Posted by anita on September 18, 1999, at 21:28:09
In reply to Re: Thyroid problems via meds?, posted by Susan Jane on September 16, 1999, at 15:32:16
Hi,
The hypothyroidism should go away once lithium is discontinued, if that was the cause, and sometimes when the dosage is just reduced. T4 is thyroxine (Synthroid), which is often used for
hypothyroidism. T3 is triliothyronine (sorry, forgot how to spell this!), also given for hypothyroidism (brand name Cytomel). T3 tends to feel activating. I don't know how these meds affect rapid
cycling, but maybe searching Dr. Bob's site will turn up something.Have you gone to an endocrinologist? That should help w/ pinpointing your thyroid problem. If lithium is working for you, I wouldn't be in a hurry to give it up, especially if you don't have any hypothyroid symptoms.
I had a friend who got hypothyroid on lithium, but didn't have any symptoms, so she decided to wait it out, and after a few months she wasn't clinically hypothyroid anymore. Just my 2 cents :-).anita
> > Lithium can make one hypothyroid. Every doctor knows this. Happened to me. If this is the case, you could ...add thyriod augmentation like T4 and/or T3....
>
> What's T3 & T4? Are these different meds or different aspects of thyroid?
>
>
> > Adding the thyriod meds might not be too bad, considering they are purported to raise the effect of antidepressants.
>
> > Occasionally, antidepressants alone may lower T4 a bit, but not usually significantly.
>
> I'm totally afraid of antidepressants. They're pretty dicey with rapid cycling, and the one time I tried Prozac I went into a horrible mixed state.
> I'm doing o.k. on a low dose of Lithium and a moderate dose of Neurontin (if this vertigo side-effect goes away like it should).
>
>
> I guess my question now is, does hypothyroid go away when you stop taking Lithium? Or if you drop the dosage?
>
> SusanJane :)
>
>
> SusanJane :)
poster:anita
thread:11565
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990914/msgs/11756.html