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Psychosis caused by graves disease

Posted , 5 users are following.

anneka56405
anneka56405

Anyone had a psychotic episode caused by an overactive thyroid? Unsure which came first as only had a physical health check after coming out of psychiatric hospital and most doctors seem to be unsure what caused it but one suggested that my psychosis was caused by an overactive thyroid so just wondering if anyone else was similar.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • mikal33819
    mikal33819 anneka56405

    Posted

    what were your symptoms?
    • anneka56405
      anneka56405 mikal33819

      Posted

      Psychotic symptoms included delusions for about 3 years, started off very mild and unobtrusive then to the point where they were affecting work performance then visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations starting from most days to every day for the last yearish to the point where I ended up in hospital for 4 months. 

      ?Thyroid symptoms didn't really notice except maybe sweaty hands.

      ?Thanks for replying!

  • madge1979
    madge1979 anneka56405

    Posted

    Anneka ... it’s a pretty well known fact that many  people have been hospitalised because of psychotic symptoms ...which in the end are proven to be Thyroid disease symptoms ,  which unfortunately for the poor patient is never properly diagnosed because of a lack of knowledge on the part of the doctors concerned in the patients well-being and care.

    I think we’ve all experienced the frustrations of trying to convince our doctors that we are in fact ill

    And not just imagining that we are.

    I for one , after refusing the

    anti depressants  offered to me by my doctor, can honestly say I thought I was at times , losing  my mind .

    Thank God .. after taking Carbimazole and becomming Euthyroid ...I now know that I was certainly not suffering from 

    Depression ....

    ... my Immune System was trying to destroy my Thyroid Gland .

    But now ..

    I’m fine again ...and I intend to keep trying to Stay that way !

    ... by looking after my Immune System  by feeding it all it needs

    ....... and consequently , my Thyroid Gland .

    I’m sorry you’re suffering so much ...  if you google

    ....Thyroid and Psychosis 

    You will see that it certainly can be related .. there’s plenty written in it .. so do have a look.

    Meanwhile can i ask ..  have you had bloods taken to determine whether or not you DO  have 

    HYPERthyroidism  or Graves Disease perhaps ?

    It would be most advisable for you to get your doctor to take your Bloods to see what they show  ....

     And also to test for Graves Antibodies 

    Then you would’ve able to get the correct treatment  and not be fobbed off by doctors or hospitals

    Take your health into your own hands and tell those concerned you need answers so that you can be well again.

    Post your blood results back on here when you get them and we will try to help you get on the path to better health ... soon !

    Take care and know that there are those who care ..

    Luv mx🌹

    • anneka56405
      anneka56405 madge1979

      Posted

      Hi, thanks for this. Yes I have had several blood tests done, been taking varying levels of carbimazole for about 6 months now with the last blood test resulting in a diagnosis of Graves' disease.

      I've had a quick look at some studies but tbh I find some of them quite hard to understand! My problem was whether or not I had abnormal thyroid levels (?) when I went into hospital as they never told me or tried to treat it at the time as I did have a blood test when I went in. But of course I do know levels of tsh can fluctuate so maybe they appeared normal at the time.

      It's good to know because I would like to come off antipsychotics if it's a condition that could be treated by thyroid medication rather than a mental health condition! And that's a good idea when I'm back home I'll find my blood test results and post them up although this latest one isn't as severe as they reduce my carbimazole from 20mg down to 10mg and now only 5mg.

      Thanks for your help!

    • anneka56405
      anneka56405 madge1979

      Posted

      So cant actually find my original 2 blood tests results back when I first got told I had an overactive thyroid but my latest ones came back as Cr 68, Ca 2.34, TSH 3.41 and fT4 14.4. 
  • madge1979
    madge1979 anneka56405

    Posted

    anneka ... Hi ,

    Its vital to type out all the numbers in your blood test results .

    that is ....  also the numbers in brackets,  as those are the ranges that your lab uses 

    and they show where you are within that range ...

    if you could do it do it again with an up to date blood test it would be much more helpful to us and to you ...

