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Thyroid problems caused by UC?

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Posted 4/1/2010 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
I've been having extreme tiredness for the past week or so and I went to my GP today, he is running a blood test for me to see if it is anything to do with my thyroids. He said that the fact Colitis is an auto-immune disease it can begin to affect other organs, especially in my case because it hasn't been under control for most of the past 3 years. And so hes wondering whether it has begun to affect my thyroids. I'm constantly tired anyway and I know Colitis does cause this but I have never heard of it causing other auto-immune problems with thyroids. Anyone else?
Posted 4/1/2010 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
There are thyroid conditions that are autoimmune diseases, I'm wondering if that is what your GP is referring to? I'm not aware of UC causing thyroid problems but there certainly are those who have UC that also have the autoimmune thyroid problems. I would hope you're getting your B-12 levels checked as well as Vitamin D and iron.

Sue
Posted 4/1/2010 9:51 PM (GMT 0)

suebear said...
There are thyroid conditions that are autoimmune diseases, I'm wondering if that is what your GP is referring to? I'm not aware of UC causing thyroid problems but there certainly are those who have UC that also have the autoimmune thyroid problems. I would hope you're getting your B-12 levels checked as well as Vitamin D and iron.

Sue

Thanks...maybe thats what he meant...that because I have an autoimmune disease thats obviously UC, its not unlikely to have another autoimmune disease such as thyroid problems.
Posted 4/1/2010 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
qwerty1:

It is well known that an individual that has one auto-immune disease process such as UC is more likely to develop another auto-immune disease. I have had UC for 2 decades and I saw a rhuemutologist who did a ton of blood tests on me. I have anti-bodies against my own thyroid. They haven't effected my thyroid as of yet but in the future it is likely. So the answer to your question is that with one auto-immune disease it is not uncommon to develop another later in life. I also highly agree that a person with UC should have thier iron, B-12 and folic acid levels checked periodically.

Hope that helps,

MyUC
Posted 4/1/2010 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
That is so crazy I went to my Dr today because I've been having these symptoms (fast heart rate, dizziness, shortness of breath, tiredness) and she thinks it might be a thyroid problem (I'm awaiting the blood test results). I'm currently in a flare as well so maybe this could have brought it on.
Posted 4/1/2010 10:48 PM (GMT 0)
I recently had my yearly c/u with the GP & he tested my thyroid for the same reasons symptoms you just mentioned.
It came back fine...Thank God along with all the other blood work which also showed currently no inflammation. YES!!
Anyway, try not to over think it & relax. One of the most common symptoms of U/C is chronic fatigue syndrome which can also cause
these same symptoms...

Good Luck, please keep us posted.
Posted 4/1/2010 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
I have thyroid nodules for about 7 years now. They just hang out there and don't seem to influence my thyroid function. They've been biopsied once (all clear) and have been checked via ultrasound twice. Who knows if it's related to my UC or not.

One thing I learned when I was reading about thyroid disorders is that you need iodine for production of thyroid hormones. So, make sure to always but iodized salt!
Posted 4/2/2010 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
I was dx'ed with hypothyriodism about 1.5 years ago, I never really connected it with UC. I didn't have any side effects from it, it just was caught through a health screening at work. I take a minimum doesage of synthroid to get my levels in the range they should be.
Posted 4/2/2010 7:21 AM (GMT 0)
If in fact you do have a thyroid autoimmune disease, you would have to be thoroughly checked for specific markers, etc to determine if it is or isn't.

There are autoimmune thyroid disease that some with UC have....could be caused by some medications....

Did your doctor at least send you to an endocrinologist? or at the very least, a rheumatologist?

Do research and compile questions to ask your doc so that it can be dealt with properly if you do need meds, etc.

Sucks if you do indeed have another one...

quincy
Posted 4/2/2010 8:53 PM (GMT 0)

quincy said...


Did your doctor at least send you to an endocrinologist? or at the very least, a rheumatologist?

Nope he just said he wanted my blood checked...I'm due a blood test anyway because of the azathioprine. He said if they came back normal then the tiredness is a result of stress and the usual fatigue from UC.

Thank you everyone for your replies smilewinkgrin

Posted 4/3/2010 5:12 AM (GMT 0)
I've had hypothyrodism since 2006 and I've been on medication for it since then.  I was diagnosed with UC in 3-09.  I give myself a B-12 shot every month and I still am tired all the time(it is horrible), dizzy, fast heart rate, just feel horrible.  I think it is the UC.  I do think we are more prone to other things happening.
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