May 2012 diagnosed with overactive thyroid. Carbimazole 5mg
Oct. 2013 clinically and biochemically euthyroic
FEB. 2014. Discharged from endo
SEPT 2014. Back to endo. Thyroid receptor anti body positive, TRAB level 68 TSH unrecordable 4 out of 5 samples diagnosed with graves
JUNE 2015. Back on carbimazole 10mg
AUG. 2015. Carbimazole 30mg
SEPT. 2015. Advised to have Radio Iodine
NOV. 2015. Radio iodine treatment
DEC. 2015. Admitted to hospital acute cholecystitis (gall bladder)
JAN. 2016. Gall bladder out
MAy. 2016. Admitted to hospital lithium toxicity, also told thyroid was under active put on levothyroxine 50mg, now 75mg,
wasn't getting better, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, pins and needles hands and feet, cold shivery sweats etc, over the last year I've had 4 abscesses and lots of of health problems.
JULY. 2016. Admitted to A E Felt like I was dying, they only tested my liver for toxcins, came back OK. Was seen by shrink ( have bipolar 2) got OK yeah, sent home.
Knew then that something wasn't right
Then I found this community and PAS group Thank you to everyone whose help me.
Have got B12 deficiency, having loading injects now.
Don't know if lithium can cause Graves disease ?
Thanks for your reply I've had bipolar 2 for about 14 yes, am seeing psychiatrist tomorrow, he's been battling for over a year to get a clear picture, being weaned off lithium and been on and off different antidepressants. Saldly I was put on venlaflexine the other month, he didn't really want to do that as its addictive. Had to come off paroxetine( really nasty drug to come off ) over 2 yrs ago, ended up in Hosp with lithium toxicity through not keeping fluids down.
They took me off this drug because it was causing health problems.
Joke that's when my health really deteriorated.
Think I said before be warned bipolar and thyroid mimic each other., don't be brushed off
Nagged -- please look at Kelly Brogans website - also her book - A Mind of Your Own. She explains about anti-depressants not working and the influence of the drug companies.
Her Newsletters are good too.
Your B12 issue can also lead to mental issues as I am sure you know. Don't let the Docs stop your injections ever. I have read of Docs repeating the B12 test and stopping treatment due to high levels. This is a scandal.
Will have a look at her site now, before appointment today. As for drug companies (scream) you might find it interesting reading up on paroxentine, the drug does work but absolute nightmare to come off, also teenagers put on it caused increase in suicides
Trying to find out why gp nurse stopped b12 this person doesn't work at practice anymore. What a surprise.
Think I've looked at her website already, trying to take everything in at moment.
Thanks for your help.
in reply to
Yes I've joined, thought I had, will have another quick read. Brain's been foggy for so long, think its finding it hard to take information in, will have to start taking notes ( laugh )
Hope the appointment goes well .... Also bear in in mind that before thyroid testing was invented in the 70's - people with mental issues were treated with T3. There are more receptors for T3 in the brain than anywhere else - that coupled with the LOW B12 is a recipe for disaster. We need GOOD levels of T3 - hence the test is so important - as is the result
Fine with me - might be better if she is aware of research. There are lots more in PubMed - which is the website for all research papers globally.
They only stopped using T3 for mental conditions as people noticed they lost weight. The T3 was then abused and caused heart palpitations - and hence the pill acquired a bad name. Still this nonesense is taught at Medical School - that T3 will cause heart issues. Sadly it is most likely to be LOW thyroid hormones that does that
Lucky I know have a psychiatrist ( male) ,whose been opened minded about what has been causing what.Today will be a very interesting appointment, when I tell him am b12 deficient. For the last few mths he's been getting frustrated that it's taking so long to sort thyroid out, he hasn't actually said the problem is thyroid, but has been honest with me and said till thyroid is stable he can't get a clear picture of what's happening. I've know for months it wasn't my bipolar, never been like this before.
