Has anybody taken sertraline with levothyroxine

[joyceconfused]

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

[helvella Administrator]

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 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]

Of course the depression could be caused by the hypothyroidism!

[joyceconfused in reply to Muffy]

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

[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 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 in reply to lm713]

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

[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 in reply to lm713]

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

[shaws Administrator 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 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

[Hidden 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 in reply to Hidden]

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 in reply to lm713]

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

[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.