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Old 06-19-2011, 01:14 PM
ifa ifa started this thread
 
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I know someone who is over 50 and takes lithium for bipolar disorder. She had a checkup and mentioned to her MD that she was experiencing tiredness, weight gain and hair loss. The MD said "That's perfectly normal for someone over 50. You're doing fine!"

So I told her those symptoms are typical of low thyroid, which is extremely common. Then I spent 30 seconds on google and found that low thyroid is an extremely common side effect of lithium.

I find it very aggravating that MDs try to blame almost everything on age.

And every MD should know the symptoms of low thyroid. I can't fathom why this one didn't. Or why he couldn't spend 30 seconds on research like I did, knowing this woman is on lithium and various other meds.

They love to blame almost everything on age, and they hate to consider the side effects of medication.

I know many more examples, but this one was hard to believe.
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Old 06-19-2011, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
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I agree but on the flip side, why didn't she call him on it?

Patients and doctors should be working together. Yea, in this case the dr kinds fell down on the job but so did she. It's her health, her body, her responsibility.
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Old 06-19-2011, 01:54 PM
 
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There's a book I want to read called "Treat Me, Not My Age."

That's terrible about your friend, ifa. My older sister went through something similar with a different health problem. She persisted, even going to another doctor, who immediately scheduled surgery for the problem the first doctor had dismissed as caused by age.
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Old 06-19-2011, 02:36 PM
 
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Well past 50 here.

My doctor has settled on sleep apnea being the root cause of any health problem I mention.

I'm going to look for a new doctor. If the new one mentions apnea I'm going to tell him (like I did this one) to find some other scapegoat for anything he can't, or isn't good enough to, figure out...
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Old 06-19-2011, 05:06 PM
ifa ifa started this thread
 
294 posts, read 444,958 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PAhippo View Post
I agree but on the flip side, why didn't she call him on it?

Patients and doctors should be working together. Yea, in this case the dr kinds fell down on the job but so did she. It's her health, her body, her responsibility.
You can't blame this patient for believing her doctor. I know the symptoms of low thyroid because I have been interested in health all my life, especially holistic health. I learned to be very skeptical of the current medical philosophy. So many diseases that result from an unhealthy lifestyle, or from medications, are automatically blamed on age.

But is it fair to expect everyone to have extensive knowledge about health? If a patient gets a serious diagnosis then yes, they should do some research and get a second opinion. But this woman was reassured that she had nothing to worry about. Why would she question it?

I wasn't even sure if I should tell her because I didn't want to get her worried. But this was such an obvious case of an MD being ignorant and lazy, I felt I had to warn her about him.

Last edited by ifa; 06-19-2011 at 05:16 PM..
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Old 06-19-2011, 06:08 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
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but apparently she was still concerned-she told you, right? so there must have been some doubt/concern?

I see your point tho'
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Old 06-19-2011, 06:22 PM
ifa ifa started this thread
 
294 posts, read 444,958 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PAhippo View Post
but apparently she was still concerned-she told you, right? so there must have been some doubt/concern?

I see your point tho'
She seemed to think it was kind of funny, did not seem concerned at all. It did not occur to her that he was being a typical ignorant ageist MD. Oh well, you should expect to get fatter and more tired every year, nothing to worry about. And she's only 55 for heaven's sake!
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Old 06-19-2011, 06:45 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
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untreated hypothyroidism also affects your thinking-like your thoughts are swimming upstream. (been there)
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Old 06-19-2011, 08:16 PM
 
3,026 posts, read 9,018,617 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ifa View Post
You can't blame this patient for believing her doctor. I know the symptoms of low thyroid because I have been interested in health all my life, especially holistic health. I learned to be very skeptical of the current medical philosophy. So many diseases that result from an unhealthy lifestyle, or from medications, are automatically blamed on age.

But is it fair to expect everyone to have extensive knowledge about health? If a patient gets a serious diagnosis then yes, they should do some research and get a second opinion. But this woman was reassured that she had nothing to worry about. Why would she question it?

I wasn't even sure if I should tell her because I didn't want to get her worried. But this was such an obvious case of an MD being ignorant and lazy, I felt I had to warn her about him.
ifa- you are a good friend!

It has been long known that lithium use has been associated with thyroid disease (usually hypothyroid), thus the weight gain, lethargy etc.

Medscape: Medscape Access

This is one of many, many articles written on this co-relation.

I work with the SMI population and every single one of my folks who have bi-polar D/O (treated with Lithium) have hypothyroid D/O.

Lithium is a very effective treatment for bi-polar D/O, but it has some serious side effects.

I take my folks for Lithium levels every 3 months (to check for toxicity) and have their thyroid levels checked every 6 months (at least). Most of them have been on Lithium for many years, so she might need more frequent blood levels.

Encourage her to have her psychiatrist and endocrinologist talking.
The SMI population are frequently dismissed.
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Old 06-19-2011, 08:22 PM
 
Location: Baltimore, MD
5,298 posts, read 5,971,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riverbird View Post
There's a book I want to read called "Treat Me, Not My Age."

That's terrible about your friend, ifa. My older sister went through something similar with a different health problem. She persisted, even going to another doctor, who immediately scheduled surgery for the problem the first doctor had dismissed as caused by age.
I read this book a few weeks ago. It is written by a geriatrician and provides a lot of useful information, as well as advice. I'm planning on purchasing it for future reference.
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