Over active thyroid and throat infections....arrrrrgh!

[karmaway]

Hi all. I have an over active thyroid possible graves but no diagnosis yet much to my annoyance!! Endos are soooo hard to get in touch with!! I keep getting horrid swollen infected throat infections every few months, does anyone else get this?? I cough up yellowy stuff which is apparently healthy but I lose my voice and generally feel awful and shitty! Fed up of it all now! On 5 mg a day of carbimazole yuk! Any feedback gratefully received!

[shaws Administrator]

I'm sorry your are feeling so rough. I am hypo so not much good with info for you but someone who has Graves/hyper will respond.

[karmaway in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws .

[Fruitandnutcase]

I think first of all you need to read everything it says on the patient information leaflet that comes along with your carbimazole. If you didn't get one with your carbimazole then you can find the leaflet online.

In theory if you get throat infections you are supposed to stop taking your carb and have a white blood count test done the same day because carbimazole can cause something called agranulositisis which is very serious.

I found I got sore throats / swollen glands fairly regularly, first time I went to the doctor and had a WBC done the results were ok, next time I got a sore throat I waited a while to see what happened, then as it was coming up for a big public holiday I went to the doctor to be on the safe side, the doctor decided to 'wait and see' -too - I didn't say that I'd been waiting and seeing for a few days.

After that I didn't bother and the sore throats / swollen glands pretty much passed I never ever felt ill though or had mouth ulcers or any of the other things warned about on the PIL. I would definitely speak to your regular doctor and get a WBC done even if you can't get to speak to your endo. just to be on the safe side.

The day I picked up my first prescription for carbimazole (20mcg going up to 40mcg - I was on block and replace therapy) my pharmacist recommended I took a big daily dose of vitamin C so I always took 1000mcg slow release vitamin C so it might be worth trying that.

i have to say I am not medically qualified, this is just what happened to me.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

In case you did not get one, the Patient Information Leaflet for one make (and Summary of Product Characteristics documents for two makes) available in the UK are here:

medicines.org.uk/emc/search

[karmaway in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Hi I have spoken to both GP and out of hours and they say it's not agranu wotsit haha! So they say! I am due for a blood test soon so will get it checked then abd am on vitamin C :).

[Fruitandnutcase]

Good that you're on vit C. I'm not at all sure how they can say they know for certain it's not agranulositisis without a blood test - although I figured I would have felt an awful lot worse that I did if that had been what was causing my swollen glands and throat.

I still had the blood test first te I got a sore throat - I told the receptionist what I was taking and that the PIL said I absolutely HAD to have a same day blood test to check my white blood cells etc and I was slotted in with no problem - I know I didn't bother after that when I got swollen glands / sore throat but that was my choice, I don't think it is something you want to mess with especially as you are feeling terrible. I'd check out the leaflet and see how you compare to that - if you are worried ring your surgery tomorrow and insist, just say 'the patient information says I MUST have a same day blood test.'

[duster]

Yes I do, I've had graves for five years now, taking carbimazole and am always getting throat infections losing my voice for a week at a time. When anyone in the family gets a cold I know I will get a bad throat . I was always fit and healthy before the graves and never suffered with colds or sore throats.