Can Low Thyroid effect Medicine Metabolism?

I want to know if low thyroid can effect the way other medicines work in your body? Does anyone have problems with medicines not properly working?

[Nanaedake]

I've had problems with medicines interfering with the way Levothyroxine works.

[Hidden in reply to Nanaedake]

If you don’t take your thyroid med then do you notice other meds aren’t as effective?

[Nanaedake in reply to Hidden]

I have never missed taking my thyroid medicines. Medicines that affect gut function seem to affect the efficacy of thyroxine, for me at least. I can't speak for other people.

[tallulah100]

Hi, yes low thyroid affects your matabolism therefore it affects how you absorb everything that goes in. I could never take over the counter cold medicines or allergy medicines as they made me really ill. If I had a pain injection at dentist it would take 7 to 10 hours before feeling came back. Have you got a specific medication you have a problem with?

[Hidden in reply to tallulah100]

Hi Tallulah100,

I take other medicines for bipolar and adhd. I imagine it’s important to get my thyroid optimized. My endocrinologist wants to hold off my thyroid medicine and just take testosterone (clomid) medicine. He thinks the clomid will help me more than the thyroid medicine.

[heathermr]

I have had thyroid problems all of my life and I only managed to sort them out 6 years ago by taking just T3 medication. As a result of this I have been on a diet for well over 50 years and my metabolic rate is rock bottom despite regular exercise. Now I have real problems with other medications like I can only take minute doses before I get massive side effects. For instance I can only just take half the minimum dosage of epilepsy medication and my Neuro is desperately trying to get me to take more to prevent any fits but so far I do not need it. Any medication just knocks me for six and I have learned to take tablets in very small amounts despite what Drs say.

Heather

[Hidden in reply to heathermr]

Hi Heather,

I am on epilepsy medicine too and I had the same issues and I told my doctor that I needed to be on the smallest dosages due to sensitivity.

I talked with my endocrinologist he told me that he thinks all my problems could be more to hypogonadism than hypothyroidism. I guess when I start my clomid that I will find out.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Hmmm, that is interesting. Well, this is what STTM says about the various optimal labs you should seek. oops had to edit and add the links: stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

This guy goes into the '20 reasons for low thyroid' and he covers a few other hormones and high testosterone in women. The videos are only five minutes and I think you would see the variables involved in thyroid conditions youtube.com/watch?v=cIKmuIf...(Not working as expected?)

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Heloise,

This is awesome and I love Dr Clark’s video. He definitely knows more about hypothyroidism than most endocrinologist.

Thank you,

Solly

[Hidden in reply to heathermr]

I don't know enough about interactions with other hormone systems to be of much help, Hidden , but (although of course hypothyroidism slows everything down) sensitivity to different medications seems to vary a tremendous amount, probably for all sorts of reasons. I once worked with a nurse who was very sensitive to painkillers (and probably other things). She told me that once, when she was in labour, she needed some pain relief. She told them not to give her much because of the sensitivity, so they gave half the usual dose. She SLEPT for 3 days! The hospital staff were astonished, they said they had never seen anyone give birth while asleep before!

Off topic, but couldn't resist that story

[heathermr]

My thyroid problems stems from a lack of TSH and it seems that my pituitary may be failing after a couple of head injuries - hence the epilepsy. None of the Endos understand around here, I am constantly being accused of taking T3 to try and control my weight and it suppressing the TSH. No attempt has been made to look at pituitary failure but now the epilepsy might trigger them to look again. I am on 500mcg of leviteracetam split half in the morning and half at night. I reduced the dose myself as l had no access to Neuro. Good luck with your new medication.

Heather

[Hidden in reply to heathermr]

Hi Heather,

I hope your able to see a neuro soon. I would ask any doctor to run test related to the pituitary gland ie tsh, prolactin, human growth hormone and lh and fsh . I would say hold on because you will get through this better and stronger.

Solly

[kiefer]

Drugs are metabolized in two main ways: through an active process within the liver and a passive process via elimination-by-urination. Then there are Pro-drugs like levothyroxine, which depend on the liver (as well as other organs, like the kidneys) for T4 to T3 conversion. In this case, a drug requiring conversion to an active form won't be as effective.

Hypothyroidism can affect your liver function, so if the drug you're taking is metabolized primarily by route of the liver, it will cause the drug to have a longer duration. Same situation with the kidneys; hypothyroidism can cause a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate; you don't eliminate the active drug as quickly and it lasts longer.

And then there's the drug-drug interactions

worstpills.org/public/page....

[Hidden in reply to kiefer]

Kiefer this is the best answer and I completely see that it could effect the metabolism in different ways.

Thank you,

Solly