Did anyone see the Jane Pauley interview

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Did anyone see the Jane Pauley interview
11
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 11:12pm
on Dateline tonight? It was so fascinating because as she was talking about being bipolar, she mentioned that it began with a case of hives that she had returned and that she had more than once over the course of her life. When I heard she had had hives, I wondered if she was hypothyroid. Then as they spoke again about the bipolar disorder and the cause of the hives, Stone Philips mentioned that in addition to psychological factors, she also suffered from a related thyroid condition!! Well, don't we all know about those links?? And I have been thinking that since she has her new talk show and since she is bipolar, that I might try to write to her to see if she would do a show about thyroid disease!! So now ... that's on my list of things to do! Cathy :)

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Registered: 10-21-2003
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 9:30am

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Registered: 08-20-2004
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 1:11pm
This is a big topic this morning on some of my other groups also, they see the link too. I am wondering if you happened to see The View yesterday? Had a wqomen on that wrote a book about late nite eating disorders, said they were brought on by a "stressful" situation and lited every symptom under andrenal insuffecincy, but only said to seek a doctor to get drugs to controll the eating.

Eric

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Registered: 08-20-2004
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 1:33pm
Well in my opinion I feel that in these people that you talk about the thyroid is the real issue. Bi-ploar is anexity and depression issues, much like the swing from hyper to hypo, I am not saying that you cannot have both but I would be willing to bet the people with known thyroid disese got optimized the bi-polar would disappear in most. The one thing that disappoints me the most when it comes to thyroid issue is the lack of investigation into the andrenals, it is even referenced in PDR that before treatment of thyroid disease andrenals should be checked and treated first if altered, but how many of your docs checked your andrenals. Better yet how much is known about the andrenals, you think little id known about the thyroid try find good soilid info on the andrenals, all medival books will admit that they do not even know how cortisol does its job but they know it is important for hormonal balance, look into some of the symptoms of andrenal insuffency, I interpet them very much like being hyper stage of thyroid disease. Funny story...wife was having some problems while we were looking into what was going on with her she seen a pshcharist, after first visit she said wife was bi-polar due to she was now feeling the anexity side of it and she admittidly said she was depressed in the past, so labeled bi-polar put on AD's. Labeled BP after a 25 minute conversation, is that enough time to DX BP? Well after a couple visits I brought some paper work in explaining her thyroid condition by the next visit it was changed in her chart from BP to BP like symptoms and started asking if she wanted to try getting off the AD's since they only minimly helped, why such a suden change?


Eric

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-21-2003
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 2:35pm

Oh, I agree, it can go either way and many quick dx are made.... I'm by NO MEANS a professional, just repeating what I've read in news articles lately. Sorry for not stating that properly. I'm in a big puddle right now trying to get help and am being told I don't have a thyroid problem...and am just depressed after child birth etc.........but my weight gain and thyroid imbalance started before I was preggo, so I'm all for dr's looking to find the root of the problem, not just trying to cover it up.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 8:40pm
Kelly,

i saw your post the other day about what your dr. said to you. i have been meaning to respond... but you know, lack of NRG. anyway, i wanted to say that i am really sorry he was like that. i hope you are looking for another dr. my dr. didn't fully blow me off today cuz he is going to try me on the T3 T4 med combo, but he did tell me that i just needed to start exercising. i just don't see how that is possible when i do not have the nrg to even get through my day. he kept telling me i needed to recondition my body- cuz i obviously have enough thyroid hormone now (level is .6) so i sorta can relate.

Erika

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 8:41pm
Hi kelly - yes, I did know that. And the reverse is true, too. And studies have found that there is a high incidence of hypothyroidism in people who are bi-polar. So which came first?? They are very intriguing issues. Cathy :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Thu, 09-02-2004 - 8:52pm
No - I didn't see that. I have an interesting article somewhere around here that talks about the adrenals being the possible cause of many "thyroid" issues, and once the adrenals are treated, the thyroid becomes normal. Doctors barely understand the thyroid, I can't imagine getting one to check your adrenal glands! I read your other post about your wife. I'm sorry she had to go through so much trouble - and you, too. It's just a disgrace, really willing some doctors are to prescribe antidepressants without a full examination and to come to these popular diagnosis without even getting to know the person.

