An underactive thyroid gland is objectively diagnosed, though. TSH (a hormone) stimulates the thyroid into making thyroxine. If the level of thyroxine in the blood is low, then the pituitary releases more TSH to try to stimulate the thyroid gland to make more thyroxine. So, if blood tests show a raised level of TSH, this proves, medically, beyond doubt, that the thyroid gland is underactive and is not making enough thyroxine.

Blood tests can also directly measure the level of T4 thyroxine, and again, a low level of T4 confirms an underactive thyroid ("hypothyroidism").

These hormones are extremely important for the regulation of the body's metabolism, and hence the very direct (and bleedin obvious) link to weight gain (or loss).

Hyperthyroidism is the opposite. Again, the same blood tests confirm the diagnosis, objectively.

Treatments aim to change the thyroxine level to normal. The level isn't a matter of opinion, but measurable fact.

Someone else has already shown you up re bi-polar so I won't add to your shame.


I just did, but OK, here goes. Far from being a "myth", these are extremely well-known disorders, one autoimmune , one psychiatric, and only an utter plank, or a troll, would make such an idiotic post. Of course, you have no personal experience of someone who is bi-polar, whereas many on here have. You ought to try to learn a little humility and accept that actually, you know feck all about these subjects, which wouldn't be so bad, if you weren't also being such a rude and aggressive toilet on top of your ignorance, but sadly you are.

Its such a complex illness which is part of the problem. Partly psychological, partly physical and as such its so hard to pin down. Like I said, she (and I) are very lucky that her mania episodes rarely fall into depression. Infact, when she is having an epsiode (apart from being a major pain ) shes the most incredibly driven person. So driven and productive. Its a part of her personality that thrills as much as it hurts. Im trying to think of a way to say this that doesn't sound strange, but in a way, her episodes and how she deals with them, make me want to be better and do more than I would otherwise do. One of the many many things I love her for.

For that idiot to say that its an excuse for people to feel sorry for themselves should come and live with us for a month!!

I'd laugh if he took you up on the offer.

That's an absolutely top post and pretty much echoes the kind of sentiments that the non-bi-polar partner in the couple we know would say.

You are quite right about that

Aww, looks like toast has been burnt.

A colleague of mine has a wife who is bi-polar. he came back one day to find her basically hanging and he says he was fortunate because she was small and not heavy he was able to hold her up and get the noose off.

No great loss.

Nope, still here and scratching my head.

When was bi polar first discovered?