For some years now my mom has been taking Levothyroxine (T4) for her hypothyroidism. She is also bipolar and takes Risperidone and Valcote (sodium valproate). She is pretty functional and active but the main problem that I see is that she sleeps a lot, anywhere from 10 to 12 hours every night which seems a bit excessive. She has very low energy when she wakes up and lies in bed for a while, getting up is a struggle but during the rest of the day she is fine energy-wise. The other symptom that is a big nuisance is hand tremors, this is caused by the Risperidone.
I'd like her to be in a place where a regular sleep schedule of approximately 8 hours a night will be enough to sustain her.
This brings me to the question: how can I go about optimizing my mom's thyroid? The hand tremors are a secondary issue but if anyone on this board has experience with bipolar disorder and these pharmaceuticals I'd love to hear your input. I don't know what dosages she's taking of each drug but I can ask her if it will be of use.
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Trying to Help my Mom (Hypothyroidism) | Forum
Norman Fallan
Jun 5 '23
Does she take her temperature with a reliable thermometer? That provides a first step, and an easy way to measure progress as she improves her thyroid function. It also makes it easier to know when to increase, and when to stop, thyroid supplementation.
Olli Stor
Jun 5 '23
I hope things have improved for you and your mom since then. Dealing with the balance of medications for both hypothyroidism and bipolar disorder can be challenging. Excessive sleep and low energy could be related to her thyroid levels. It's essential to have open communication with her doctor to discuss her symptoms and medication dosages.
To optimize your mom's thyroid function, it's worth considering reaching out to a bipolar hotline for further guidance. Remember, finding the right dosage and treatment plan often involves trial and error. Patience is crucial, and working closely with her healthcare provider is essential.
To optimize your mom's thyroid function, it's worth considering reaching out to a bipolar hotline for further guidance. Remember, finding the right dosage and treatment plan often involves trial and error. Patience is crucial, and working closely with her healthcare provider is essential.
The Forum post is edited by Olli Stor Jun 5 '23
