Type 2 and thyroid problems

I have an underactive thyroid which doesn't ever show in my tests, but I had all the symptoms - tired, depressed, thinning hair, dry skin, etc etc. I managed to persuade my GP to treat the person not the figures, and am now taking 100mg of Levothyroxine daily - and feel so much better!

This started with me a while before I was diagnosed with diabetes. There is another recent thread on here where someone more knowledgeable than me said that diabetes/thyroid/adrenals are all inter-related and that it is not unusual for hypothyroidism to go with Type 2.

Even if you have to take meds it should have no effect on your BG levels - or not in my experience anyway. All I have to do is take one pill as soon as I get up - not a problem, and no side-effects!

Have a look at the British Thyroid Association (Society ?) web-site - it's very helpful.

And don't worry!

Viv 8)

I have low thyroid. I don't know if it is related to diabetes, though. I got it before I got diabetes, and the treatment is completely separate. I just want to warn you that it is important to take the right level of thyroid hormone. More than once I have over-dosed on thyroid hormone and ended up with disabling heart palpitations (which come in episodes, and which last 3 to 6 hours or so). My experience is that the brand Synthroid is more likely to cause palpitations than Levoxyl (but I don't think Levoxyl is sold outside the U.S.). Two thyroid medications can have the same strength but have different effects on the body. Our thyroids produce more than one hormone, and the proportion of these hormones can be different from one medication to the next. Thus, this is one instance in which it is important to take a brand-name medication. If you take the generic, the drug store may give you medications from different drug companies, and the effect on the body may not be the same from one to the next.

My blood tests were 'mislaid' on Monday but to-day the Doctor telephoned to say that my thyroid was very noticeably underactive. I had already told them this in April when I suddenly put on one and a half stone.I then had to make an appointment to see the Dr and have to wait 2 weeks. I'm at the surgery for the flu jab tomorrow so I hope to get an earlier appointment. Still on the positive side my 1 lb a week weight loss on lower carbing will double.
My IFCC was 62.8 converted to 7.9 so I hope to lower this as well.
I have atrial fibrillation so I am not looking forward to any extra heart palpitations!

Yes they are linked, usually if an underactive thyroid is miss treated or untreated it will lead onto complications of diabates. But some people can get diabates and then an underactive thyroid and them not be linked, its complicated!!

I am pre-diabattic and have insulin resitance.

You should treat them both seperately but keep an eye on them both.

Steve

How's captainlynne? I started my 100mcg of levothyroxine last Thursday. How are you doing? I'm hoping to start losing some of my added weight now..........

I think I remember from somewhere that it's possible that Type 2 is an auto immune disease. Some types of thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) are as well. So there may very well be a link between them. I have both but I'm not on medication for the Type 2 (yet!) but as someone else said both would need to be treated individually I think.

I was diagnosed diabetic last June and have only just found out that i have an under active thyroid. Also please be aware that Fibromyalgia and Tri Gleminal Neuralgia are all common with diabetics, I was diagnosed in January 2011 of having Fibromyalgia after suffering since August the year before, after being diagnosed diabetic in the June and awaiting cortisone injections my Pain Doctor was concerned about my diabetes only just being noticed, if i had been tested at the time I started with my Tri Gleminal Neuralgia back in 2007 I may have learned then that i was diabetic.

I think that a lot of things are linked with diabetes, i have been told after suffering headaches for the last 2 weeks and went to see the doctor and because i am on amitryptyline anyway for my fibromyalgia he wouldn't give me anything else, its all to do with neuropathy symptoms and all go back to the diabetes

Hi, all.
When I attended the desmond course 6 months after I was diagnosed the DSNurses doing the course explained there is a definete link between underactive thyroid and diabetes. It was quite common for them to hear and see this with their patients we were all told in the group.
Before I was diagnosed I was having blood tests to check my thyroid levels as the symptoms were there...
Was called in by GP and told had both" diabetes " and underactive thyroid , no wonder I was feeling so rough! [ was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 7-8 years ago]
Left me stunned to say the least !
Anna.x

I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid (Hashimotos) a number of years ago. I take 125mcg of levo for it.
A couple of years later I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I believe both conditions are autoimmune conditions.
I did feel better after low carbing and adding sitagliptin to my metformin. But now keep getting cravings and no longer low carb. My weight has gone back up and I'm due to see my GP in 2 weeks time to discuss my current blood results. I feel rubbish and so tired lately :cry:

I was diagnosed with something with my thyroid 17 years ago and never had any meds prescribed.
Recently I learnt from this forum that extra virgin coconut oil is good for the health. I then found out from the internet that extra virgin coconut oil also helps with thyroid problems (see note *) so I have been eating 2 spoons / day of this coconut oil for about 2 weeks now. It does help, I don't feel tired anymore.
I will post the link (note *) soon. Everything from this forum and the related searches are so helpful that I end up bookmarking everything and then having a hard time finding a specific bookmark I need.
Best regards,
Sandy

I have been underactive thyroid for almost 30 years. i will be 70 in august. last year i was diagnosed with borderline type 2 diabetes. the doc wanted to put me straight onto metformin but as it is only borderline i didnt see why diet couldnt be tried alone first. he agreed to this. i also have spinal spondylosis for which i take paracetamol mostly. dy-hydrocodeine only if it gets very bad. had this 20 years/ asthma approx 20 years and COPD 5 years. silent acid reflux for which i take gaviscon advance diagnosed a few months ago. am taking lanzoprazole from 5 years ago along with a blood thinner (not aspirin as that affects my breathing badly) and a antihistamine because apparently its better to keep my dog for health reasons. my db was found on ordinary routine blood test for something else.it was 8.1 but taken well after breakfast which was i know then all carbs. rice crispies (a big bowlfull not the 130gms thats recomended.) with semi skimmed milk and followed by tea and 2 digestive biscuits.
fasting bloods taken on 2 occasions were 7.1 and 7.6. (a 3rd went missing) just b4 xmas i had a 3 month hb one done which was "WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS"... NOT BEEN TOLD YET WHAT THE ACTUAL COUNT WAS.My thyroid prob is treated with 150mcg thyroxine.and this past year has been also borderline,. dont know if above or below. no change in treatment has taken place however and have been told its nothing to worry about
my question is this... is it possible that all these other things going on could be whats causing my "diabetes" symptoms and that its not diabetes at all? combination of slow metabolism and drugs stopping/slowing the absorption of certain substances from my food through the stomach lining? when i try to voice these things to my GP he dismisses them out of hand. apart from cutting down on sugar in drinks and limiting my intake of cakes and biscuits i was eating as normal wen i got that last result. this past month i did try eating more fruit and protein (was eating none of the former and not much of the latter before.) but i cant afford to do this on a regular basis. it costs me around 50quid more per month which i simply cant afford.
on exercise. i bought treadmill. can do no more than 5 mins on it.it tends to affect my neck and shoulders though so spend less and less time on that. walk longer if i can get out but cant go anywhere on my own unless its A to B by taxi. once a week if im lucky and that depends on the weather because of my breathing probs. ok. i know im falling to bits. dont test. doc dont think its necessary. if im feeling off it i dont eat right i know. walking tends to be round town shopping as thats all my daughter will do. with the odd days scattered here n there when i can get someone else to go somewhere more enjoyable to walk.
any suggestions.???