Type 2 and thyroid problems

[graciefaye]

Hi
Been diagnosed type 2 in January this year and initally started to feel better once I started on Metformin but my energy levels dipped and now the dr thinks I have thyroid problems. Is Diabetes and thyroid problem related?

 

[Fallenstar]

Hi Gracie
Sorry to hear your troubles but if you do have an underactive Thyroid you will be feeling really rough, if you have excess weight to lose when you start on the Thyroxine this will help you to lose it as the Thyroid gland regulates our Metabolism . With an underactive Thyroid your Metabolism will have slowed right down and you put weight on a lot easier and find it very hard to lose it, also VERY tired, dry skin, sometimes hair and eyebrow loss.
The Thyroxine will increase you Metabolism so if you do lose weight, if you need to it will hopefully also help your Diabetes, so the two are certainly linked in getting the best from your treatment.

I don't know if it is linked to Type 2 Diabetes but I am Type 1 , which is an Autoimmune disease, Sometimes with Type 1 we get a form of Hypo Thyroid called Hashimoto's which in essence is our own immune system attacking our Thyroid gland as it did our Pancreas and we can develop Under-active Thyroid. I was on A DAFNE a bit back and out of 8 Type 1's 4 of us had Hashimoto's :shock:

You will have your TSH test, but I hope they do a T4 and free T3 to see where your full profile is, sometimes they just test the TSH which can in some cases be miss leading ,certainly if the case is that this figure comes back boarderline.

Thyroid UK is a great site for info.

Good luck you will be fine once on treatment if you need it

 

[dectjoh]

Fallenstar

Thanks for your post. I was diagnosed T1 last December and had a bout of episcleritis this summer. My eye specialist sent me for a thyroid antibody test which came back at 700++ when it should have been zero or no worse than 60 (not sure what the units are). Am waiting for a follow up repeat test to see if my thyroid is still under attack. How manageable is Hashimoto's? What's next I ask myself!

Tracy

 

[anna29]

Hi, gracyefaye.
YEP diabetes AND underactive thyroid are indeedy linked !
Asked my endocrinologist this , as I had/have underactive thyroid plus poor BG control. He told me it was definetely linked up.
You're doctor can test for this easily via a fasting blood test. Known as TFT thyroid function test.
It is easily treatable with the use of thyroxine, its a balancing act to find the right level and amount of thyroxine you need. They usually give you 3 months supply of low dose then retest your blood , if more is needed they increase the strength of thyroxine.
Yes it can cause hair,eyebrow,eyelash loss and excessive dry skin, extreme tiredness and you can be freezing cold even on a warm day! Weight gain despite eating 'little' ... :shock:
I was a perfect patient - as I had ALL of these symptoms, 9months later I was a different woman once on the right dosage of thyroxine.
If you are concerned that you may have it ?
Pop back to your doctor and request the test.
Better to know and get the correct help and treatment.
Hope this helps.
Anna.

 

[Fallenstar]

Hi Dectjob

Wow , yes a lot of anti-bodies. Have you had the Thyroid function test yet? This will measure your TSH which your pituitary gland puts out to ask your Thyroid gland to release T4, this is then converted into T3 which is mainly done in the Liver (80%) which is used at cell level to give you energy ,regulate your metabolism and it does effect other hormones ,like your sex hormones. That is why Menstruation can be effected by an under/overactive Thyroid along with the other symptoms.

You really need to see an Endo or your GP and get the full profile done to see what your entire levels are. If you have high TSH and low T4 and T3 you will be put on Thyroxine a synthetic Thyroid medication and hopefully you will be fine and as said, the above levels will be tested until you are well, and within range with all your levels. Then six monthly tests to keep you there.

Some people have trouble with the conversion of T4 to T3 so the TSH can be in range or still high. Because of the raised, or within range T4 and a within range TSH ,they can be classed as fine but they still have all the horrible symptoms of under active Thyroid. The essential T3 is lacking because of the Livers inability to convert the T4 to T3....Also I have read of some people who's T4 can be high on Thyroxine but very common T3 is still low so they still have an elevated TSH and have some over active symptoms even, because of elevated T4 but the important T3 can still be low...Some people fair better on Natural Thyroid meds,like Armour. But it is hard to get put on this in the public sector NHS. But for people who Synthetic meds do not work they feel so much better on the older natural Thyroid meds. The T3 is the important one so make sure you get the results of these, also reverse T3 but that's a whole new set of complications :wink: :lol:
Just go on how you feel ,if you are in range but still feel :mrgreen: then get the ranges and see how they correlate to each other and how you feel ,that is the important one.

