Does Taking Thyroid Medication Have Any Side Effects?

Posted on Tue, 8 May 2012

Question: I am a woman, 44 years old, healthy, active, and with no symptoms, and have just been diagnosed with borderline thyroid, and positive antibodies. My GP wants me to start tyroxin, 50mg, as a maintenance dose, as I am verty likely to develope low thyroid in the future. My thyroid is underactive. I weigh 9st, am 5ft 4ins, and exercise 5 times a week, and have just completed a diploma and I am starting a course in university in September, I also work part time and have two children. I am scepticle of starting medication, as i have no symptoms and have a good healthy life. The side effects sound awful. Would it be safe to monitor my condition, until such times as my thyroid was giving me bother. My thyroid has been borderline for years, my GP has just recently decided to do something.

Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (16 minutes later)

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

It is still debatable and controversial whether borderline hypothyroidism where the TSH is mildly raised and the thyroid antibodies are positive to be treated or not. Every physician has a different opinion on the same.

However what decides whether the patient should be treated or not or whether thyroxine should be started or not is the symptoms that the patient is going through. If you are asymptomatic you may not need treatment. However what you will definitely need is a regular monitoring of your TSH. In case there is a rise in TSH over a period of time, you will definitely Thyroxine replacement.

Hope this answers your query.

If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.

Regards,

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Manju M