Symptoms - sore throat/lungs hurting??

[Minimouse1]

Over past few weeks I've had a constant sore throat with phlegm and a tight feeling. My doc did say my thyroid was enlarged. I've read this is caused by antibodies attacking the thyroid. However I now also have a sore feeling inside my throat going all the way down to collar bone level & into top of my lungs. I dont have a virus though, so am really unsure what could be causing this. Does anyone have any personal experience of this or ideas??

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your other posts say you are on 75mcg Levothyroxine

You were getting thyroid tested

Have you got results and ranges you can add

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Medichecks currently have an offer on until end of May - 20% off

thyroiduk.org.uk/index.html

Which brand of Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

Do you always get same brand?

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Though it is the only one for lactose intolerant patients

[Minimouse1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon, yes I've had lots of results lateley, hence my dose of lev o being increased to 100mg. My THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODY > 1000 iu/mL [0.0 - 35.0], Last Thyroid result was done 29/4/19 - TSH 13.06 (0.38-5.5), T4 13.3 (10.0-18.7). I also have results for Vit D, B12 & iron profile of required?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Minimouse1]

Add vitamin results and ranges

Members can advise on next steps

Your antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

Mucus and phlegm may suggest dairy intolerance

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet




(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)




Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Other gut issues due to being hypothyroid

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's gut connection is very poorly understood

[Minimouse1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi again, I've uploaded my vitamin results. In last 2 days I've started taking a boat load of supplements. I'm not really understanding how the symptoms I mentioned I'm having would be related to a gut problem??

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Minimouse1]

Your symptoms should improve as Levothyroxine dose increases

Acid reflux is common hypothyroid symptom due to LOW stomach acid

This can cause sore throat and pain

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/good-thyroid-he...

Dairy intolerance on Levothyroxine is common too

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/hypochl...

scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-...

Thousands of posts on here about low stomach acid

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

[Minimouse1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ok thank you I will take a look & research.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Minimouse1]

Generally recommended to only make one change at a time

You just got Levothyroxine dose increase. See how that goes

Only add one supplement at a time

None of your levels are terrible.

B12 and vitamin D slightly low

[Minimouse1 in reply to SlowDragon]

On dear I didn't add one supplement at a time, I started taking them all at once! Vit D 4000IU, B12 1000, K2 100mg, selenium 200, magnesium, zinc 25mg??

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Minimouse1]

Well if you get a bad reaction you won't know if it's the increase in Levothyroxine or which vitamin

Make sure Levothyroxine is always same brand too

Suggest you stop most of them and start more slowly

Perhaps just stick with selenium.

Then two weeks later add another vitamin

Waiting 2 weeks for any reaction good or bad before adding another

This article explains should discuss with specialists before taking any vitamin K if you take any blood thinning medication

drsinatra.com/vitamin-k2-su...

Is it vitamin K2 Mk7?

Don't take any supplements at all within 2 hours of Levothyroxine

Magnesium and vitamin D (if tablets) must be minimum of four hours away from taking Levothyroxine

Only ever change one thing at a time.

[Minimouse1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon, Yes it's K2 Mk7. I thought it important to get my vit D & B12 levels up a bit and that K2 Mk7 helped aid the D3 get absorbed? I take my levo in the morning with water an hour before food or drink. Then was taking all the vitamins with food mid afternoon 2/3pm ish, except the magnesium which I took at bedtime with my HRT.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Minimouse1]

Yes it's a good plan to improve vitamins.

But best to just add one at a time!

Timings look good too

B12 - is that sublingual lozenges or mouth spray?

[Minimouse1 in reply to SlowDragon]

My B12 is subliminal lozenges. My vit D is a spray and says 6 sprays deliver 4000iu of vit D. Am I supposed to spray 6 times at intervals throughout the day or 6 times in one application??

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Minimouse1]

Probably Doesn't matter on Vitamin D, personally I do my vitamin D in one go