So I've got pneumonia and now on steroids and antibiotics for another asthma flare up! My 5th infection since January and an asthma diagnosis aged 45! I believe all down to hypo thyroid or antibodies.
I'm doing my finger prick test for Horizon in the morning just a question WILL amoxicillin and Prednisolone affect my bloods at all?? Does anyone know.
Thank you
Peaches, there's no real point in doing your BH test tomorrow, you wont get true results. Wait until you are over your current illness. I've had pneumonia (mild) and it took weeks to feel well afterwards.
I'm never well that's the issue / breathing problems ongoing for the last year with infection after infection..I will wait a couple of weeks then ... I'm just frustrated as plantar fasciitis in both feet is really severe and cramping in legs...feel like I'm falling apart ...just want my bloods done asap to find out what's causing all these ailments .. feel like a hypochondriac these days 😕 Xx
Plantar facilities is a clinical symptom of hypothyroidism. You will feel like a hypochondriac if you've a flare-up. Have you had antibodies checked? If you have antibodies you have an Autoimmune Thyrid Disease called Hashimoto's. The treatment is the same as hypothyroidism.
Phone the lab and ask if these two meds will affect your blood tests.Remember to fast but you can drink water before test.
I bet you can tick off more than a couple of the following:-
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
I can tick off 75% of those sadly 😕....that's a good idea I will ring blue horizon in the morning and ask because if I wait to be well I will never get it done ....I'm waiting to see a chest specialist and I'm having injections Friday for my feet - but my GP is blank when it comes to thyroid - I did see a new Gp last Friday who said it could 100% be thyroid or adrenals but let's get your feet better first ( I can barely walk it's not just in the morning they are painful and swollen I've gone up a shoe size!) I feel like Gp is treating symptoms not the cause so hence why I've decided to take private blood tests in hope it shows something the Drs are missing x
I feel very sorry for you as I remember how stiff/sore/painful feet legs were as well as all our muscles/joints but am well now.
Have you had lung function tests, including reversibility to salbutamol ( ventolin) to confirm the asthma diagnosis? Are you on a steroid inhaler with possibly a long acting bronchodilator plus salbutamol for acute symptoms? If not your lung condition hasn’t been properly investigated. I would hope you have been referred to a Respiratory consultant as late onset asthma should be investigated to exclude other causes.
As far as blood tests if you are looking at inflammatory markers they will all be raised and in acute illness ft3 drops as the body goes into a defensive mode to protect itself from excessive energy expenditure so they are not worth taking tomorrow.
Has your gp checked your eosinophils ( type of white blood cell) it is important to know if this is raised, if so an additional asthma medication can be very helpful.
Hope you feel better soon.
I'm waiting for an appointment for a respiratory specialist for further tests because only had 'asthma' and recurrent infections in the last year and I'm 46 ...I'm on Fostair and ventolin ...they help sometimes but I've had breathing problems constantly for just over a year ...I think I've got a thyroid / autoimmune disorder- with all my other problems that I've suddenly developed.. I'm either boiling hot and sweating or freezing cold and can't warm up - this temperature problem / regulation problem has got really severe to the point I get embarrassed and avoid doing things which flare it up - any exercise/ busy place or room etc and I'm dripping red hot - last night had a hot soak in the bath and Pyjamas dressing gown / fleece blanket to get warm ...it's mad - feeling like a freak / hypochondriac lately 😕xx
You have my sympathies autoimmune problems are so poorly understood by the medical profession. The inhalers you are on are the correct ones for asthma, have you identified any triggers to an acute episode? I hope you get seen soon. Good luck.
This is my 5th since January have never suffered before with any breathing problem ...I had a chest X-ray that was normal ..I've put 5 stone on in 18mths 😕Without changing diet and had to leave my job in May due to stress (not coping) I've always had a good job and coped fine until now.. I'm exhausted ..generally I get a usual cold which my family shake off in a day or two -then end up with full blown chest infection, fluid on lungs etc ..I find walking even a few hundred yards breathless to the point I have to rest and I get so hot /sweaty it's unbelievable ..I've started avoiding social meetings with friends because of the getting there or the environments etc ....I find I'm worse in the wet / damp weather or smoke ....I used to go to the gym 2-3 hrs a day and had to give it up im barely coping with just keeping my house in order 😕...I used to manage a full time job - have a good social life/ follow my football team at weekends ...could go out on a work night and still be up for work ...I don't know what's going on but I'm 100 % certain its thyroid ..my Gp doesn't agree after a standard thyroid test was in range 😕 but this new Gp I saw last week said he agrees and will do other tests once I'm a bit better - I decided to go to horizon because I'm so frustrated feel like I'm 86 not 46
Google eosinophilic asthma and see if this coincides with your symptoms. Sadly the development of one auto immune disease can coincide with others. Are your thyroid peroxidase antibodies raised? If so you may have Hashimoto disease.
I am also hypothyroid and I struggle with that, let alone another disease I wish you good health.
Thank you - I will do and I'm just about to do a private blood test tomorrow ...until I got this poorly that was ...Gp won't do it said there's no need or budget for it ... apaz so going private x will look that up thanks
Goodness Peaches71... I feel so bad reading your suffering. I think there is more that can be done . Take a look at the angle I think can be going on . First leaky gut , then food sensitivities ( primarily dairy for asthma ) then thyroid but it really doesn’t matter which started which. Let’s see if we can help get you better! Hugs🌺
saragottfriedmd.com/leaky-g...
