How does illness / infection affect thyroid levels?

[MissFG]

Winter is a difficult time for many with lots of bugs and infections going round.

Out of interest What advice is there on thyroid meds and dosage? Should we slightly increase when on antibiotics or if we have flu etc?

[radd]

MissFG,

Many of the symptoms we suffer are the result of our body attacking the virus and not the virus itself.

The initial response comes from macrophages/neutrophils that produce cytokines, etc that summon more support in the form of lymphocytes. When these recognise flu virus proteins, they proliferate in the lymph nodes around the lungs and throat causing inflammation & pain …… similar to a Hashi attack. Hence why the two are likened.

Those with elevated thyroid antibodies (or any autoimmune disease) are more vulnerable to a compromised immune system and “catching colds, flu, etc … ‘ but some immune stimulants such as echinacea can cause autoimmunity to flare, so it can be a dodgy time as often only trial & error will reveal what it is we are actually intolerant to.

I take 3g of Vit C daily. 🙂

[Aurealis]

I think it’s better to keep the dose absolutely stable until you know for certain that you need to change it. If you change too soon can quickly get into a situation where you’re not sure what is due to illness and what’s due to thyroid or to thyroid dose change. I find extra rest helpful in the first instance.

[MissFG in reply to Aurealis]

Agreed

[humanbean]

I believe that the body converts Free T4 into more Reverse T3 and less ordinary T3 than normal. This has the effect of slowing the body down and forcing people to rest while the body heals.

The proportion of T3 and Reverse T3 should return to normal once the illness has gone.

Personally, I wouldn't bother changing my dose for an ordinary illness like a cold or flu. I'm not sure what I'd do for anything more serious than that - say a heart attack or stroke.

[MissFG in reply to humanbean]

Hopefully anything more serious and you’d be in hospital being closely monitored including your thyroid.

[TSH110 in reply to humanbean]

Hopefully a stroke or heart attack would finish me off quickly!

[MissFG in reply to TSH110]

Aww bless ya it’s not nice is it when your so sick and feel like no one wants to help you. Your in the right place though for support 🌹

[TSH110 in reply to MissFG]

Yes this site has been a life saver for me, thank goodness it is here it is full of excellent advice given by understanding and compassionate people. There's nothing like having it to give you insight.

[MissFG in reply to humanbean]

How would this be affected humanbean if your on T3 only?

[humanbean in reply to MissFG]

I'm on T3 only. I had a (rare for me) severe respiratory illness in the Spring this year, and it took me about six weeks to feel better. I carried on taking my normal T3 dose most of the time while I was ill but missed out the occasional dose - sometimes I just didn't want to take it. I had no plan, it just happened that way, and I listened to what my body seemed to be telling me.

Sorry I can't be scientific and precise about it.

The one thing I would not do if I was ill is try to overcome it by taking more T3 than normal.

[TSH110 in reply to humanbean]

I wonder if the body needs less thyroid hormone/s as it fights the bugs off?

[humanbean in reply to TSH110]

I really don't know, to be honest.

[TSH110 in reply to humanbean]

That makes two of us!

[MissFG in reply to humanbean]

I only ask out of curiosity as I have bad symptoms of another autoimmune disease, ear infection and had a boil in my ear canal (worst thing ever!), vertigo so really sick.

My thyroid feels stable atm so I haven’t changed my dose I just asked at to what the standard protocol is.

[humanbean in reply to MissFG]

I'm not aware of a standard protocol, sorry.

[Hidden]

It was having a virus that finally got me diagnosed with ("Subclinical") hypothyroidism. I felt nearly as bad even after the actual fluey feeling went away.

I suppose you would have to have thyroid levels measured before, during and after the cold or flu.

It certainly makes sense that thyroid levels are affected by infections (don't know about antibiotics as such), as well as the rest of the body. Apparently our adrenals try to make up for a lack of thyroid hormones, so they would be affected too - making us feel even worse.

[TSH110 in reply to Hidden]

I think I read that illness reduces the TSH which surprised me, I thought the body would make more thyroxine if you were ill. Before I was diagnosed I was a walking germ factory one horrible illness after another, I was very overtly hypo. If I get ill once a year now it is an event as it used to be before hypothyroidism took hold. I presume if you are optimised then you should stick to that dose even if you get poorly but if you are undermedicated that will exacerbate any resultant immune deficiency and a dose increase is needed if it is one bug after another - this is not indicative of a healthy person.

