Has anybody taken sertraline with levothyroxine - Thyroid UK

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Has anybody taken sertraline with levothyroxine

joyceconfused profile image
15 Replies

I have been diagnosed with subclinical hypothroidism.At the moment I am taking 50mg of Sertraline for depression,which help.I am awaiting blood results today, and possibly will need to take levothyroxine.Has any body taken the two together

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joyceconfused
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15 Replies
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

I went to drugs.com and used their medicines interaction checker.

"Interactions between your selected drugs

No results found - however, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. ALWAYS consult with your doctor or pharmacist."

drugs.com/interactions-chec...

You can find lots of people mentioning them in combination around the internet - often using the brand name Zoloft. Have a search.

As thyroid hormones affect every cell in the body, it would amaze me if there were absolutely no interaction. And indeed, by doing a search, the first hit was this:

Elevated Serum Thyrotropin in Thyroxine-Treated Patients with Hypothyroidism Given Sertraline

nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/N...

And if you are prescribed both, make sure that you leave plenty of time between taking the one, then the other - a couple of hours or more.

Rod

joyceconfused profile image
joyceconfused in reply to helvella

Thankyou for your reply, I am very grateful. I think that I might try to wean myself off the Sertraline before I start the Levothyroxine to see how i feel> I have been on them for neary a year now so it is worth a try. Joyceconfused

Muffy profile image
Muffy

Of course the depression could be caused by the hypothyroidism!

joyceconfused profile image
joyceconfused in reply to Muffy

Thanks for your comments,that is what I was thinking of too

lm713 profile image
lm713

I take both 100mcg thyroxine (at one point 3 grains of NDT which is equivalent to over 200mcg thyroxine) and 75mg sertraline with no noticeable side-effects. I too came across the studies concerning the two drugs. I believe the conclusion was that sertraline probably increases the metabolism of t4, not that it impairs thyroid function as such, and thus you might have a greater requirement for thyroid hormones.

Indeed after being on sertraline for a few weeks my thyroid function test showed bottom of the range t4 (still normal though). I don't know what it was before though. I started taking NDT a few months after this. I didn't notice any improvement over quite a few months - doesn't mean you won't (perhaps your levels are well below range) - so now I am slowly weaning myself off, so far with no obvious adverse effects. In my opinion it was worth a try and I don't regret it as yet.

joyceconfused profile image
joyceconfused in reply to lm713

Thanks for your reply, I am very grateful, like you I think that I will wean myself off the Sertraline

lm713 profile image
lm713 in reply to lm713

I have been weaning off the thyroid hormones not the sertraline.

joyceconfused profile image
joyceconfused in reply to lm713

I have just had a phone call from my GP, and she tells me that my hormone levels have improved and I don't need thyroxine just yet, just a repeat blood test in 6 months. So I am staying on the Sertraline until then. Cheers Joyce

lm713 profile image
lm713 in reply to lm713

That's good news. What about symptoms - do they match thyroid symptoms?

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to lm713

This link is quite informative regarding depression and hypothyroidism:-

associatedcontent.com/artic...

but take your time and don't rush into any decision.

joyceconfused profile image
joyceconfused in reply to lm713

To be quite honest I hav'nt really had any thyroid syptoms as far as I know, it was just that I had a general blood test, and it came up as borderline hypothyroidism, repeat in 6 months,when I had my repeat it came back as sub-clinical, but now it is back to borderline. I suffer from ME, so I think that a lot of the symptoms of ME overlap with thyroid symptoms, I also have suffered from depression for years,probably as it took the medical profession too long to diagnose the ME. I was tested for thyroid then, but it was normal then

in reply to lm713

I don't want to add to the confusion but...

I had total fatigue, tremor, coldness, aches & appeared 'anxious' - this went away with a thyroid op.

however I still have pain, muscle aches & fatigue, tingles which now the GP thinks is ME/CFS. too co-incidental for me! (TSH 1.6 before now 2.4)

my thought is anxiety & depression are just symptoms of something else.

Best wishes x

<b>Updated on Feb 14 2011 7:52PM:</b> I like the suggestion from Red Apple on another post

"However, you can tell your doctor that you are not prepared to accept a diagnosis of CFS, fibro etc until all other possibilities have been investigated. Low ferritin, low vitamin D and low vitamin B12 are all possible causes of fatigue etc., so ask for these tests if they haven't already been done."

hayo6 profile image
hayo6 in reply to

dear spearibs, have you had a vitamin D test done? in my case all the pain was related to having very low vitamin D, was given supplements (20.000 iu) two times a week for seven weeks, big improvement. all the best

Bluemagoo profile image
Bluemagoo in reply to lm713

are you able to remember the details of this study so I can read it?xx

melquigg79 profile image
melquigg79

I am both, but I have recently been told not to take at same time inasmuch sertraline cancels levothyroxine out, I was told to take my throxine first thing then about an hour or so later take sertraline with food.

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