Fighting Thyroid Disease and Hepatitis C

When I was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a series of tests were run before starting hepatitis C treatment. It was discovered that I had an autoimmune thyroid disease called Hashimoto’s disease, a form of hypothyroidism.

I had to immediately start thyroid medication and wait for this condition to level out before beginning my treatment for hepatitis C. I was told with autoimmune disorders like thyroid disease when you are doing treatment for hepatitis C, you should be monitored and have frequent blood tests.

Thyroid disease does not affect treatment for hepatitis C, but treatment can sometimes affect the medication you take for thyroid disease. Like many autoimmune disorders, you need to do frequent tests and be monitored by your doctor.

How do you fight hep C and autoimmune disorders?

The key to fighting hepatitis C, in addition to autoimmune disorders or any other condition you may have, is knowledge. Being familiar with symptoms and learning to recognize the signs if you think something is “off.”

Contact your doctor to let them know, report your symptoms, and ask about running necessary tests to confirm.

Experience with having both

Thyroid medication needs to be adjusted to work properly for your body from time to time. Diet, or when you take medication, can affect how it works. Learning about all your medications, vitamins, supplements, and if they work in combination is vitally important.

Some extrahepatic conditions may need medication to properly treat them or need to be monitored with tests. Paying attention to your symptoms and knowing the difference between hepatitis C or treatment symptoms versus other conditions can help you be proactive with your doctor.

Overlapping of symptoms

From my experience, I experienced fatigue from hepatitis C, but fatigue was also a symptom of hypothyroidism. Appetite can be affected for multiple reasons. Sleep or insomnia, muscle or joint pain, constipation, dry skin, weight gain, or loss can also be affected.

Bottom line, report all symptoms you are experiencing to your doctor and healthcare team. Ask about tests to confirm and report what medication amount you are taking and when. Be proactive but patient in the process. Ask your doctor if there is something you can take to help relieve your symptoms.