Thyroid

[gallini]

I have just been told i have an under active thyroid.. cant help thinking that it is caused by the drugs iam on..Methetrexate and Humaira.. anyone had same???

Julie

[Tiasteph]

Hi Julie,

I'm not sure on that. However I do know it's also an auto-immune disease

I have RA & my sister has Thyriod. I really feel for you having both.

You will feel so much better when they sort you out with medication for it.

Steph xx

[Hidden]

Gallini,

Excuse me for butting in... You may wish to dip into the Thyroid UK community on HealthUnlocked too. Many people there report multiple conditions, such as fibromyalgia, graves, arthritis (I am not sure that the type of arthritis is always specified). For example this: thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co... has some info of a member with arthritis and a thyroid condition.

There are over 2,000 members in this community and you may want to look at the tags and use the searchbox to try to find some relevant content before you post your own question and blog if you do join.

I wish you luck with finding out information that will help,

Katie

[Cheryl]

Hi Julie

I was diagnosed with under active thyroid in 1994 and have been on daily tablets since then. I have annual blood tests and the dosage does vary some years - both up and down!. It is very much a family condition - I was told to ensure that my siblings knew and to mention it to their GP if feeling tired and within 4 years both my two older sisters were diagnosed. (not my brother though) I'm the one on the strongest dose and I'm the one who has RA. it really does all tie up with immune system and once I realised all this so much of the little things I'd noticed during my life made sense. Once you've been on the drugs for a while I'm sure you'll feel the benefit and if you have a swollen gland ( lump in my neck was the sysmpton that got me tested back in 1994) that will go down.

Cheryl

[Hidden]

Hi Julie, I was diagnosed with an over-active thyroid about ten years ago now but it was treated and not yet returned. I believe however under-active is for life unfortunately. The only good side is you can get FREE! prescriptions now! on all your medications not just the thyroid one.

I was also informed that thyroid disorders can also be caused by the RA, a lot of people on here seem to have some sort of thyroid disorder, what the connection is and why I don't now.

Take care

mand xx

[Gina_K]

I have Underactive thyroid too & RA, my thyroid spec was surprised when I told him about RA, can't understand why as many people seem to have multiple auto immune disorders, my brother has psoriasis.

[Hidden]

Yes I have an underactive thyroid too (since 1998) and just been checked again in case it was causing some of my RA symptoms but levels were fine so I just continue on same dose as thyroxin as before. The good thing is that it's very easy to treat with Thyroxin (once they get the right dosage) which isn't a drug really as much as a natural product that compensates for what your body isn't making so, as Mand says, it makes prescriptions free in the same way as insulin dependency makes prescriptions free for diabetics. I don't know if the RA medicines could have triggered this but as others have said it is an autoimmune condition as well and my GP says that the two often go hand in hand.

[gallini]

I was concerned before reading everybodys comments on this thyroid problem, but feel a bit easier now. as you say Tilda its not really a hard drug to take more of a hormone. So thank you for your comment.

[Sheila_G]

I have an underactive thyroid for 20+ years and RA for 9 years. I believe that they often go hand in hand. Over the last 6 months or so I have been quite poorly and feeling terrible. I have been on 150mcg of thyroxin for several years and have not had it checked for about 3 years. My GP is supposed to ask me to come in for regular blood tests apparently but didn't. My rheummy nurse said my symptoms could be more to do with thyroxin levels than mxt so I had a test and it was high after all that time. It has now been reduced and some of my symptoms have subsided. Thyroxin levels change constantly so if you are on it, don't make the same mistake as I did. Get it checked regularly. It didn't occur to me that it could have been that. I always blamed RA or mxt for all my symptoms but obviously not to blame for everything, just most things!!

[Trixierainbow]

I had low thyroid about 4 years into this challenge! I now have added 30 years, metho and Humira! That GOD for Metho and Humira!!!!!!!!! I will always hate taking it though. It's the quality not the quantity!

[LishDish]

Im not sure that it was the medicine that would cause that, instead I would blame the autoimmune system. I have had hashimoto thyroidism since 2001 and was just diagnosed with RA 7 months ago.