Posted by Lycaste on January 3, 2001, at 14:06:52
In reply to hyperthyrodism and cyclothymia, posted by Jim R on December 13, 2000, at 2:41:39
Hi Jim,
I don't know if you are still around, but if you are and haven't yet had your thyroid checked, I'd like to encourage you to do so. I actually wrote you a reply soon after your original post, but apparently had the bad luck to try to post my reply just after the Psychobabble server went down.
Anyway, yes--hyperthyroidism can cause cyclothymia. I know: been there, done that. If you want less anecdotal confirmation, I can cite Dr. Arem, an endrocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disease. In his discussion of hyPOthyroidism and cyclothymia in his book, "The Thyroid Solution", he adds "an overactive thyroid could also make the swings in mood more apparent and more severe." And a recurring theme in his discussions of the mental effects of hyperthyroidism is that of mood and emotional instability. The reason you've read more about cyclothymia and hyPOthyroidism probably has more do with the greater frequency of hypothyroidism in the general population, not that it is any more likely to cause cyclothymia than hyperthyroidism.
And as far as anxiety/panic attacks go--well, they are a specialty of hyperthyroidism. The only time in my life where I experienced full-out panic attacks was when I was hyperthyroid.
As you are aware, your eye inflammation points to hyperthyroidism as well. The same antibodies that attack the thyroid apparently attack eye tissue as well. And in many cases, the eye symptoms show up before any thyroid symptoms. (I should say any "obvious" thyroid symptoms. I personally believe thyroid imbalances usually affect mood/mental processes long before the clear-cut physical symptoms occur.)
It is also quite possible to be hyperthyroid and not have the condition show up on tests--if the wrong tests are done or interpreted incorrectly. For example, I have had clear symptoms of mild hyperthyroidism over the last several months, but my T4 levels are within normal range. It is only when you look at my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), do you see a confirmation of my clinical symptoms: it is almost to zero, trying to get my thyroid to slow down. Had a doctor merely tested my T4 levels (and a lot still do), I would have been told that I was "normal."
Finally, as added incentive to get this checked out as soon as possible, let me point out that not all the effects of being hyperthyroid are guaranteed to be reversible. If you are hyperthyroid, you are probably losing muscle mass, bone, and increasing the overall oxidative stress of your body--in short, you are in effect accelerating the aging process. Now, much of this can be reversed, but obviously the longer you go untreated, the bigger the hole you gotta crawl out of. And in addition, your thyroid is being destroyed in process. Although sometimes the only cure for hyperthyroidism is to destroy some or part of the thyroid, it is also possible to treat hyperthyroidism nondestructively and allow people to maintain their thyroid function afterwards. But the longer you wait to get treated, the more likely you'll be dealing with a damaged thyroid and hypothyroidism in the future.
Hope this helps.Lycaste
> Hello, all. I have the whole gamut of irregular neurotransmitter symptoms and have for years, mostly at a sub-clinical level and all suggesting a mild bipolar condition of some kind: racing thoughts, occasional stuporous depression, sleep irregularities, anxiety, panic, dislike of bright lights, high creativity, etc. I don't really cycle, per se, but have very unstable moods, like a boat with no keel bobbing up and down through the day. The descriptions of ultra-rapid cycling seem to be the ones that fit me best. I have gotten so tired of all this that I am now trying to get some treatment.
>
> I am now taking gabapentin/neurontin (900mg/d), which seems to have brought the racing thoughts under control, but there is still very little over all stability and depression, anxiety, panic, etc. are all still present. Have been going through trials of celexa and serzone but had too many side effects with each.
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> I want to investigate thyroid possibilities. I have read that hypOthyrodism is often connected with rapid cycling; but I seem clearly to have some symptoms of hypERthyrodism: including tremor, high startle response, somewhat bulging eyes, and perpetually inflamed eyelids (this is very distinctive; they are highly vascularized and red; have been for years). Once I had my thyroid checked in another context and some assistant said it was "normal" but I don't put much stock in that.
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> I have read the many associations between hypOthyroid and the mood instability I seem to display. Can anyone tell me if hypERthyroidism can produce similar rapid cycling mood symptoms? (I'm not an M.D., but I am a biologist so will be glad to hear technical answers and references, as well as more general ones.)
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> Many thanks.
>
> Jim R
poster:Lycaste
thread:50469
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001231/msgs/50829.html