Metabolism tests

I had a physical today, as recommended by my counselor. I'll be getting a blood test in a few days. I should even have the results in short order, before my next counseling session. The blood test order has the word cyclothymic in a couple places where thyroid stimulating hormone and comprehensive metabolic are circled. I'm not sure if that means they'll do an extra test or two or if that's so the doctor remembers what he ordered the test for. I know some medical scientists somewhere have found possible biomarkers for bipolar. I'll ask when I give the blood. Meanwhile, anybody know any more about that subject?

Hi Dark,
Glad to hear you're taking a mind-body approach to your wellness! I was recently diagnosed with cyclothymia, so have been trying to research it and find out as much as I can about it. I have stumbled across quite a bit of literature that notes that there seems to be a link between hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and cyclothymia. Apparently if one's thyroid is overactive it seems to be partially responsible for the extreme degree of mood swings. My pdoc ordered some blood work on me (thyroid testing was part of it) but I haven't had the bloodwork done. I'm going to ask her to explain the results and give me some information on how the thyroid is connected to all this. I'd recommend you discuss the issue with your doc too when your results come in. Sorry I don't have much more concrete info for you than the link, but I'm still learning too.

Best of luck!!
-Koshka

Well, all is pretty good. Thyroid stimulating hormone is normal. Triglycerides are slightly high but easily correctable. On to other possible causes I guess. I've been on the up side the last week or so. I'm not sleeping quite as much. My mind stays active while I'm in bed trying to go to sleep, even when I'm sleepy. I've been reading a book and writing a computer program that involves a lot of measurement and math. If I can keep that going for a while, I might finish both. I see the counselor again later this week.

Hi Dark,
Glad to hear the thyroid can be ruled out since your levels are normal

Couple of things on the "up" and getting less sleep...

1) Are you doing this computer programming and math reading right before bed? (might be stimulating your mind too much, hence, thinking continues as you try to fall asleep)

2) Are you on any medication for sleep? (might want to look into this if you're not)

3) Are racing thoughts at night a regular problem? (my pdoc put me on low doses of anti-psychotics at night, as needed, to knock me out... really works... better than sleep meds, imo)

4) What meds are you on, in general?

Sleep is such a cranky little thing. If you don't get enough, you're tired; if you get too much, you're tired. For me, sleep has been a life-long ongoing battle. Thus far the antipsychotics at night as needed are working great. They do cause dramatic weight gain, so I only try to take them when I know I really need them... try to avoid taking every night.

Triglycerides can be worked on through diet and if they don't come down, then the doc can drop it with a med.

Be sure to let your therapist know about your sleep difficulties... they can give you some body-calming techniques (like deep breathing) that you can do to relax your body as much as possible and other things that you can do naturally before heading to the pdoc for a med to help.

But glad the thyroid got ruled out... a thyroid outta kilter is a bugger to manage.

Big Hugs,
Koshka

Koshka69 wrote:1) Are you doing this computer programming and math reading right before bed? (might be stimulating your mind too much, hence, thinking continues as you try to fall asleep)

I certainly am. Actually, I'm staying up doing these things until I feel tired. My mind's looking for something to do and I'm satisfying it. I've been like that for a long time. That's one of the things that got me thinking I might have cyclothymia. I'll stay up til late in the night doing things that don't need done right now. Then I get up and go to work not too bothered by the sleep deficit. But I do these things in waves. I can do the computer programming hobby every night for a few weeks and then I'll pause for a while. The book I'm reading now is one I started reading two years ago and have been reading on and off. Things like that plus the periods of mild depression are what led me to thinking it's cyclothymia. Funny thing: my wife learned a long time ago not to ask about things that might possibly be looked up in a book during bedtime conversations because I'll get out of bed and look them up!

Koshka69 wrote:2) Are you on any medication for sleep? (might want to look into this if you're not)

No. I used to take regular retail strength sleeping pills once in a while if I couldn't fall asleep within an hour and still felt wide awake. That was at least ten years ago.

Koshka69 wrote:3) Are racing thoughts at night a regular problem? (my pdoc put me on low doses of anti-psychotics at night, as needed, to knock me out... really works... better than sleep meds, imo)

I've never thought of them as racing thoughts. What I understand is that people are bothered by thoughts that go so fast they can't keep up with them. I describe mine as my brain not being ready to shut down yet so my mind goes all over the place.

For as long as I can remember, I mean as far back as two years old when I was still sleeping in a crib, I have laid awake for a long time after bedtime. It's just something I always accepted as normal. Of course, now I don't have to close my eyes and hold real still while my parents or other adults check to make sure I'm sleeping. I got pretty good at pretending. When I was four years old I could get an extra snack or other benefit in the afternoon if I took a nap. Laying there awake didn't count so I learned to pretend when I heard anyone walking toward the room. I didn't know then that the relative who babysat me was a little hard of hearing, but I could flop around a lot without her noticing when she was in the next room. Sometimes though she'd tell me to settle down and go to sleep.

Koshka69 wrote:4) What meds are you on, in general?

None other than cold medicine or ibuprofen as needed, just a few days of the year.

I have put my wakefulness to work for me. If I'm sleepy at night, I can go to sleep. Or if I'm not sleepy, I can think about stuff. And if I'm really not sleepy, I can get things done. But I understand I may have to look at the need for sleep in a new way. Thanks for your concern.