HI, sorry if this is in the wrong area but i didn't know where to ask this??

I have heard that levothyroxine can be quite usefull in rapid cycling bipolar!
My local consultant (pdoc) says she hasn't really heard about it and when she did use it, she didn't find it very helpfull. What she failed to tell me at the time was that she has only ever treated 1 other bipolar patient and she didn't even know topomax could be prescribed for bipolar either !?!?! I wont even go there!!

Just wondered if anybody had any usefull info to share about this medication. I know this is a thyroid medication but i i know it can also help in some other illness. (I want to be carefull with what i say , there are no miricles, if only!))
I would be most grateful if anybody had any advise or info for me, it's worth knowing about if nothing else,

Thank you for your time,

allovertheplace

This post has been edited by allovertheplace: Jun 5 2009, 07:07 AM

I took synthroid for a hyperactive thyroid (Graves Disease) when I was in my 30's. I'm BP I and the overactive thryroid increased the manic episodes (over rode the BP meds I was on). Synthroid leveled out the thyroid production which also decreased the manic episodes. When my thyroid went back to normal functioning (6-8 months later), I was taken off synthroid. My thyroid experience did affect my BP as it increased the rapid cycling and manic episodes. As the tyhroid production went back to normal levels, the rapid cycling slowed down enough for the pmeds to be more effective. This is my experience with Graves (hyperthyroid) thyroid disease and how it effected the mood swings.

A thyroid "malfunction" (hyper or hypo) can increase or decrease mood levels. If you have no thyroid disease, your doctor will not give you any medication. ("if it works, don't fix it")

BTW, Is your pdoc a new graduate from college? Personally, I find it hard to believe she has only treated 1 other patient with BP.
Sheepwoman