Suggest Treatment For Elevated Cholesterol And Triglyceride Levels While Having Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Posted on Wed, 30 Dec 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 Answered on

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : hi i am 45, have had hypothyroidism for 15 years and recently diagnosed with hashimotos. my cholesterol and triglycerides jumped from 170 tc to 275 and tri from 150 to 700 in one year. cardio put me on 40mg lipitor, it made me extremely exhaused and anxious. he told me to stop it and start one week later on 10mg of crestor. i'm nervous to start it. i quit smoking 5 days ago and have been so extremely exhausted as well. im on 175mg of synthroid and my tsh levels are normal but i don't feel normal at all.

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Thyroid

Detailed Answer:
Sorry to note how you feel.

Make sure your TSH and Free T4 are in target range.

Hopefully the lower dose of crestor should be tolerated better by you.

When I see someone like you in my practice, I typically order the following tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:

CBC
Electrolytes
Calcium
HbA1c
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
TSH
Free T4
25 hydroxy Vitamin D

These tests will give an idea if anything else is possibly the reason for your symptoms.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (3 minutes later)

what about the possibility of an underlying infection like epstein barr virus and is it normal to be so exhausted after quitting smoking.

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Follow up

Detailed Answer:
Extreme exhaustion can be the result of dozens of reasons. Epstein Barr virus can be one of them, as can be anemia.
It is not typical to have such severe fatigue after abruptly stopping smoking.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar