So I’ve had the flu, no I don’t mean cold, I mean flat out in bed for a fortnight unable to move feeling like death flu. The other half has said that they have never seen me look so ill even after I had my appendix out, Mind you the fact that my TSH is 58 at the moment I don’t suppose is helping, yes that’s 58 not 5.8 hay but it’s better than it was, a few months ago it was 69.7 anyway as I was demented to get out of the house yesterday I went for a walk even though I knew I wasn’t up to it and I ended up catching a runaway horse, it could only happen to me!! What can I say I was hero! Sorry you really didn’t need to know that, So I’ve only ever had one flu shot and it made me feel really odd, so I’ve not bothered since then, but I honestly think if I’d been ten years older this virus would have done for me, so I’m really thinking about taking up the shots, but perhaps I’ve been so ill as it’s been on top of my undertreated Thyroid? Do undertreated Thyroids make things like flu and colds worse do you think, and should I take up the offer of the flu shots?
Do undertreated Thyroids make things like flu a... - Thyroid UK
Do undertreated Thyroids make things like flu and colds worse do you think
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I appreciate your horse story 
And about flu, I can say that I used to get flu way more often before the diagnosis (and thyroxine).
Thank you the horse in question had thrown its rider off into the river and the galloped at me, the technical term for the horse was I think, “a big bugger!” Actually it was about 17 hands chestnut gelding, luckily I grew up around horses and as it was barreling towards me I thought Oh Sh%t I’m going to have to stop it so after it hit me with it’s left shoulder I managed to grab the reins it then dragged me for about 100 yards then turned around reared up and blow snot all over me. I was thrilled as you can imagine. Still the very wet rider was very happy to have her horse back. Sorry this is well off topic but it is Christmas.
Now this is an amazing story. Thanks for sharing. I had one incident with a horse too as a kid, when the horse just ran after me all of a sudden in the field, I ran, stumbled and fell down, and the horse ran over me. True story. So I admire your bravery with your horse-rendez-vous today!
Sounds like a very shirty horse! lol
Being hypo probably makes you slightly more susceptible to stuff because it almost always means diminished stomach acid. But I haven't noticed that viruses were any worse when I was hypo. That having been said, my hypo illness started after a viral infection - I sort of never recovered properly.
Full blown flu is really bad. It took me about six months to recover from an episode a couple of years ago. But the previous attack was 40 years ago, so I don't think its a huge risk. I have promised my doctor I will reconsider flu jabs when I reach 70 (I'm 66 now) but the jabs are not without their own downsides. And they aren't anything like total protection either. While my immune system still does the job I am inclined to let it do it's job. When I suspect its no longer up to it, I'll take the jab.
Hidden Well done with the horse, I would have pooped my pants. I've only ever been on a horse once, can't say I enjoyed it as my bum was sore for a while afterwards. They're too big for me, give me a dog any day 
Flu jabs - mmm! I am in the right age group for one (as a senior citizen - see how I dodged giving my age away there!) and also in one of the 'at risk groups' as I have a progressive lung disease. I have had a flu jab, about 2 or 3 years ago. I was fine, didn't get any reaction like some people say they do. I've never had proper real flu. I also had to have the pneumonia jab when diagnosed with my lung disease in 2013. They are supposed to last 10 years. I had pneumonia in March this year!
I've not bothered with the flu jab since. It can't protect against all the flu viruses, only about 3 strains I believe, and as no-one can predict what strains will be around then every year they make a guess. There is no guarantee that having a flu jab will protect you from getting flu.
I don't like what they put in them either publichealth.org/public-awa.... They may be only small amounts but who knows how we react to them as individuals?
I also heard that flu jabs can actually lower your immunity for a short while, which is why some people become ill after having one. Who knows?
So I'm taking my chances and not having them now. But I do what I can to boost my immune system.
Plenty of Vit C as part of my normal supplement routine as a thyroidie.
A once a month pillule of homoeopathic Oscillococcinum 30 (a flu/cold preventive and treatment if you do get it) from October through to April. I don't remember the last time I had a cold.
Daily garlic supplement in the form of allicin liquid, allicin being the most bioavailable of garlic supplements.
We all have to make a decision that suits ourselves.
"A once a month pillule of homoeopathic Oscillococcinum 30 (a flu/cold preventive and treatment if you do get it) from October through to April. I don't remember the last time I had a cold."
That sounds really interesting where do you get that from? I know just the mention of Homeopathy can make some people unhinged but I've had success with treatment in the past so am open to it.
I get mine from Galen Homeopathics - Tel: 01305 263996. I just ring up, tell them what I want, they send them out (usually arrive within 48 hours), they pop an invoice in with the pills, I send a cheque off when they arrive. I don't think they do credit cards, I asked how they wanted paying and they just say they'll send an invoice.
There's always 2 years date on them (I think they're made up as you order) so I order 50 and it cost me £8.50 last month which includes the postage. I've even used them out of date by 12 months or more and it doesn't seem to have affected their 'performance'.
I.loved the horse story thank you BUT I hope you patted him? It's good microbes for your gut so he may have done you a favour to! I'm into microbes (sad I know I should really get a life) but when you start reading about them they sorta hook you in
Good wishes s for continued recovery
yes he got pats and a biscuit! it's amazing how they can go from full on panic to "oh Food!!!" in a nano second. Mind you I'm a bit like that myself.
I think the answer to your question is yes, low thyroid function makes colds/flu worse. There's an interesting article here about how FT4 should rise when you're sick. But if you don't have enough T4, then what? tiredthyroid.com/blog/2015/...
As to whether or not to have a flu shot, well you need a well-functioning immune system to tolerate that too, and if you felt odd the last time, I'm not sure it's such a good idea. I can say that personally, I have a bad reaction to flu shots, so just try not to touch things in public places.
Yes to it suppresses your immune system leading to a more flu and colds. I would lurch from one after another I just never seemed to be well for more than a few days. On even a small dose of levothyroxine all the illnesses stopped and I did not get a cold or flu for two years but now I succumb to one or two a year. As for the jab I don't personally because I want my immune system to keep learning new variations on the flu bug which the jab stops.
It would be best if your levels were optimised as your TSH is way too high and keeping you with overt hypothyroidism. If it was brought under control your immune system would fight the germs off by itself. I am not a fan of levothyroxine but I must give it praise where it is due for saving my life and putting a stop to all the horrible bugs that plagued me.
I think being un/under-treated can make coughs and cold much worse. Certainly did for me. But, now I'm on an optimal dose, I haven't had a full-blown cold for years. I also take high doses of vit C, just in case.
Can't resist adding my horse story, here (think I've got a story for most animals on the planet! lol) So, I live not far from Chantilly, in France, the Horse City, as it's called. And I used to have to drive through the town every day, to get to work. One morning, I was just leaving the town, and driving past a large complex of stables, up to the traffic lights, when a horse suddenly bolted out of the stables - no saddle, bridle, nothing to grab onto - and galloped off down the road heading for the forest. And that seemed to trigger a rush of testosterone in just about every man waiting at the traffic lights. Car doors opened down the line, and all these men made a flying grab at the horse as it passed, missed, and fell flat on their faces in the middle of the road. Haven't had such a good laugh since! The horse evaded them all, and galloped off lord knows where, leaving all the would-be heros to pick themselves up, dust themselves down and get sheepishly back into their cars.
No cowboys but there a few lads in Newmarket - the horse racing capital of the uk. 2000 race horses are ridden out on the gallops every work day!
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