Thank you ☺️I've been taking Vit D supplements and I'm taking vit C like it's going out of fashion it made no difference I still got the chest infection / the rest of the family little sniffle and they were all better I've been full of flem for nearly a month.. I did cut all dairy out of my diet but it didn't seem to affect anything ... it is frustrating had to leave my job aswell 😕 xx
Hi Peaches71,
From personal experience, antibiotics most likely won't have a major effect on your thyroid results, as such, but like the others have said, being sick can. Prednisolone, on the other hand, can have an effect - my thyroid results were worse than what they usually are when I was on prednisolone. They were still within normal, but changed significantly enough that some of my symptoms got worse, as my T3 dropped to near the bottom end of the range and my T4 went down and TSH went up. I wasn't ill - the pred was for my eczema and I am hypothyroid taking levothyroxine. Pred dose started at 40 mg, tapering down by 5 mg every week until last week taking 2.5 mg. The prednisolone leaflet says it can interact with levothyroxine, but if you're not taking it, I can't say definitively whether it will affect your thyroid results. All these hormones do interact with each other in healthy and non-healthy individuals though, so it's likely it could have some effect, I'd imagine.
Hi Peaches71,
Hope you are having a better day.
I read your story. It sounds very similar to an experience I had with deteriorating health 2-3 years ago. And, just like you, I was convinced my thyroid was root cause. GP was, next to useless!!! Long story, short, I eventually got thyroid autoimmune blood tested (not through GP: she wasn't interested, had never done it), and yes, I was autoimmune thyroid. I also got an ultrasound of thyroid, thyroid reduced to fibrous mass, TSH <0.01 (TSH had been swinging between <0.01 and 5).
Like you, I had four lots of antibiotics, back to back. Previous couple of months, two lots also. Asthma nurse, unsympathetic, as I presented with more symptoms than she could see. I felt very, very, unwell.
My immune system was struggling. I had a chronic, and persistent cough. Sweating profusely during the night. Yet, freezing during evening. Like you, no such symptoms, ever before. I believed prescribed meds for BP, (prophylactic prescription, along with statins, as thyroid patients benefit, according to GP), were causing cough. I stopped both meds, cough stopped, breathing improved.
Blood tests through dermatologist showed positive ANA and RO High. I was diagnosed with Sjogrens Syndrome (SS), (another autoimmune disease), during the time I was so unwell. I was suffering rashes, itchy skin, was seen by a dermatologist, she fought hard to find cause. She believed I was over prescribed levothyroxine, and I had become toxic. (through her insistence with GP, I then got my dose reduced twice, from 125mcg to 75mcg).
This is just a thought. As you mentioned flem, I do wonder if you may have SS too?
In order to take back some control, and regain some good health, I read Dr Peatfield book (How to look after your thyroid), was enlightened enough to make an appointment with him. I am currently following his advice. It is very refreshing that he is a Dr who keeps in touch with progress.
As I began to recover, and got support here, i changed my GP practice (was with old GP 28 years). I do not intend to be fobbed off, regarding thyroid health, or any other health issues, ever again.
At last rheumatologist appointment, my RO numbers were down! Hopefully, getting my thyroid sorted will sort other stuff, including Sjogrens.
I wish you the very best. Good luck.
Please be aware, I am only discussing my own health journey. Health decisions must be very carefully considered. One size does not fit all. Take care X
Thank you as soon as I'm better I'm doing the full thyroid plus private test ... I have itchy skin too across my stomach and back - my health has deteriated so quickly it's scary ..I can't hold a full time job down at the minute I can barely look after myself ..it's very helpful to read similar journeys and it also gives me hope ...I was giving up but I'm fighting back now .. pneumonia has knocked me for six ..once recovered I can start fighting again - I did see a very good Gp when this latest infection started so I'm going to see him on Friday - he agreed with my regarding thyroid .. today I was sweating in the car and hot now at home just had a red hot bath because I was freezing it's crazy xxxx hope you start feeling better soon thank you for taking the time to offer advice
Pneumonia takes a lot from a person. Go easy. Recovery from pneumonia is not a rush job. I'm sure it has sent your thyroid off.
Yes, I was scared too. My husband had to help me walk to shower and help me in and out. I lost half a stone weight the first week I was ill. It was a year before I felt I could fight back properly. My mantra was, "I have not been listening (to my body telling me to pay attention, I needed to stop pushing myself), I'm listening now". I said that mantra every day. It helped me be patient with myself. Day at a time...
Hold on to that fab GP. Good luck and best wishes...
I only saw him because mine was unavailable no appointments - he was so nice and listened while I burst into tears - regarding my feet /plantar problem and pain/ sweating/ heat issues/ breathing difficulties and he said ok I think this could be thyroid / adrenal disorder but let's get your feet sorted first - so injections Friday and then see him again after to try move forward- he had already seen how many times I've had infections despite leaving my stressful job in May ( thinking that was the cause but now I know it probably wasn't ) ...tough times but hopefully some light at the end of the tunnel ☺️🤞...such a tough change to deal with when used to be super busy / social and ambitious - now really don't want any stress at all and get anxiety really badly 😕Xx
Now you have GP support, I feel sure you will be feeling better soon.
Take good care of yourself.
Blood Tests - Thyroid
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