
July 1, 2002
Thyroid
Question from Scotland:
I was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and hypothyroidism so I take insulin and thyroxine, but the symptoms of the hypothyroidism have not reduced after three months of treatment. Can insulin reduce the effectiveness of thyroxine?
Answer:
Some diseases are more common if you have type 1 diabetes. Celiac disease, Addison’s disease, and thyroid disorders, are examples of so-called autoimmune disorders.
Because type 1 diabetes is in part a disease with genetic predisposition to autoimmune disfunction, it is also more common both for the person with diabetes and other family members to have other autoimmune diseases. However, if the symptoms of hypothyroidism have not reduced after three months of treatment with daily thyroxine this is not due to insulin, but it might be due to an inadequate dose of thyroxine. Ask your doctor for a referral to an endocrinologist.
MS