Never get ill with Hashimotos

[Jenbot78]

Hello, wondering if anyone else has this? I literally never get ill when everyone else does...colds, flus and stomach bugs have all passed me by even when my family have them! Anyone else have this? And any explanation for it? Wondered if it is my overactive immune system fighting bugs!

[Rmichelle]

Im always pick up everything as my immune system is low- hashis and celiac ive heard most people are more poorly with immune diseases but you must be super woman!! I could be incorrect though.😊

[greygoose]

Why do you think you have an over-active immune system? Having Hashi's just means that your immune system is confused, and targeting the wrong things, not that it is over-active.

[Kes8]

I seem to remember from a distant lecture that some people said "I'm so healthy I never get a cold!" but actually often they are actually chronically inflamed and therefore not in a healthy state.

This high level of inflammation was killing off bacteria/virus/etc. but isn't healthy.

Have you ever had inflammation checked in a blood test? Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) or ESR?

[spongecat in reply to Kes8]

I can believe that. I don't easily pick up bugs like coughs and colds either. For 2 years running my Blue Horizon blood test has picked up a CRP of 8 (<5) and my GP says it's probably related to the gut/Hashi's and the fact that, by coincidence, I had a tooth extracted around the time of each blood test and is not interested in investigating further due to the ambiguousness of CRP and the fact that it wasn't massively high.

[Rocca]

I know what you mean but I don't know the mechanism. Since having a cough virus which seemed to kickstart my hyperthyroidism I have not caught anything even though members of my family have been ill with various things. I honestly feel like when I get a normal cough or cold again it will mean I am well from whatever is wrong with me right now and I'll eat my hat if I get a cold before that magical point. I have TPO antibodies and have had aching glands throughout my thyroid illness and daily feel like I am getting flu in the evenings but it never comes to anything. But I had a plasma viscosity test for inflammation which came back normal.

I should add that one of the few things which helps me a bit during my awful evenings is taking ibuprofen, which of course is an anti-inflammatory. I do wish I could have a blood test for inflammation done in the evenings...

[AnneEvo]

I am hypo. I've never had flu in my life; I'm 71; never get colds as such - I have had the odd virus. When I used to give blood I was told I had a lot of antibodies (they used to collect my blood in a special bag) so I assume that's what protected me.

[Hidden in reply to AnneEvo]

Well that depends. If you have Hashimoto's or other autoimmune conditions, and it was those antibodies that were being identified in your blood, they wouldn't have been protecting you, they would be indicating endogenous damage rather protection against exogenous invaders.

[AnneEvo in reply to Hidden]

I know what you're saying. I don't have TPO antibodies; I've decided to have a test with Medicheck or Blue Horizon to check for TG? antibodies. I was assuming they were antibodies against things like colds and flu. But of course I don't actually know what type they were.

[MarthaF]

I have hashimotos and rarely get colds. I also get the flu aches now and then. I used to think I was getting the beginnings of a cold with the aching and then nothing would happen and I thought my immune system was very robust fighting off all the flu! But when I discovered I have hashimotos I realised that the flu symptoms must be due to it. They came back recently when I increased thyroxine.

[humanbean]

I am hypothyroid.

I have never had a positive test for thyroid antibodies, so I don't appear to have Hashi's.

My CRP and ESR have never been high (that I know of).

I have never knowingly had flu in my life.

I used to get proper colds occasionally before my 40s, then they stopped happening, and I can't remember the last time I had one - it's been years. I sometimes get the feeling I'm about to get a cold, and feel a bit bunged up, but it wears off within a day or a day and a half or thereabouts.

Given all the above I should feel wonderful.

But instead I have a brain which is turning to mush, I suffer from chronic pain, I am permanently fatigued, I sleep poorly, I have high cortisol, I feel as though I have flu without any observable evidence that this is true, and I am terrified that I'm developing dementia.

I've often wondered why the above should be the case, but have never found an explanation. I have always assumed my immune system was much more active than it was in normal people.

[Hidden in reply to humanbean]

My situation is very similar to yours, so I exactly get what you're describing. Mine is no doubt exacerbated by a heart condition for which I am awaiting surgery, but it's very telling that my Cardio is positive all those symptoms are thyroid-related ..... just a pity the Endos I've seen don't seem to understand it as well as my Cardio lol.

[toramaria in reply to humanbean]

Hi! I am 28 years old and can completely relate to everything you discribe. I also have a well managed diabetes type 1. Have you guys come any furter in your search for answers? I am new to this whole thing, thyroid malfunction etc... Thank you so much,

[humanbean in reply to toramaria]

I've found that changing my diet has had an impact. I try to eat a higher fat and protein diet, and try to cut down on the sugar and carbs. Sometimes I have a good day, in diet terms, sometimes I don't. But I can tolerate Levo now whereas several years ago I couldn't.

By the way, this is an old thread, and you are less likely to get answers now than you would if you posted a new thread.

[NWA6 in reply to toramaria]

Interesting that this old thread popped up! I could have written this myself. Since being an adult (I’m 46) I’ve had labyrinthitis twice and a bad case of whopping cough, other than that I really really can’t ever remember having a cold and I’ve certainly never had flu. I used to work with children and it would seem that I brought everything home to hubby. When I had kids, they’d get coughs and colds or occasionally V&D but me? Nothing.

I’d love to have my blood analysed! Lol

[Jenbot78]

Thanks a lot for all your replies, good to know it's not just me! I will think about getting the TG antibodies tested.