Antibiotics and blood tests : Hi Can anyone tell... - Thyroid UK

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Antibiotics and blood tests

9 Replies

Hi

Can anyone tell me if co-amoxiclav affects blood tests please? Having learnt so much on this forum, I went to my GP for underactive thyroid/Hashimotos symptoms and asked for the relevant blood tests. I’m excited I may finally have some answers, and don’t want to ruin my test. I checked with my GP and he said it’s fine, but when I read the drug leaflet, it said it can affect results!

Can anyone help please?

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9 Replies
shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

This is a past post which may be helpful:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Go by what the patient information leaflet says, that advice is from the people who make the medication. GPs can't know everything about every medication and what effects it can have.

in reply to SeasideSusie

Ok thanks. Do I go ahead and have bloods but Inform nurse or delay test? Am desperate for test to get things moving, but will delay upon advice from members here x

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to

I only really have experience of ciprofloxacin and that affects absorption of levo so it's not a good idea to be tested when taking that as you'd probably get a false result.

However, if you're not on Levo it may not affect your results. It seems as though the patient information leaflet has this warning

"Blood and urine tests

If you are having blood tests (such as red blood cell status tests or liver function tests) or urine tests (for glucose) let the doctor or nurse know that you are taking your medicine. This is because your medicine can affect the results of these types of tests".

I don't know if it would affect thyroid test results and it doesn't caution against it. However, maybe to be on the safe side leave your test until off the antibiotic for a couple of weeks. I know it's frustrating but it's hard enough trying to get a diagnosis, you don't want to risk your test spoiling the result.

Ok many thanks. I am on Levo 100/day. I thought general thyroid bloods included Liver function test, so maybe I should postpone x

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to

Surfchick22,

I had a liver function test along with thyroid function test when first investigated for thyroid dysfunction but haven't had a liver function test with any thyroid tests subsequently.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to

I didn't realise that you are taking Levo. In that case, just as a precaution, I wouldn't test until a couple of weeks after stopping the antibiotic.

Liver function tests are not part of thyroid function tests. I have been diagnosed Hypothyroid for well over 40 years and never had liver function tests when thyroid tests were done in all that time.

I do have them every 3 months now because I currently take a maintenance dose of Azithromycin 3 times a week for my bronchiectasis and that can affect the liver. However, GP didn't tell me that, I found that information from the HU lung forum and had to ask my GP for the liver test, he would have happily left me without testing if I hadn't known!

Ps Susie would the antibiotics affect my results in my favour if I didn’t wait two weeks? X

Don’t think my last post worked. Just wondered Susie where I can refer my gp to as evidence of having to wait for 2 weeks. I will speak to him about that, seeing as he informed me incorrectly x

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