Found out today - I have Hypothyroidism

[jlg_uk]

Title says it all really. Following a Thyriod function test, which was prompted by a low Schirmers score (3 and 5), I've been told this morning I have Hypothyroidism. Levels (normal range in brackets):

TSH 30 (0.5 - 5)
T4 12.4 (10.3 - 24.5)

I'm now on Levothyroxine at 25mcg per day, and will be retested in 7 weeks.

For me the big question is - is this the cause of my DES? Seems very possible considering I've tried lots of treatments without sucess, and this condition can be associated with eye problems (although not as common as with Hyperthyriodism?). I've been reading the thread below and seems a number of people on here share my condition:

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=2882

Trying to have realistic expectations here - is it realistic that normalising my TSH and T4 will stop the worsening of my DES, even make it improve? Guess it will take quite a while to get on the right dosage of Levothyroxine, and then even longer to see how my body (and eyes) respond. A year?

[liz56]

Hi,

I'm really glad to hear that the doctors have caught this for you!

I noticed an improvement in my eyes after starting on 12.5mcg's of synthroid, and my numbers were in the normal range (1.3). I credit the synthroid for playing a role in ending my Recurrent Corneal Erosions, since they stopped all together two weeks after I started taking it. All of the other stuff I had done-- Dwelle, Tranquileyes, fish oil, Genteal Gel got them to become quite minor. However, I think that the synthroid really helped.

This is good news. Thanks for sharing it. Let us know how it goes!

--Liz

[GinaJ]

I don't know but with one of the last eye specialists he had me get my thyroid checked again so I am assuming there could be a connection. Hopefully with the right treatment now you will fell better

[elvishthistle]

I've had Hypothyroidism for a few years and only recently have my eyes been really dry. I don't think it made any difference for me. I take Synthroid though and the medication can cause dry eye, so watch for that. There are just so many things that could cause it, it's hard to narrow it down!

[calli66]

Title says it all really. Following a Thyriod function test, which was prompted by a low Schirmers score (3 and 5), I've been told this morning I have Hypothyroidism. Levels (normal range in brackets):

TSH 30 (0.5 - 5)
T4 12.4 (10.3 - 24.5)

I'm now on Levothyroxine at 25mcg per day, and will be retested in 7 weeks.

Seems like your TSH test came back pretty high---mine never went over 6.5, but anything over about 2 I notice. I think my eyes are in much better shape since taking levothyroxin. Not the whole answer, but definitely significant. I started at 50 mcg and that seems to be the right amount for me.

Report back on how you're doing---if it seems to help your eyes.

Take care,

Calli

[jlg_uk]

I've had Hypothyroidism for a few years and only recently have my eyes been really dry. I don't think it made any difference for me. I take Synthroid though and the medication can cause dry eye, so watch for that. There are just so many things that could cause it, it's hard to narrow it down!

Hi elvishthistle - is a possible dry eye side effect simply too much medication effectively causes Hyperthyriodism - or can it cause dry eye in it's own right? Any weblinks?

[Christie]

Over this past year, I kept asking what was causing my eyes to get dryer and dryer without any good answers from my primary or ophthalmologist so I finally asked my Endocrinologist when I saw her if could it be because of me having Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is the most common cause of hypothyroidism, and she said No, not in anyway is it caused by your thyroid. In fact she seemed almost insulted that I asked.I guess if it was the opposite, hyperthyroid, then yes possibly. But I was desperate and wanted answers and wasn't getting any.

I really didn’t think it was caused by my thyroid because I had the Hashimoto's for 18 years and the dry eye thing started out of the blue years and years later. Finally, I was able to get referred to a Rheumatologist who diagnosed me correctly and found the cause of my dry eyes. Mine are from Sjogren's and Fibromyalgia. But maybe yours are caused by hypothyroidism? I hope your get better with the thyroid medication.

Did you ask your doctor if it could be the cause?

[elvishthistle]

Hi elvishthistle - is a possible dry eye side effect simply too much medication effectively causes Hyperthyriodism - or can it cause dry eye in it's own right? Any weblinks?