[humanbean in reply to TSH110]

If TSH is reduced by illness it would suggest to me that conversion from T4 to T3 is reduced as a result. More Reverse T3 would be created as a result.

This might be how resting during illness is "enforced" by the body.

[TSH110 in reply to humanbean]

That makes sense 😉

[TSH110 in reply to humanbean]

That seems to be pretty much what the scientific studies say. Full text of this one (quite old) is available:

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

They don’t recommend Levothyroxine in those who are euthyroid but have transitory abnormal thyroid blood tests due to non thyroidal illness. If extrapolated to us, I assume no temporary increase in medication is advisable either.

[Hidden in reply to TSH110]

I suppose we would probably have recovered from the illness long before the effect of the increase kicked in?

[TSH110 in reply to Hidden]

Quite...although if it were NDT or T3 rather than just T4 there might be some effect as the T3 is active in just a few hours having a short half life. Would probably create more problems than It solved for out poor body battling the bugs.

[MissFG in reply to Hidden]

I think sometimes our health is tipped over the edge by certain conditions such as viruses, trauma and stress etc.

I control my thyroid symptoms self medicating on T3. If we had to pay for private blood tests before during and after I think we’d all be bankrupt.

Infections obviously cause a rise in inflammation levels just wondered if and how it could affect thyroid levels especially when you have active thyroiditis. But I only measure FT3 as my TSH is suppressed and FT4 very low as I don’t take any thyroxine.

It’s so complex an issue and just so difficult when most of us are surviving on our own.

[So-Ken2 in reply to MissFG]

Hi there so you only take T3? How much? I have been buying NDT online and self medicating for about 15 months now but winter is back and really struggling with a recurring sore throat- now on antibiotics as can't shift It after over 3 weeks ... I am clearing my throat the whole time as can't swallow and go hoarse ... Really run down as I still work part time with 5 kids ect! I literally can't tell my family I am ill again was in bed yesterday for half the day in between cleaning up -cooking and school runs... dont feel that NDT is working any more unless it is just because of virus? I was struggling in the summer too and upped my dose- can you have bad symptoms if the dose is too high?? Any help appreciated as sat at my desk feeling drained sipping lemsips and its only 10.20 am !!! Extra caffeine at the ready.

[MissFG in reply to So-Ken2]

Yes I’m on T3 only as I didn’t concert T4 and didn’t feel any benefits from levothyroxine.

Wow you’ve a lot on your plate especially with 5 kids. I don’t know how you manage. Have you had your bloods tested recently TSH FT4 & FT3 to see if you are on the correct dose of NDT and if it’s working for you besides being run down with an infection?

I can recommend by dm where I get mine online but I use Turkish tiromel so get it when I or my friends go on holiday there too.

If you are under or over medicated you won’t feel well. Have you also checked your key vitamin levels such as D, B12, iron levels, potassium, magnesium etc I regularly need to take these and also find CoQ10 helps my energy levels x

[So-Ken2 in reply to MissFG]

Thanks could you dm please on messenger Sophie Kennedy - I used to be on T3 but can't find my supplier anymore... I think I am overmedicated as doing it myself!! My last consultant was so against NDT I couldn't see him again... that was 2 years ago and my Thyroid was suppressed but he did agreed to prescribe T3 privately ( over £200 in Lloyds pharmacy !! so sourced it online...) I am on Nature- throid now that I buy from California yes I take supplements as well. Considering going on T3 only as would be much cheaper and might actually work better for me than NDT not sure how to work it out!! Hopefully will feel better after this virus goes- I was back to normal then went back to gym and had 2 xmas parties which finish me off! Still if I have a busy day with work kids ect I feel it v badly the next day and have to take a nap!! How are your energy levels on T3 only? Weight under control? I have put back on the 5kgs I originally lost on T3 arghhh xxxx

[MissFG in reply to So-Ken2]

You must go to your doctor or get bloods done privately it’s so important to monitor yourself if your self medicating whatever you chose to use.

I’ll message you my supplier and I’m sure some of the more experienced members on here will be able to give you some more advice x