lupus and bipolar disorder?

i was reading and another forum and the question was "I have heard that Lupus can cause or trigger Bi-Polar Disorder. Does anybody know anything about that? And if so, what can you do about it? Will the drugs for Bi-Polar, effect the drugs that help and treat Lupus?"

im just wondering if there was any truth to this rumor!! thanks

lol thanks! u too

I actually got dxed as bipolar type II which is different from classic bipolar (aka bipolar type I) and my psychiatrist believes that the gene that left me open for the bipolar may have been triggered by the nervous system involvement of my lupus. She said that it is quite possible that had I not progressed to CNS involvement I would not have developed bipolar but since this is just a theory and we can't undo any of it there is no way to prove or disprove her thoughts on the matter.

Marji,

The hashimoto's encephalitis that you mention is what i have. My tpo antibodies were initially 20,400. The doctors say they have never seen anyone that high. It is not a fun disease.

Since pred causes me to become even more paranoid and crazy they don't want to treat the HE with that; the usual starting dose is in the range of at least 60mg. The next treatment is IVIg infusions. In march of 2006 I had 5 infusions; In june and July I had one. Since then I have not had any because the insurance will not pay for any more. Our old insurance company quit; they said they paid by mistake. WE paid cobra rates on me for 6 months to be sure we were more than covered for pre-existing conditions while my husband's coverage kicked in on a new job.

Now we are starting the same fight with the new carrier. It is because they are very expensive. I don't care though. We are paying for this coverage, it is medically necessary, and it is unthinkable to me that insurance boards who never see the patients are the ones who determine our care!!!! anyway... The cellcept I take barely makes a dent in this disease when you haven't been put in a remission. some of my symptoms are undercontrol; others are not.

My brain is done for tonight. Sleep well all. And let's hope we all feel better and hurt less in the coming week!

xoxo emmie

Marji has a point - when I had Hashimoto's I went to the psych ward for depression and seeing things. That is where I was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto's. Same time I had severe dementia. Not sure if or how they are all related, just all happed at the same time. A month later they found blood clots in my eyes too.

My daughter is 10 and is bipolar. She has been labled psychosis NOS since age 4. She has also had Lupus symptoms since age 6 (neurological and liver problems, costrochondritis, malar and discoid rashes as well as the "flare" symptoms). She tested positive at age 2 for Epstein Barr Virus.

Personally, I think there is a link between Lupus CNS and psychiatric symptoms. Maybe Lupus in general causes loss of serotonin.

Whether they are related or not, each of us need to be treated and none of us excluded if symptoms are present. The doctors labled me as depressed or neurotic years before I even became depressed. Finally, when I did have depression (and other symptoms) they were like AHA it's depression. That was extremely unfair and cost me years of treatment and the loss of my children for one year. I had to fight to get tested for Lupus even though it runs in my family. Funny, they give the diagnosis of "depression" out like candy. Anything they don't understand it must be "depression" and therefore they don't need to treat the person because they are "neurotic". How convenient. It is more rare for someone to have somatization than it is to have Lupus. Much much more rare.

I don't care if some one is the nuttiest person in the world. They deserve treatment for their symptoms, just like everyone else. - Kristin

Emmi, I'm right there with you girlfriend, & wish I could stand next to you and wave that wand.

I was on 2,000mg of cellcept but was cut down to 1,000. Now that is one drug that is not cheap. My doctor had been considering uping my dose to 2,500 but because of some stressors with my hubby's health she decided not to. But I tell you that to suggest that sometimes 2,500mg is not too much, so you might ask your rheumy about that.

Emmi - Can I borrow your wand when you're done? :) Yes, the neurologist said it was all manifestations of Lupus CNS all along. He was very angry with my doctors for missing the diagnosis. I believe he even called the director and my doctor ended up leaving within the next two weeks. Little consulation to me, however. She pretty much left me for dead and I lost my kids for a time. Needless-to-say it angers me too that doctors do this. I brought my kids in to meet her the day she was leaving. I hate to see a doctor go, but hopefully she will realize that her bias affects other lives.

Originally they thought I may have depression and sent me to a neurologist after I made numerous requests. On the referral the doctor put supected psychosomatic illness. I went to John Hopkins and the doctor yelled at me and my mom that we were waisting his time and I was just depressed and crazy so therefore it was somatization. It confirmed my doctor's idea that I was just nuts. I didn't feel nuts or depressed.

I realize that no doctor can know everything. But if your client says they are not depressed or neurotic, goes to counseling at the doctors suggestion and the counselors tell the doctor the problem is NOT psychological and the patient is getting worse, then I think it is incumbent upon the doctor to follow-up and at least order tests. My doctor did not. Personally, I don't care if I was totally nuts, I was sick and in need of treatment.

So I went to DVR and the Divison of Vocational Rehab talked to the director and my doctor finally agreed to test me. I realize now all the "positive" results on these tests that she said weren't important, were. I had pernicious anemia, high ANA, low blood cell counts both red and white, hematuria, protienuria, EBV, hashimotos, etc. and my neuropsych test said I had organic brain damage. She refused to send me to any specialist or perform any more tests because I was just depressed. She was right this time, I did have depression finally and by this time I also lost my full-time job and insurance. I had now blood clots in my eyes and pericarditis so I went to a new hospital where they didn't have me listed as neurotic and hoped someone would treat me. Cooper Hospital actually asked me my medical history and treated my conditions. What a shock! I was told they thought I had Lupus. I explained my family members have Lupus but my regular doctor said it couldn't be Lupus. Cooper took pity on me and sent me to their neurologist and rheumatologist. I was diagnosed with Lupus CNS in November 2005.

Since then, I came back to see a new doctor in this area. I didn't realize they were ran by the local hospital and apparently had me down as neurotic still. I gave them the Cooper records, no one bothered to check them out. They sent me to their in-house counselor, who says I am one of the most stable people he knows despite what I had been through. I became sick again with rheumatism. Doctor briefly looked at the records and said he didn't know about the Lupus but I definitely had a rheumatic disease. Been sick several times thereafter. Now that it has hit the kidneys and heart again, they are now saying it is definitely Lupus and it is progressing that was last month. 10 Years Later.

I ask you, What Is Wrong With This Picture? Anyone, anyone? Maybe I am nuts to expect more than this. I'm sorry which planet did I get off on? What Country? Just kidding, but still I think that is nuts! Guess I made my point, wish an actual doctor would read this. For that matter I wish a doctor would read anything we all discuss. Now about that wand... Love y'all - Kristin