Oh my god just watch you tube shocking, I cried especially torri story. I took folic before and whilst I was pregnant (2) Had tremors for yrs, told it was side effect of lithium. When I started with palpations I was put on propranolol shakes stopped, now I know it wasn't the lithium.Was taking folic acid last year for few months was pulled off it by GP and had anaesthetic in Jan this year.
Will be ringing GP Monday to find out what my level was, also will be taking my daughter to GP and demanding they test her, after watching this am very concerned as she has been having chest pain, fatigue,, anxiety and just generally feeling off.
Will contact psychiatrist and asked him to watch this, do you know how long you can have b12 deficiency before you start with symptoms.
Forgot to mention before have asked psychiatrist to arrange brain scan, he said he would have justify one, i told him NHS owes me this after whats gone on and for my mental health to give me peace of mind,had one over 2yrs ago when i had lithium toxcity everything OK then.
I feel so lucky that am now getting treatment, no thanks to the medical profession. Waiting till Hubby's back home next week , to see after what's happen should I take this further.
B12 Deficiency creeps up on you - in that you cannot see the damage taking place within. Many/most with Alzheimers/Dementia/Parkinsons have Low B12 and VitD. Not forgetting low thyroid.
First appointment b12 injection, upset nurse when I said that I wanted my potassium levels done why ? She asks, because when your b12 deficient it can effort your levels, I then added that 2nd b12 injection had made me feel Ill, her reply not heard about that before. Me like a smug cat tells her perhaps she should look at the thyroid UK and PAS sites. Oops now another red flay against my name.
Visit to psychiatrist
Gobsmacked, relieved for me and him that finally I had found out what was wrong. He admitted then that for the last few months he didn't think my mental health was due to my bipolar 2, ( cyclothymia) sadly he did say that having had bipolar for nearly 14 yrs that I do still have that disorder.
Mars he was very interested in the links you sent me and wrote them down, so he could look at them later.
Would love to be a fly in his office think there's going to be words said to the endocrinologist, she's been putting all the blame on the mental health team, saying it wasn't my thyroid condition causing problems.
Feel completely drained now, but relieve that things are starting to improve.
Lesson I've learnt through what's happen, don't just go along with what these gp nurses, GPS, and consultant s say their not gods so don't be intimated by them, and learn as much as you can about your condition.
Thank you again Marz for the information you've given me and to everyone else who's help me.
Have been getting bad headaches, use to get migraines a lot, improved as I've got older. Going to see psychiatrist s today asking if I can come off venlafaxine I've only been on it for a few months, but very apprehensive after what happen coming off paroxentine.
You need more information about your basic nutritional health than you currently have and you need to know more about your thyroid health than just your TSH (which is actually a pituitary hormone not a thyroid hormone).
Ask your GP surgery for copies of any blood tests done in the last couple of years, including the reference ranges. You are legally entitled to copies of blood tests according to the Data Protection Act 1998. Be aware that receptionists can't just give you your results, they have to ask permission from a doctor first, so if you go in and ask one day, you may have to return for the results another day. You may have to pay a small amount for the cost of printing.
Once you have your results post them in a new post for us to comment on.
Another thing you could do (if necessary) is pay for your own testing.
The above test is a good one. If you order the microtainer version of the test, this is a finger prick test that can be done at home. The vacutainer test requires a phlebotomist to take a blood sample the traditional way.
I found that improving my nutrient levels up to optimal reduced my depression enormously. Taking T3 has also helped a lot. I also found that going gluten free improved things too - and I don't even have coeliac disease.
Going to sit down at weekend and write to Gp to get copies of blood results.
Thanks for your help.
Marz sorry me again just read about proton pump inhibitors. Guess what I've been on for yrs lansoprazole 30mg. Turning tablet off now my head is done in.
You bet, weaning off 4 meds at moment lithium, cyclizine, diazapam and one lot of ventafaxine,my body doesn't know what's going on Their going to lose money 😁
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