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Is it possible for a hypothyroid patient to develop diabetes?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am hypothyroid. Thyroid gland destroyed by Radioactive Iodine 14 years ago. My fasting blood sugar level is always in the range of 6.1 to 6.5 mg/dL. I have tried intermittent fasting even after 22 hours it does not drop below 6.0. Postprandial is in the range of 9.5 to 10.4 mg/dL. I do not have any sugar or rice or bread in my diet. Only carbohydrates is brown chapatis. Am I Type 2 diabetic? I take 200 mcg Levothyroxine everyday.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

From your history it is evident that you are on replacement therapy for hypothyroidism post-radioactive iodine, and also known diabetic since 6 months. From your history, age and other parameters it is type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is not only carbohydrates which contributes to the same. Insulin resistance is the main culprit. From the details above it is clear your blood sugars are not under good control (hbA1C 8.8). I would recommend to monitor your blood sugars at different point of time to know at which time it is increasing. (That is monitoring before and 2 hours after breakfast, lunch and dinner using a glucometer) and want to adjust your diabetic medications accordingly.

Treatment plan

Have lifestyle modification and take diabetic diet. Do regular aerobic exercises for about 30 minutes a day. Avoid simple sugars, juices, fruit with high glycemic index and modify oral antihypoglycemic agents according to blood sugars.

Medically reviewed byDr. Divya Banu M

Published At May 20, 2020
Reviewed AtJuly 13, 2023

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