My LLMD just put me on 600mg Rifampin daily. He and my pharmacist told me that this drug might interfere with the thyroid medications that I take. I do not have a thyroid so I do need these drugs.
Has anyone taken Rifampin and had it cause problems with their thyroid medication?
Thanks.
Judith
Posts: 131 | From Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Aug 2003
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
I dont take thyroid meds, but I am on Rifampin and recently posted about the MANY interactions it has with almost everything under the sun.
What did your LLMD and your pharmacist tell you about how it might interact and how to deal with this?
I have a 10 page print out about rifmapin (from my LLMD)and it's interactions and it either decreases the usefulness of the other drug you are taking (thyroid) or the other drug somehow nullifies the usefullness of rifampin. So it is good to know which one of these--rifampin affecting it or it affecting rifampin.
I have found Rifampin REALLLLLY does interact with other meds. I was on continuous birth control pills for endometriosis and was on Cipro and other abx for long periods of time without ANY breakthru bleeding and 3 days after I started Rifampin I started having my period.
Since then I have not been able to maintain the amount of hormones that my body needs to keep from bleeding or feeling crampy! It is not fun.
So---I'd go back to the LLMD and say---okay, but what can I DO about the thyroid meds--how can I take these two meds and still be okay?
good luck! trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Hi Judith,
I haven't taken Rifampin yet (although desperately need to for Bartonella), but I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and Lyme has already made me up my Synthroid level twice.
So I am concerned that Rifampin would make the hypothyroidism even worse.
All I can say is I know two women (in addition to Trails) who have had several hormones go out of balance with Rifampin. One was warned it would interfere with birth control pills.
So it does seem to be an issue.
Please post and let us know what you find out when you talk to your LLMD about this issue in more detail.
Good luck, Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Hi Judith, I am taking synthroid (hypothroidism) with rifampin (150mg twice a day). I go to a website to check all the different drugs I am taking to make sure there is no drug interaction. It seems to be a pretty a good sight. I did type in synthroid and rifampin and there was no interaction. Also, most of the time, your pharmacist will let you know if there is an interaction. That's a good call from Lyme ED. Definitely check with the pharmacist. My dr. tells me it takes about 45 minutes for the synthroid to get into your system so to be safe, take the 2 drugs as far apart from each other as possible.
Thanks for your response. I talked to my pharmacist and LLMD. Both said it MAY interfere with the thyroid so keep an eye on your blood tests. I know of one person who had no problems with the Rifampina and the thyroid. I was wondering is anyone on this BB had problems with it.
Judith
Posts: 131 | From Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Aug 2003
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I'm brand new to the world of lyme disease (scary) so I'm still learning the ropes, but I was wondering if it's possible that thyroid problems are associated with or caused by lyme?
I ask this because I was recently told I have "the possibility of developing thyroid disease in the future" after a bout of blood tests, and I haven't heard anything about the two being related, but it seems there are quite a few people with both problems.
I'd appreciate any info. you have on the subject. Thanks, and good luck!
Kate
[ 27. October 2006, 11:37 AM: Message edited by: notcrazykate ]
Posts: 106 | From Michigan | Registered: Oct 2006
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
The pages I have printed out for me about interactions do not specifically have anything about SYNTHROID but they do say this:
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels may be increased, resulting in hypothyroidism. Monitor thyroid status in patients recieving both drugs.
what they mean by BOTH drugs is not clear though---but I am assuming thyroid hormones is the other drug?
do you have a way to monitor?
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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