July 24, 1999
Medications: Pills for Diabetes, Thyroid
Question from India:
I am a 48 year old female. I do not have a sedentary life. I brisk walk around 2 miles a day and lead a very active life. My diet is normal. I am also an asthma patient with a rare history of palpitations. About two months back I was diagnosed with diabetes with a fasting blood sugar of 258 mg/dl and random of 357 mg/dl. I got this checked since I was feeling very lethargic.
Ever since I have tried several control medicines like Glizid, Glynase [pills for Type 2 diabetes], etc., but they have had no effect. Recently I was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Doctors believe that after getting the thyroid problem out of the way, the sugar control tablets might work. They are uncertain about the type of diabetes also. Some doctors have suggested insulin. My husband also has diabetes but his diabetes is under control with some natural medications (Ayurvedic) available in India. I have also tried but to no effect.
My questions are:
Does hypothyroidism have an effect on the function of insulin producing gland of the body – the pancreas? If it does, what is it?
Does the medication for blood sugar control become ineffective because of hypothyroidism?
Why is the blood sugar count not coming down in spite of my taking medicines?
Answer:
The blood sugar tests make it clear that you do indeed have diabetes. There is one form of this disorder that is frequently associated with thyroid problems, and they are both due to changes in the immune system; but at 48 it is extremely unlikely that you have this form and the test for it may not yet be available in India.
To answer your specific questions: thyroid hormone has no direct effect on the islet cells that produce insulin although indirectly it affects metabolic rate and therefore the overall need for insulin. Sulphonylureas and other blood sugar lowering drugs are not antagonised by thyroid insufficiency. I believe therefore that the reason your blood sugars have not been adequately controlled on these medicines may be because your diet has not been appropriately modified and it may also be because you do indeed need insulin. You should talk about this to your diabetes doctor and also ask him about the possibility of getting a hemoglobin A1c test which will tell you how good your overall control has been.
DOB
