Did anyone see the Jane Pauley interview
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Did anyone see the Jane Pauley interview
| 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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Eric
Eric
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.
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
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 :)
Erika
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 :)
I also saw the interview and found it very interesting especially when the thyroid was mentioned.
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