Hope some of this helps and good luck

 

[Hendie]

Hi Dectjob

Wow , yes a lot of anti-bodies. Have you had the Thyroid function test yet? This will measure your TSH which your pituitary gland puts out to ask your Thyroid gland to release T4, this is then converted into T3 which is mainly done in the Liver (80%) which is used at cell level to give you energy ,regulate your metabolism and it does effect other hormones ,like your sex hormones. That is why Menstruation can be effected by an under/overactive Thyroid along with the other symptoms.

You really need to see an Endo or your GP and get the full profile done to see what your entire levels are. If you have high TSH and low T4 and T3 you will be put on Thyroxine a synthetic Thyroid medication and hopefully you will be fine and as said, the above levels will be tested until you are well, and within range with all your levels. Then six monthly tests to keep you there.

Some people have trouble with the conversion of T4 to T3 so the TSH can be in range or still high. Because of the raised, or within range T4 and a within range TSH ,they can be classed as fine but they still have all the horrible symptoms of under active Thyroid. The essential T3 is lacking because of the Livers inability to convert the T4 to T3....Also I have read of some people who's T4 can be high on Thyroxine but very common T3 is still low so they still have an elevated TSH and have some over active symptoms even, because of elevated T4 but the important T3 can still be low...Some people fair better on Natural Thyroid meds,like Armour. But it is hard to get put on this in the public sector NHS. But for people who Synthetic meds do not work they feel so much better on the older natural Thyroid meds. The T3 is the important one so make sure you get the results of these, also reverse T3 but that's a whole new set of complications :wink: :lol:
Just go on how you feel ,if you are in range but still feel :mrgreen: then get the ranges and see how they correlate to each other and how you feel ,that is the important one.

Hope some of this helps and good luck

Couldnt agree more with what fallenstar has said, a couple of extra points i would say would be dont ever let the doctor tell you its not your thyroid if the blood tests are normal, ask to be investiagated further and get checks for your iron/adrenals (full iron panel, and 24 hour urine or saliva cortisol test) as if your iron/adrenals are low it wont allow the T3 to enter the cells but it will look fine and dandy on your blood tests as the actual thyroid hormone is their just your body cant use it.

Also diabates is most definately related to thyroid but also your adrenals all 3 are very closely linked, if one is out of line it can very easily send another out of sync or contribute to it. So i would most definately look at your adrenals also as this controls your cortisol production.

Some easy tests to check if its your thyroid is with a thermometer, take your temperature when you awake it should be around 36.6 tiny bit lower is acceptable but if it is more than 0.2 lower its a sign your thyroid isnt right. Also take it throghout the day and it should rise up to as close to 37 as possible, if its a lot lower or doesnt rise then thyroid problems are a sign.

Hope this helps

 

[Fallenstar]

Ditto, Hendie
Couldn't agree more with you either about the Thyroid ,Adrenal , insulin axis . We need to keep an eye on all those hormones,men and women alike...they are the driving force for life and if one is out of kilter it will put a strain or not back up/reinforce as it should another ...all very complicated but all VERY important for optimum health....and I'm all for that :wink:
Hope you are Good Sweets
Take care

 

[marti]

i have type 2 diabetes and hypothyroidism feel free to ask me anything hun

 

[daintytweety]

The doctor said I am borderline low thyroid,if i want i can take thyroxin,but otherwise i can make a test in a month to check if if it goes back to normal,or it gets slower.

 

[captainlynne]

I'm T2 and before Christmas the doctor said my thyroid levels were low, so to be re-tested this month. My son - also T2 has been told the same thing! Talk about keeping it in the family!

 

[viviennem]

I have never had a test outside the normal thyroid range, but nevertheless I had the full range of thyroid symptoms including dry skin, hair loss, appalling periods etc etc. Google British Thyroid for a comprehensive list.

Fortunately my doctor listened to me (I do nag a bit :lol: ) and treated according to the patient and not the test result. I'm now on 100mg (or whatever) of levothyroxine and feel so much better! and my test results have hardly moved at all.

The weight didn't drop off, though :wink:

Viv 8)