I am a 36 year old male who has diabetes and hypothyroidism. My doctor has prescribed thyroxin [thyroid hormone replacement pills]. When I urinate the urine forms a lot of foam (frothing) like when detergent liquid is poured. Why is this happening?

It is not unusual to have persons who have type 1 diabetes to also have hypothyroidism. Both diseases are autoimmune in nature. This means the immune system gets “turned on” to damage both organs.

As for the foam in the urine, it is unlikely to be from the thyroid hormone you are taking. However, I would recommend you have the protein in the urine measured. People with diabetes will leak protein if their kidneys have been affected by the diabetes. The foam in the urine could be from increased concentrations of protein. It is also important to know if the protein is elevated in the urine for other reasons. For instance, elevated protein excretion into the urine could be a serious medical concern if it predicts further kidney disease. The good news is that there are medications when can be used by you and your doctor to decrease the rate of problems associated with diabetes involvement of the kidneys.

JTL