Being unwell increasing thyroid symptoms?

[Dee8686]

I’ve had tonsillitis this week and I know it’s nornal to feel tired with viruses, but when hypo and not yet optimally medicated, as in my case, is it normal for viral symptoms to hit you harder? I have had THE worst fatigue all week. No energy and general grogginess.

Is this the norm because I’m not yet optimal so body is struggling more so?!

Sounds logical and comforting to me if that’s the case.. I just feel I keep hitting all these blocks in my recovery path and wonder if they are simply just minor obstacles.

Feel like I’m always ill. Has the tonsillitis jus knocked me for six because I’m hypo?

Just need the reassurance that when I’m optimal I will feel so much better and energised. It takes such a long time to get optimal labs!!!!

[Aurealis]

Yes! The body usually makes extra thyroid hormone to help fight illness. So if you’re not optimal you will have more difficulty than before you had the thyroid problem

[greygoose in reply to Aurealis]

Actually, it doesn't. The body converts more T4 to rT3 when you're fighting off an illness. So, the FT3 will be low and the TSH higher.

[Aurealis in reply to greygoose]

Ah, I’m not sure now. It’s a bit late today for this! The body produces more thyroid hormone in response to stress, and illness is a stress. If illness increases TSH, then this would be a mechanism for producing increased thyroid hormone during illness?

[greygoose in reply to Aurealis]

You're right! It's much too late for this! But, the TSH is bound to rise if the FT3 drops because more T4 is being converted to rT3. Whether or not the thyroid responds, I don't know.

[Dee8686 in reply to greygoose]

So.... the answer to my question is yes? I would be feeling more fatigued?

Feels like it’s never ending!

[greygoose in reply to Dee8686]

Yes, indeed. It takes hypos much longer to recover from viruses like flu.

[Hidden]

Hi, I've probably been slightly hypothyroid for several years ("Sub clinical" they call it - HA!!!). First I just felt tired, had a blood test and ferritin and folate were low so was given tablets, told to have another test in 6 months. Then I had what seemed to be a virus that really knocked me for six for a couple of weeks, (thankfully I retired a few years ago) but still felt hopeless after the original fluey feeling was gone.

Went back to doctor, another blood test and told my thyroid was on the way out and to have another test in 3 months. But the hypothyroid symptoms, inability to concentrate, tiredness, swollen eyelids, some episodes of breathlessness etc persisted, much worse than before the virus, so I rang the doctor again - in May I think - and finally a blood test for thyroid and started on thyroxine as a "Clinical trial" because TSH was high, even though T4 was still above minimum.

So yes, an infection does seem to make thyroid symptoms worse, and in my case brought things to a head so I could at last get treatment.

My advice would be to go back to the doctor and ask about getting an increase in thyroxine - you obviously need it.

All the best x