Isotretinoin (Roaccutane) possible trigger of Hashimotos?

[NaomiMay]

I was looking through an old diary and realised I got diagnosed with hashimotos 6 weeks after coming off the drug roaccutane.

After a bit of googling I did find a study suggesting maybe roaccutane is an environmental trigger for hashimotos.

Just wondering if anyone else has made this personal link or come across any reliable information before I delve further into the confusing world of Google?

Thanks 😊

[J675]

I've been wondering the same thing too. Like you, I entered a Google black hole and then had to give up looking for a definitive answer before my head exploded.

I had two (useless) courses of isotretinoin about 15 years ago. I then had another (useless) low dose course over the winter of 20/21 and I haven't been well since. I had to stop the treatment early as I was so unwell on it. I've read medical guidelines suggesting that anyone with existing thyroid issues should have their levels regularly checked. But guess what? I had to have monthly blood tests to see if I was impossibly pregnant, yet not a single tsh check, let alone t3/4.

I've been feeling rotten all this year and a recent private test has confirmed that my levels are all over the place and I have a positive diagnosis for Hashimoto's. My gut feeling is that it's definitely related,. Proving that is another matter.

[Dellysbelly]

Hi, I had two courses of isotretonin in my 20’s. I now have hypothyroidism, very likely hashimotos. I had symptoms around 21/22 after my first course of roaccutane. I had (negative) tests for arthritis around this time revealing I had low thyroid levels, nothing was done about this. A few years later my acne came back and I had another course. I’ve probably been suffering with hypothyroidism throughout this time not realising they were all connected. I was finally diagnosed at age 44. I have never heard of this possible connection before.

[Hashicat]

Hmmmm interesting. My diagnosis of hashimoto also came shortly after roaccutane use. I was taken off it early as my cholesterol was very high, but noone checked my tsh - which was likely the underlying cause of the high cholesterol.