Am I reacting to the sun due to medication?

[Caterer]

Good afternoon. Recently started on Levothyroxine. Am currently on holiday. Can thyroxine affect how you react to the sun. Even with a lot of regular applications of suncream I am burning more than normal. Also have a prickly heat rash around my neck. I have never suffered with this before. Wonder if it’s related?

[NWA6]

I have no idea 🤷‍♀️ But I can tell you that I can react to sunscreams and suffer with prickly heat on and off depending on how the wind blows (or so it would seem.

I had my first full blown prickly heat outbreak at 16 having never had it before! It was horrendous 😱

So what I’ve learnt since, is to look for a gentle sun cream. Cover up and 2/3times a day shower and scrub your body with anti bacterial soap. I’ll try and look out the info but may not be able as I found it on another forum years ago. Hope you find relief enough to enjoy your holibobs!!

[NWA6]

Ooo yes and ofcourse anti histamines!

[lucylocks]

Hi

since been hypo. I cannot tolerate the sun like I use too, not sure if it is the levothyroxine or the hypothyroidism itself.

I also suffered with prickly heat for years before been diagnosed with hypo.

A few years ago my Vitamin D levels was really low at 22 and when I supplemented and got my level up to 90 I did not get the prickly heat that summer.

Vitamin D along with other Vits can be low with hypothyroidism.

[Caterer]

Thank you. Will push gp again about testing Vit D when back in the uk.

[Treepie]

I am much more energetic in the sun.

[HLAB35]

There are some herbs like St John's Wort and also Dong Quai that increase sun sensitivity.

There are deficiencies , such as vitamin C that can cause prickly heat rash (vitamin c is involved in collagen production). Also, general sun sensitivity can be caused by low zinc, antioxidants, bioflavanoids (these are also important in eye health), b6 (also involved in collagen production) and beta carotene. I suspect that as you've been metabolising your levo, underlying deficiency in a certain mineral, vitamin or nutrient is coming to the fore (whereas your metabolism without Levo had probably been more sluggish). One of the things has already been mentioned (vitamin d), zinc, in my experience is another one, but it may vary between people. A quality vitamin c with bioflavanoids + zinc supplement may help you.

N.B. We drink, sweat and pee more in hot weather and lose a lot of vitamin c and zinc that way.

[Caterer]

Thank you that makes a lot of sense.

[Cooper27]

I once had an allergic reaction to the sun, well before my thyroid issues started. It was a hot, bright red rash that might be mistaken for sunburn, but it was bumpy, which is why it was clearly not.

The doctor couldn't say why I reacted, our best guess was the way the sun interacted with that particular sunscreen caused it. Best suggestion is to change sunscreen.

Also if your sunscreen is older, the SPF rating drops. If you bought it last April and it had SPF 30, this April it only has SPF15

[Caterer]

Fab will try a different cream. Heading home tonight so hopefully it will clear up at home.