    It would be great if you could come off the anti psychotic drugs and i do hope that you are able to do that .. so let's hope it's just a case of having your Thyroid disease and not that you have a mental health issue .. although having Graves' disease can certainly feel like that at times ..  but you sound like your doing well with your Carbimazole as your using less and less ... and that's a sign that you could be becomming Euthyroid ... here's hoping !

    lets know about your numbers ...soon.

    luv Mx🌹

    • anneka56405
      anneka56405 madge1979

      Posted

      That is my latest one from end of Jan, due another one tomorrow so will post those when I get them back. They didn't have any other numbers or ranges on the letter? Will ask more tomorrow but only going to the walk in not the endocrinologist so not sure how much info they will be able to give x

  • marianne76981
    marianne76981 anneka56405

    Posted

    Yes I had psychosis due to hypercalcemia from untreated hyperthyroid. I was thinking my husband was pousoning me among other delusions. I had been remanded to a  wheelchair due to a broken hip and broke a neat, also caused by the hyper thyroid which in turn caused severe osteoporosis. But at the time we had no idea. The hypercalcemia became so great, along with the psychosis, that I was eventually admitted into the hospital on an emergency basis. I was admitted into mayo clinic Jacksonville Florida for three or four days, discharged for three days and then readmitted into my  local hospital because the treatment that they had given me had been a cleaning out of my system that also washed out all of my electrolytes for a couple of months.    Why do you ask? Marianne 
    • anneka56405
      anneka56405 marianne76981

      Posted

      Hi, god that sounds awful, how are you doing now? Basically I just don't really know much about psychosis and hyperthyroidism. One doctor seems to think it is a possible cause of my psychosis, psychiatrist seems to think different and I'm  looking at coming off antipsychotics and if it was possibly caused by an overactive thyroid it seems silly to take tablets I don't need as it should now be controlled by carbimazole. 

    • anneka56405
      anneka56405 marianne76981

      Posted

      I forgot to say thanks for replying, I've never actually spoken to anyone who has had a psychotic episode due to thyroid issues

  • marianne76981
    marianne76981 anneka56405

    Posted

    I am a doctor of psychology and never thought I would be psychotic.  it was a scarey and bizarre couple of months.  part of the issue was that my PCP didn't test me for anything as I was rapidly dropping weight and feeling quite ill when having to be in a wheelchair.  actually this isn't uncommon following a trauma.  when I was admitted into the hospital I had never heard of hypercalcemia.  it was frightening.  but as soon as they got my calcium levels, in two days, I have had no more psychosis.  sad thing is my husband thought I was getting early dementia.  my descent into this hell is a long story, but let's just say this....my hell started 4 years ago when my mom was dying of pancreatic cancer; I then moved and sold my business to take care of her and my father, she died quickly.  in the meantime, the next 2 years I took care of my dad and began to feel worse and worse.  horrid weight gain, increase glucose levels, tachycardia.  my PCP NEVER checked my thyroid, EVER!!!!  then my dad died, 3 months later I was diagnosed with melanoma, then 2 months after that we had a horrid hurricane, then I began going to ER with "panic'; 3 months later heart attack; then the next 5 months tachycardia and I was falling..often.  eventually I went to Mayo with "broken hip and knee, same leg"; spine center referred me to endo, endo immediately admitted me for hypercalcemia; diagnosed with Graves on December 15, 2017 while there.  weight loss was 70 pounds in 6 months, now weight gain of 35 pounds in 3 months with the tapazole.  I do feel better, I don't have psychosis, I am back to work (went back in Feb).  my TSH is high and my free T3 normal, free T4 very low.  I have no energy, have lost a lot of hair...........and am just trying to survive.  have another consultation with someone 5 hrs away...we do what we have to do.  this thyroid stuff isn't for the weak. hang in and push your psychiatrist.  if you have a previous psych history take that into consideration.  the goal is to treat yourself both physically and emotionally.  please take care

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