Q: I am a 50 years old woman, menopausal since 5 years. Diabetes was detected after menopause and the blood sugar level is not under control. My fasting blood sugar level was 168 mg/dl last week. I suffered from severe pain in the body, fatigue and sleeplessness, etc. and the problem became acute four months back. I got the thyroid test done, which showed TSH - 140 and have been under treatment for hypothyroidism since then. Initially Thyroxine 1 mg was prescribed then the dose was increased to 2 mg. Now I am taking 3 mg since last month. It has brought the hypothyroidism under check but diabetes is still raging. Would sugar levels improve with stability in thyroid functions? Please advise.

A:Hypothyroidism and diabetes are different illnesses and require individual treatments. I am glad that your thyroid is now under control. I do not believe that will translate to sugar control also. You must see your doctor for diabetes control. Uncontrolled diabetes is a risk factor for many other problems like heart disease, vision problems, kidney diseases and nerve pain. The sooner you can get it under better control, the better you will feel and well controlled diabetes reduces the risk for many diseases.