Mental health

[bigeyes]

I've never heard of 'adrenal fatigue' before but, always thought getting the shakes or having a bad headaches means low blood sugar & a need to eat. I also have thyriod problems. Thanks for clueing me in on the 'adrenal fatigue' & thanks for sharing your story with us.

For me, sometimes I need to eat as well, but I've been tested and they can never find anything off with my blood sugar at all. It all seems to be adrenaline and cortisol.

[tescela]

For me, sometimes I need to eat as well, but I've been tested and they can never find anything off with my blood sugar at all. It all seems to be adrenaline and cortisol.

FYI, the blood tests for some of this stuff are problematic, in that the "normal range" level of specific hormones can apparently be so wide that people don't register as "low" until they are in very, very bad shape.

I'm sure I didn't convey this very well, but hopefully it is understandable enough for you to research the subject on the net and learn more.

[seminolewind]

Hi, First off, I really am proud of Kate for telling us about her mental illness. Kate, that was a real big thing you did. Especially with the stigma attached to it.
Mental illness is difficult. People can't see it like a broken leg, therefore alot of them think you're making it up, or tell you to snap out of it , or you're making a big deal out of nothing and it's no big deal.

There's a difference between chronic and acute mental illness. Acute meaning it eventually clears up, and mostly there's an identifying cause, like a death in the family, losing your job, etc

Then there's chronic. No real identifying cause, probably not ever going to end. Chemicals in your brain not functioning like they should. Only under control with medication.

Over the years you have always hid it, and becomes part of your personality. In my case with chronic depression OCD, and anxiety, I'm sure at work people may think I am lazyat times, non participating, aloof, and not real social because at times it gives me an overwhelmed sinking feeling . There have been times where it's been too overwhelming to answer the phone, get off the couch, get started with something like cleaning.

I really miss the days years ago when I was not overwhelmed by anything at all. Now I feel severely handicapped by this mental illness and what I can get myself to accomplish in one day. It makes me feel like a failure. I have to remind myself all the time that I am handicapped with this illness, and it's nothing I have control over. The meds work in that my depression is under control, but there are some things that meds do not cover, like lack of motivation .

I could go on for another few pages, but I'll stop here. But I'm really proud of all of you for sharing your illness. And especially to Kate, because I feel like schizophrenia is a really hard thing to share with others. It must have been hell to come to terms with it and share the fact that she has this disability.

[bigeyes]

FYI, the blood tests for some of this stuff are problematic, in that the "normal range" level of specific hormones can apparently be so wide that people don't register as "low" until they are in very, very bad shape.

I'm sure I didn't convey this very well, but hopefully it is understandable enough for you to research the subject on the net and learn more.

Actually, that's very true. I know with thyroid, 'normal' often means a person is still sick. Is that true for diabetes or hypoglycemia?

My husband is diabetic, and once when I was shaky he tested me and said my sugar levels were in a good range. The doctors had always tested me first thing in the morning or after drinking that awful sweet stuff, so I wanted to see how it looked when I was feeling shaky, and it seems for me it's more of an adrenaline rush than an insulin thing.

What's irritating to me is, endocrinologists are supposed to be experts, and for the most part they don't appear to be good at treating anything other than diabetes. Nearly every thyroid patient I know has been unhappy with their treatment or still feels sick. Many went years without being properly diagnosed. I can't tell you how many of us had endos tell us we were mentally ill or faking when in fact we were physically ill and desperately in need of treatment. Many thyroid patients are mistakenly diagnosed as bipolar before being properly diagnosed with thyroid problems. Often a psychiatrist is the one to figure out the true diagnosis.

I think that's incredibly screwed up, that a doctor from a totally different specialty has to do their cleanup work, and desperate patients are having to resort to the internet and online health groups to find out what's wrong with them. /soapbox

[tescela]

Hi, First off, I really am proud of Kate for telling us about her mental illness. Kate, that was a real big thing you did. Especially with the stigma attached to it.
Mental illness is difficult. People can't see it like a broken leg, therefore alot of them think you're making it up, or tell you to snap out of it , or you're making a big deal out of nothing and it's no big deal.

I second your comment about Kate.

Isn't she the one that set up the Wrecked & Bonkers group?


Rexa can speak to this: it isn't just mental illness that is so problematic because people can't see it. The same issue applies to neurological issues, as well as some other physiological conditions. Perhaps people rely a little too much on their eyes when making judgments about other people (oops, I just hit on a much bigger issue ). Personally, I find it quite irritating that people assume that -- if they can't see it -- then it must be mental illness (and that you should be able to "snap out of it"). Heck, even some general practice doctors seem to assume that if their most basic tests don't immediately identify the physiological basis for something, then it must be psychological...until they finally do the appropriate tests and realize -- hey, what do you know! -- you have a serious physiological illness.

Also, apparently, many people here have used cigarettes (giving them the nicotine and harmine) to effectively self-medicate for a variety of conditions (let's face it: tobacco ultimately kills you, but it is a wonder drug in the meantime), despite the social abuse heaped on smokers. Thank goodness for e-cigarettes (and here's hoping that a special line of e-juice is released in the future with harmine in it).