The Thyroid Solution is an interesting book. It stresses the connection between the htyroid and depression, bi-polar disease, post-partum depression, etc. I bought it a few years ago when my hypo daughter was having tremendous mood swings in response to her higher dose of medication. She seemed extrememly manic to me, then she would sink really low. It was classic. But I could not get a single doctor to listen to me!! Not one. She's stabilized quite a bit not but I'm going to have her switch over to see my new doctor, who is really wonderful. What Dr. Arem recommends in his book for bi-polar disorder with hypothyroidism is treatment with both T4 and T3, followed by an anti-depressant if the person is still not doing well. But he recommends limited use of AD. It's an outstanding book. I think I would have felt I was losing my mind if I hadn't read it! Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 09-03-2004 - 8:22pm
i guess the bottom line question for me would be.... does the thyroid regulate the mood nuerotransmitters i.e., serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine? if it does, then there is a clear link, if it doesn't then we don't have enough data. i am of the mind that the thyroid disorders mimmick and look very similar to mood disorders- but they are not one in the same- and one does not cause the other. i think they are often mistaken, and many people are misdiagnosed- often with depression when they are really hypothyroid or bipolar when they are really hyperthyroid. i have not done any thorough research, but with my background in mental health- and the little i know about thryoid, this would be my gut instinct. i think, a mood disorder could aggravate a thyroid disorder and vice versa- but i think they exist seperately. who knows, maybe i am dead wrong!

Erika

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Registered: 11-09-2001
Fri, 09-03-2004 - 10:55pm
Erika - you would really appreciate the book, The Thyroid Solution, by Dr. Ridha Arem. He makes all the connections between the two that most doctors ignore. They is way too much info in it to even cover here but the connnetion between the two is very strong. Put one way, no mental disorders are ever treated that end up clearing up thyroid conditions BUT very often, when thyroid conditions are brought under control, many mental disorders are alleviated. So I might be bi-polar with hypothyroid. (I'm not, just an example.)In some cases, treating my hypothyroidism actually clears up the bi-polar disorder. Not in all cases, but in some. There is a clear relation. And with depression. And with postpartum depression. But you can't just treat the mental condition and expect the thyroid condition to clear up on it's own. It doesn't work that way.

Here's a small excerpt from the book,

"Scientists now consider the thyroid on of the major "players" in brain chemistry disorders. And as with any brain chemical disorder, until treated correctly, thyroid homrone imbalance has seroius effects on the patients emotions and behavior.

Most of your cognitive abilities - such as concentratoin, memory, and attention span as well as mood and emotions depend on normal thyroid homrone levels. Mounting evidnce suggsts that T3, the most potent form of thyroid hormone, is a bona fide brain chemical. it is found in the junction of nerve cells that allow these cells to communicate with one another. This thyroid hormone also regulates the levels and actions of serotonin, nonadrenaline and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), now accepted as the main chemical transmittiers in both depression and some anxiety disorders. Maintaining normal serotonin and nonadrenaline levels in the brain depends to a great extent on whther coreect amoutns of T3 is available. Extensive animal and human studies have led scientist to conclude that serotonin levels in the brain decrease if T3 is not delivered in the right amount."

There is just too much to go on with here but you can see that the thyroid gland does control these transmitters. It's an amazing thing how large an effect a thyroid imbalance can have. Cathy :)

Avatar for cl_calley7
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Sat, 09-04-2004 - 12:22am

I also saw the interview and found it very interesting especially when the thyroid was mentioned.

 

Calley7

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