Since discovering ’Stop the Thyroid Madness’ all those years ago I have gone on to research Hashimoto/Autoimmune encephalitis and it’s systemic root causes & wondered if anyone has noted links with symptoms described on this forum?
I’m even listening to symptoms from women suffering with menopausal symptoms and the increase in demand in HRT and wondering if there’s a cross over and link with all three?
Below is a paper on ‘Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis presenting with a postpartum psychosis’ which is expressed as being rare, yet a number of doctors are beginning to point out that psychosis and psychiatric symptoms related to thyroid & autoimmune are actually not that rare as numbers continue to increase.
Thank you. This article however is 15 years old. There has been much research since this which I believe the current pandemic has expedited, more especially as various types of medical departments now work together. I’m more curious to hear if any patients or caregivers have noticed a cross over at all, especially as after years of being part of this forum individuals are still searching for answers.
My grannie had some sort of psychosis after a 2nd baby ( she tried to end her life and that of her baby) and was committed to an a asylum for 5 yrs and had Electric shock treatment in the 1930's. before being let out. She was then OK until age 75? when it happened again.... i don't know if her thyroid was an issue or not... but there is family history of it, so i've always wondered.
That baby (my aunt) grew up and developed ? graves disease age 20 ..possibly after a pregnancy (thyrotoxic / had part of thyroid removed / thyroid hormone replacement for life)
I developed hashimoto's with extremely high TPOab >3000 after my 2nd pregnancy.. with a short period of mental instability (not anywhere near bad enough to require in-patient care) .and weight loss (probable brief period of 'hyper' before slowly going hypo)
as far as i understand it currently:
psychosis/ psychiatric symptoms are often associated with hypothyroidism, (from all causes, autoimmune or not ,i think ?)
but actual Encephalitis that has positive TPOab is not always associated with the patient being hypothyroid .. many cases of "hashimoto's" encephalitis ( now called SREAT) are actually euthyroid (i think? )
'Hashimoto's Encephalopathy' = Steroid-Responsive Encephalopathy Associated with Autoimmune Thyroiditis (SREAT)
This is encepaphalitis, with positive TPOab 's, it can occur in isolation (without a hypo/hyper thyroid state), or it can occur when hypo/hyperthyroidism is also present......and is only 'diagnosed' by ruling out any of the other causes of encephalitis, and then trying steroid treatment ..... if the encephalitis is responsive to the steroids .. then it's SREAT.
How can we tell if SREAT is the cause of the encephalitis ? .... if SREAT was suspected (due to symptoms of encephalitis) , then a short course of steroids would be tried and if it worked to resolve the encephalitis and the fits/seizures/hallucinations (or whatever the presenting symptom was) improved .. then that confirms it was SREAT.
just looking at the summary of that case study you posted ... It's always amazed me thyroid and /or thyroid autoimmunity isn't the first thing they consider when there are any kind of mental issues after a birth ( and i don't just mean serious psychotic ones such as postpartum psychosis... i mean just your 'average' postnatal depression too )
They know full well that pregnancy sends our thyroid hormones all over the place and then need to rebalance themselves in the months following the birth,.... they know that autoimmune hypo is quite likely to be 'triggered' /and often becomes permanent after a pregnancy ... but as in this case study , they sound surprised when they eventually find out that thyroid /thyroid autoimmunity might have something to do with the presenting symptoms.. and meanwhile they put the poor patient through all the 'other' treatments for incorrect diagnosis first, before they finally figure it out.
When this connection is already so well known .. i don't understand why thyroid blood tests (including thyroid autoantibodies) are not a ROUTINE part of antenatal and postnatal care. .... at the very least they should be the FIRST things tested when mental or physical problems follow a pregnancy.
Nobody thought to test my thyroid bloods for 4 years! after my pregnancy.. granted i was nowhere near 'psychotic' , i definitely didn't have post partum psychosis.. i was just 'not quite right in my head' for a moth or two.
But if they'd thought about thyroid at that point instead of suggesting some counselling , they could have saved me 4 years of undiagnosed hypothyroidism, during which time i thought my worsening physical difficulties were just me being useless.
I totally agree with you & I believe it’s because the medical departments/research Dr’s do not work together, so you have an ordinary GP who has no idea of what’s happening out there in the field, unless they are given time off to learn more which usually they are not because the demand for MD in our illness society is overwhelming. I’m sorry to hear what you & your family have gone through. Someone I know did a Ted Talk on postpartum psychosis & was put into an outpatients with drug addicts in the USA 😣
This is brand new research which comes off my SREAT forum: Brain Fog in Hypothyroidism: Understanding the Patient’s Perspective
Ah yes ,that one .It was mentioned here a while ago but the full text was still behind a paywall at the time You may find some of the ensuing discussion interesting though.
nonconventional This new post may interest you re. possible autoimmune encephalitis diagnosis healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... p.r.e.s.-postural-reversible-encephalopathy-syndrome
Hi there, I’ve just had a very frightening experience thst has been diagnosed as PRES, Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome. I had an unexplained road traffic accident less than 2 mins from where I live. In the middle of a sunny day (sun at my back) and I crashed into a bright yellow parked car. I “woke up” to a loud explosion when the passenger airbag went off. I was assessed at the scene, BP normal, ECG normal. blood Sugar 5.5 normal. Paramedic said I was OK. Luckily after I got home my daughter realised I was confused and slurring my words and took me to A&E. after 2 CT scans, being blue-lighted to another hospital. A further 2 CT scans and a brain MRI, I was diagnosed with PRES. The MRI showed significant changes to my brain consistent with Hashimoto’s encephalitis. The original diagnosis of PRES caused by high blood pressure remains but we are awaiting the results of the antibody tests. My BP medication was increased (I was on a very low dose following chemo treatment which damaged my heart (which fully recovered). I was left on the low dose as a “preventative” treatment. My BP at A&E was 241/140. It stayed at over 200 for 2 days and then gradually began to reduce following the addition of an extra medication Amilodipine. I may be barking up the wrong tree but I feel convinced that hashis has had an influence on this episode.
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