Bottom line: Ignorance and biases about conditions we can't see can inflict a lot of damage on people around us, and it is simply heartbreaking to observe. I have the utmost respect for people like you, Kate and Rexa that have the courage to risk others' judgment by openly sharing your specific challenges.

P.S. I must confess that I don't yet have the courage to go into detail about my personal challenges, but I'm sure you have figured out that I have a serious physiological illness.

[bigeyes]

.

Also, apparently, many people here have used cigarettes (giving them the nicotine and harmine) to effectively self-medicate for a variety of conditions (let's face it: tobacco ultimately kills you, but it is a wonder drug in the meantime), despite the social abuse heaped on smokers. Thank goodness for e-cigarettes (and here's hoping that a special line of e-juice is released in the future with harmine in it).

Every pharmaceutical drug has side effects. I take drugs for migraines that could be harming my liver and shortening my life. If I didn't take them, I would have no life at all.

I consider the effects of tobacco or e-cigs to be like any other side effect. It's a quality of life issue. What makes my life tolerable may shorten it, but the alternative is to be miserable. That should be my choice.

[tescela]

Actually, that's very true. I know with thyroid, 'normal' often means a person is still sick. Is that true for diabetes or hypoglycemia?

My husband is diabetic, and once when I was shaky he tested me and said my sugar levels were in a good range. The doctors had always tested me first thing in the morning or after drinking that awful sweet stuff, so I wanted to see how it looked when I was feeling shaky, and it seems for me it's more of an adrenaline rush than an insulin thing.

What's irritating to me is, endocrinologists are supposed to be experts, and for the most part they don't appear to be good at treating anything other than diabetes. Nearly every thyroid patient I know has been unhappy with their treatment or still feels sick. Many went years without being properly diagnosed. I can't tell you how many of us had endos tell us we were mentally ill or faking when in fact we were physically ill and desperately in need of treatment. Many thyroid patients are mistakenly diagnosed as bipolar before being properly diagnosed with thyroid problems. Often a psychiatrist is the one to figure out the true diagnosis.

I think that's incredibly screwed up, that a doctor from a totally different specialty has to do their cleanup work, and desperate patients are having to resort to the internet and online health groups to find out what's wrong with them. /soapbox

Feel free to vent on this issue all you want...you have brought up a very serious issue. Western medicine is very problematic, in that if the doctors in the field aren't educated about specific conditions and/or tests, then they can easily misdiagnose...and the "continuing education" received by Western doctors appears to be almost entirely provided by pharmaceutical companies that are obviously focused on selling specific products. I cannot overstate the seriousness of this issue: there is a great deal of knowledge about specific conditions in the medical *research* community that takes forever to reach the medical *practice* community...if it ever reaches them at all.

Unless you have a very "mainstream" condition (and probably even then), it is essentially incumbent on the patient to tap into the medical *research* community to get the answers they need, and then take that knowledge (e.g., reports from medical studies) to your doctors if you want to get effective treatment.

This situation is terrible, because if you have a condition that severely limits -- or eliminates -- your ability to do this, then -- unless you have other people to help you -- you might never get effective treatment.

[tescela]

Every pharmaceutical drug has side effects. I take drugs for migraines that could be harming my liver and shortening my life. If I didn't take them, I would have no life at all.

I consider the effects of tobacco or e-cigs to be like any other side effect. It's a quality of life issue. What makes my life tolerable may shorten it, but the alternative is to be miserable. That should be my choice.

It *is* your choice, as long as you don't allow anyone else to take away your freedom to choose.

[Kate]

You guys are great, I feel like part of a family here

I'm only starting to learn how to talk about paranoia, psychosis and my own general mental health, for many years I couldn't recognise that the problem was me rather than the world. It's easier to cope now that I know I'm ill and vulnerable.

Rexa, I want to give you big hugs. I've always thought there was something wrong with my hearing but doctors could never find out what it was. When I read about your condition things clicked into place and I'm reading about it to see if that's what my problem is. It sounds very familiar and it's a real relief to know that there is a diagnosis that I can use to work out how to cope better.

Did/do your parents have the same processing difficulties, does it run in families? I always used to have to walk on the left side of my mum because she could hear better from that side, she used to say that was her good ear. If I listed to people on the phone with my right ear they just sound garbled but I can manage to understand better with the phone at my left ear. I don't like talking on the phone much unless it's someone I'm close to. I miss most of the words in songs and when I find a tune I like I sometimes look up the lyrics so I can read along.

[Mary Kay]

Kate, you might also look into inner ear scarring as well as Rexa's problem..which is about a million times worse!
My sister Laura had ear infections when she was a young child, they did all sorts of tretments which did nothing. She finally grew out of them. Over the years she slowly lost hearing in one ear. It turned out she had scarring in the ear. It was so deep that a quick peek did not show it, even when the Dr. was looking thru a high powered scope. They did surgery which didn't help as the scarring had ruined the inner ear. The Dr. told mom, infections, injury and high fever could have been the cause..another words, who knows.
Mike has Tyroid problems, they killed his thyroid and put him on meds. I can always tell when his meds are out of whack..he turns into a bear (grouch). At first i thought he was developing a mental problem. He also losses weight at a fast rate. He once lost 30 pounds and we didn't notice until his dress pants nearly fell off!
The V.A. is forever tinkering with his meds. I should be so lucky!