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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by delna on December 11, 2009, at 14:18:34
Hey,
hope everyone is doing better.
Sorry I have vanished for so long- have been very ill and am having loads of tests.On the psychiatric front i am better in that I am not depressed (started prozac 20mg and reintroduced provigil 400mg)But the fatigue is worse than ever.
Every doctor in the past dismissed thyroid problems because my thyroid tests have always been in range. They still are but further tests seem to indicate that I may suffer from Hasimoto's thyroiditis. I have raised antibody levels to thyroid enzymes that are currently not too high- just above normal range. But my T3 levels have *plummeted* since the end of November to now. That's just 2 weeks.
This probably explains the crushing fatigue and I guess I should be happy that I have found the possible cause of the tiredness. But I am actually really terrified because I know it is an autoimmune disease and is progressive
Phillipa, you mentioned that you have this too. How bad is it really? Please tell me it is not as scary as it sounds....and that it can be controlled.
I am really, really worried :(thanks
Love DPS: Turns out that a subset of patients with bipolar also have a failing thyroid. Apparently it is considered to be a separate phenotype of BP. I stumbled on a paper about it. I'll post it if anyone is interested.
Posted by Phillipa on December 11, 2009, at 18:08:30
In reply to hashimoto's thyroditis..phillipa/ anyone?, posted by delna on December 11, 2009, at 14:18:34
Hi Delna should have written you sorry I didn't. Don't fear Hasimotos. At first I always did. Once it's regulated to normal levels you should feel much better. It is notorious for fatigue. I get a newletter from Mary Shoman. I will send a copy so you also sign up. I'd love to see the paper you mentioned as I've never come up with any indication that it's related to bipolar. Don't worry sweetie you'll be fine. Have you started on a thyroid med or is the doc going to watch. No it doesn't mean more autoimmune diseases either. Very common in females especially. Love Phillipa
Posted by delna on December 12, 2009, at 0:54:09
In reply to Re: hashimoto's thyroditis..phillipa/ anyone? » delna, posted by Phillipa on December 11, 2009, at 18:08:30
> Hi Delna should have written you sorry I didn't. Don't fear Hasimotos. At first I always did. Once it's regulated to normal levels you should feel much better. It is notorious for fatigue. I get a newletter from Mary Shoman. I will send a copy so you also sign up. I'd love to see the paper you mentioned as I've never come up with any indication that it's related to bipolar. Don't worry sweetie you'll be fine. Have you started on a thyroid med or is the doc going to watch. No it doesn't mean more autoimmune diseases either. Very common in females especially. Love Phillipa
Hi Phillipa,
Thanks for that. I feel better now.:)
does the fatigue get better with treatment or is it something you always battle with? What is your TPO-Ab count? is that how you were diagnosed?
No, I have not started treatment yet. My doctor wants to start next week- he was just waiting for all the reports to come in. I'm also having tests for adrenal fatigue, just in case
Love DThis is the paper:
Biol Psychiatry. 2007 Jul 15; 62(2):135-40. Epub 2006 Dec 4.
Is autoimmune thyroiditis part of the genetic vulnerability (or an endophenotype) for bipolar disorder?
Vonk R, van der Schot AC, Kahn RS, Nolen WA, Drexhage HA.
BACKGROUND: Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the etiology of bipolar disorder; however, biological markers for the transmission of the bipolar genotype("endophenotypes") have not been found. Autoimmune thyroiditis with raised levels of thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO-Abs) is related to bipolar disorder and may be such an endophenotype. This study was intended to examine whether autoimmune thyroiditis is related to the disease itself, to the (genetic) vulnerability to develop bipolar disorder, or both.
METHOD: Blood was collected from 22 monozygotic (MZ) and 29 dizygotic (DZ) bipolar twins and 35 healthy matched control twins to determine TPO-Abs.
RESULTS: The TPO Abs were positive in 27% of the bipolar index twins, 29% of the monozygotic bipolar cotwins, 27% of the monozygotic non bipolar cotwins, 25% of the dizygotic bipolar cotwins,17% of the dizygotic nonbipolar cotwins, and in 16% of the control twins. Repeated measures analysis of covariance on log-transformed absolute TPO-Abs values revealed significantly increased mean TPO-Abs levels in discordant twin pairs as compared with healthy twin pairs,whereas no difference was found between bipolar patients and their (discordant) non bipolar cotwins.
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that autoimmune thyroiditis is related not only to bipolar disorder itself but also to the genetic vulnerability to develop the disorder. Autoimmune thyroiditis, with TPO-Abs as marker, is a possible endophenotype for bipolar disorder.
Posted by Phillipa on December 12, 2009, at 12:51:56
In reply to Re: hashimoto's thyroditis..phillipa/ anyone? » Phillipa, posted by delna on December 12, 2009, at 0:54:09
Delna don't know what my TPO numbers are didn't ask such a long time ago. I think the key work is may. Can you find similar studies? I think the more you find on the same thing to me makes it more a possibility. I feel if your're thyroid is treated accuratedly and good levels it should lift for for some CFS does occurr. Phillipa
Posted by Maxime on December 16, 2009, at 22:27:16
In reply to hashimoto's thyroditis..phillipa/ anyone?, posted by delna on December 11, 2009, at 14:18:34
I have Hashimotos and control it with Synthroid and Cytomel. You should try Cytomel because that is T3 and it's often used to help people with depression.
I am glad that your depression is under control. Who would have thought that Prozac was the answer.
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