There are many physical conditions that can mimic Bipolar Disorder. It is very important to have a full run of lab work done prior to a Bipolar diagnosis for this very reason.
Thyroid Problems
Thyroid issues, particularly Hashimotos, can appear as bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of scholarly work on this situation. You can find information from "alternative health providers", but I hesitate to post it here without a peer reviewed source to back it up. Either way, ensure your physician has run a thyroid panel and has good reason to rule out a thyroid disorder versus bipolar disorder.
Can you have thyroid problems and bipolar disorder? Yes, it is very possible to have both. In fact, lithium (the gold standard treatment for Bipolar Disorder) can cause thyroid issues. Diabetes
While there are usually enough physical symptoms to identify Diabetes, sometimes the early signs of blood sugar issues appear more mood focused versus physical. Here is a short and easy article to read over: https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2019posts/mood-blood-sugar-kujawski.html . It is an easy check for your doctor to do, and people should be screened for diabetes regularly anyways.
Can you have Diabetes and bipolar disorder? Yes, it is very possible to have both. Many antipsychotics used to treat bipolar disorder can cause or worsen diabetes.
I hesitate to place this in the "Physical Conditions", as it is still very much a mental health problem. However, it relates so strongly to hormones, that it is very much a physical issue as well. I will be writing a second post about PMDD, as the information is very new. Unfortunately there is often poor research done around conditions affecting women, leaving room for quack doctors to put in their two cents. Can you have PMDD and bipolar disorder? Yes, but it can be difficult to clarify which is which without detailed cycle tracking.
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