Does PBC effect thyroid function?

[Sissymcc]

I cannot get my thyroid blood work levels stable

[LindyRich]

Hi

I'm the same. Been a bit like that for last 2 years.

Do you take your Thyroid meds and the Urso at the same time?

[Sissymcc in reply to LindyRich]

No I always take them hours apart

[Rosehip19]

Many years ago I was told by a pharmacist not to take my Thyroxine close to ingesting anything containing calcium. So I take mine immediately upon waking - and then have to wait for a good half hour before I can have my first cup of tea.

Just a thought!

[Rockie in reply to Rosehip19]

Rosehip. Yes I do exactly the same. Dr says to wait at least 1.5hours after taking thyroid meds before the coffee.Sometimes it feels like hours

[Joel31]

Interesting. I have my tea with thyroxine!

[Rosehip19 in reply to Joel31]

So did I until I spoke to the pharmacist. After following her advice I was able to reduce my dose from 125 to 100!

[gwillistexas in reply to Rosehip19]

My thyroid is never stable very long. Dose up & dose down. Not just because of PBC. Been dealing with it for years. But now it may be worse with PBC & meds.

[Rockie in reply to Joel31]

I used to do that for many years until i only recently found out I am not allowed to do that

[Evaibrahim60 in reply to Joel31]

I believe if not having milk wit tea or coffee the wait is only 20 minuets but if you take milk the wait should be two hours, otherwise the stomach will suffer at least true for some people like me. Ihave been on thyroxine since 1995 and on Ursofalk for 15 years.but not sure anymore about Ursofalk, I have been with very itchy rashes for the last two years despite separating my medications from each other.

[Rockie]

Sissymcc For many years I have been struggling with under/hyper active thyroid. Autoimmune Hashimotos. Years later after I started itching and a liver blood test was done plus biopsy etc, PBC was diagnosed. They all autoimmune diseases. Not all people with PBC have trouble with thyroid

[Yankeerose3]

When I told dr I'm itchy all over, he requested blood work to check my thyroid but it hasn't affected it yet

[Sissymcc]

Which came first- the chicken or the egg? I had my thyroid removed 20+ years ago because I had a lump on the side of my neck and a biopsy determined it to be follicular thyroid cancer. In surgery, many nodules were discovered. When the frozen scan was examined after surgery, it was determined to be only pre-cancer (good news- bad news). I have had a terrible time keeping my thyroid regulated all through the years on both synthetic and natural thyroid. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with PBC when a CT scan for something else detected nodules on my liver. I have high AMA and ANA and a liver biopsy confirmed PBC. Sometimes I wonder if it was PBC all along causing the “nodules” because in addition to nodules on my liver, I have nodule-looking bumps on my skin (arms and thighs), clogged glands in my dry eyes, and interstitial cystitis. Or Perhaps the opposite is true: the thyroid dysfunction caused the PBC?

[Sissymcc in reply to Sissymcc]

I also have Raynauds

[gwillistexas in reply to Sissymcc]

My thyroid was removed when I was 14 & I am now 63. I’m not even thinking, in my case that thyroid had anything to do with my PBC.

[Evaibrahim60 in reply to Sissymcc]

No I don’t believe they are related as on one of them causes the other but our crazy autoimmune is the reason behind it all

[GrittyReads]

I think Rocky is right.

People with PBC, or thyroid issues, don't automatically get the other, nor does one cause the other. It's just that, lots of people with one autoimmune condition, will find they have (or will develop) more than one - the susceptibility to various autoimmune conditions, just seems to go together in some people.

When my GP thought I had PBC*, he also tested me for everything else 'autoimmune' under the sun - as well as everything else liver related. He explained they often go together.

*NB I do not have PBC, I just have AMAs. This has been checked at the highest level. Please don't post and tell me I must have PBC if I have AMAs.

[gwillistexas]

I take Ocaliva & it alone can cause abnormal thyroid levels.

[Twojer]

Sissymcc

One thing to also rule out if you are having fluctuating thyroid tests is to rule out whether you are taking Biotin which is a b vitamin Many of us take it to help with hair loss and it is commonly found in some multi vitamins

They have found only recently that Biotin can falsely skew thyroid tests results as well as other types of tests

Here is one of several articles on thyroid and Biotin:

empoweryourhealth.org/magaz...

There are many other articles if you do a search on “thyroid, Biotin”

[gwillistexas in reply to Twojer]

Yes, when I have labs that’s the first question she asks. I don’t take biotin