Hmm I can't find a link that lists dry eye...but my Dr and ophthalmologist both told me that Thyroid medications can cause dry eye. (Synthroid in my case) It seems that a lot of medications do. As for Hypothyroidism, I know that the drug Effexor lists Hypothyroidism as a side effect as well as dry eye.

I don't think Synthroid did cause my dry eye though, it just may have increased it slightly. I blame allergies for my troubles.

Sorry I can't be more helpful! I'm just going by what the Doc said...

[jlg_uk]

Sorry I can't be more helpful! I'm just going by what the Doc said...

I appreciate any heads up. I usually look for any dry eye side effect of any meds, and couldn't find anything for Thyroxine replacement meds, except that overdoing can cause things you'd see with Hyper (which makes sense of course).

That's not to say you or your Dr are wrong - but if the Internet was full of DES warnings in relation to the medicine I've first been given today and expect to take each day for the rest of my life I'd be alot more worried

Christie: Didn't ask Dr about DES links - it was a GP (kind of a general family Doctor) and they wouldn't really know. Have seen other people on here seem to say Hypo and subsequent treatment has helped their DES. For me, my first ever blood test since being born was a few weeks ago, so no idea how long my TSH & T4 levels have been fubar - so it might be my DES came into the picture years after starting to get Thyroid disfunction.

[SallyP]

Well, I had the opposite, I had an overactive thyroid, and have since had most of it removed. I asked my consultant if this could have been the cause, and he said more likely to be the effect of underactive thyroid, so I think there is a definite link between the two. Also, initially when I went to the GP persistantly with my dry eye, they kept doing tests to see if my thyroid had gone underactive, which thankfully it hadn't, but would all indicate that it can cause dry eye.

[Rebecca Petris]

If I remember right there is a link between hashimotos thyroiditis and lagophthalmos. Bear in mind also that with dry eye, often we need to be watching for factors and triggers as opposed to The Cause. An underlying condition may have no dry eye symptoms at all, and other predisposing factors may ensue, then a trigger comes that pushes you off the cliff and wham! dry eye. When A+B+C+D+E = dry eye, we often attribute it to E.

[heidi_vaz52]

Thyroid culprit

Hello All,

Four years ago, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and had my thryoid removed followed by radioactive iodine treatment. I am on Synthroid 137mcg. A year after this ordeal, I noticed a radical change in my eyes. I wasn't sure if it was due to fatigue, or what! I scored 0 on the Scheimer test. The dryness progressed, and every treatment failed. I now use the sclerals which helps with the dryness.

I hope all of you find relief with thyroid symptoms and the eye dryness!

Heidi

[hsum4]

Hypothyroidism and the Age you Develop this Condition

Please let me know at what age most women develop Hypothyroidism? I am concerned about the age as it especially runs in my family.

Thank you
hsum4

[SallyP]

I don't think there's any special age, although I have a feeling it can tie in with the menopause, but I'm not sure about that, and whether I'm told so much is to do with the menopause, I've assumed that was too! I was 37 when it was first diagnosed, and definitely not manopausal, but mine was overactive. If it runs in the family, I'm sure you can insist on regular blood tests to monitor it, as I believe it can be a very gradual thing.

[calli66]

There are different kinds of thyroid problems and each can start at different times of life. Both my mother and I are hypo, but for different reasons. Hers started at 36, right after she gave birth to me. Trauma of childbirth?---I have no idea what caused it---it's not auto-immune type, tho'.

And mine started at 55, from complications of Sjogren's. Both my Hashi's and Sjogren's started after menopause. There is a correlation between SjS and women---9 out of 10 who have SjS are women (more of the menopausal age than not), and science/medicine doesn't know why this condition affects women disproportionately. I don't know what the statistics are for thyroid problems---whether more women get it than men--and would be interested in finding out.

Hormones, stress, trauma of some sort likely play into the "causes" and certain "imbalances" can trigger the process, causing the thyroid gland to not function properly.

Calli