Thyroid and mental illness - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Easeful · 04-02-2008, 04:44 PM

I'm weary, so please forgive if I ramble.

Long story short, I pitched a fit over my son's lack of progress and his unhealthy weight gain, 45 pounds in less than 3 months. So they did a lithium test, and came back with a thyroid reading that was about twice what it should be. I get that lithium can cause elevated thyroid levels after prolonged use. But he's only been on it a month and a lot of the weight gain was prior to that. I'm reading.

The handbook I was given from the treatment center today says to rule out thyroid or other metabolic disturbances before diagnosing schizophrenia, as untreated hypothyroidism can mimic mental illness.

Does anyone out there have any experience that could relate to our situation?

historyteach · 04-02-2008, 05:27 PM

Oh, easeful,
I wish I did...
But, I don't...

I can only say that others will come with their own ESH to share.
And that I care...

Shalom!

BUTTERFLY-7 · 04-02-2008, 08:46 PM

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO STAR,CAUSE DOCTORS WELL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO HERE,I'M A MENTAL PATIENT,I WAS DIAGNOSE IN 2004 WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER TYPE MANIAC, DEPRESSION STAGE ONE,AND I TRUSTED IN THE SHRINK THAT PRESCRIBE ME MY MEDICATION IN 2004, AND I HAD TO GO BACK AND TELL HER THAT SHE HAD TO LOWER MY MLGRMS. FROM 500 TO 250. LET ME TELL YOU DOCS, AND SHRINKS, DON'T ALWAYS NO WHAT THERE DOING,MY ADVICE TO YOU IS THAT YOU GET KNOWLEDGEABLE TOURS HIS MEDICATION, & EVERYTHING ABOUT HIS MENTAL DISEASE, AND THE EFFECTS OF IT AND THEN GET A GOOD LAWYER,THATS JUST MY OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!

barb dwyer · 04-02-2008, 10:56 PM

I don't.

Not yet.
I am, in fact -
saving for a full t-whatever thyroid count blood test
(about two hunner - cash when ya haven't insurance.)

How ODD you'd bring that up.

newsandi · 04-03-2008, 02:08 PM

Easeful, I am going thru some really hard times with my son and his psychosis and we just got over a second hospital stay. All of this hit us in January, he will be 19 this year. I suggest that you go to NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness and set yourself up a username and a password. I have been on that site day and nite and it will not only give you info on the different meds, but it has numerous different forums that are dealing with exactly what we are dealing with. You will always get a lot of answers to your questions and tremdous support and knowledge. Not that this site is not wonderful because it is, but this is the main site for people who are affected with every single type of mental illness. I really hope you go there. I am there all the time and my user name is Edsmom. Hope to see you there. Hang in there. Go there and someone will know something about the thyroid issue. I am praying for you and your son.

madscientist · 04-03-2008, 02:31 PM

I'm not sure if there is any association between the thyroid and the mental illness, but it has been strongly suggested to me that I get my thyroid levels checked by my pdoc. It's currently 'on the list'...

Hope you are able to find a solution.

historyteach · 04-03-2008, 04:05 PM

Thyroid disease can mimic mental illness. That's why they want to check it out.

Shalom!

adore79 · 04-03-2008, 04:19 PM

Thyroid problems can definitely mimic mental illness. I remember when I was a kid and my Mom's thyroid went out on her, she became super manic and I was very affraid that she had gone "crazy." She has taken meds for it ever since and is normal.

04-02-2008, 04:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
Easeful Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nearby Posts: 231	Thyroid and mental illness I'm weary, so please forgive if I ramble. Long story short, I pitched a fit over my son's lack of progress and his unhealthy weight gain, 45 pounds in less than 3 months. So they did a lithium test, and came back with a thyroid reading that was about twice what it should be. I get that lithium can cause elevated thyroid levels after prolonged use. But he's only been on it a month and a lot of the weight gain was prior to that. I'm reading. The handbook I was given from the treatment center today says to rule out thyroid or other metabolic disturbances before diagnosing schizophrenia, as untreated hypothyroidism can mimic mental illness. Does anyone out there have any experience that could relate to our situation?

04-02-2008, 05:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
historyteach To Life! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,882	Oh, easeful, I wish I did... But, I don't... I can only say that others will come with their own ESH to share. And that I care... Shalom! __________________ IMAGINE

04-02-2008, 10:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
barb dwyer same planet...different world Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: butte mt Posts: 7,959 Blog Entries: 3	I don't. Not yet. I am, in fact - saving for a full t-whatever thyroid count blood test (about two hunner - cash when ya haven't insurance.) How ODD you'd bring that up. __________________ Menopause ~ puberty with experience.

04-03-2008, 02:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
madscientist Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: VA Posts: 110	I'm not sure if there is any association between the thyroid and the mental illness, but it has been strongly suggested to me that I get my thyroid levels checked by my pdoc. It's currently 'on the list'... Hope you are able to find a solution. __________________ Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Churchill

04-03-2008, 04:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
historyteach To Life! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,882	Thyroid disease can mimic mental illness. That's why they want to check it out. Shalom! __________________ IMAGINE

04-02-2008, 08:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
BUTTERFLY-7 FreeSpirit Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Inside My Spirit Posts: 1,276 Blog Entries: 2	I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO STAR,CAUSE DOCTORS WELL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO HERE,I'M A MENTAL PATIENT,I WAS DIAGNOSE IN 2004 WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER TYPE MANIAC, DEPRESSION STAGE ONE,AND I TRUSTED IN THE SHRINK THAT PRESCRIBE ME MY MEDICATION IN 2004, AND I HAD TO GO BACK AND TELL HER THAT SHE HAD TO LOWER MY MLGRMS. FROM 500 TO 250. LET ME TELL YOU DOCS, AND SHRINKS, DON'T ALWAYS NO WHAT THERE DOING,MY ADVICE TO YOU IS THAT YOU GET KNOWLEDGEABLE TOURS HIS MEDICATION, & EVERYTHING ABOUT HIS MENTAL DISEASE, AND THE EFFECTS OF IT AND THEN GET A GOOD LAWYER,THATS JUST MY OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!

04-03-2008, 02:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
newsandi Content with my past Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 643	Easeful, I am going thru some really hard times with my son and his psychosis and we just got over a second hospital stay. All of this hit us in January, he will be 19 this year. I suggest that you go to NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness and set yourself up a username and a password. I have been on that site day and nite and it will not only give you info on the different meds, but it has numerous different forums that are dealing with exactly what we are dealing with. You will always get a lot of answers to your questions and tremdous support and knowledge. Not that this site is not wonderful because it is, but this is the main site for people who are affected with every single type of mental illness. I really hope you go there. I am there all the time and my user name is Edsmom. Hope to see you there. Hang in there. Go there and someone will know something about the thyroid issue. I am praying for you and your son.

04-03-2008, 04:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
adore79 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: WA, USA Posts: 2,503 Blog Entries: 42	Thyroid problems can definitely mimic mental illness. I remember when I was a kid and my Mom's thyroid went out on her, she became super manic and I was very affraid that she had gone "crazy." She has taken meds for it ever since and is normal.

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