Disorder

02.27.2017 by Molly McHugh // 8 Comments

Hypothyroidism may be a root cause of your bipolar disorder. Hypothyroidism has been studied as a possible contributing factor to someone developing bipolar disorder. And also as a treatment modality.

Your Thyroid Gland is Just One Part of the Endocrine System. Others are: Hypothalamus, Parathyroids, Adrenals, Pineal Body, Ovaries and Testes.

How Can Hypothyroidism Cause Bipolar Disorder?

If you do have an issue with your thyroid health, it may have been what triggered your bipolar illness state.

When did you become ill? How did your particular, unique onset come into being? How were you diagnosed? What are your primary complaints? Depression, hypomania, anxiety… all of the above?

[bctt tweet=”Treating a Thyroid Condition Could Put Your Bipolar Disorder Into Remission.”]

The thyroid condition affected your system and you suffered exteme mood issues. That’s what bipolar disorder is – a mood disorder. And even for Bipolar 1 Disorder – classic Manic Depression with manic episodes – no one knows what causes it.

“Thyroid disorders also are associated with alterations in mood. Patients with hypothyroidism may present with depressive symptoms while patients with hyperthyroidism may present with symptoms consistent with mania.”

“Therefore, thyroid function should be evaluated before a diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder is made.”

Source: How is Thyroid Hormone Associated With Bipolar Disorder?

Once someone gets a ‘bipolar disorder diagnosis’ the focus of treatment is medications. Then whatever physical issues they have get ignored. They become convinced they have a ‘Chemical Imbalance’ they were born with that caused their illness.

That’d be fine and dandy if it were true. But it is not.

The below is quoted from the same Medscape article listed above:

“In a study of twins, autoimmune thyroiditis was related to bipolar disorder and the genetic tendency to develop bipolar disorder.”

“The authors suggest that autoimmune thyroiditis, using the marker of thyroperoxidase antibodies, is a possible endophenotype for bipolar disorder.”

You may have a genetic susceptability, but the how, why and what exactly is it is unknown.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism Linked to Bipolar Disorder

Subclinical hypothyroidism has also been studied in bipolar disoder. That is what I have, some form of mild hypothyroidism (blood levels low normal range) that affects my body is severe ways, causing symptoms of Manic Depression.

“Accumulating evidence suggests that hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis dysfunction is relevant to the pathophysiology and clinical course of bipolar affective disorder. Hypothyroidism, either overt or more commonly subclinical, appears to the commonest abnormality found in bipolar disorder.”

“The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is also likely to be greater among patients with rapid cycling and other refractory forms of the disorder.”

Source: Thyroid Functions and Bipolar Affective Disorder.

When treated with thyroid hormone medication, I stabilized. Far from perfect, but 26 years off of psychiatric medication and no hospitalizations.

That’s not a bad treatment outcome. It is actually pretty desirable for any Bipolar 1 Disorder patient.

If a psychiatrist was getting those types of results, he or she would be immortalized.

Will Treating Hypothyroidism Cure Bipolar Disorder?

No, there is no cure for any mood disorder – only available treatments and self-help remedies.

But mood disorders can be effectively treated (i.e. put into remission) and the sufferer able to live a normal life.

And if you can identify an underlying medical cause of what is causing your bipolar disorder (or other issue such as anxiety or severe depression) mood states, you can then get successfully treated and get into remission.

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

There is no medical test for bipolar disorder. They use a (very unreliable) questionnaire and your medical-familial history to diagnose.

But there are medical tests for many other things; blood sugar, candida (leaky gut syndrome), vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances (such as thyroid), biomarkers for inflammation, etc.

And there is no ‘identifiable chemical imbalance’ that psychotropic medications treat. They are a bandaid, a short-term crisis solution to stabilize someone severely ill. Long term they are disabling and worsen a person’s condition.

We want you to be well. Not sicker.

Bipolar Disorder and Hypothyroidism Are Not the Same Thing. You Could Have Both.

Some – like myself – may be able to get help for an undiagnosed thyroid or other condition and become well. To heal. And to not have to take medications. But the bipolar doesn’t disappear. It’s a lifelong condition. You just want to get the darn thing put into remission and not bugging you anymore.

Tell your BP cells in your body this: “Enough already bipolar, we are moving on now. Be good, and stay out of trouble. I will too.”

And say it like you mean it!

Fight for Better Understanding of Root Causes of Bipolar Disorder Onset

That’s the goal in all of this. For future generations to be helped. For when someone has a first episode of mania they can be successfully treated. Treated for their underlying medical issues.

Not drugged for life with brain disabling medications that treat nothing, simply suppress symptoms.

Don’t wait for science or traditional, Big Pharma-led psychiatry to help you. Seek out information and qualified health practitioners to work with at resolving your health issues.

Practitioners such as those listed here: Holistic Psychiatrists in the U.S.

Don’t You Wish You Had Better Options to Treat Bipolar Disorder?

If you are a sufferer like myself (whether bipolar or primarily suffer from chronic depression) – don’t you wish you could be well? That you did not have to take the never-ending stream of medications that often simply create more distressing symptoms.

Wouldn’t you like to not take (or pay for) any psychotropic medication? Wouldn’t you want your daughter, son, grandchild, niece, friend, lover, husband to live a full, productive life? A healthy life even if they happen to have a genetic vulnerability to developing a mood disorder.

For them to be given information on things that may have caused their illness (poor diet, lack of a sleep routine, medical issues that need to be addressed) and then be able to work on healing those issues – that’s what we all want, yes?

Many Potential Causes of Your Mood Swings

Hypothyroidism is just one example of how to medically treat your bipolar illness – it is worth thinking about. Find proper medical care, get tested and research online – there’s a ton of information available.

And a ton of inspiring personal stories of folks who found ways to heal. Who are not being drugged to death and led down the path to inducing seizures in your brain with ECT.

Not many find that a desirable outcome of treatment for a mood disorder. I sure don’t.

And I’m not alone in this struggle or way of thinking. I’m simply one of hundreds of thousands of people who ended psychiatric care and found ways to be well.

You can too.

And if my Manic Depression – that has been in remission for more than 26 years – ever sneaks back in my life or inadvertently gets triggered (i.e. a manic episode or suicidal depresion) I would have no qualms about receiving psychiatric care.

Psychiatrists aren’t the enemy – the illness is. And the lack of effective available treatments.

Tell your story below – I’d love to hear it.

Cheers, Molly